Family vacations to America’s most iconic parks and monuments are a treasured part of many kids’ memories, I know they are a part of mine. But as America’s populations gets bigger and places like Yellowstone stay the same size, it is not quite as easy as it once was to plan out that classic family road trip.
Plus, anytime you are bringing kids along, the planning complexity jumps to a new level of strategy. The goal is always “Take a family trip that hits all the fun stuff while not causing anyone to fall out with anyone else.” The goal is not always achieved but over the years, we have accumulated 10 tips that definitely bring us closer to a great family trip to a national park with a minimum of headaches.
Our Top 10 Tips For Planning A Trip To A US National Park
1. Book Your Lodging Now, Like Right Now.
Especially if you want to stay in a park lodge, you need to book those accommodations faster than Taylor Swift tickets. If you are planning a summer trip, then yesterday is the best time to book.
In-park lodging fills up quickly, often a year in advance. Staying inside the park can potentially save you a lot of driving time and many of the national parks have beautiful, historic lodges with restaurants on site. All of these benefits make the lodges and campgrounds popular choices. Extremely popular choices. Even the campgrounds can sell out 6 months ahead.
So if you are thinking of staying in a national park this year, you might want to go ahead and book now and then cancel later if your plans change. The charge is usually minimal for canceling but be sure to read the fine print as many lodges are operated by different concessionaires and have different cancellation policies.
2. Consider The Season You Are Visiting That Park.
Even though the flowers are blooming at your home, you might encounter snow as late as July in some parks. For example, the alpine section of Glacier National Park's Going to the Sun Road is often impassable and closed until late June or early July. Or my classic story of trying to hike a trail on Mt.Rainier in late May as a college- aged dummy from Tennessee where snow was not even on my radar.
Conversely, the Grand Canyon will be blazing hot by midday in the summer so a rim to rim hike might not be a good idea in July if that is your dream hike. Or, you might want to consider that August to November is hurricane season in the Everglades so trip insurance is a great idea and cheapest if you get it as soon as you book.
You can avoid a lot of trip headaches but double-checking ahead of time what the typical weather is in an area and what parts of the park are usually open at the time of year you are thinking of visiting.
3. Buy The “America The Beautiful” National Park Pass.
For $80, you will have access for one year to all national parks and over 2,000 federal recreation sites. Your card gets entry for everyone in your vehicle so it can really pay for itself; plus, you are donating to the park system so there is some good karma.
You can also get senior passes, 4th graders free passes, military passes, and more. Check out all the different kinds of passes on the official website.
4. Start Your Activities Early In The Day.
“The Early Bird Gets The Worm” should be the refrain you and the kids repeat ad nauseam when visiting national parks. Get a jump start on the crowds, parking, heat, etc by getting up early before the crazy hordes of people descend upon the park. Or conversely, plan on some sunset visits to see popular spots when most of the crowds have headed off to dinner.
You'll have a much better experience, I promise. I have visited national parks with, and without the crowds, and the early alarm clock is absolutely worth not getting knocked in the head with selfie sticks.
You get a sense of the majesty and awe of these stunning parks when you have the peacefulness of a quiet morning, plus you are much more likely to see wildlife. We once surprised a deer walking down the riverbank on the Narrows hike in Zion National Park just after dawn. We were the only people on that part of the trail at the time and the kids never complained about getting up early for a hike again. (JK they totally did.)
Even on July 5th in Zion you can find a quiet moment with the wildlife in the park if you get up early enough.
5. Don't Expect Cell Service
Most national parks have limited or non-existent cell phone service so plan accordingly.
Bring a map and don't count on using your phone for travel guidance. Nothing exasperates our nice park rangers more than rescuing people that were depending on Siri to tell them where to go.
You can download Google Maps for offline use or, even better, sign up for All Trails and use their maps offline. Your phone’s GPS signal will usually still work even in limited cell service so you can see if you are on the correct trail. I use this method plus an actual, honest-to-goodness, paper map (this fascinates the kids) to keep us on track. I also always bring a portable charger for my phone.
6. Bring All The Water And Snacks You Think You Might Need
Don't let the kids (and you) get "hangry." Be prepared on the road and on the trail with snacks and water. For many of the national parks, food services are limited to certain locations and it can be miles in the car before you find something.
