The Best National Parks In America For Kids, According To Research

America's national parks have long been a source of wonder and amazement. The country hosts 63 parks set in 30 states and 2 U.S. territories. Some iconic natural landmarks call these parks home, like Old Faithful at Yellowstone, which sends jets of boiling water hundreds of feet into the air, or the grand Half Dome at Yosemite. No matter your age, there is no shortage of spectacle to behold at America's national parks. 

However, these sites become even more special when you've got kids. They offer bonding experiences that commit to memory and create learning opportunities for everyone. But it's no secret that parents have to put in a lot of effort to keep kids engaged and happy, and that begins with choosing the right national park. Check out how to make traveling with kids a stress-free experience.

So, what's the solution? Which parks are the best for kiddos? To determine those that are most accommodating to children, we analyzed national parks that offer kid-friendly programming, games, and special tours. And we are going to share those with you right now.

Extending from mainland Massachusetts like a bent arm raising its fist, Cape Cod is one of the most sought-after destinations on the East Coast. People have been drawn to its sandy shores and charming towns for generations. The best experiences only happen at Cape Cod, one of which is visiting the National Seashore. 

While it isn't technically a national park, the Cape Cod National Seashore offers the same kind of federal protection and access that every other park is afforded. Dubbed "The Great Beach" and stretching along the outer edge of the Cape, the National Seashore is a federally protected land along the outer Cape that stretches from Chatham to Provincetown. It preserves some of the most pristine dunes, tidal marshes, wetlands, and coastal wildlife in New England. What makes it great for kids is that it is so easily accessible.

There are several activities kids can enjoy at the various National Seashore locations on the Cape. A visit to Marconi or Nauset beach is great for a day on the water. Several museums and nature education centers, like the Atlantic Research and Learning Center in North Truro, offer some of the best experiences on the Cape. And, of course, there are always the charming Outer Cape villages that will keep kids entertained after a long day of exploring.

Thanks to its status as New England's only national park, Acadia is not only one of the most visited locations in Maine but the entire East Coast. It is the northern terminus of the great East Coast National Park road trip, one that extends down to Florida. Acadia is so special, in part, because of its postcard-worthy scenery. Visitors flock to see the Mount Desert Island sunrises that turn the sky into pastel shades. 

Anyone traveling with kids, however, will know how difficult it would be to convince them to get up early enough to see the sunrise. Thankfully, Acadia is very kid-friendly. One of the prime programs the National Park Service has instituted to get kids interested in history and nature is the Junior Ranger Program. Kids between the ages of 5 and 13 participate in a number of park-specific activities, earning their way to badges, vests, and stamps in their junior ranger passports. At Acadia, these adventures include guided nature walks, biology lessons, and scavenger hunts. 

Older kids can also take advantage of the Schoodic Education Adventure Program, which focuses on ocean biology and forest ecology. Parents with strollers will love the paved trails and gentle carriage roads, and downtown Bar Harbor is easily accessible. Acadia also boasts excellent campgrounds with plenty of amenities, including playgrounds that will help keep kids happy.

Shenandoah National Park is an excellent option for family fun, especially for kids fascinated with wildlife. Thanks to its relatively mild climate, wildlife remains abundant throughout the year, making Shenandoah one of the best parks for wildlife viewing. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northwestern Virginia, Shenandoah National Park is a stunning landscape with tremendous biodiversity. Visitors can fish the streams for trout and bass and see Eastern white-tail deer, foxes, owls, hawks, and bears.

Wildlife viewing isn't the only family-friendly activity, however. The park offers a great amount of outdoor activities, such as hikes, mountain biking, swimming, and even a zip line. One of the best and easiest hikes for younger kids is the Blackroad Summit. It is a 1.1-mile gradual incline that rewards hikers with excellent views of the surrounding hills.

Kids can also scale rock features, marvel at deep gorges and waterfalls, and get their Junior Ranger books stamped at any ranger station. Older kids can even enjoy the thrill of rafting on Class II whitewater rapids. However, if you make it out to Shenandoah in Autumn, the iconic Skyline Drive offers enough gorgeously colorful scenery to keep the kids gazing out the window for hours.

