Once you begin visiting National Parks with kids and experiencing the beauty and wonders of nature in this country, you will find yourself creating bucket lists and massive road trips to see every single one.
I’m firmly in the camp of loving National Parks. We haven’t been disappointed by a single one. The awe and majesty of these beautiful spots in nature cannot be overstated.
These spectacular pieces of our country are well-preserved natural phenomenons. The cost to get into the park is a small fraction compared to the full experiences and views national parks offer. It is well worth the money!
With the digital and Urban age we live in, kids do not get enough connection with nature and earth. We must carve out time and space to be one with our home.
Getting into National Parks
National Parks are so reasonably priced for families. For one flat rate for each car, you get into the park, access to the visitors centers and everything the park has to offer all day.
If you plan on attending multiple parks or staying for multiple days, it would be beneficial to buy an annual pass to all the National Parks. It costs $80 for a full year of access to National Parks and monuments. This is the best travel deal you’ll see! You can buy online, or just activate when you get to the gate of the national park.
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass is valid from the first date of use for an entire year.
See National Parks for Free
The amazing news is that even if you don’t have the funds to pay for entry into National Parks, there are several options to see them for free.
Every year the National Parks hosts several days when anyone can get in free. Find the list of free days on this website.
The National Parks Service also offers a program called Every Kid in a Park. When a child is in 4th grade (or the home school equivalent) You can get a family pass to all the National Parks for free! With 4 kids, this means that we will get into the parks for free for 4 different years! The year goes from Sept – Aug of their 4th-grade year. Do not miss out on this amazing perk. Go to the National Parks with kids!
Just head to this website. Have your child answer a few simple questions about things they like. Then print and take to the nearest National Park ranger station. At the Ranger station, they will talk to the 4th grader and get you an official card for the annual pass. If there isn’t a ranger station at the entrance to the park, just show your printed paper, evidence of the 4th grader and they should let you right in.
Another option is the senior citizen America the Beautiful Lifelong pass. It is $80 for anyone over the age of 62. It allows everyone in their vehicle into the National Park free. I know this is a post about taking kids to the parks, but bring grandma or grandpa along! They will not only be a huge asset for your kids and she can literally get you into the park for free!
Where to go First at Every National Park with Kids
Always stop at the closest visitors center when you enter a national park. Ask the park rangers for advice on an itinerary, hikes, weather concerns or any park closures.
Watch a short video about the area. Explore the exhibits and activities throughout the visitors center.
Junior Ranger Programs at the National Park with Kids
At every national park, there is a Junior Ranger program for the kids to complete. Typically, you ask the rangers for the program and they will tell you the requirements to earn your Junior Ranger badge for that park.
Usually, the Junior Ranger program is free at the Visitors centers, but you do have to ask for it. For some reason, they don’t have them sitting out. Smokey Mountain National park charges a couple of dollars for the Junior Ranger program because the entrance to this park is free.
There are usually 2 different programs, one for readers (6 yrs old-12) and one for younger children. Every park has different requirements for how many activities kids need to complete to be qualified to become a Junior Ranger
The Junior Ranger programs are all specific to each park. The kids will find pictures, puzzles, games, and kid-friendly information.
The kids can work on these activities in the car or during your hikes or viewing places.
Once it is completed, return to any visitors center, show the required activities the kids have completed. An official swearing-in ceremony begins and the kids earn their junior ranger badge. Usually the badge is a pin, but sometimes a patch or sticker.
If you would like the kids to be able to work on these activities during your travels to the National Parks with kids, look up the Junior Ranger program online and print it out yourself. Then the kids can learn in advance and spend more time experiencing the things they learned about.
Junior Ranger Programs need to be utilized by every child going to a park. But you have to know about them and ask for them from the rangers. These activities help to engage our kids in our trips to National parks, making it more meaningful and memorable!
Gear for National Parks
While you can definitely go to the parks exactly as you are, essential gear can help. I’ve seen people hiking in flip flops and PJs, but getting the right clothes and shoes can help you travel further and more effectively.
| Hiking Pants/shorts | Hiking Pants/Shorts | Hiking Shoes | Water Backpack |
|---|---|---|---|
  |   |   |   |
| Buy Boys Hiking Pants | Buy Girls Hiking Pants | Buy Hiking Shoes | Buy Water Backpack |
Essential Information for Travel Through National Parks
Most of the national parks have limited to NO wifi or cell service. BE prepared to be completely disconnected as you experience your travels through the park.
Food and Services can sometimes be limited inside the park. Look ahead of your travels for food and water options. Pack a picnic lunch, snacks and water. Usually we want to spend longer than we planned so have the food to be able to do that.
There may not be access to gas or car services inside the national parks. Be sure to enter with a full tank of gas for a day’s adventure driving through the most incredible sights USA has to offer!
Help kids engage while traveling through the national parks by giving them a camera.
Cameras for Kids
| Youngest Kids | Grade-Schoolers | Tweens | Teens | Action Video Camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  |   |   |   |   |
| $30 | $70 | $63 | $384 | $37 |
| Buy Toddler Camera | Buy VTech KidiZoom | Buy Point and Shoot | Buy Olympus Tough | Buy Action Camera |
My Family’s Favorite Experiences at National Parks
While we haven’t been to all the national parks with kids, I can say that we have enjoyed all the ones we visited.
Sequoia National Park
- Seeing Fireflies at Smoky Mountain National park (Tennessee)
- Exploring Fall colors at Acadia National Park (Maine)
- Stepping on land younger than us at Volcano National Park (Hawaii)
- Strolling through the rain forest in Olympic National Park (Washington)
- Staring in awe at the tree giants in Sequoia National Park (California)
- Watching mud boil at Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
- Hiking through the hoodoos in Bryce National Park (Utah)
- Spying massive Alligators at Everglades National Park (Florida)
- Spelunking through Carlsbad Cavern National Park (New Mexico)
- Feeling the Water at Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)
My National Parks Bucket List
These National Parks are high on my bucket list for traveling with my kids. I can’t wait to show them the great outdoors in these beautiful spaces. In no particular order
- Glacier (Montana) (done in June and Sept 2020)
- Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef (Utah) (done in June 2020)
- Yosemite (California)
- Crater Lake (Oregon)
- Mammoth Cave (Kentucky)
- Kenai Fjords (Alaska)
- Grand Canyon (Arizona)
- Joshua Tree (South California) (done in Feb 2021)
- Redwoods (North California)
- Mesa Verde (Colorado)
- Rocky Moutain (Colorado) (done in July 2020)
- Big Bend (Texas)
- Zion (Utah) (done in June 2020)
Have you experienced the wonder of National Parks with kids yet? It is the perfect place for adventure, bonding as a family and connecting to the earth. Plan a trip to a national park as soon as possible!
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