Bringing my mom and girlfriend Jen on a national park birthday road trip for their 75th and 37th birthdays in May. We’ll be hitting up White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, and Guadalupe Mountainsโ€”and maybe even sneaking in a stop at Gila Cliff Dwellings if time permits. All will be first visits for them.

Vast white sand dunes stretch across the landscape with mountain ranges visible in the distance under a clear blue sky.