The Galapagos Islands were on my family’s bucket list of locations for years. Last summer we were lucky enough to check it off our bucket list. There are many aspects of the Galapagos that make this location unique. One of the most unique aspects of these islands is that because the islands are extremely isolated there are little to no predators allowing for animals to adapt to their environment. Darwin choose to study in the Galapagos Islands because of this and there is a museum located in the Galapagos dedicated to Darwin’s studies. Another unique aspect of the Galapagos is that it is almost entirely made up of national parks so the environment and animals are heavily protected. For example, each person who comes into the Galapagos must pay fifty dollars for environmental protection. The animals are super friendly because they are protected so this makes it easier to explore and see all the species that are endemic to the Galapagos. During this trip, my family and I spent a week on a boat exploring all of the islands and a week on land exploring museums and national parks. The highlight of my trip was swimming with baby seals and penguins as they played with my flippers. I could not recommend this trip more it was a huge learning experience for me both culturally and scientifically.