Trip Ideas

Looking for ideas to help you plan your next trip to a national park? This is the place to start! These trip ideas provide recommended activities designed to help you figure out how to spend your time. For even more ideas, see the list of all trip ideas below or search for things to do and trip ideas by park, activity, topic, duration, and more.

Featured Trip Ideas

Trip Ideas Across the Country

Showing results 1-10 of 229

  • Valles Caldera National Preserve

    Half Day at Valles Caldera

    • Type: Kid Friendly, Relaxed, Solitary/Remote, Educational, Inspirational
    • Duration: Half Day
    • Topics: Fish, Ranches, Foothills, Plains and Valleys, Forests and Woodlands, Coniferous Forests, Geology, Grasslands, Meadows, Prairies, Groundwater, Aquifers, Freshwater Springs, Mountains, Natural Sounds, River and Riparian, Rock Landscapes and Features, Scenic Views, Volcanoes, Watersheds, Headwaters, Wetlands, Ancient Seas, Animals, Birds, Elk, Archeology, Climate Change, Fire, Native American Heritage, Trails, Canyons and Canyonlands, Marshes, Cats (wild), Deciduous Forests, Night Sky, Astronomy, Dams, Farming and Agriculture, Mineral Deposits, Geothermal, Hot Springs, Mining, Logging and Timber Cutting, Roads, Routes and Highways, Schools and Education
    • Activities: Fly Fishing, Front-Country Hiking, Scenic Driving, Junior Ranger Program, Wildlife Watching
    A woman kneels in front of a historic log cabin with two leashed dogs.

    You don't have all day. You're just stopping by to check this place out. Here's a no-nonsense itinerary for your half-day visit to Valles Caldera.

  • Thomas Stone National Historic Site

    Nature Trail System

    • Type: Kid Friendly, Relaxed, Outdoors, Group Friendly
    • Duration: Half Day
    • Topics: Architecture and Building, Colonization and Settlement, Enslavement, Farming and Agriculture, Plantations, Forests and Woodlands, Natural Sounds, Trails, Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite, American Revolution, American Revolutionary War
    • Activities: Hiking
    Leaf covered nature trail with forest on either side

    Explore the nature trail system at Thomas Stone National Historic Site.

  • Yellowstone National Park

    Day Hikes in the Canyon Area

    • Type: Kid Friendly, Active, Solitary/Remote, Inspirational, Outdoors, Group Friendly
    • Duration: Full Day
    • Topics: Trails
    • Activities: Hiking
    Lower Falls plunges into the yellowish-tan canyon.

    Numerous trails suitable for short or extended hikes into Yellowstone’s backcountry begin in the Canyon area.

  • Pinnacles National Park

    Activities from the East Side

    • Type: Kid Friendly, Educational, Outdoors, Group Friendly
    • Topics: Schools and Education, Roads, Routes and Highways, Birds, Trails, Caves, Caverns and Karst, Forests and Woodlands, Coniferous Forests, Deciduous Forests, Wilderness, Scenic Views, Rock Landscapes and Features, Night Sky, Animals, Cats (wild), Unique Species, Endangered
    • Activities: Junior Ranger Program, Road Biking, Birdwatching, Hiking, Stargazing, Picnicking, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching
    Rock pillar that reads Welcome to Pinnacles National Park with rock formations in distance

    East Side

  • Bryce Canyon National Park

    A Typical Summer Visit in 1-3 Hours

    • Type: Active, Relaxed, Indoors, Outdoors, Group Friendly
    • Duration: Half Day
    • Topics: Scenic Views, Animals, Geology, Native American Heritage, Natural Sounds, Night Sky, Ancient Seas, Archeology, Canyons and Canyonlands, Plateaus and Mesas, Fossils and Paleontology, Rock Landscapes and Features, Farming and Agriculture, Freshwater Springs, Astronomy, Trails, Schools and Education, Photography
    • Activities: Scenic Driving, Museum Exhibits, Guided Tours, Front-Country Hiking, Picnicking, Park Film
    A sloping area of red rocks interspersed with trees.

    If you're a first time visitor, we recommend spending the majority of your time in the Bryce Amphitheater. This iconic area is located along the first three miles of the main road and is home to some of the most popular trails in the park, including Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop. These hikes offer an up-close and intimate look at the highest concentration of hoodoos in the world!

