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Texas girl visits 46 U.S. national parks at 25 months old
Journey Castillo is on a mission to explore all 63 U.S. National Parks to encourage kids and families everywhere to enjoy the great outdoors. The 2-year-old has visited 46 parks so far and hopes to complete her mission by the time she turns three. (Video from November 2022)
Summer is the perfect time to spend quality family time in the great outdoors, and dozens of U.S. national parks offer the opportunity to experience the beauty of nature.
With 63 options spread across 30 states and two overseas territories, deciding which one to visit can be tough.
To help you out, The Family Vacation Guide lists the top five family-friendly national parks you should consider visiting with your children.
5. Isle Royale National Park (Michigan)
If you and your family want to embark on a thrilling journey to explore the rugged and isolated life away from home, Isle Royale National Park in Michigan might be the place for your family.
If you enjoy outdoor activities such as backpacking, hiking, boating, paddling or diving, you will find something interesting on the island. The park includes the primary island and more than 400 smaller ones in Lake Superior, near the Canadian border.
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"Cross Lake Superior and make a commitment: Become a part of this island, and let it become a part of you. Find peace and refuge in island wilderness – because Isle Royale, in turn, finds refuge in us," the park boasts.
According to The Family Vacation Guide, the park had the lowest number of visitors among all U.S. national parks they researched, with approximately 25,000 visitors in 2022.
4. Big Bend National Park (Texas)
Big Ben National Park in far West Texas offers stunning night skies as dark as coal, and the rivers have carved temple-like canyons in ancient limestone, according to the National Park Service.
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If you're looking for a national park with plenty of dinosaur attractions, this one is a great choice, The Family Vacation Guide said. It ranks it as the fourth-best park, with 10 attractions per 100,000 visitors. It's worth a visit for the numerous fossilized remains of these ancient creatures discovered there.
Big Bend has lots to explore. (Credit: Big Bend National Park)
"It's a place where you can still hear the whispers of pioneers, ranchers, miner and Native Americans," the park says. "And it's a land of borders – a place where countries and cultures meet."
3. Denali National Park (Alaska)
Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska has only one road, the 92-mile Denali Park Road, which runs east to west through the park.
If you're planning a trip to Denali, be sure to hop on a bus for a chance to spot some amazing wildlife and explore the wilderness (Credit: Denali National Park and Preserve)
As you travel along the road, the scenery transitions from a taiga forest at lower elevations to alpine tundra and snow-capped mountains, culminating at North America's tallest peak, Denali, at 20,310 feet. The national park encompasses the summit.
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The Family Vacation Guide reports less than a half-million annual visitors in almost 8,000 square miles. With the second-highest number of hotels and the fourth-highest number of restaurants per 100,000 visitors, the park has plenty of options for tourists and locals alike.
2. Acadia National Park (Maine)
Acadia National Park, the crown jewel of the North Atlantic coast, is among the top 10 most-visited national parks in the U.S., with 4 million visits per year, according to Acadia National Park in Maine.
Visitors have access to 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads, making it an ideal destination for families.
Acadia National Park boasts nearly 50,000 acres of breathtaking terrain along Maine's magnificent Atlantic Coastline. (Credit: Acadia National Park)
"It is a hotbed for recreational activities, with cycling, horse riding, and walking being popular in the summer due to the historic carriage road system," The Family Vacation Guide said.
1. Sequoia National Park (California)
Located in California's southern Sierra Nevada mountains, Sequoia National Park is home to giant sequoia trees, such as the General Sherman Tree, the world's largest tree by volume. The tree's base is in the Giant Forest, which contains five of the world's ten largest trees.
Sequoia National Park is adjacent to Kings Canyon National Park, jointly administered since 1943. Together, the parks cover over 1,300 square miles.
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"Sequoia topped the rankings as it scored in the top ten for all but one factor, with an exceptionally high number of restaurants (32.34 per 100,000 visitors)," The Family Vacation Guide reports.
No matter which national park you choose to visit, be sure to pack your camera and get ready for an adventure-filled trip with your loved ones.
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