Water is another often- overlooked item. People routinely underestimate how much water the family will need on a hike, especially in dry places like the Grand Canyon, Zion, etc. Even in the temperate rain forest of the Smokies, people sweat so much because of the humidity, they drink more water than they think. We always like to bring more water on a hike than we estimate we’ll need and then dump it on the way back if we, in fact, did not need it.
You should also keep food in the car in case of unexpected delays too. For example, Yellowstone traffic can be horrendous and can take you twice as long as stated in your Google Maps app. Nothing ruins a family moment faster than being in stuck in traffic with whining children (and parents that are hungry also).
Furthermore, it's amazing how kids will happily take to the trail with a little "Skittles encouragement" dispensed along the way. We have totally made it to the top of peaks that normally the kids would have been done with after a mile or two, just because we gave out a couple of M&Ms or Skittles every 20 minutes. Never underestimate the power of straight bribery.
Mt. LeConte in the Smokies is the classic peak we used to bribe the kids every half mile along the way up when they were young. Now that they are older, we only have to promise them cookies at the very top ;).
7. Find Water Activities
Kids love water. It's just that simple. Hike to a waterfall, canoe on a lake, wade in a creek, or skip rocks on the river. Any activity that’s water related is bound to be a winner.
If your planned activities in the park don’t involve water, then try to get a hotel with a pool and allow for some time there. I can’t tell you how many amazing places we have visited with spectacular hikes and interesting and unique activities that I have planned and their favorite activity of the trip was the run-of-mill hotel pool. So fair enough (it is their vacation too) and I now treat it as “we do something I want to do and then we do something you want to do” when planning out our days.
No hotel pool needed when you have the crystal clear water of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park.
8. Participate In A Junior Ranger Program
The National Park Service Junior Ranger Program is for kids of all ages, but believe me, it's fun for adults too. Your kids will complete a series of activities during your park visit, share their answers with a park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger patch and Junior Ranger certificate.
It is fun, informative, and really makes your visit a memorable experience. Information can be found at any of the visitor centers in the park.
9. Don't Feed Or Approach The Wildlife
This should go without saying, but harassing or feeding any kind of wildlife, no matter how small or familiar, is illegal in all national parks. I am always amazed at the number of people who think squirrels won't bite you. Or that bison are some sort of big, fluffy cow.
The rule of thumb is just that- if you can cover the whole animal with your thumb stretched out in front of you, you are probably far enough away.
You also need to be familiar with the large wildlife you might encounter in a national park and current recommendations for protection. For example, if you're in grizzly country, you need to have bear spray if you are considering hikes into the backcountry. And, always, always, always, store food properly. Lock your car and don’t carry anything that has a smell (food, deodorant, chapstick, etc) into your tent.
A brown bear in Yellowstone. I zoomed in for the picture - we were definitely not this close. That would have absolutely violated the “thumb” rule.
10. Know Yourself And Your Kids
Don't try to pack in too many activities during your stay. It is a vacation after all and no one has much fun if everybody is exhausted. These national parks have been here for a long time so if you have to miss something, it will probably still be there on your next visit.
Choose reasonable hiking trails for your family and don't worry if you have to turn around before the end point. There is no worse feeling as a parent then realizing you have got your kids into a bad situation because you didn’t plan properly or because you kept going when you should have turned around. Sometimes it just isn’t your day for whatever reason.
If you've rented a great cabin, take the time to enjoy it. Cook a meal, play cards, listen to the sounds of nature, and connect as a family. That's what a family vacation is all about anyway.
Plan Your National Park Vacation
See our itineraries below for all the information you need to plan your trip to a national park. Itineraries include our recommended lodging choices including Airbnb and VRBO, where to eat, activities that were fun for both kids and adults, easy family hikes, maps, tips, and much, much more!
We’ve put in the hours to research a fantastic trip, our own families have loved them, and we provide all you need to experience the same. You can duplicate our trip in its entirety or gather ideas for your own itinerary.
When you purchase a trip itinerary, you will receive an email with a link to download a PDF file for easy printing and viewing on your cell phone (no heavy guidebooks to pack.) We are so confident you will find the trip information helpful that we offer a money back guarantee.
Final Thoughts
I hope you have a great time on your next national park vacation. They truly are America’s “Best Idea” and a wonderful way to bring the family together. Some of our best family memories were made in an national park, whether camping, hiking, a kayaking trip, or horseback ride. Drop us a line if you have any planning tips that have helped your family out on a trip to one of America’s national parks.
Happy Trails!- Amy