  • Bryce Canyon National Park

    Bryce Amphitheater Hikes

    • Type: Kid Friendly, Active, Relaxed, Educational, Inspirational, Outdoors, Group Friendly
    • Duration: Half Day
    • Topics: Canyons and Canyonlands, Plateaus and Mesas, Geology, Night Sky, Rock Landscapes and Features, Scenic Views, Trails, Wilderness, Astronomy, Photography
    • Activities: Front-Country Hiking, Backcountry Hiking
    HIkers walk along a descending slope surrounded by red rocks

    The iconic Bryce Canyon Amphitheater is located along the first three miles of the main road, and has four main viewpoints: Bryce, Inspiration, Sunset, and Sunrise Points. Most of the park's day hikes are in this area, originating from these viewpoints. From easy hikes on the rim with views into the amphitheater to more strenuous hikes walking amongst the hoodoos, this area has something for almost everyone. We recommend starting here if you're short on time.

  • Colorado National Monument

    Full Day at Colorado National Monument

    • Type: Active, Outdoors
    • Duration: Full Day
    • Topics: Canyons and Canyonlands, Geology, Rock Landscapes and Features, Scenic Views, Trails, Plateaus and Mesas, Roads, Routes and Highways
    • Activities: Hiking, Scenic Driving
    red-orange sandstone spires stand among canyons in morning sunlight

    Here are some ideas for how to spend a full day at Colorado National Monument, from hiking in and above the canyons to scenic driving.

  • Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site

    A Half Day at Central High School NHS

    • Type: Kid Friendly, Relaxed, Urban, Educational, Inspirational, Volunteer, Indoors, Outdoors, Road Trip, Group Friendly
    • Duration: Half Day
    • Topics: African American Heritage, US Army, Presidents, Social Movements, Civil Rights, Urban America, Architecture and Building, Schools and Education, Sculpture, Monuments and Memorials, Scenic Views
    • Activities: Museum Exhibits, Hands-On, Self-Guided Tours - Walking
    The front facade at Little Rock Central High School framed by blue skies and puffy clouds.

    Plan ahead and reserve an available ranger-led tour that goes by Little Rock Central High School. View the exhibits at the park's Visitor Center, learn about the Little Rock Nine, watch the park's interpretive film, and explore the other historic buildings and outdoor activities within the park. Earn your Junior Ranger badge by completing activities within the park. Stamp your passport book in our visitor center to capture memories from your visit to our site.

  • Bryce Canyon National Park

    1 to 3 Hour Winter Visit

    • Type: Active, Relaxed
    • Duration: Half Day
    • Topics: Animals, Geology, Native American Heritage, Natural Sounds, Night Sky, Canyons and Canyonlands, Forests and Woodlands, Scenic Views, Trails, Plateaus and Mesas, Wilderness, Farming and Agriculture, Freshwater Springs, Rock Landscapes and Features, Astronomy, Schools and Education, Climate Change, Photography
    • Activities: Museum Exhibits, Cross-Country Skiing, Hiking, Front-Country Hiking, Scenic Driving, Park Film, Snowshoeing
    The amphitheater filled with red rock formations, covered in snow.

    A shorter visit should focus on the first 3 miles (4.8 km) of the park, known as the Bryce Amphitheater. After a stop at the Visitor Center just past the fee booths for restrooms, the park gift shop, and other amenities, continue 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the turn for Bryce Point. The road to Bryce Point is 2 miles (3.2 km) long and ends at one of the park's most popular overlooks.

  • Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park

    Half-Day at Black Canyon

    • Type: Kid Friendly, Relaxed, Inspirational, Outdoors, Road Trip
    • Duration: Half Day
    • Topics: Canyons and Canyonlands, Geology, Trails, Mountains, Natural Sounds, Night Sky, Astronomy, River and Riparian, Rock Landscapes and Features, Scenic Views, Roads, Routes and Highways, Wilderness, Climate Change, Explorers and Expeditions, Fossils and Paleontology, Schools and Education, Watersheds
    • Activities: Front-Country Hiking, Scenic Driving, Museum Exhibits
    Things To Do - South Rim

    Only have half a day for your summer visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park? Here are Ranger Jeremy's recommendations to help you make the most of your trip!

Last updated: June 18, 2020