San Juan National Historic Site celebrates its 60th birthday today, February 14. This remarkable park, America's only national park in Puerto Rico, preserves some of the finest Spanish Colonial-era coastal forts left in the Caribbean. Many people believe that one of these forts is haunted.

For more than a few of us, visiting many of our national parks can only be done vicariously -- most often while we're firmly seated in our most comfortable armchair, at that. So many far off places -- whether you're in Florida wondering about Denali or Glacier Bay national parks in Alaska, or in Alaska wondering about the Everglades or maybe Biscayne national parks in Florida -- can only be visited through words, videos, or audio.

Sherman needed 100,000 troops to take Atlanta in 1864, and you’ll need patience and good humor today if you visit this park commemorating the Atlanta Campaign. Established as a national battlefield 92 years ago today, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park offers many delights, despite being engulfed by urban sprawl and plagued with awful traffic.

To say this is the slow season in many national parks is an understatement. However, if you're flexible and curious about off-season vistas, the slow season can carry many benefits. Such as half-off on lodging in some parks.