Alaska, for most of us, is a far and distant land, one we'll likely never reach in person, but which pulls at the explorer in each of us. Thanks to a collaboration of groups and agencies, from the National Park Service and Alaska Geographic to the National Geographic Society and others, you can explore Katmai National Park and Preserve for the next hour without leaving home.

You can find them at Cape Cod National Seashore, Fire Island National Seashore, Assateague Island National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Cape Lookout National Seashore, and Cumberland Island National Seashore. But what exactly is a maritime forest and how to they survive in these salty environments?

In a continuing series of videos on Shenandoah National Park, this episode looks at the park as a place to play. "As our world speeds up, you can always find refuge here in Shenandoah National Park," says the National Park Service. "We live in such a fast-paced world that we can forget to play, but don't worry. You can come unwind here. From the very inception of Shenandoah, it has been a place for people to play and become rejuvenated in the natural world."

To highlight the wonders and resources to be found at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the National Park Service has created a series of short videos. This, the first in that series, introduces viewers to the nation's national parks in general, as well as Shenandoah, A Park Among Parks.