You’re a traveler, an explorer. Loving the open road and the dirt trails, you can hike a mountain or swim in a river. You never stop moving and that is perfectly fine. Therefore, parks give you the outlet you need, whether that be walking, running, resting, or experiencing. Take in the views of these breathtaking locations you have to visit if you love constant adventure.
Acadia National Park, Maine
This beautiful spot has one of the best views in town considering it’s one of the first places to see the sunrise every morning. After you wake up with the sun, you can head out to one of the many trails around the grounds. You can even bring your pup! If you’re a true nature and wildlife enthusiast, grab a bird list provided by the park and start your bird watching extravaganza. When you’re ready to hit the hay, you can camp at one of the five sites. Also, one of the campgrounds is located on an island that you can only take a boat to. If you’re traveling with stock animals, there’s a site for you, too.
Biscayne National Park, Florida
When traveling to Florida, don’t forget to put Biscayne National Park on your list of adventure things to do. When you visit the watery wonderland, you can investigate all that this downtown Miami park has to explore. Biscayne is full of history (10,000 years of it to be exact). When you’re not gawking over the blue views, you can visit a museum and art gallery all about Biscayne. Ready for some fun? Go snorkeling, fishing, lobstering, or even kayaking. Boat tours are scheduled daily and you can even visit a lighthouse built in the 1930’s on the stunning island of Boca Chita.
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Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
Known for being the world’s largest known cave system (400 miles), Mammoth Cave is a great place to visit for every type of adventurer. The park provides different cave tours each season. When you stay at Mammoth, you can camp along the Green or Nolin Rivers that span 30 miles across the area. When you don’t have your head in a cave, you can try your hand at horseback riding, hiking trails, and even a campfire program. Remember to look at the parks’ website to find out what events are going on, including the traditional Cave Sing!
Red Rocks Mountain Park, Colorado
The park, originally named “Garden of the Angels” is now known as Red Rocks Mountain Park. It is located just outside of Denver and on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. Red Rock is named after the massive 300-foot sandstone rock that sits in the middle of its grounds. Covering 640 acres, you’ll have plenty to do when stopping by this charming area. Take in the 200 miles of panoramic views when atop the rocks after you hike to the perfect spot for you. After exploring all you can, make sure to head over to the amphitheater to watch a concert. The naturally formed venue is made up of a few rocks, Creation, Ship, and Stage Rock, that has been around since 1941. History surrounds this iconic Denver location.
White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
No. This is not a boring desert. Yes. This is a natural wonder to take advantage of. The white sand and wave-like dunes not only offer breath taking photographs, but can also be explored for 275 miles. Hop in a car and drive down Dunes Drive to experience the serenity that is this monument. Only 16 miles round trip, you can stop for photos, walk on the sand, eat a delicious picnic, or hike some trails. Oh, and you can even go sledding. Yes! Sledding down the sand dunes! If you have little ones, the Adventure Packs for junior rangers can come in handy for a little education while on vacation. The packs are equipped with nature guides, tools, and more.
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, Utah
Welcome to southern Utah, where all your camping desires and dreams live. If you know Escalante, then you know what they’re all about. Petrified wood! That basically means wood that has turned into stone over time. Trust me, you’ll want to see this. From petrified logs to plant and marine fossils and even dinosaur bones over 100 million years old. There’s boating, canoeing, fishing, and water sports, too! Stay awhile to take a hike on the wild side when you make it out to Escalante. If you really want an adventure, grab an ATV and head on over to the Grand Staircase for views that you will never forget.
Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska
You may recognize this astonishing sight. Does Mt. McKinley ring a bell? That’s right. On its 100th birthday, the mountain’s original name was restored. Denali Park is still 6 million acres with one road running through it. Therefore, Denali is still the tallest peak in North America standing at 20,310 feet. Stopover at this Alaskan park where you can take a bus ride to see wildlife roam, including the 39 types of mammals that inhabit it. Most people want to see the famous grizzly bears (keep your eyes out for those guys). If you’re more of a risk taker, get your mountaineering on while you climb to the top of the highest point on the continent. Or bring it down a notch and watch free live webcams from Denali, including one with growing sled dog puppies! Truly an experience that will last a lifetime!
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawai’i
Open 24 hours a day, year round, visiting the grounds is always an option. You can stay for a couple hours or a few days. Driving tours consist of Crater Rim Drive and Chain of Craters Road. On these drives you can see active volcanoes, craters and slow moving lava. Chain of Craters Road has constantly been affected by the ever flowing lava causing closures of historic sites since 1969. While visiting the Jagger Museum on your way in to learn about volcanology, you can witness the amazing view that is Kilauea Caldera. This park offers lodging or go camping outside at one of its two sites. To stay in the camping mood, travel on a guided hike, bike around, or join a ranger program.
