As the sun sets and the world around us darkens, a whole new universe unveils itself, sparkling with the celestial beauty of countless stars. With the increasing rarity of truly dark skies due to artificial lights, dark sky national parks have emerged as exceptional destinations to appreciate the wonders of stargazing. We have gathered our top parks and tips for enjoying and photographing the stars.     
 
Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/78

Come with us on a journey throughout the United States as we discover unique and offbeat destinations. In this episode, we'll share our road trip experience, driving from the vast landscapes of Texas' Big Bend National Park to Michigan. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/77

Welcome back to another episode of "Off the Beaten Path but Not Lost." We're going on an epic journey to the Lone Star State to explore Big Bend National Park in Texas. We'll uncover the hidden gems, from epic offroad trails to the pretty cacti blooms. We also explore Black Gap Road, a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/76

We visited the Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns National Park, where we explored one of the largest underground caves in the world. In this episode, we talk about Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which has more than 119 known caves full of interesting formations. We'll also take you on a journey to the rugged Guadalupe Mountains National Park, where you can scale the highest summit in Texas – Guadalupe Peak. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/75

Embarking on an RV adventure is an exciting experience, but focusing on proper RV maintenance and safety is essential. This guide will cover everything you need to know about maintaining your RV. Along with an accompanying podcast, we’ll help ensure a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable trip for you and your passengers. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/74

Are you tired of the same touristy travel destinations? Ready to shake things up and discover some lesser-known gems? In this week's podcast episode, we dive into 5 Must-See Off the Beaten Path Destinations. We will take you on a journey to explore hidden small towns across the United States.
Join us on a journey to explore some of America's most beautiful and charming small towns! We'll start by visiting Jerome, Arizona, a town with a lot of enchanting character. We'll experience the Bavarian charm of Leavenworth, Washington, where you'll feel like you're in Germany. Next, we'll embrace the natural beauty of McCall, Idaho, surrounded by stunning scenery. We'll then head to Cloudcroft, New Mexico, a mountain town that will leave you breathless. Finally, we'll bask in the coastal town of Frankfort, Michigan, where we'll soak up the sun and take in the ocean views. There's a world of adventure waiting beyond the usual tourist traps!
We'll dig into the fascinating history, uncover things to do, scope out the best accommodations, and share our insider tips to help you make the most of your visit. Whether you're looking for a laid-back beach escape, a snowy mountain, or a quirky small town experience, we've got you covered. So grab your travel wishlist, tune in, and let's explore off the beaten path destinations together!
Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/73

Today, we're taking a detour from our usual RV adventures to make a "life-altering" announcement: we've decided to hang up the keys, ditch the open road, and settle down in a brick-and-mortar home!
But fear not, dear listeners, for this sudden change of heart is merely a ruse to bring you a compilation of our favorite part, the bloopers and behind-the-scenes shenanigans. Happy April Fools' Day!

Setting out on a journey with a Class A RV presents an unparalleled opportunity to discover new destinations and forge lasting memories with family and friends. However, maneuvering a sizable motorhome can be daunting for beginners. This episode will provide essential driving tips for RV beginners to help owners confidently navigate the road. From understanding the vehicle’s dimensions to mastering the art of parking, these practical insights will empower you to make the most of your motorhome experience, ensuring a safe and enjoyable voyage for you and your family.Show Notes: https://thefaiolas.com/71

White Sands National Park is a unique and stunning destination that attracts visitors worldwide. From the nearby city of Alamogordo to the rugged beauty of the Sacramento Mountains, the surrounding area offers an abundance of experiences for visitors to enjoy. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/70

Tombstone, Arizona, is a popular tourist destination offering a glimpse into the Old West. This podcast episode discusses things to do in Tombstone with kids.  Show Notes: https://thefaiolas.com/69

A quick update on The Faiolas for the week and what's coming up next week. 

