Choosing the perfect national park for your family vacation
There are so many decisions that go into deciding a vacation destination. When it involves more than just you and your friend or significant other, it seems to get even more complicated. Small vacations, and even family ones, shouldn’t lead you to drink or pull your hair out. These are just a few tips to help make your choice a little less stressful.
The first and easiest thing to ask yourself is what you and the people you’re going with like to do. Are you totally outdoorsy people, strictly indoor types, or a combination? Are all of you athletic or in good shape? Do you like warm weather, temperate or cold seasons? Is sightseeing something you’d like on your agenda or are you strictly an activity-oriented guy? Do you like to ‘rough it’ or do you want more comfort? Do you enjoy camping, fishing, backpacking, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, bird watching, wildlife watching, history, learning how some of the unique formations in the parks came to be there, snorkeling, swimming , dive, sail, sail? , kayaking, rafting, photography, hunting or just lazing around in beautiful places?
The next thing to consider is how much you have to spend and how much time you will have. There are so many national parks and monuments that are relatively close to people that it is not expensive to get there. It can be expensive to get to some of Alaska’s exciting wilderness areas, but if you have the money and enjoy the great outdoors, it’s certainly worth it for an incredible experience you won’t soon forget.
That said, all that remains is to choose your destination. Keep in mind that almost any area has cheap travel options and you move from there to more expensive ones. Also, just because you’re going to a national park doesn’t mean you have to have a hard time. There are many options for hiking, climbing, fishing, water sports, etc. that doesn’t involve sitting by a campfire enjoying the outdoors if that’s not your style.
It is generally believed that camping is the cheapest type of vacation after making the initial investment in camping supplies. This can be a good sum, but remember that the equipment usually lasts for many years. It’s generally true that camping rates in the parks are cheaper than your average hotel room. And if you own an RV, you can camp in real comfort. Most of the campsites are situated in beautiful surroundings and allow you easy access to the highlights of the park. There are very few parks that do not have some type of camping. Also, when you camp, you usually cook your own food, which also saves you money. And no, you don’t have to eat hot dogs all week unless that’s what you love!
Now, if you live in the Midwest, there are plenty of park options within driving distances that take no more than twelve hours or less, depending on where you live. Of course, you can always choose to fly anywhere, but some parks are a bit far from the nearest airport. Driving allows you the luxury of taking with you everything you think is necessary for a comfortable stay.
My favorite pick for the Midwest is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is undoubtedly one of the best parks for the family. It is located within the states of Tennessee and North Carolina. You can choose to rough it on the Appalachian Trail, camp at a developed or wilderness campground, or stay anywhere from luxurious suites to nice budget hotels in nearby Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN. And speaking of Pigeon Forge, you’ve got Dollywood and all the countless attractions the area has to offer. On the North Carolina side, you have more campgrounds, the town of Cherokee which has several Indian souvenirs and museums, whitewater rafting, and fly-fishing (the latter two are offered in both states). The mountains are absolutely beautiful and are great for taking pictures. See our Great Smoky Mountain web page for more details.
Another great option is Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and State Park. They also have camping and wildlife viewing, especially bird watching. A unique shoreline allows for walking on the beach or swimming in Lake Michigan. They even have areas for you to bring your own horses and ride horses. For those of you who enjoy sightseeing and history, you can see the five houses from the 1933 World’s Fair or attend the gathering at Calumic in early May where Indians from the eastern woods and fur traders from the Western Great Lakes and Voyageurs recreate what life was like along the Calumet. River from 1730-1830.
If you enjoy sailing, there are several places in the Midwest, but the two in the north are Voyageurs National Park and Isle Royale National Park. Voyageurs is in Minnesota and Isle Royale is off the north shore of Michigan on Lake Superior. Both offer great adventures in nature, as well as canoeing, kayaking, motor boating, and fishing opportunities. Travelers is considered a water park, which means you have to take a boat to the actual park, but it’s a short ride. There are places to camp or lodges to stay that will help you gear up allowing you to navigate the canals and find those great fishing spots. Isle Royale is a long boat ride or a short “puddle jumper” flight. It only has wilderness camping, but also has a lodge for those who just enjoy day hikes and some comfort. There’s kayaking, fishing, backpacking, wildlife, with the oldest research program studying wolves and moose, scuba diving, and shipwrecks. It is truly a unique ecosystem to observe.
The western US has much more to offer in the way of national parks. The most famous is Yellowstone, where you’ll see Old Faithful and many other geothermal wonders and one of the few places in the lower 48 to get an up-close look at grizzly bears. You will also see bison roaming very close so be careful. It is located on the border of Wyoming and Montana. There are numerous ranches and cabins to stay at or you can camp in the park. There is also great fly fishing, kayaking, rock climbing, and backpacking. Another big problem is the Grand Canyon National Park. This one is in Arizona, again on the border of Arizona and Nevada, but also near the southern border of Utah. It is part of the Grand Staircase, an immense sequence of sedimentary rock layers that runs south from Bryce Canyon National Park, through Zion National Park (both in Utah), and ends at the Grand Canyon. There are camping, backpacking, day hikes, whitewater rafting, and plenty of photo opportunities.
Other great parks (although they are all great places to visit) in the west are Yosemite, Channel Islands, Redwood, Arches, Olympic, Grand Teton, Canyonlands, Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Crater Lake, Mount Rainier and Sequoia. All of these have very extensive activities that will suit the needs and desires of any tourist. Check out our individual park pages for more information on each of these great parks.
The Eastern United States also offers splendid vacation options. Acadia National Park in Maine has unparalleled views of the northern ocean and cliff climbing you won’t find in other parks. There is also fishing, island exploring, walking and beautiful gardens to behold. Further down the east side is Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The Appalachian Trail runs through the park for 101 miles, giving you plenty of hiking and backpacking options. There is also camping, fishing, bird watching and horseback riding.
In Florida, you’ll find three national parks and one reserve, the most famous being the Everglades. Everglades is much more than what you have seen on television. The wildlife is phenomenal and makes it easy to get great pictures of animals and birds. There’s also wilderness camping, (watch out for alligators!), canoeing, fishing, airboat rides, hiking, and rare and beautiful flora. Big Cypress National Preserve is right next to the Everglades and is much the same, but also offers cypress trees, mangrove forests, endangered wildlife species like the peregrine falcon and Florida panther. Activities include fishing, biking, canoeing, hiking and hunting. Biscayne National Park is located in the eastern tip of South Florida. As the third longest stretch of coral reef in the world, there are opportunities for snorkeling, diving trips, sailing, swimming, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, making it a famous national park for family vacations or crowds of spring breakers looking for outdoor adventures. Dry Tortugas National Park is a unique park that preserves Fort Jefferson that was built during the Civil War and was never completed, and the nesting grounds of sea terns and sea turtles. You will enjoy Key West snorkeling, saltwater fishing, swimming, lighthouses, shipwrecks, hiking, beach camping, boating, scuba diving, bird watching, and underwater photography from some of the best areas of coral reefs and marine life in South Florida.
Again, I want to emphasize that this has only been an overview of some of the amazing parks to be seen in our national park system. I urge you to explore our site, http://www.Adventure-Crew.com, and read some of the park pages for the areas you are interested in visiting to find the perfect place for a wonderful vacation full of memories and remarkable photographs. A lot of the research has already been done for you, so dive right in! With national parks, your options are truly endless.
Corie Brands
http://www.adventure-crew.com