Travel Planning Favorite National Parks You Need To Explore

Four of Our Favorite National Parks to Discover

Find out what’s in store at our favorite national parks!

favorite national parks you need to explore

1. Yellowstone

Looking for your gateway to the great outdoors? Look no further than West Yellowstone! Straddling the Montana-Idaho border, this quaint Western town shares its boundaries with both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, making it an attractive and convenient entrance town for those visiting the parks. It is certainly best known for its unrivaled access to Yellowstone, our nation’s first national park, but it also has a Western flare all of its own. Downtown West Yellowstone is comprised of several blocks of cafés, a wide variety of dining choices, and a great selection of gift shops. Serenity Bistro is known as the West Yellowstone’s best upscale dining. The Playmill Theatre is a great place to stop in for a show and the Yellowstone IMAX rotates stunningly shot movies about Yellowstone, the area’s history, and wildlife. But of course, the real reason for visiting this rugged region is the parks. Whether you visit Yellowstone NP, Grand Teton NP, or the adjacent Gallatin National Forest, adventure and beauty is limitless. Harriman State Park and Henry’s Lake State Park in Idaho offer some great, less visited options for those seeking a little more peace and quiet. The best of “Big Sky County” is found at the gates of West Yellowstone.

2. D.C.

The DC area may feature the best range of national parks that the country has to offer! Beginning with the National Mall and Memorial Parks, stunning views, rich history, and even wildlife are among what D.C. shows its visitors! Other parks include Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Constitution Gardens, George Mason Memorial Park, Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Meridian Hill Park, Rock Creek Park, President’s Park, Capitol Hill Parks, and that’s just the start of the national parks! If you’re looking to get a healthy dose of that unwavering, feel-good love of country we call American patriotism, look no further.

3. Grand Canyon

With a dramatic scenery of enormous proportions, the Grand Canyon is one of the world’s most spectacular landscapes located in Arizona! The Grand Canyon National Park covers 1,217,262 acres and features the Grand Canyon at the center – the only one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World to be located in North America, it is a must-see.

4. Kokee State Park

Located in northwestern Kauaʻi in the Hawaiian Islands, Kōkeʻe State Park park offers commanding views of the lush, amphitheater-headed Kalalau Valley from 4000 feet elevation. Wildland picnicking, tent camping and lodging. Hiking in the native rain forest and along the rim of Waimea Canyon; additional trails in neighboring forest reserves. Excellent area for observation of native plants, forest birds, and insects. Seasonal plum picking and trout fishing. You don’t need to have a green thumb to enjoy the “Garden Isle” of Kauai. Wrapped in a magical mixture of lush rainforests, emerald valleys, and cascading waterfalls, the natural beauty of the island is undeniable. Whether you venture to the region to hike the trails of Kokee State Park, snorkel with the sea creatures in Hanalei Bay, or zip line over the luscious landscapes of the Na Pali coast, there’s no shortage of land, sea, and sky in Kauai.

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