We have spent most of our winter in the Sonoran Desert. We spent the last few weeks in our 27th National Park, Saguaro National Park, and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/67

Over the last few weeks, we’ve explored the beautiful Yuma off-road trails and traveled from Yuma to Joshua Tree National Park. One of our highlights from the last month in Yuma was attending the rodeo, where we cheered on cowboys and cowgirls as they showed off their skills. We had some lowlights as well with some RV repairs. We introduce our newest segment, sharing details about our favorite off-road trails. We took advantage of boondocking options when we weren’t at the parks included in our Thousand Trails and Encore membership. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/66

We were staying so close (about 3 hours from Yuma, Arizona) to California and Joshua Tree National Park that we decided it would be great to visit. We stayed for about 10 days at a campground near the national park and visited the park several times. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/65

In the middle of the desert in Quartzite, Arizona, “The Largest Gathering of RVers in the World” comes together for an RV show. The Quartzite RV Show has between 750,000 to 1,000,000 attendees every year. This year it was from January 21st through the 29th. We talk about our favorite vendors and RVs from the show. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/64

Before we started RV living, we would watch videos and listen to podcasts about this life—it looked like a constant vacation. Now that we're living the life, we're here to tell you it's not a vacation, it's a lifestyle. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/63

We are excited to put together a series of guides of bucket list items to do in each region across the country. Our first in the series is the Rocky Mountain Region. We hope to fill your state wishlist book with tons of exploring for your next epic road trip. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/62

Get the details on what we've been up to for the last month. Hear about some great Yuma Jeep trails, Christmas events, and our new school year. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/61

For our 60th podcast, we’ll give you 60 RV destinations—in no particular order. We’re sharing epic locations (like Yellowstone) that we think are amazing places to visit, and staying in your own space as an RV makes them even better. BONUS: A lot of the locations we share are even free! Many of these places can be done in one longer trip, but we are not grouping them in this episode.
Show Notes: https://thefaiolas.com/60
 

2023 is here, and we're excited! We have some big goals this year. We are discussing our plans for 2023, our route, the states we're claiming, and National Parks we will visit. Of course, this is the plan, and it's subject to change. HAHA! Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/59

We are excited to share our 2nd annual yearly recap for 2022. We can't believe it's been a year already since our last overview in 2021. We go through the previous year's stats in the episode.  Although we didn't hit our goals and completely changed our plans for 2022, we still made amazing memories. Washington and the Beat Harvest were not in our plans, but we're happy we did them and will be returning to both. Shownotes: thefaiolas.com/58

We have been wintering in Arizona for over a month and have visited Cottonwood, Jerome, and Yuma. In this podcast episode, we discuss where we have stayed and give an update on what we have been doing over the last month. Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/57

With Christmas coming next weekend, we wanted to share tips and ideas for celebrating all the holidays in an RV. We go over some of the best ways to decorate in a small place, fun ideas for birthday parties, and gifts to people living in a small home. 
Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/56

We love boondocking and talking to beginners about how to boondock. This podcast episode discusses tips, amazing places we’ve stayed, and everything you need to know for RV boondocking. The podcast episode is the RV boondocking for beginners guide you need if you want to get into the wild and camp for free. Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/55
 

JEEP Trails! One of our favorite family adventures is going on a Jeep trail. We bought MT Rush (our Jeep) in South Dakota around the 4th of July in 2020—we talked about it in episode 11 of the podcast. It has been the single most fun purchase we have ever made. In this episode, we discuss a bunch of trails we have done over the last few years. Show notes: thefaiolas.com/54

If you are in northeastern Arizona, near the New Mexico border, you are near a unique national park—Petrified Forest National Park. This podcast episode discusses driving through New Mexico, El Malpais National Monument, and our visit to Petrified Forest National Park. 
Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/53

This episode discusses leaving North Dakota and traveling to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Show notes: https://thefaiolas.com/52

How was the Beet Harvest? Was it worth it? In this episode, the harvest is over! In this episode, we tell you details and how much money we made working the beet harvest. Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/51

RVing with pets can be challenging, but if you love dogs as much as us, finding ways to make it work is necessary. In this podcast, we're going to give you tips for traveling with dogs. Your pet can struggle with adjusting to this lifestyle, so it's essential to ensure you have done everything possible to make it easier for your furry family member. https://thefaiolas.com/50

Welcome to the episode where we tell you how much we miss Tony. HAHA! In this very quick update, the girls and I talk about surviving without dad while he's working the Beet Harvest. Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/49

Last week we told you about the National Parks, National Lakeshores, and  National Seashore we visited east of the Mississippi. In this episode, we discuss the 17 National Parks we visited west of the Mississippi. Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/48

As of this podcast and blog post, we've been to 26 National Parks, lakeshores, and seashores. Today we will tell you about 6 National Parks, 2 National Lakeshores, and 1 National Seashore. Shownotes: https://thefaiolas.com/47