Visiting the National Parks with Kids

I have lived in California for 28 years, but never visited any of its national parks. When the opportunity to visit three national parks in three days presented itself, I jumped at the chance.

Summer in Big Sky, Montana with Kids-A Perfect Slice of American Pie. That’s right, Big Sky, MT is a small striking mountain town with a great Wild West vibe just outside of monumental Yellowstone National Park.

Last summer my family spent some time in the rainforest. No, I am not talking about the jungles of Hawaii or the Amazon, but rather the rainy yet temperate forests of the Pacific Northwest. Washington’s Olympic National Park is home to forests filled with towering spruce and fir dripping with moss as they reach up towards a sky thick with waterlogged clouds.

There are few places on the planet more isolated or biologically diverse than the Hawaiian Islands. The islands were built by volcanic activity and the very volcanoes that formed the islands still dominate the landscape.

Taking a summer trip to Alaska has been one of my family’s greatest memories.  My kids remind me often of the times we spent picking wild strawberries and raspberries, taking …

Off-season national park visits provide two huge benefits: (1) crowd avoidance, and (2) discounted lodging prices. But of course, there are many cons to the off-season. These cons include unpredictable weather, transportation issues, closed trails, limited camping and dining options, kids’ school schedules and missing out on high-season sites or activities.

Florida is well known for many family friendly vacation spots. One of my favorites is the Everglades National Park. This park is the third largest in the lower 48 (behind …