The Travel is ageless. It is an enriching and transformative experience that individuals can experience at any stage of life. Joy Ryan (Grandma) is 93 years old and living a good life. He visited 63 national parks in America last month, making history as the oldest person to do so.
At 93, Grandma Joy Visited America’s 63 National Parks
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Joy Ryan persevered through the loss of her husband, three sons, a devastating illness in 2008 and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. She lost so many friends and family that she survived.
Ryan, also known as Grandma Joy, became a individual who visited every one of the 63 national parks in the United States. She’s also trekked in Alaska, ziplined in West Virginia’s New River Gorge, descended 100-foot sand dunes in Colorado, and survived a fasting moose in Montana.
Grandson, Brad Ryan and Joy Ryan have finally achieved their goal of visiting 63 National Parks in the United States after seven years and an epidemic.
The grandson, who went on to earn a veterinary degree at Ohio State University in 2016, began accompanying his grandmother, who was 85 years old at the time, in 2015. Their first stop was the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. They both developed a wanderlust and decided to explore every national park. Both grandmother and grandson are from Duncan Falls, Ohio, a small town in Muskingum County south of Zanesville.
Today, the Instagram account “Grandma Joy’s Road Trip” has more than 78,000 followers and has attracted the attention of media around the world to follow their journey. With a final visit to American Samoa National Park, that goal was achieved. Grandparents can create lasting memories by sharing their travel experiences with their grandchildren and passing on cultural heritage and traditions.
Although they have achieved their goals, both of them do not give up. They have other trips planned, including one to Kenya. The highest point of the seven continents will also be the next great journey of Grandma Joy, starting with the third continent, Africa. The world is big and full of wonders, waiting to be explored by young and old alike. So whether you’re 18 or 80, pack your bags, get out of your comfort zone and start traveling!
