Opinions for First National Park Visit
We live in FL and I am looking for some opinions on which National Park(s) to visit for our first Western trip. We want to go out West and will have about 3 weeks and we have 3 young children. Plan...
Forum Discussion
4runnerguy wrote:
How old are your kids? The interests of kids 5-10 years old are different that teens.
When are planning on going? Some parks (e.g. Arches) are pretty hot mid summer, but Yellowstone can be pretty snowy in May.
Answering these questions will guide us to make more informed recommendations.
Three weeks isn't very long for a trip out west. It's about 2000 miles one way and kids can get pretty antsy after 10 hours of driving a day, esp. if it's day after day. Some of the recommendations above mean you will mostly be driving every day to get from park to park. If this trip is about your kids, they'd much prefer to be outside rather than stuck in the back of your vehicle.
With that amount of time, I'd pick just a few and not try to see "all" of them. Likewise, I
wouldn't even try for Yosemite or any of the California parks as that's a lot more driving.
I'd look at the southern Utah parks as one possible destination. Yellowstone and Grand Teton would be another. There's a lot to do in both areas so I'd pick one or the other and give you kids a chance to get outside and soak up the experience. Plan some stops on the way out and back to break up the trip.
If you do the southern Utah loop, check out Carlsbad Caverns and the Ozarks and Ouachita's on your trip out and back. If your kids are say older than 5 or six, consider a ride on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This will immerse them in an experience unlike anything they've encountered before. Amazing mountains, a steam engine, and a real wild west town with wooden sidewalks.
If you instead opt for the Yellowstone/Grand Teton visit, hit up the Black Hills on the way out or back. Lots to see and do besides Mt. Rushmore. Take them up to Sylvan Lake and rent a boat.
My kids at that time will be 10, 8, 4. I am concerned about the long drive. This is one of the reasons I asked for input to try and figure out the best parks for their ages and best route to break up the trip. Thanks for the great information!
