Everyone agrees that the national parks are a treasury of great escapes from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Working with an annual budget over $3 billion and a crew of 22,000 to serve more than 300 million visitors, the National Park Service maintains over 400 national parks, monuments, museums, historical sites and more. Under the ongoing “Kids in the Parks” initiative, the government is giving all fourth graders and their families free admission to all the parks all year, and many NPS properties already organize free, ranger-led hikes and nature walks on a regular basis.
How We Chose the Top 10 National Parks for Families
In keeping with their mission to oversee “special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage,” we know all the NPS sites are worthy of a family vacation. But given the bounty of choices, the Family Travel Forum community has selected 10 that represent some of the best sightseeing, recreation, nature trails, geology, historical landmarks, fishing spots, biking trails and value lodging to appeal to travelers with children of any age. If you don’t like our choices, use the new site FindYourPark.com to plan a trip.
Get a discount on your family vacation to your favorite national parks here.
The parks are listed in no particular order and each is unique. So grab the kids and start planning a trip to some of the best destinations in the U.S.
1. Great Smoky Mountain National Park—Situated in eastern Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains attract more visitors than any other National Park in America. The park is free to enter and is surrounded by family fun in nearby gateway towns such as Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
2. Grand Canyon National Park— America’s second most popular National Park, the biggest and deepest canyon is great for looking, hiking and river-rafting down the Colorado River. After visiting the South Rim, head west where the daring can walk a 4,000-foot glass bridge over the canyon walls.
3. Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks—Part of the Grand Staircase on the Colorado Plateau, both Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks carve their way across southern Utah. These two distinctive geologic wonders offer families great hiking trails, bicycling paths and road trips lookouts.
4. Glacier National Park—Just as the name implies, this Montana National Park has 25 active glaciers to see and explore. At one time there were up to 150 glaciers in the area, but most are now lakes that provide great fishing and scenic hiking opportunities at this snow-capped gem.
5. Yellowstone National Park—Perhaps most well known for its geyser, Old Faithful, huge Yellowstone is great for exploring by road, bike or foot. With guided and self-guided tours, a live-in educational center, and an LEED certified visitor’s center, either the Montana or Wyoming entrances lead to special family adventures.
6. Mesa Verde National Park—This archeologically and geologically magnificent park is perfect for families wanting to explore ancient Native American cultures and natural sites. Located in Colorado, it’s an easily accessible place to visit ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings, conquer hiking trails, try whitewater rapids or hop aboard railroad tours.
7. Yosemite National Park—Combining natural beauty with cultural history, Yosemite has a little bit of everything. From hiking through groves of Giant Sequoias and kayaking past waterfalls to exploring Native American and Pioneer history, this northern California park is packed with fun recreation possibilities for the active family.
8. Denali National Park—Discovered over a century ago, this Alaskan National Park drew the likes intrepid explorers — miners, gold-diggers and mountaineers — early on. Today, Denali offers families a wide range of nature activities, as well as a depot along the Alaska Railroad that transports visitors overland to other destinations in the state.
9. Rocky Mountains National Park—This expansive park in northern Colorado is home to a wide range of wildlife including large populations of elk, bighorn sheep and over 270 species of birds. Families base themselves in many gateway towns to enjoy seasonal outdoor and recreational activities year-round in the dry, mild climate of the Rocky Mountains.
10. Glacier Bay National Park— Although this National Park can only be reached by sea or air, Glacier Bay is a must-see marine park near Gustavus, Alaska. Perfect for kayaking and whale watching, the ice-lined bay is a scenic destination for family adventurers or a magnificent cruise itinerary for less active, multi-generational trips .
For additional information on finding lodging at any of the National Parks listed above, check out FTF’s guide to Reserving Your National Park Stay.
Dear Reader: This page may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Our independent journalism is not influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative unless it is clearly marked as sponsored content. As travel products change, please be sure to reconfirm all details and stay up to date with current events to ensure a safe and successful trip.
One of the most expensive parts of the trip is the accomodations. Our family has a timeshare in Williamsburg and we get discounts on our maintenance for recommending others to stay for 3 nights at one of their 2 bedroom apartment with kitchen & take a 90 minute tour. The accomodations are great & free after you set your watch and listen for 90 minutes. Our link is on craigslist: http://raleigh.craigslist.org/vac/2518503559.html
NOTE: Yo u DON"T have to or want to buy into a timeshare, but if you do, you have 3 days to back out of it with no penalty. If you really are interested in buying, there are many foreclosures online that you can find.
