Early is the best time to start planning that summer family vacation to a national park. Get started now with these helpful tips. No, really, now, before everything is booked.

We have visited many different campgrounds over the years, and overall, most have been just fine. A few campgrounds, though, really do stand out for us. The thought of them always brings a smile to our face and a gushing endorsement to our lips whenever someone asks us “Is there a good campground around there?”

Planning a trip to Yellowstone? The first thing you need to be thinking about when planning your trip to Yellowstone is lodging. You can even book reservations 13 months in advance! This post will quickly bring you up to speed so you can make informed lodging choices.

The best entrance to Yellowstone Nation Park depends primarily on where you’re coming from, what you want to see, where you’re staying, and how long you have to see the park. In general, most visitors enter Yellowstone through the West Entrance.

If you’re thinking about skiing at Big Sky, Montana but can’t figure out where to stay, this guide is for you. Having skied here with our families for over 15 years, we have the best lodging recommendations for skiing with kids or that perfect mountain chalet to share with your friends or family. Our goal is make your visit to Big Sky, MT a simply awesome trip!

The Yellowstone Shortline Trail would be a terrific activity for anyone visiting West Yellowstone or staying nearby. If you are tired of the car time required to tour Yellowstone National Park, or you want a a low key, no crowds day during your trip, biking or hiking the Shortline Trail would be fun for the whole family.

This Big Sky Beginner Skier Guide is dedicated to families like ours, outlining a progression path from the very first ski runs from the magic carpet to mastering some of our favorite beginner terrain. Whether you're a parent looking to guide your little ones or an adult newcomer to skiing, this guide will help you navigate your way!

Craving a delicious meal in Big Sky, Montana? Look no further! We've been exploring Big Sky's culinary scene for over 15 years and have some insider tips for dining at both Big Sky Resort and down the mountain in Big Sky Town Center and Meadow Village. Let's delve into our favorite eateries!

We’ve been visiting Bozeman as a family for over 15 years. We’ve stayed in a variety of hotels and vacation rentals, and I have to say every experience has been terrific. As a general rule, we try to stay as close to downtown and Main Street as possible to take advantage of walking to restaurants, shops, festivals, etc. Here’s the lowdown on where to stay in Bozeman!

Not sure what to do in Bozeman? We have vacationed in Bozeman for over 15 years and share our fantastic finds-- the best things to do in Bozeman. From skiing and hiking to biking and floating to exploring its vibrant downtown with fun shops, restaurants, and festivals. Enjoy family-friendly fun, friendly locals, and a town bursting with happy energy.

I remember that planning our first trip to Big Sky Resort was a bit daunting—navigating accommodations, understanding the mountain layout, and figuring out what to expect in general. This guide is for all of you who, like us once were, are planning your first winter adventure at Big Sky Resort. Let's dive in!

Living in Bozeman, MT, we get plenty of friends and family visiting us on their way from Bozeman to Yellowstone National Park. We are fortunate to live within 2 hours of both the West Entrance and North Entrance to Yellowstone. This is the information we share with them and it’s proven to be a great itinerary for all!

There is so much to see in Yellowstone National Park, but the Lamar Valley is a must see for wildlife viewing. Find out where to stay, where to eat, best places for wildlife viewing, and easy hikes for all to enjoy in the Lamar Valley.

Big Sky, MT is known for its winter skiing, but it is just as beautiful in the summer with its blooming wildflowers, scenic mountain ranges, and variety of outdoor activities. You could easily spend a week here, especially if you add a day trip to Yellowstone National Park which is just one hour away. Here’s what we did during our summer trip to Big Sky.

Stopping in Bozeman on your way to Yellowstone National Park? You’ll find plenty to do in this fun western town. Here’s how to spend a perfect day. What to do, where to eat, and where to stay in Bozeman, MT.

Welcome to our series “A Simply Awesome Day in...” where we share a full day’s excerpt from one of our family vacation destinations. Today, we offer a fun day from our 7 day Southwest Utah Itinerary. Day 4 details a sunrise hike in Bryce Canyon, followed by a scenic drive and some more short, kid-friendly hikes.

We have visited many different campgrounds over the years, and overall, most have been just fine. A few campgrounds, though, really do stand out for us. The thought of them always brings a smile to our face and a gushing endorsement to our lips whenever someone asks us “Is there a good campground around there?”

Capitol Reef is a great national park in Utah for a family who doesn’t want the logistics of coordinating the park shuttles of Zion, waiting in the entrance lines of Arches, or negotiating the crowded parking areas at popular trailheads.

For us, Capitol Reef provided scenic beauty, plenty of easy hikes, and while we were there, minimal people. We came away refreshed, not frazzled, and certainly awe inspired!

