National Parks With Kids
We've spent years taking our two kids to the national parks — more than
44 parks, monuments, and historic sites and counting.
Here's a guide to the big ones: a photo from our visit, a link to the park, and the
practical stuff — when to go, where to stay, and
what works with kids.
Red sandstone cliffs and the Virgin River. We hiked the Narrows — straight up the river — and got snow on the high stuff.
- 📅 Best time
- April–May or September–October for mild temps and thinner crowds. Summer is hot; we went in March and hit snow/ice.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Springdale, right at the gate (free shuttle into the canyon), or the Watchman Campground inside the park.
- 🧒 With kids
- Riverside Walk is flat and stroller-friendly; the Narrows is the unforgettable one if the water is low enough.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
An amphitheater of orange hoodoos. It was buried in snow when we came through — still stunning.
- 📅 Best time
- Late spring through early fall. It sits above 8,000 ft, so summer days are mild and nights are cold.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Bryce Canyon City just outside the gate, or the historic Bryce Canyon Lodge in the park.
- 🧒 With kids
- The Queen’s Garden → Navajo Loop is the best short hike down among the hoodoos.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
It is grand. We watched the sunset over the South Rim at the end of our Southwest loop.
- 📅 Best time
- Spring and fall on the South Rim (open all year). The higher North Rim closes mid-Oct to mid-May.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Grand Canyon Village lodges on the South Rim (book way ahead), or Tusayan just outside.
- 🧒 With kids
- The Rim Trail is flat, paved in parts, and stroller-friendly with enormous views. Do the Junior Ranger booklet.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings tucked into the canyon walls — "it wasn't on the list but pretty neat."
- 📅 Best time
- Late spring through early fall, when the cliff-dwelling tours run (Balcony House, Cliff Palace).
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Cortez or Mancos, CO, or the in-park Far View Lodge.
- 🧒 With kids
- The ranger-led ladder-and-tunnel tours are an adventure; Spruce Tree House is the easiest to see.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Over 2,000 natural stone arches around Moab, on our big Southwest loop.
- 📅 Best time
- Spring and fall. Summer is brutally hot; timed-entry reservations apply in peak season.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Moab — the basecamp for Arches and Canyonlands both.
- 🧒 With kids
- The flat path to Balanced Rock and the easy Windows loop pack in big arches fast.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Granite coast where the mountains meet the Atlantic. Crisp, dry, and gorgeous in early fall.
- 📅 Best time
- September–October for fall color and fewer crowds. July–August is peak season and busy.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Bar Harbor — walkable, right next to the park entrance.
- 🧒 With kids
- Drive (or hike) up Cadillac Mountain for sunrise; the Jordan Pond Path is an easy, flat loop.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The deepest lake in the U.S., and the bluest water you'll ever see. Evan and I swam in it.
- 📅 Best time
- July–September. Snow lingers into summer; the full Rim Drive usually opens by July.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Crater Lake Lodge on the rim (books up early) or Klamath Falls about an hour away.
- 🧒 With kids
- The Cleetwood Cove Trail is the only path down to the water — steep but worth it for a swim.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The tallest trees on Earth. We "snuck over and saw the Redwoods" on the Oregon coast leg of our trip.
- 📅 Best time
- Year-round; summer and early fall are driest. Coastal fog is part of the magic.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Crescent City or Klamath, CA, near the northern groves.
- 🧒 With kids
- Walk the flat Lady Bird Johnson Grove or Stout Grove loop and feel very, very small.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Going-to-the-Sun Road, turquoise lakes, and the Grinnell Glacier hike — one of the best days we’ve had. The same trip took us through Grand Teton and Yellowstone.
- 📅 Best time
- Mid-July through September, once Going-to-the-Sun Road fully opens (often not until July).
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- West Glacier / Apgar, or the historic in-park lodges. Check current vehicle-reservation rules.
- 🧒 With kids
- Trail of the Cedars is a flat boardwalk; Avalanche Lake is a doable bigger hike.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The Tetons rise straight off the valley floor with no foothills — pure drama, and a stop on our western road trips.
- 📅 Best time
- June–September. Wildflowers in early summer; elk bugling and gold aspens in fall.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Jackson, WY, or in-park at Colter Bay or Jackson Lake Lodge.
- 🧒 With kids
- The flat Taggart Lake hike; wildlife everywhere at dawn and dusk; a Snake River float is a hit.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The world's first national park — geysers, bison, canyons. Beautiful, but you battle the crowds like Disney World.
- 📅 Best time
- Late spring and early fall to dodge the summer crush. Many roads close in winter.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Gardiner or West Yellowstone at the gates, or in-park lodges (book a year out).
- 🧒 With kids
- Old Faithful and the geyser-basin boardwalks. Keep a very safe distance from the bison.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Trail Ridge Road climbs above 12,000 ft into the alpine tundra. We bagged our first "fourteener" out here.
