A couple weeks ago I went on vacation to Yellowstone with my family, and after being there, I wanted to show others why they needed to go. It was peaceful and serene to say the least, and a trip to remember for a lifetime. With sights so incredible, you’ll feel like you have to pinch yourself to make sure it is real. Sure enough, it is, and you may still not be able to believe your eyes. This was the very first National Park established in the United States and it is nestled comfortably between the borders of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. The best time to go is the summertime because all of the roads are open throughout the park so the exploration is endless. In the winter, due to dangerous road conditions, many of the roads leading towards the north and east entrance are closed and you want to make sure you explore these because they are absolutely breathtaking. So, before I ruin everything in the introduction, let me just jump right in. Many of you guys may not need convincing, but here’s an extra push to actually go: seven reasons why Yellowstone needs to be on your vacation list. (All the photos in this article were taken with my phone, so you know this place is beautiful if a phone camera can capture this.)

1. The landscape is fascinating.

From mountains to valleys, to hills, to rivers, to creeks, to waterfalls, to lakes, to grasslands, to plains, to cliffs, to canyons, to geysers, to mud volcanoes, to bison, to bears, to elk, to deer — the list goes on and on. Almost every type of landscape can be seen at this one location and 80 percent of the Geysers in the world, most famously Old Faithful, reside at this very place.

2. The landscape is changing.

Yellowstone is located on a hotspot, which is a spot of magma located only a couple miles from the Earth’s surface. This heats the water that moves through the ground, forming Geysers on the surface (let me remind you that 80 percent of the world’s geysers reside here). But, this hot spot is not stationary and Yellowstone certainly is rapidly changing due to its high activity. What you see now most certainly will not be the exact same 50 years from now, so go and see Yellowstone shaping itself live and in action.

3. There is so much to do!

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you can hike various trails geared towards certain leveled hikers. Mountain climbing is also popular, as well as swimming in the creeks, wildlife watching, hanging out by the lakes, or even jumping off cliffs into the water below. You are sure to find something to do.

4. People come from all over.

Now, I’m not saying be a band-wagoner and come, but there is a reason why people from other countries are paying thousands upon thousands to see this natural beauty. This attraction of people from all over can be extremely eye opening and humbling as people who speak different languages with different cultures congregate at this one point in the heart of America to bask in the beauty that God has created. How powerful.

5. There is hardly any service.

Okay, before I lose two thirds of the people reading this article, let me just say that this is a really good thing. It is hard not being "in the know" in our world today, but being out in nature and living almost primitively, surrounded by the people you are close to, is an incredible bonding experience. It won’t be easy because you will actually be forced to interact with each other, but it brings people closer together. Only about 50 percent of the park has service, and if you have AT&T or T-Mobile, it pretty much sucks (Sprint people you are a lost cause here). But, it will be okay. Sometimes we get so caught up with social media and getting overly (key word: overly) caught up in the drama surrounding politics, and with everything in the world that's happening, it is nice to be able to surround yourself with nature and nature alone. Some time to breathe and think about more than just the temporary and more about what more is out there. It is something other-worldly you will experience. It’s the real world that God created.

6. It is great for bonding.

I mentioned this in the previous point, but let me reiterate. It is such a good bonding experience, and I truly believe it can heal a relationship, test a relationship, begin a relationship, and so much more. So, may I suggest that if you are drifting from somebody, about to get married, are married but having issues, Go to Yellowstone. However, I also recommend staying in an area with no service. I highly recommend the east entrance. It is absolutely beautiful to drive to and is within the woods, but mostly safe. It is a magical place, I promise you, but bring bear spray.

7. It is a great reminder of where we came from.

The hands of God carefully crafted each one of us and those same hands crafted this beautiful place. It is humbling to see your roots in person and be able to spend quality time just breathing in fresh air and taking in the views. Sometimes in our day to day busy, hectic lives, we forget about the bigger picture and run full speed with tunnel vision. Yellowstone is a place to let go, it reminds you that there is bigger out there, that despite the horrid events that have been engraved into our hearts, there is peace somewhere and this peace is our hope.

Yellowstone is a place of rejuvenation and revival, a place of peace and hope, a place to explore and rest our minds. I hope that you have your own revitalizing experience there, because everyone needs it.