Much of America’s natural beauty is preserved right inside the country’s most majestic national parks, and for families, there’s never really a bad time to take a trip to see all that stunning landscape and scenery for yourself. The next time you and the little ones want to have a group getaway to the great outdoors, try out these educationally stimulating and topography-rich hot spots in and around our fine fifty states.
Plus, what’s even better is that with the help of Hotels.com, you can get an Up to $100 Cash Back Rebate Coupon for all of your outdoor wanderlust needs, including that yearning to adventure on into some of the most popular national parks of all time.
From massive trees and active volcanoes to grandiose canyons and awe-inspiring caves, here are some family favorite parks to head towards.
Glacier National Park
Spanning over a million acres in Montana and attracting over two million people each year, the pristine alpine lakes, massive mountain peaks, and of course, spectacular glaciers are hard to beat for any fun-filled family outing. Explore the waterways with the kids, take a nice long drive through Going-to-the-Sun Road, and take a boat tour starting at Swiftcurrent Lake. You might even want to brave the waters by renting a kayak, canoe, rowboat, or a small motorboat.
And make sure to keep up with the theme by booking a lake view balcony room at Many Glacier Hotel, a simple, rustic, but widely recognized national park lodge located right on the shores of the lake.
Yellowstone National Park
With more than half a thousand geysers, about four dozen waterfalls, and tons of exploding muds pots and hissing steam vents to explore, kids and adults alike will have the time of their lives at the world’s very first national park, which to this day, remains the showpiece of the National Park Service and is visited by over four million people each year.
Covering almost 2.2 million acres in the states of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, Yellowstone is chock full of amazing sights. From craggy peaks, alpine lakes, and deep forests, to a wealth of wild animals such as bears, bison, moose, and wolves, it’s the perfect place to drive through for a few days with the entire family while making pit stops along the incredible network of trails and campgrounds. Stay at Headwater's Lodge and Cabins at Flagg Ranch to get the full experience of a rustic homey stay near Yellowstone.
Arches National Park
Arches National Park in Utak has great adventure to offer in the great outdoors. From hiking trials to travers to some of the most grueling and heart racing mountain biking trails you can find, Utah is a great place to push your body to the limits and witness some of natures most incredible red rock wonders.
Within the park itself hike to see amazing landforms that defy gracity like giant balanced rocks and over 2,000 natural arches carved out of the red textured earth. But let's not forget the 5-star experience in Moab that you an stay at to enjoy the history and the luxury of Arches National Park.
Yosemite National Park
Located east of San Francisco in the middle of the Sierra, it’s best known for Yosemite Valley, an amazing canyon where waterfalls drop thousands upon thousands of feet from massive granite walls. There’s also tons of hiking options via spectacular high-country areas and within never-at-all-crowded mountainside forests, as well as half a thousand mature giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove-- some among the world's tallest and oldest trees. Little ones will easily be able to spot these mighty wonders right from the parking lot, but what they will truly wow at are the fantastic sights along the easy breezy 3/4-mile hike to check out the Grizzly Giant and the California Tunnel Tree, which they can actually walk through (it was cut as a passage for stagecoaches in the late 1800s!).
Be sure also not to miss out on the best close up view of El Capitan from El Capitan Meadow, which is located along Northside Drive, and the extraordinary sights of the 2,425 foot-tall Yosemite Falls, the array of behemoth glaciers, and other destination hikes such as Half Dome. After a long day of hike and adventure relax at the Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite to rest for the next day of exploring the wonders of this national park.
Grand Canyon National Park
Last but not least, it’s no doubt the most recognizable national park—an incredible canyon that runs through northern Arizona gouged by the Colorado River that protects one of the world's most famous and admired natural wonders. But it’s so much more than just a huge hole in the ground, as it is a mythical place, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and sees over five million visitors annually. They all flock over to the edge to look into the deep gorge, arriving by car at the visitor village on the South Rim or the higher, less visited North Rim. Hiking enthusiasts can choose to get down further into the canyon as well, while water lovers can experience some of the best whitewater rafting in the world.
Make sure you have a grand experience at this park and stay at the Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon to round out your trip. the the park and trails nearby you can have it all!