A brutal heat wave, coupled with a long-running drought, has many national parks in the Western half of the country enduring broiling temperatures and increased fire danger. Temperatures Wednesday at Death Valley National Park could reach 128 degrees at Furnace Creek, the National Park Service said, while fire danger at Grand Teton National Park inched up to "high."

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As you drive toward, or fly over, Washington state, you can’t help but turn your eyes toward “The Mountain.” Known as Tahoma (or Tacoma) by the Northwest Native tribes and “an icon in the Washington landscape,” this “episodically active” volcano and most-glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S. lends its name to Mount Rainier National Park, which offers visitors plenty of activities surrounding this centerpiece mountain. The Traveler’s Checklist can help you plan your trip to make the most of your time exploring this park.

There was something about the guided tour of New York’s Tenement Museum a few years back that resonated as the engaging guide asked about our thoughts and experiences and went where the conversation took us instead of just droning on with a dull prepared script.