Gift Ideas for the Holidays

By Shannon Freed, Trip Consultant

Support your National Parks, learn, and have fun with Monopoly: National Parks Edition. Imagine a world where wooden tents and ranger stations replace houses and hotels, and where wagons and bears take the place of cars and dogs.

Instead of traditional properties like Boardwalk and Park Place, in this version you'll find Yellowstone, Yosemite, and 26 other properties of the National Park System. The game board is divided into eight sections that include Spirit of America, Early Cultures, The Earth Alive, Hallowed Ground, Ancient Creatures, The Water's Edge, Nature's Great Variety, and Majestic Landscapes. The makers and sponsors of the game hope to promote this customized edition as an educational tool to increase awareness and provide information on the national parks. A portion of the proceeds from game sales will be used by the National Park Foundation to benefit our nation's parks.

I bought my niece’s National Parks Edition of Monopoly at Grand Teton National Park, but you can also purchase one online or at your local retail store. The following link will help you find the best buying option for you: http://www.usaopoly.com/. Click on Monopoly, Lifestyle/Hobby, then Where to Buy (at top of page). There is also a Monopoly: Night Sky Edition and Monopoly: MY National Parks Edition which allows you to customize your own game with over 100 of the most beautiful parks across America. Over one million possible combinations of incredible landscapes to choose from, you’ll never play the same game twice. Ages 8+ for both editions, 2-6 players. Standard retail price is about $35.95.

Another great gift for the holidays is the CAMP board game. The vision behind CAMP is to bring families together by educating them about the great outdoors. Tim Paczesny, founder and creator, (and avid outdoorsman and family man) created CAMP out of his passion for nature and a true desire to reconnect the family unit. The unique selling property of the CAMP board game is the 4 levels of play where anyone from 4 years old to 70+ can play and be challenged, making CAMP “ the game that grows with you”. Following is a link to their website to purchase for $24.99 + shipping: WELCOME - EDUCATION OUTDOORS.