The U.S. National Parks are top destinations, with over 325 million visitors in recent years. From an iconic vacation with unparalleled beauty to a deep dive into biology, history, geology and more, national parks offer an enriching experience. With over 430 National Park Service sites across the U.S., where should you go? Here are the best National Parks to visit depending on interest.
Top US National Parks
Load up the kids and take an All-American road trip to a U.S. National Park in your state across the country. Make it a road trip the kids will remember forever, so pack snacks and grab some gear. Here are my top U.S. national parks.
Yellowstone National Park
Home to Old Faithful Geyser and Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone is bigger than Rhode Island. Kids love animals, so drive through Hayden or Lamar Valley for bison, bear, elk or even wolves.
Located in northwest Wyoming and northeast of Salt Lake City. Give yourself a few days in Yellowstone or you’ll regret it.
The Best Yellowstone Planning Guide
Yosemite National Park
The Yosemite Valley offers waterfalls, wildflower meadows and mountaintop vistas that inspire everyone, including Ansel Adams and naturalist John Muir. For a mountaintop feeling, then head to the Tuolumne Meadows area.
Located in the central Sierra Nevada mountain range of California and east of San Francisco, Yosemite offers a convenient location and epic landscapes. This national park sometimes requires entrance permits.
Redwood National and State Parks
Learn about the tallest living creatures in the world. In addition to redwood trees, visitors can see the beautiful California coastline in the Redwood National and State Parks.
The best place to see the redwoods is in Northern California, close to the border of California and Oregon. The national park is free to visit; the state parks are not.
What to See in the Redwood National and State Parks
Grand Canyon National Park
During the summer, the South Rim seems like the international terminal of JFK, with visitors from around the globe. Stay for a few hours or stay for a few days. The Grand Canyon offers hikes and views for everyone.
Located in northern Arizona, north of Phoenix and about an hour’s drive from Interstate 40. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is open year-round. The North Rim is open in the summer only.
Top Things to Do at the Grand Canyon South Rim
Mount Rushmore National Monument
An icon image that most Americans know. To experience the magnitude of the sculpture, stand in front of it. Don’t think of Mt. Rushmore as a quick road trip stop. The Black Hills of South Dakota offers several days of western adventure for families in southeast South Dakota, north of Denver, Colorado.
Top Things to Do at Mount Rushmore
Find National Parks in Urban Areas
Don’t think all national parks are all big landscapes and wilderness. National Park sites can be found in urban areas like New York City.
Did you know that the Statue of Liberty is actually a national park site? Boston’s Freedom Trail is also a NPS site.
New York City
Lady Liberty is on your list, but what about the other 10 National Park sites?
Visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum to learn more about immigration. The Lower Eastside Tenement Museum takes a deeper look into immigrants and their history.
The National Parks of New York City
Boston
This New England gem offers a maze of American History that you should walk to understand. To find Boston’s Freedom Trail, start in the Boston Common, a park in the city’s center.
You’ll find the red line painted on the sidewalk that will guide you through the notable sites of the American Revolution. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile urban trail and free to enjoy.
Top Sites to See on Boston’s Freedom Trail.
San Francisco
Another vibrant city with postcard landscapes, San Francisco, offers a handful of national park sites. Don’t forget San Francisco’s icons, like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, both national parks.
When I visited San Francisco with my kids, their favorite thing was the Night Tour at Alcatraz. They were tweens at the time and it was the right mix of scary and interesting. After all, it’s a notorious prison that is well known across the generations.
What is it like to Visit Alcatraz at Night
Best National Parks to See the Mountains
When you’re hot and tired at home, it’s time to load up the car and head for the hills. The mountains offer cooler summer temperatures, even in August. Some of the prettiest national parks are only open during the summer, too.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Drive the Trail Ridge Road and drive on the top of the world. It’s 12,000 feet above sea level and surrounded by peaks reaching 14,000 feet.
