Books, Bites, and Sights

"I sha'n't be gone long. – You come too." – Robert Frost

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About Me

Hi, there! My name is Natalie Ray, and I am the creator of Books, Bites, and Sights.

This blog is space for me to focus more on the things that bring me joy: reading, yoga, spirituality, early mornings, travel, peanut butter, hot coffee, recovery, love, long phone calls, and more. I won’t be gone long— you come too.

Explore my authentic and unsolicited take on different books, bites, and sights from a variety of destinations by clicking on the drop downs. And don’t forget to leave a comment on your take, suggestions, or experiences.

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  • Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

    March 29th – April 1st, 2026 Amory captured it perfectly when describing Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: You can’t judge from a distance. You need to be in and amongst the trees to understand. Oddly, this same phrase aligned with the big idea of this week’s novel: friendship. Outside looking in, we can all…

  • Grand Canyon National Park

    March 25th – 27th, 2026 Books, Bites, Insights: How to Hike Rim to River and Back in One Day Hello friends and readers! For this week’s post I wanted to focus on an epic endeavor that Amory and I recently undertook: Hiking down into the Grand Canyon and back in one day. This trek is…

  • Colorado’s Big Four

    March 16th – March 24th, 2026 Variety is the Spice of Life: One State, Four Worlds Diverse: The word that comes to the forefront of my mind when trying to capture Colorado’s four national parks. Alpine peaks and towering sand dunes; Archeological sites and river-cut gorges. Looking to take a roadtrip with a wide-range of…

  • Carlsbad, New Mexico

    March 13th – March 15th, 2026 Two for One: A Weekend in Carlsbad, New Mexico Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park are only 30 minutes from one another and are complementary national parks making for the perf weekend getaway. Because neither of the parks are expansive nor difficult to traverse, you can…

  • Petrified Forest National Park

    March 11th, 2026 A One-Hit Wonder: How to Make the Most of Petrified Forest National Park in One Day A realist. I pride myself in being one when appropriate. Saying that Petrified Forest National Park is a one day affair, IMO, isn’t a bad thing. The park is beautiful and unique, but, to be blunt,…

  • Utah’s Mighty 5

    February 28th – March 10th, 2026 Initially our plans for the 63 in 365 journey was to visit Utah’s Might 5 in April, so when we checked our calendars and realized we were nearly a month ahead of schedule, we were nervous. How cold is Utah in March? What are the trail conditions like? What…

  • Death Valley National Park

    February 25th – February 27th, 2026 Here is the tea: I do not like deserts. Constant nosebleeds, limited greenery, hot and dry air. Bleh. No thanks. Hard pass. But, even before beginning our 63 in 365 journey, Amory talked so highly of Death Valley National Park, and I now know why. Making the lonesome 6…

  • Virgin Islands National Park

    February 21st – 24th, 2026 Amory and I wrapped up our island month with a quick trip to the United States Virgin Islands for park #22 – Virgin Islands National Park. I haven’t said this much on our 63 in 365 journey, but I do wish we would of had more time here. I would…

  • Ventura, California

    February 14th, 2026 Channel Islands National Park was park number 21 on Amory and I’s 63 in 365 journey, and, romantically, our visit landed on Valentine’s Day. How did we get to the park? After landing in LA, Amory and I drove an hour and a half West to Ventura Harbor. Once there, we made…

  • Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

    February 9th – 11th, 2026 Podcasts, Bites, and Sights: Because god forbid I am alone with my own thoughts. Amory and I put many miles on our Jeep rental while on the Big Island. As a girl, I dreaded long scenic drives. Breaking my eyes away from my Nintendo DS in the back of our…