- 📅 Best time
- June–September. Summer requires timed-entry reservations — grab one early.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Estes Park, the classic gateway town just outside the east entrance.
- 🧒 With kids
- Bear Lake is an easy loop; Trail Ridge Road gives you the high country without the climb.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Striped, eroded spires that glow at sunrise and sunset. We stopped on the way home from the Rockies.
- 📅 Best time
- Spring and fall — summer afternoons get blazing hot with no shade.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Wall, SD (yes, Wall Drug) or the small town of Interior near the south entrance.
- 🧒 With kids
- The Door, Window, and Notch trails are short, with bighorn sheep often nearby.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The tallest dunes in North America, piled against the Sangre de Cristo range, on our Colorado road trip.
- 📅 Best time
- Late spring and early fall. Sand surface temps can top 150°F on summer afternoons.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Alamosa, CO, about 40 minutes away.
- 🧒 With kids
- Rent a sandboard or sled; splash in Medano Creek at the base in spring and early summer.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The wild, jagged "American Alps." We hiked here on our Pacific NW summer, around Mt Baker and Heather Meadows.
- 📅 Best time
- July–September, once the high country melts out. Wildflowers peak in late summer.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Marblemount or Newhalem along Highway 20 (the North Cascades Scenic Byway).
- 🧒 With kids
- The Diablo Lake overlook (that turquoise water) is a quick, jaw-dropping stop; lots of easy waterfall walks.
Official park site ↗
A glaciated giant that towers over everything in the region. The Paradise meadows are unreal in wildflower season.
- 📅 Best time
- Late July–August for the wildflowers at Paradise; snow lingers late up high.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Ashford near the Nisqually entrance, or Packwood to the south.
- 🧒 With kids
- The Nisqually Vista loop is short and flat with huge mountain views; waterfalls are everywhere.
Official park site ↗
Three parks in one — rainforest, rugged coast, and glaciated peaks — out on the Olympic Peninsula.
- 📅 Best time
- July–September for the driest weather; the Hoh Rainforest is lush year-round.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Port Angeles or Forks as a base around the peninsula.
- 🧒 With kids
- Wander the mossy Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rainforest; tidepool at Rialto or Ruby Beach.
Official park site ↗
Our 2014 Alaska summer — tidewater glaciers, fjords, and the Last Frontier.
- 📅 Best time
- June–August for the long days and the boat tours.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Seward for Kenai Fjords; the park entrance area for Denali.
- 🧒 With kids
- A Kenai Fjords boat tour for whales and calving glaciers; the easy Exit Glacier walk.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The longest cave system in the world. We floated through an old mining cave on this Kentucky trip.
- 📅 Best time
- Year-round — the cave stays ~54°F. Reserve tours ahead, especially in summer.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Cave City nearby, or the in-park Lodge at Mammoth Cave.
- 🧒 With kids
- Pick a kid-friendly tour like Frozen Niagara; bring a light jacket for the cool cave.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
America's most-visited national park — misty ridges, waterfalls, and no entrance fee.
- 📅 Best time
- October for fall color, April–May for wildflowers. Both are busy; weekdays are calmer.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge (TN), or Cherokee/Bryson City (NC).
- 🧒 With kids
- The Cades Cove loop for wildlife (bears!), plus dozens of easy waterfall walks.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Skyline Drive runs the spine of the Blue Ridge — overlook after overlook, all the way down to the Parkway.
- 📅 Best time
- October for peak fall color (busy weekends); spring for wildflowers and waterfalls.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Luray or the in-park Skyland and Big Meadows lodges right on Skyline Drive.
- 🧒 With kids
- Dark Hollow Falls is a short, rewarding hike; black bears are a common (safe-distance) sighting.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Active volcanoes, steaming craters, and old lava flows on the Big Island.
- 📅 Best time
- Year-round; it can be cooler and rainier up at the summit than at the coast.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Volcano Village right outside, or Hilo about 45 minutes away.
- 🧒 With kids
- Walk through the Thurston Lava Tube and along the steam vents on the crater rim.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The volcanic summit and crater of Maui — a moonscape above the clouds, plus a lush coastal side at ʻOheʻo.
- 📅 Best time
- Year-round. Sunrise at the summit is famous (and now needs a reservation); bring warm layers — it’s cold up top.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- Kula or Makawao upcountry, or down in Kīhei/Pāʻia.
- 🧒 With kids
- The summit feels like another planet; the Pīpīwai Trail to Waimoku Falls (Kīpahulu) is a great kid hike.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
The crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies — turquoise lakes and big peaks. The end of our 2014 trip.
- 📅 Best time
- June–September for the lakes at their turquoise best (Lake Louise, Moraine).
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- The town of Banff, or quieter Canmore just outside the park.
- 🧒 With kids
- The Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain; easy lakeshore strolls at Lake Louise.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Banff’s wilder, quieter neighbor up the Icefields Parkway — glaciers, the Columbia Icefield, and dark skies.