You’ll see elk, mountain goats and marmots during the summer. Located west of Denver, it offers two separate entrances. Rocky Mountain requires entrance permits, so get those early.
Top Things to Do in Rocky Mountain National Park
Glacier National Park
Located on the Canadian border of Montana, Glacier is one of the parks that remains socked in with snow until late spring. Its Diving-to-the-Sun Road winds between mountaintops.
You can hop onboard a wood boat to cruise one of its lakes, like Lake MacDonald. I recommend you stay in a historic room, like Many Glacier Lodge. This park required entrance passes.
The Best 3 Day Itinerary for Glacier National Park
Grand Teton National Park
The craggy peaks of the Tetons reflect off the lakes at its base, framing up a stunning photo. Grand Teton National Park is home to moose, elk and bears.
Located north of Jackson, Wyoming, give yourself enough time for this region. Yellowstone National Park is to the north and can easily be explored as well.
Top Things to Do in Grand Teton National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Straddling Tennessee and North Carolina, this is the most visited national park in the U.S. You can drive along ridge after ridge of the Appalachian Mountains and see their smoky gaze.
With well-developed gateway towns ringing the park, each offers a host of activities. This park is a treed oasis on the East Coast and requires a day parking pass to park, free to drive through.
Top Things to Do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Best National Parks for Volcanoes
Kids (and some adults) love things that explode. So visit a national park dedicated to volcanoes.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
This park has volcanoes in its name. A trip to the Island of Hawaii calls for a trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
There may or may not be an eruption, however see the lava fields and the smoking vents. There is also a stunning sea arch and A-frame retro cabins for camping.
Top Things to See in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Mount Rainer National Park
At the center of the park, Mount Rainier rises 14,000 feet and is an active volcano. This park offers several historic national park lodges and lots of hiking.
It’s also the most glaciated peak in the lower 48. Located southeast of Seattle, on clear days, you can see it from the Space Needle.
Newberry National Volcanic Monument
With plains of lava, piles of lava and a tube made from lava, it’s your destination if you love lava. You can climb a cinder cone, a giant pile of lava that looks like lava mulch.
Located in central Oregon, it’s near Bend. Bend also features lots of outdoor activities to enjoy.
Top Things to Do in Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Lassen National Volcanic Park
If you’re looking for a pretty park that offers volcanoes, then head to Lassen in Northern California. It attracts fewer crowds and is just as scenic as its California neighbors, Yosemite and Sequoia.
Located in Northern California, it is east of Redding. This park is shuttered from winter until late spring with snow.
Top Things to Do in Lassen National Volcanic Park
Best National Parks to Learn about the Ocean
Who doesn’t love the beach or animals? Learn about both at a National Park site dedicated to preserving the ocean.
Olympic National Park
As a year-round outdoor destination, Olympic boasts rugged coasts dotted with tide pools. You can also find hidden trails meandering through temperate rainforests that boast every shade of green.
Olympic National Park also features mountaintop meadows perfumed with wildflowers, all within two hours of Seattle, Washington. This is a free park to visit.
The Best 3 Day Itinerary for Olympic National Park
Cabrillo National Monument
Just minutes from downtown San Diego, Cabrillo National Monument is perched along the Pacific Ocean. Dedicated to the explorer Cabrillo, who landed in San Diego in 1542, it is popular for its tidepools.
Kids can spot a starfish or anemones at one of the top spots to tide pool in San Diego. Be sure and check out the tide charts before you visit.
San Juan Island National Historical Park
Located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Island National Historical Park preserves sites from skirmishes between the English and the Americans.
Most visitors come to see its orca viewing at American Camp. The island is a ferry ride from Seattle.
Top Things to Do in San Juan Island National Historical Park
Acadia National Park
As the oldest national park on the east coast, Acadia is a popular park with stunning landscapes. The craggy coasts meet the deep blue of the Atlantic at the edge of the evergreen forest.
While exploring, you can learn about the Atlantic’s marine life. Located on the Maine coast, near Bar Harbour.
