If you wish to have a fun filled summer but are not too sure what to do, travelling to one of the great National Parks might just be the right thing to do. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends or family, these parks are without any doubts one of the best places to be in and around.
Whether you choose the park closest to home or decide to take a long road trip, you’re going to love getting close to nature as a family! Trying to decide which of the many national parks is the best one to visit can be a challenge. To be honest, they’re all gorgeous and exciting for one reason or another. Still, only 5 can make this list! Take a look at our picks, then let us know if you think we missed any!
Top 5 National Parks in the US
- Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona: The park is part of the Grand Canyon which is a gorge of the Colorado River. The southern rim is known for hiking, rafting and rail tours whereas northern rim has ranger programs and also a visitor center. The rest of Grand Canyon can be best enjoyed by roads or pack trail as they have some of the best scenic views one would ever come across.
- Yosemite National Park, California: The Sierra Mountains can be best relished from the Yosemite National Park. The park has some of the most stunning rock formations as well as huge sequoias and of course outstanding views. Some of the major attractions of the park are the Half Dome, Tioga road and Glacier point. But the park also has some stunning lush green meadows, lakes, valleys and many more.
- Denali National Park, Alaska: The Denali National Park is the second highest mountain in North America and rises to an astounding 20,320 feet. It is house to some amazing glaciers and sub-arctic mammals which are treat for the eyes, along with Mount McKinley which spreads across the Alaska tundra and looks very much like a small planet. The park also has provisions for biking, hiking, photography and fishing as well.
- Zion National Park, Utah: The National Park was established in the year 1909 and is without any doubts one of the most scenic canyons the county has. The park is home to over 800 different species of animals including, birds, reptiles, fish, and amphibians. The major attraction of the park is the sandstone canyons which appear as a maze, some stunning rock towers, gorgeous plateaus and large areas of bare rocks which just add to the beauty of the park.
- Acadia National Park, Maine: The park is a cluster of small islands in Maine and is home to some beautiful estuaries, forests and freshwater sources. It’s the oldest park east of the Mississippi. It also gives rise to the Cadillac Mountain, the tallest in the country and is open for activities such as biking, hiking, fishing, photography etc.
If you are planning to spend your summers at places that help you rejuvenate and re-energize and at the same time are beautiful, the above are some of the best places to be visited. Check out our tips on how to save money on your road trip if you’re planning a long trek!
What is your favorite national park?
All these pictures are just amazing. My kids love visiting national parks, but we have never been to any of these parks before. Yosemite National park and Acadia National parks are really stunning. Would love a trip with my family!
I have been to several state parks in the United States. I haven’t been to any on this list though. Maybe one day, I would love to see the Grand Canyon.
I definitely want to see all of these! Each and every one of them looks stunning. It must be so inspiring to be standing there and taking in any of these sights!
These are all awesome National Parks in the United States to see indeed. We have been talking a lot lately about going to see the Grand Canyon this summer before our son goes off to college. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been to all of them but Denali, and I am definitely hoping to remedy that soon!
The Grand Canyon is amazing. I would love to see the rest.
Its sad I have only been to one of these national parks! The Grand Canyon, just because I live in Arizona. We want to go Zion sometime soon, we have camping stuff we really want to use!
They all look AMAZING! My kids are a little too young to handle rock climbing and such but I plan to start taking them in a couple of years.
Just gorgeous scenery. I would love to go to any of these National Parks. Thanks for sharing.
I have never been to any of these locations, but really want to. I have not heard of the Denali park before and it is just breathtaking.
I have always wanted to get to Denali. I have been to Grand Canyon and Yosemite, they are breathtaking!
I have never been to any of those. I’m not sure if I’ve ever been to a national park at all!
I haven’t ever been to these national parks. I have visited several of the other popular national parks like Yellowstone and Colorado (Estes Park and several other places).