Straddling the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a legendary status. Thanks to the continual mist rising from the trees, there appears to be a constant blue haze hanging over the canopy. This has inspired mysticism and folklore, lending well to the park's reputation as one of the most haunted in the country. Kiddos who love a good ghost story will appreciate visiting the Great Smoky Mountains.

However, for those kids who prefer their travels with a less spooky flare, there are plenty of other outdoor activities in which to participate. Several easy trails, like the Kephart Prong Trail and Porters Creek, lead to tremendous waterfalls and babbling brooks. Kids can splash in the waters or gaze as the waterfall cascades into the pool below.

The Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is an excellent site for families interested in exploring the park. This year-round institute offers nature events, summer and family camps, overnight programs, and hands-on science adventures. There is a fee for signing on, but it's well worth it to get the kids up close and personal with nature.

If there is one National Park on this list that caters part of its yearly calendar specifically to engaging children and families, it is Biscayne National Park. Not only does it offer some of the best of Florida's wildlife, water, and weather, but several months-long events occur at Biscayne to entice kids to explore the park.

The Family Fun Fest, for instance, runs from December to April annually. This is a great time of year to visit the park, as it is Florida's dry season, meaning you'll have plenty of sunshine for your adventures. The idea of the Family Fun Fest is to animate the park for a younger audience, which is achieved in a creative and kid-friendly way.

Using storytelling techniques featuring cartoon superheroes, animals, and mermaids, kids learn about the park's nature and history in an immersive and entertaining manner. However, if you miss out on the festivities, there are plenty of other cool activities that kids can enjoy. A trip to Boca Chita Key and its iconic lighthouse is a must, as is a hike to Convoy Point. At the latter, kids can splash in warm tidal waters and hunt for crabs and minnows. 

Despite being a little-known national park, Isle Royale in Michigan offers a unique experience that travelers with kids will not find anywhere else. One of the main reasons Isle Royale is one of the least visited of the parks in the U.S. is that it's difficult to get to. It is only accessible by ferry or seaplane and, as such, is one of the more remote destinations on this list.

That said, its location makes it a prime place for adventure! There is a lot to be said for going somewhere that garners so few crowds. Isle Royale is excellent for kids who love the great outdoors. While the other parks we've mentioned highlight activities and programming to get kids interested, Isle Royale operates under the assumption that those who visit come solely for its nature.

The island, which sits in northern Lake Superior well above the Upper Peninsula, has great swimming inlets, lighthouses, hiking, camping, and other adventurous possibilities. There is also the opportunity to hear some of the island's native wolves howling during the night, which could be cool or terrifying, depending on your kid's proclivity for wildlife engagement. Fishing, boating, and other Junior Ranger (ages 5 to 13) or Wilderness Ranger (ages 12 to 17) programs are also available. There's even a Hike Across Isle Royale Adventure for the courageous. 

The original National Park has so much to offer families. Yellowstone is the epitome of what the National Park System strives to be. Its scenery and wildlife are genuinely astonishing. Bison roaming the plains, golden trout swimming in the streams, Old Faithful being, well, faithful, and Yellowstone's amazing Grand Canyon rims are the hallmarks of the park that have kept visitors returning season after season. But what can it offer for families with kids?

Much like Isle Royale, Yellowstone operates on the assumption that visitors are there for the park itself. Wildlife viewing in the Lamar Valley is particularly kid-friendly, as there is always a likelihood of seeing megafaunas from designated viewing areas. There are also stamp sites for the Junior Ranger program and chances to work with the rangers on special tasks.

Yellowstone also offers a Young Scientist Program for kids aged five and older. It comes with a booklet that includes age-appropriate quests and science activities. For older, more active kids, guided horseback rides through areas of the park are an absolute must. This allows the kids to see the grandeur of the parks up close.

When kids visit Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, they will encounter a 6-mile wide, 2,000-foot deep lake created by volcanic activity. It is the deepest lake in the U.S., with massive, circular, deep blue water and an island at its center. The sight alone is worth the visit, but there are other excellent opportunities for younger kids and those uninterested in this water body.