- 📅 Best time
- June–September for the icefield and the lakes; September for fewer crowds and gold larches.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- The town of Jasper, or a stop along the Icefields Parkway.
- 🧒 With kids
- Walk out onto the Athabasca Glacier area; watch for elk and bighorn right along the road.
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
Río Celeste's surreal blue water, the Arenal volcano, and the hardest hike we've ever done.
- 📅 Best time
- Dry season (December–April). We went in the wet season and it rained 11 of our days.
- 🛏️ Where to stay
- La Fortuna for Arenal (hot springs everywhere); Bijagua near Tenorio/Río Celeste.
- 🧒 With kids
- Río Celeste’s blue waterfall, hanging bridges, and wildlife (sloths, monkeys, a tapir).
Official park site ↗ · Read our trip →
National Monuments & Historic Sites
Beyond the big parks, the National Park System is full of smaller gems — monuments,
memorials, battlefields, and historic sites. Here are the ones we've worked into our
trips, each with a photo, a link, and one tip worth knowing.
New York
Liberty Island and Ellis Island in New York Harbor — the classic ferry-and-skyline view.
Tip: Book ferry tickets (and pedestal or crown access) well ahead; harbor security lines are long in summer.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Washington, DC
The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the museums of the Mall — free and stroller-friendly.
Tip: Go early to beat the DC heat; the free Smithsonian museums make a perfect air-conditioned midday break.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Massachusetts
The Freedom Trail — a red line through Revolutionary Boston, from Faneuil Hall to Bunker Hill.
Tip: Just follow the painted red line on foot; pace it with a cannoli stop in the North End.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
New York
Seneca Falls — birthplace of the women's-rights movement — on our upstate New York fall trip.
Tip: The visitor center and the restored Wesleyan Chapel make a quick, meaningful stop for older kids.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
California
Old-growth coast redwoods and the Golden Gate Bridge, just north of San Francisco.
Tip: Parking at Muir Woods requires a reservation — book it before you drive over.
Official site ↗
Idaho
A black volcanic moonscape of lava flows and cinder cones in southern Idaho.
Tip: Walk the short loops out onto the lava and into a lava tube — bring a flashlight.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Utah
Three giant natural stone bridges spanning a desert canyon, on our Southwest loop.
Tip: The scenic loop drive has overlooks for all three bridges; short trails drop down to each.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Alabama
One of the deepest canyons east of the Mississippi, with waterfalls along the rim drive.
Tip: Drive the rim road for the overlooks; Little River Falls is right beside the parking area.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Alabama
A cave shelter recording 10,000+ years of human history in northern Alabama.
Tip: The boardwalk to the cave shelter is short, flat, and shaded — an easy ranger stop.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
KY / TN / VA
The mountain pass that funneled pioneers west — big overlooks where three states meet.
Tip: Drive up to the Pinnacle Overlook for the view; the Gap Cave tours need a reservation.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Puerto Rico
The only tropical rainforest in the U.S. forest system — waterfalls and lush green peaks.
Tip: Reserve a timed entry for the main road; La Mina Falls and the Yokahú Tower are the highlights.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Puerto Rico
The massive El Morro and San Cristóbal fortresses guarding Old San Juan.
Tip: Fly a kite on El Morro's great lawn like the locals; the harbor views are unreal.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Hawaii
The USS Arizona Memorial and the World War II sites at Pearl Harbor.
Tip: Reserve timed tickets for the Arizona Memorial boat early — the daily slots go fast.
Official site ↗ · Our trip →
Every park & NPS site we've visited
The full running list — national parks, monuments, seashores, and historic sites:
Mountain West & Southwest: Zion · Bryce Canyon · Grand Canyon · Mesa Verde · Arches · Rocky Mountain · Grand Teton · Yellowstone · Glacier · Great Sand Dunes · Badlands · Craters of the Moon NM · Natural Bridges NM
Pacific & Alaska: Crater Lake · Redwood · North Cascades · Mount Rainier · Olympic · Kenai Fjords · Denali · Muir Woods NM · Golden Gate NRA
Appalachia & the South: Great Smoky Mountains · Blue Ridge Parkway · Shenandoah · Mammoth Cave · Cumberland Gap NHP · Little River Canyon · Russell Cave NM · Chattahoochee River NRA
Northeast & cities: Acadia · Indiana Dunes · Boston NHP · Statue of Liberty NM · National Mall & Memorial Parks · Women's Rights NHP · Saint-Gaudens NHP
Islands & abroad: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes · Haleakalā · El Yunque NF · San Juan NHS · Banff (Canada) · Jasper (Canada) · Arenal & Tenorio (Costa Rica)
Why travel the national parks with kids?
People ask if it's worth the effort. It is. The parks are the cheapest big-ticket
family memory you can buy (an America
the Beautiful pass covers a whole year for $80), the kids learn more in a week
outside than a month anywhere else, and you come home with a family that knows how to
do hard things together. Start small, go often, and let them pick a trail.
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