10 National Parks That Are Fun For The Whole Family

When planning a national park visit for your family, you may feel overwhelmed with options and unsure what types of activities your kids will enjoy. While each of the 63 national parks in the U.S. offers experiences to delight visitors of all ages, some parks have more to offer the younger generations than others.

Here are 10 national parks that are sure to please everyone in your family, regardless of age.

For first-timers

Grand Canyon National Park

The famous, sweeping vistas of Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park are regarded as a “must-see” by many, making it a natural choice for your family’s first national park visit. The park’s South Rim is where you’ll find the most amenities; making this your home base will put you within easy reach of kid-friendly dining and accommodations. While a journey down into the canyon isn’t advised for novice hikers, the paved Rim Trail offers plenty of canyon views and easy access for families—including any four-legged family members. 

Nearby campgrounds 

Camping inside the park at Mather Campground allows you the prime opportunity to take in sunrise and sunset over the canyon with ease. For families who desire a robust array of kid-friendly amenities, try the award-winning Williams-Circle Pines KOA, which offers playgrounds, miniature golf, go-karts, and more.

Wind Cave National Park

Another fun, and often underrated, experience can be found at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota. Guided tours through this breathtaking cave system range from 60 to 90 minutes, so your little one’s patience (and attention span) won’t be tested. The 75-minute Natural Entrance Tour allows you to see exceptional boxwork and cave popcorn formations, sure to pique everyone’s interest.

Don’t miss experiences outside the cave as well—the park offers miles of hiking trails through prairie vistas and ponderosa forests surrounded by Black Hills scenery. Watch out for bison, mountain lions, and prairie dogs on the 1-mile Rankin Ridge Nature Trail, which takes you to the highest point in the park and offers views of the surrounding area.

For unique landscapes

Petrified Forest National Park

As the name suggests, Petrified Forest National Park offers a chance to see a vast collection of colorful petrified wood. But the park’s location in Arizona’s Painted Desert allows visitors to also take in a striking landscape of multi-hued pigment rock. Hikes throughout the park are generally short and manageable, making this a perfect option for those traveling with kids in tow. Trek to Puerco Pueblo to see 600-year-old petroglyphs and journey through the Crystal Forest Trail to search for crystals among the petrified wood deposits.

Nearby campgrounds

Camp at the Holbrook-Petrified Forest KOA and your kids will delight in the 200-year-old petrified log found at the entrance. Or continue down Route 66 to Meteor Crater RV Park to stay close to a meteorite impact crater that’s truly a sight to behold. 

Death Valley National Park

At Death Valley National Park, your kids can slide down the towering Mesquite Sand Dunes, hike through the aptly named Golden Canyon, and marvel at the salt polygon patterns found at Badwater Basin. The park’s large size provides a variety of natural features to see and offers a lesson in the types of life that flourish in an extreme climate. The landscape is hauntingly beautiful, and its remote setting allows you to truly unplug and enjoy time together.

Nearby campgrounds 

Death Valley is the largest national park outside of Alaska, so you’ll want to stay inside the park to maximize your time. Furnace Creek Campground and Stovepipe Wells Campground offer a quiet respite close to the park’s main sights.

Read the full article from Roadtrippers here.