The Best 1 Day Itinerary for Acadia National Park
Best National Parks to Explore Caves
Go Underground and explore a new world. Caves offer cool environments in the summer, away from the heat and the sun. Remember that jacket; it gets chilly down there.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth is the longest-known cave system in the world. In total, it features 400 miles of explored caves.
Located in central Kentucky, north of Bowling Green, there are cabins. After your cave tour, take a hike.
Top Things to Do in Mammoth Caves National Park
The Caves of South Dakota
With two caves within miles of each other, the Black Hills offers some of the best caves. You can tour Wind Cave National Park in the morning and then head to one of the other NPS sites in South Dakota.
Then, you can see the glittering Jewel Cave National Monument the next day. It is accessible through a series of scaffoldings.
The Touring Guide to the South Dakota Caves
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
The Big Room is the largest cave cavity in North America. It makes everything seem tiny in comparison. Best of all, this cave features an elevator.
After your cave tour, you can see the Mexican Free Tail Bats exit the cave in the evening. Located on the New Mexico and Texas border, east of El Paso, it is close to Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Top Things to Do in Carlsbad Caverns
Best Desert National Parks
Deserts offer a unique scenery to explore, from cactus to rock formations to wildlife. Often dormant during the summer months, desert parks are best visited from fall to spring.
Big Bend National Park
Out in West Texas, Big Bend offers an end-of-the-road vibe. Home to the Chihuahua desert, Big Bend borders Mexico along the Rio Grande.
It’s the greenest of the deserts, and there’s an entire mountain chain in this park. Its remote location is ideal for night sky viewing.
Top Things to Do in Big Bend National Park
Saguaro National Park
When I think of the desert, I see the saguaro cactus with its iconic cactus shape. This national park is the only one dedicated to a cactus species.
With two different locations around Tucson, Arizona, visitors can stop at either while traveling through Southern Arizona. The eastern portion offers more saguaro, though the western location offers a more convenient location off Interstate 10.
Which Part Should You See at Saguaro National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Located in Southern California, Joshua Tree preserves two different desert ecosystems. In addition to Joshua Trees, visitors will see the teddy bear cactus, soft-looking but don’t touch.
This park is easy to explore from its scenic drive, preferred during the summer. It’s an easy side trip from Palm Springs.
Top Things to Do in Joshua Tree National Park
Death Valley National Park
The name is almost like a dare. It is a land of extremes and home to the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.
That’s not the only record: the highest air temperature ever recorded happened at the Furnace Creek Resort in 1913 at 134 F! Located east of Los Angeles, there’s a swanky resort in the park, complete with a pool.
Top Things to Do in Death Valley National Park
Don’t forget about Washington, D.C.
Can’t throw a stone without hitting a monument or memorial. Stay a week and still not see all the National Park Service sites, including The White House or Presidents Park.
Washington Monument
Lincoln Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
NPS Annual Passes
|
Type of Pass |
Eligibility |
Cost |
|
America the Beautiful Pass |
All visitors |
$80 |
|
Military Pass |
Current U.S. military members and their dependents |
Free |
|
Every Kid in a Park Pass |
U.S. 10-year-old students that complete requirements at EveryKidinaPark.gov |
Free |
|
Senior Lifetime Pass |
U.S. citizens and permanent residents 62 years and older |
$80 |
|
Access Pass |
U.S. citizens and permanent residents with a permanent disability |
Free |
|
Volunteer Pass |
Visitors volunteering 250 hours a year |
Free |
Tips for Visiting National Parks
- National Parks are popular destinations during school breaks and holidays.
- Lodging reservations are available 13 months in advance, so make them as soon as possible.
- Parking can be an issue at popular destinations during the middle of the day; try in the morning and late afternoon.
- Watch your children at all times; kids can often climb over barricades.
- Wild animals are unpredictable; give them space and don’t feed them.
- Bring food and refillable water bottles for your visit. Food service can be limited.
- Know your personal limits and the limits of your equipment.
