6 Kid-Friendly National Parks to Visit This Summer

There are 419 areas in the National Park System, encompassing over 85 million acres. Tourists flock to these destinations to see diverse scenery and wildlife, but not all parks are as kid-friendly as others.

If you’re looking for a kid-friendly national park, check out this list of parks that offer easier trails, plentiful amenities, and activities the whole family can enjoy.

Arches National Park

You don’t have to hike far to see some of the most famous sites in this Utah park, so families can see Balanced Rock, the Windows, and the Double Arch without too much effort.

Everglades National Park

Visitors can pay for a tram or airboat ride to see some of the swamp, marsh, and mangrove jungles of this Florida park. A visit to Everglades National Park doesn’t need to involve much hiking at all to see terrific wildlife and the diverse ecosystem.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles North Carolina and Tennessee. While the park offers some easy hikes, kids can enjoy much more than the hikes alone. You can also pay to go horseback riding or river tubing for added fun. Plus, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not too far from the East Coast, making it perfect for a road trip.

Grand Canyon National Park

Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park can be a great destination for the whole family. Desert View Drive offers some spectacular views, so your family wouldn’t even have to get out of the car to enjoy the trip. With plenty of picnic spots, a trip to the Grand Canyon can be both relaxing and memorable.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

If you’re on the Big Island, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is hard to resist, and luckily, kids can enjoy it as much as adults. A simple drive through the park is unforgettable, treating guests to views of an eerie landscape that seems otherworldly.

Yellowstone National Park

There are certainly some parts of this massive national park that aren’t kid-friendly, but you can still see some amazing sites like Old Faithful without much hiking. The Grand Loop is a road that runs for 142 miles around the park, so even going for a drive in Yellowstone National Park can be a long and exciting adventure.

Every member of the family can get out and enjoy some of the natural splendor that America has to offer at these six kid-friendly national parks.