The Narrows is one of the most iconic hiking trails in the world because of its spectacular scenery, easy access, and the uniqueness of hiking in a river. It has been on my bucket list for years and even though I crossed it off with the day trip section, I have now added the two-day hike to my to-do list. It was a fantastic hike that the kids thoroughly enjoyed and still talk about. It totally lived up to our expectations.

Heading to Zion National Park in the summer is a family vacation to remember for sure but unfortunately, part of the memory will be waiting in line for shuttle buses and wilting in afternoon highs of 100℉. Because the canyon is so fantastic, the other memories easily outweigh these irritations but you can also skip them by detouring to Kolob Canyons, the unheralded northwest corner of the park. Here you can take scenic hikes, and drive through a beautiful canyon and actually stand a chance of finding some solitude on the trail. The higher elevation (700ft versus 4000ft) means that Kolob Canyons is great alternative when the heat is too much for hiking in the main canyon.

This 6 day itinerary includes a complete itinerary for 6 days in South Dakota visiting Wind Cave National Park, hiking Black Elk Peak in Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, biking the Mickelson Trail, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, and of course Badlands National Park.

Looking for something short and sweet to do in Badlands National Park? These 3 hikes- Door, Window, and Notch Trails- share one parking lot just 10 minutes from Interstate 90. All 3 trails are scenic and fairly easy trails that give a great taste of what makes the Badlands so special. Our kids really liked exploring them, especially climbing the fun ladder on Notch Trail.

Saddle Pass to Medicine Root Trail to Castle Trail is a nice day hike of about 4.8 miles that combines rock scrambling, strolling through the prairie, plus fantastic views out over the classic rock formations of the Badlands all in this one hike. Our family really enjoyed this hike - interesting and varied enough for the kids (but not too long) while the adults got to take lots of pretty photosand feel like they stretched their legs.

I loved Badlands National Park and part of the reason why I liked it so much is because we stayed one night at Cedar Pass Lodge. Being able to enjoy the breathtaking sunset and sunrise, not to mention the awesome starry nights, made this trip special in a way I don’t think visiting the park just for the day would have. If you can swing it, definitely try to make an overnight in the cozy cabins at Cedar Pass a priority. You won’t regret it.

On your way to Badlands National Park and looking for something nearby to do besides visiting Wall Drug? Minuteman Missile National Historic Site is a great stop on I90, whether you only have 30 minutes to just see the missile silo or you have a couple of hours to see everything plus take a ranger guided tour of the underground Launch Control Center. The kids were pretty fascinated to see a nuclear missile up close and we all learned a lot about this part of Cold War history.

Whether you cycle the entire 109 miles or just rent a bike for an afternoon, the Mickelson Trail is an awesome adventure for the whole family. It is an absolutely gorgeous ride through some of the most beautiful parts of the Black Hills. With 4 train tunnels and over a hundred bridges, not to mention rolling hills, open pastures, and old gold mines dotting the trail, there is plenty to look at and enjoy on the Mickelson Trail!

Are you into hiking the tallest peaks in every state? Or big hikes with big rewards but still doable for most families? Either way, Black Elk Peak should be on your to-do list when visiting the Black Hills. Our whole family enjoyed this hike even though it was fairly strenuous. Not only does the top have fantastic 360 views of the Black Hills (the big reward), but the trails up and down were full of impressive rock formations, showy fall colours, and even some mountain goats who took time out of their busy mountain goating to pose for me.

If you are looking for fun and unique family activities in the Black Hills that are not hiking, biking, or Mt.Rushmore, than check out The Mammoth Site, the largest collection of mammoth bones from one place in the world. It is a great little museum that doesn’t take long to see but packs a lot into that visit. Walk around (and over !) an active dig site containing at least 61 mammoth skeletons and brush up on your Ice Age knowledge. Two thumbs up from our family.

Wind Cave is a fantastic national park that often gets overlooked in comparison to its more famous neighbors in the Black Hills of South Dakota. We are here to tell you—you should definitely add Wind Cave to your Black Hills vacation itinerary as it is not to be missed! Touring one of the most unique cave systems in the world was a lot of fun for our entire family. Afterwards, take a lovely hike through the prairie where the kids can now say they have walked over and under the same part of the Earth. Not something you can say too often! And to make it all even better, the wildlife watching was some of the best in the Black Hills.

If you drive just over 2 hours northeast of Seattle's airport, you will find my new favorite national park, the North Cascades. It has everything you could want from an outdoor adventure--hiking trails to breathtaking views, amazingly tall trees, pristine mountain lakes for kayaking, glaciers calling out for photography, and lots of uncrowded campgrounds.