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Bangor Maine 1 week road trip any suggestions on where to go from there. Some hiking some leisure and to the coast
We just published this great article about a road trip that starts in Bangor Maine and works its way up through New England to New Brunswick in Canada. There are a lot of things to see, and lots of activities that might interest your kids, with stops for hiking and swimming and offbeat museums.
check it out: https://myfamilytravels.com/content/47397-two-nation-road-trip-maine-new-brunswick
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What should the letter of consent say if I, a single parent, am taking my daughter to Germany, but then crossing other borders into bordering countries on our vacation? I may not know specifically what other countries we will be visiting until we get into Europe (we are staying with friends in Germany and they will be taking us around Europe for a bit).
It's best to be as specific as possible, because these letters include the dates and destinations for your trip. We would suggest that you note the full date range (from… to ….. and make it a bit longer just in case), then you put down as many countries as you think are possible. List Germany and all the contiguous countries and add a few more, better more than not mentioning one you will visit.
Also, you should carry 2 notarized copies of the Permission to Travel Letter (put one with your passport to show at Immigration and flight check-in; keep the 2nd one in the child's luggage in case you lose one or an Immigration official wants to keep it). Enjoy your trip!
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I just turned 16 and am a make-a-wish kid. I am SO excited!!! I have dealt with a primary immune deficiancy my whole life, been a "lab rat", been on Death's doorstep so many times that I know he hates it when you ring the doorbell and run, and (because of missing so much school when I was young) have a harder time getting along with kids my own age than those younger/older than me. I get to leave on August 3rd, and will be staying at GKTW in FL whilst going to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Seaworld. It feels like a dream, and if it is, DO NOT WAKE ME UP!!!!! I am thanking God daily for all the blessings he has given me; my new sister and her continued health, my fudge-like family (awesome, sweet, and full of nuts, and so much more. B>)
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San Miguel de Allende is a truly magnificent location, and is becoming a locale of choice for American and Canadian expats. There is a highly developed infrastructure that supports a very large and sophisticated English speaking community here. Culture abounds, and there is extremely active social calendar. There are easily forty or more art galleries in town. The climate is among the best, with warm, dry temperatures year round. Real estate here is among the most beautiful in the world, and your dollar can buy you so much more house than in North America. I lead exciting home buyer trips to San Miguel. Join me on one of these exciting tours to view and buy real estate in San Miguel.
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I know this is an older post, but I just saw it. My kids are 6, 7 and 15 and old pros at road trips. I LOVE road trips and have been known to take "road trip" vacations in which no video games/dvds/electronics are allowed and we pack the tent (to save money on hotels) and just drive to random spots and camp out along the way. If you pack a cooler it can be an affordable vacation if you only pay for gas, food from the supermarket and a few odds and ends. Historic landmarks, national parks, or places like Washington D.C. are full of fun cheap spots to bring the kids! My kids love this and handle being in a car forever very well, we play games, sing, talk, etc. Plus we aren't afraid to take deters and go see things like the worlds biggest chair! It's a bunch of fun!
Sounds like you know how to have fun, and like your kids really get along well. that's the biggest challenge we find in a long trip with a crowded backseat. When everyone starts to 'express' themselves it can get hairy!I love the idea of picking random spots to camp out in. You must be really resourceful!
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The town of Pigeon Forge is great for evening entertainment as it boasts comedy, music, and magic shows, as well as shops and restaurants.
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My childrens mother gave my 8 and 9 year old daughters to me to raise 2 years ago. She hasn't seen them in 2 years. She wants a 2 week visit with them in another state. I need a form to have her sign to make sure she returns the children to me by a certain date.
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Always bring a small container of new little toys and a little treat for each child to have in the car or on the plane.
We do this with our sons…we purposely get some new toys and treats that fit into a small container so it is easy for them to carry it on their own. The novelty of new little things keeps it fab fresh and fun for them, which keeps it peaceful and happy for my hubby and me. A little bag of crackers or cookies, a small bottle of water, and a few little toys to play with keeps them happy. If we fly, we even try to find some gum that they may not have had before, as it keeps it interesting for them to try something new.
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