Musing on National Parks

New York can be a wonderful place to live and work in, but there are times when one needs to escape the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. The National Park Service is offering three fee-free weekends (June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16) at dozens of parks across the United States, including Mount Rainier (which I visited in 2001) and the Grand Canyon (which I visited in 2003).





Sagamore Hill is the only national historic site closest to the city that's participating in this promotion. Located in Oyster Bay, this property was the home of Theodore Roosevelt from 1885 to 1919. His accomplishments as president include launching construction of the Panama Canal in 1903 and winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906. (Those interested in seeing a "larger-than-life" version of him can do so at Mount Rushmore.)





Such trips will ultimately cost more than $25, but it's still a good value ... and the memories will be priceless.