The Every Kid Outdoors Program is part of the National Park Service's mission to give kids the opportunity to explore federal lands and waters properly. This is applicable only to fourth graders, who must complete an online activity and trade in their voucher for a plastic pass that grants them more exploratory access to Crater Lake.

The Crater Lake Science and Learning Center also offers programming for kids and students, such as guided nature walks, art programs, Bio Pen-Pals, and environmental study guides. This is excellent for local teachers or homeschoolers looking to engage students better in a particular area.

Despite being an active volcano, Mount Rainier in northwestern Washington State remains one of the most popular National Parks for families. It's easy to see why. This "Crown of the Pacific Northwest" is reminiscent of the Swiss Alps more than a typical American mountain range. Mount Rainier's fertile soil entices large amounts of flora and fauna, making for an astonishing viewing. The best part is that you don't have to climb high to enjoy its sweeping views.

The Alta Vista Trail is an easy hiking option for younger kiddos who might not be up for a full hike of the mountain. In the winter, the trail is covered in snow, allowing for snowball fights, snow-angel making, and fort building. Then, in the spring, it transforms into a scenic meadow that bursts with native grasses and flowers, offering outstanding views of the surrounding valley.

Mount Rainier also offers guided snowshoe walks, winter camping, and Junior Ranger programs. Some other excellent trails that the rangers recommend for hiking include Silver Falls, Twin Firs, and Grove of the Patriarchs. Kids will also get a kick from seeing Seattle's skyline from a distance. The Space Needle is particularly prominent from the right trail.

Set in the deserts of Southeastern California, Joshua Tree National Park makes for an interesting experience. The arid terrain is filled with odd-looking trees that can easily become a subject of fascination for younger visitors. The landscape seems right out of a western or sci-fi movie, making it a perfect environment for exploration and play.

The Hidden Valley Trail is a mile loop through the northern section of the park that offers some of the best access to Joshua Tree's natural oddities. Additionally, many boulders beg to be scaled by energetic kids who have been cooped in the car for too long. The park also offers rock climbing along smaller canyons. 

As with the other parks on this list, there are a number of locations where Junior Rangers can get their passports stamped and engage in various activities like hiking, biking, and stargazing. It is important to note, however, that heat and wildlife are a concern at this park. Be sure to watch for signs of snakes, and make sure your kids stay hydrated.

This is another California national park gem where the trees are the star of the show. However, unlike Joshua Tree, where the trees are short, spiked, and twisted, the sequoia trees of Sequoia National Park are the largest tree species in the world, routinely measuring several hundred feet tall and tens of feet in trunk diameter. The largest of these trees is General Sherman, which is the largest tree in the known world. Standing at 275 feet tall, it is a sight to behold.

Kids who visit love to link hands to see how many of them it would take to make a circular around General Sherman's trunk. This practice has taken place for generations and is one of the most time-honored families can enjoy.

Elsewhere in the park, there is plenty more to explore. Kids can hike, marvel at other enormous Sequoia trees, and even explore the Crystal Cave, which has a one-mile loop trail through glittering marble caverns. Overall, it is a tremendous place for kids to explore and experience the wonders of nature.

Denali National Park may seem like an odd choice to end this list but hear us out. Despite being remarkably remote, Denali offers kids truly wondrous opportunities. This is Alaska at its finest— rawest, revealing, and intimate. As such, parents who bring their kids to Denali will set them up for a truly remarkable experience.

Firstly, there is Denali itself. As the tallest peak in North America, it is a truly an astonishing sight to behold. We wouldn't recommend attempting to summit it with children, but getting a view of it is sure to make jaws drop. Even better is the crowd-free access to amazing wildlife like elk and bears. 

There is also the chance of seeing the Northern Lights at their most beautiful. If you really want your kids to appreciate the power and beauty of nature, there's no better park. So, from programming opportunities to seeing some of the most iconic landscapes in America, these 12 parks offer something special that all kids can enjoy.

To create this list of kid-friendly national parks, we gathered information from several primary sources, including the National Park Service, government websites, and testimonies from travelers who have visited these sites with children. We also consulted secondary sources like travel blogs and news sites.