Traveling across the country, or even across a state, to explore a national park you've never been to can generate a little anxiety. Will it be like the brochures depict it, will you like it, will you see wildlife, what's the landscape really like? That's where videos can help out a lot, as this was does for Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

It's always nice to look inside a shoe box and see a nicely put together pair of shoes, in this case, the H2O Escape Bungee Sneaker made by Sperry Top-Sider. My old, ratty water shoes had finally rotted away on my feet, and I needed something new, something that works and plays as hard as I do, a shoe that lasts, and something that will follow my feet around, in and out of the water.

Spring migration is in full swing here in the Great Lakes, and your humble birding columnist has been run ragged. Among my recent travels was a stop at Ontario’s Point Pelee National Park. It’s a small park, but loaded with unique geographic features and plenty of fabulous birds. You’ll hear about the actual birds right here in a couple weeks, but for now I want to focus on the birders. One group in particular was out in force.

Fort Pickens at Gulf Islands National Seashore is an oasis of history and nature in a sea of Florida development. It's also one end of the Florida National Scenic Trail, a flat but challenging walk.