Skip to content
Search
Search
  1. Travel
  2. Vacation Ideas
 

America’s Top National Parks

What you need to know about visiting these popular spots

AARP, Updated June 20, 2022

Two men hiking at Grand Canyon National Park

M.G. Family Photography/Getty Images

En español | The Great Outdoors is calling to Americans who miss travel, crave recreation and desire safe spaces where they can wander alone or explore with family and friends. The 63 wondrous national parks — “America’s best idea,” as documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has called them — offer all of that, and more.

Whether you are spotting wildlife from an overlook, walking an easy trail, hiking a majestic peak, camping in the back country or settling into a comfy cabin, you may find our national lands are a way to connect to America’s history viscerally and physically.

View from North Bubble, in Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia

Spectacular ocean views and cool forest trails along the rocky coast of Maine

beautiful landscapes at sunset in Badlands National Park

Badlands 

Amber walls and prairie grass make for impressive landscapes in S.D.

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon

Find otherworldly hoodoos, red cliffs and magical sunrises in Utah

Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley

Find serene nature, accessible adventure and American history

Tent camping at the wonder lake campground in Denali National Park

Denali

Find spectacular scenery and mountain adventures in the Alaskan wilderness

Grinnell Lake

Glacier

Find wildlife, turquoise lakes and snow-capped peaks in Montana

canoe ride in the Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton

Stunning snow-capped mountains, wildlife galore and more in this serene haven

Fall morning in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains

Avoid the crowds at the country's most popular park by finding quiet walks

Holei Sea Arch

Hawaii Volcanoes

A nature lover's paradise of lava fields and lush rain forests on the Big Island

the shore of indiana dunes national park

Indiana Dunes

Everything you need to know about visiting this lakeside treasure near Chicago

Frozen Niagara in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Mammoth Cave

Explore the natural world above and below ground at this Kentucky treasure

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

New River Gorge

America's 63rd National Park offers big views, hiking, biking and a mighty river

Alpenglow kisses Hallet Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain

A Colorado gem sparkles with the richness of wildlife and nature

Sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains, seen from Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Shenandoah

Cruise scenic Skyline Drive, explore miles of mountain trails and find serenity 

St. John, US Virgin Islands at Trunk Bay

Virgin Islands

No passport needed for Americans visiting this gorgeous Caribbean haven on St. John 

Valley view in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite

Giant sequoias, huge waterfalls, El Capitan call to naturalists and artists

delicate arch in great arches national park in utah

Arches

View jaw-dropping sandstone archways in a red-rock wonderland

Landscape at Big Bend National Park

Big Bend

A ruggedly beautiful, remote desert landscape along the Rio Grande in West Texas 

See through to Crater Lake and Wizard Island in Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake 

Enjoy gorgeous hikes, drives, water views and adventure in Oregon

a photo of zabriskie point in death valley national park california

Death Valley

​The California oasis is huge, dry, often brutally hot — and absolutely worth a visit​​​

alligator and white bird in The Everglades

Everglades 

Alligators, crocodiles, birds and bear beckon a million visitors a year

Woman standing against rail, look over the Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Experience the majesty of the natural wonder — gorges and rocks resembling castles

A view from the road leading up Wheeler Peak in Great Basin National Park

Great Basin

Solitude, mountain beauty and the world’s oldest trees in a remote oasis

Sunrise at Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii

Haleakalā 

A legendary sunrise highlight this volcanic playground on Maui

Overlook over the Ouchita Mountains in Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs

Soak your cares away at this historic mountain retreat in Arkansas

Jumbo Rocks and Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia), Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Joshua Tree

The California haven offers a ruggedly beautiful landscape

Purple Lupin growing on a hillside at Mt. Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier

Ice, wildflowers and ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest

A view of a mountain in the Olympic National Park,

Olympic

Emerald wilderness, ancient trees, eagles, orcas and limited Wi-Fi

Sunrise at Saguaro National Park

Saguaro

Winter is the perfect time to visit this camera-ready desert treasure

Painted Canyon Overlook

Theodore Roosevelt

Bison, prairie dogs, coyotes – a Dakota wildlife landscape

Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone

Exploding geysers, prismatic pools, a Grand Canyon and more make for a magical visit

a lone female hiker walking through the ZIon National Park

Zion

Cathedral-like canyons and majestic sandstone cliffs create a wondrous landscape

100-Year-Old Park Ranger Shares Her WWII History

America’s oldest park ranger, Betty Reid Soskin, shares her experiences on the home front

AARP Travel Center

Call: 1.800.675.4318

Search Flights

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Flight 2

Enter a valid date

Flight 3

Enter a valid date

Flight 4

Enter a valid date

Flight 5

Enter a valid date

Add Another Flight

Search Hotels

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

Room 1

Room 2

Room 3

Room 4

Room 5

Room 6

Room 7

Room 8

Search Packages

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Room 1

Room 2

Room 3

Room 4

Room 5

Search Cars

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

Search Cruises

Select a valid location

Select a month

Search Things to Do

Enter a valid date

Enter a valid date

aarp member benefits logo

Featured AARP Member Benefits

See All  >

  • Car Rentals

    AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia: Car Rentals

    Members save on car rentals and more

    learn more
    See more Car Rentals offers >
  • Travel

    Avis

    Members save up to 30% on base rates and more

    learn more
    See more Travel offers >
  • Hotels & Resorts

    Country Inn & Suites® by Radisson

    Members save 10% off the best available rate

    learn more
    See more Hotels & Resorts offers >
  • Gas & Auto Services

    Valvoline Instant Oil Change

    Members save 15% on drive-thru, stay-in-your-car oil changes

    learn more
    See more Gas & Auto Services offers >