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.

Category: Uncategorized

  • Yellowstone National Park

    May 2 – 3, 2026 and May 6 – 9, 2026 I hate to break it to you reader, but you’ll never be able to feel complete after a visit to Yellowstone National Park. Why? Because there is just so much to do and see here. From otherworldly geographical phenomena to acres and acres of…

  • Grand Teton National Park

    April 29th – May 1st, 2026 Books, Bites, and Lakes: My Take on How to Explore Grand Teton National Park Amory and I only had three days in GTNP – boo. And we went preseason, so many things were still inaccessible due to snow and Winter closures. But when I reminisce on my favorite moments…

  • Yosemite National Park

    April 19th – April 23rd, 2026 Barley Enough to Scratch the Surface: A 5 Day, 4 Night Itinerary in Yosemite National Park One of my all time favorites – Yosemite National Park brought Amory and I up to park number 43 of our 63 in 365 journey. Although this was my second visit to the…

  • Redwood National and State Parks

    April 15th – 17th, 2026 Slow. Simple. And Refreshing. Redwoods reignited my drive to be gratefully in the moment of this 63 in 365 journey. Sleeping in your car daily. Not showering for nearly two weeks. Eating only packaged, shelf-stable foods. It can be all-consuming, and the pessimism can begin to be unwavering. But the…

  • Pinnacles National Park

    April 2nd – 3rd, 2026 Condors, Caves, and California Peaks, Oh My: A Weekend Away in Pinnacles National Park Pinnacles National Park holds a soft spot in my heart for a good reason; It is full of so many epic things (peep the title of this post) yet it really isn’t all that big (only…

  • 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,…