9 of the Top National Parks for Families in the US

Waterfalls, wildflowers, wooded hollows, and wetlands exist just 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Washington DC. Shenandoah National Park is one of the best national parks for children, as kids will get the chance to scout for the forest’s creatures, wander across pioneer homesteads, climb up kid-friendly summits, and more.

Running along the gentle Blue Ridge Mountains, visitors can explore the park via Skyline Drive, a winding, scenic, 105-mile (168-kilometer) drag that runs the length of Shenandoah. If you’d rather not worry about driving, book a tour—and spend more time marveling with your kids at Mother Nature’s views.

In western South Dakota, wild rock formations that look like frozen sand dunes rise out of the prairie, giving this place its name: Badlands National Park. If the kids want to walk on the moon or Mars, there’s nowhere better here on Earth to do so.

Badlands Loop Road (SD 240) will take you just about everywhere you need to go, connecting you to a dozen overlooks and several short, kid-friendly hikes, like the Window and Door Trails. Kids will also love the park’s wildlife, like bison and bighorn sheep, which you’ll most likely spot by exploring at sunrise.

When Mount Mazama erupted 8,000 years ago, its blown-off top left a rocky bowl that collected water. Today, this bowl is known as Oregon’s Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the country.

If you’re visiting in the warmer months, older kids will love trekking beyond the rim and down to the lakeshore, taking a boat ride to Wizard Island—you can swim at select spots, too. If you’re with younger kids, stick to the scenic drive on the rim, hike the easy trails to waterfalls and volcanic pinnacles, or nab a tour and let a guide uncover the way.

Acadia National Park pulls double duty: It protects the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline, and it offers a look into the elite, 20th-century world of John D. Rockefeller Jr. Back in the day, he was a partial owner of the park. About 45 miles (72 kilometers) of carriage roads still exist, though today’s visitors are more likely to explore via the park’s free shuttle. (Prepare a private tour? Go with a guide instead.)

Leave plenty of time for this park, as there are so many things to do in Acadia National Park: Munch on popovers at Jordan Pond, hike The Bubbles Trail if you have older kids, explore creatures hiding in Wonderland’s tide pools, or wander down Rockefeller’s carriage roads.

Send the kids back in time with a visit to Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the southeastern US. Just 20 minutes from South Carolina’s capital, Columbia, outdoor family activities in national parks don’t get much better than in Congaree.

Together, you’ll explore along floating boardwalks—yep, these majestic bald cypress trees sit in water—keeping an eye out for river otters, woodpeckers, owls, and more. Stay overnight, and you can camp amongst the trees or go stargazing. For extra adventure, paddle the gentle Cedar Creek, which takes you past some of the tallest trees in eastern North America.

Though small, Pinnacles National Park is one of the neatest family vacation spots in the US. A mere 90 minutes from San Jose, California, you and the kids can climb into talus caves, hike across volcanic rocks, picnic at Bear Gulch Reservoir, scout out pinnacles and ridges, and more.

If you’ve got a family of early risers, head out in the morning to the High Peaks region. There, you can test your luck at spotting the park’s most famous resident: the endangered California condor.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the top US parks for family vacations. Home to waterfalls, wild forests, and mountain views, this is one of the most popular national parks in the country—and even better, it’s free to enter, perfect for families on a budget.

A self-guided driving tour makes navigating the park easy. You can explore from the popular Cades Cove, looking for black bears and pioneer homesteads, and hike up Clingman's Dome. When you’re finished exploring the park, there’s plenty of more family fun to be had in nearby Gatlinburg.

Who doesn’t want to zoom down a 500-foot (150-meter) pile of sand? Just under four hours from Denver, Great Sand Dunes National Park is like the world’s largest sandbox. Rent sandboards in nearby Alamosa or Blanca, and you and the kids will be slipping, sliding, and soaring down some of the country’s tallest sand dunes. Of course, the park is great fun to explore on foot, too.

Insider tip: It can get very hot on the sand at midday. Time your sled adventure for morning or late afternoon to stay comfortable, and slather on that sunscreen.

The kids will go nuts for the world's longest-known cave system. About 90 minutes from Nashville, Mammoth Cave is a whopping 426 miles (685 kilometers) long. You and the kids won’t be able to explore all of it, but with a cave tour, you’ll go underneath Kentucky, stepping into this dark, subterranean, stalactite-rich world.

If there’s a certain tour you’re eyeing—some are longer and some are kid-friendlier than others—book your tickets in advance via the park website. After the tour, wander above ground for hiking, camping, and stargazing adventures.