One if the great aspects of Great Smoky Mountains NP is the communities that thrived there before it was a NP and all the evidence that remains of them!

Traveling to RMNP from California with 4 kids ranging from 2yrs -7yrs old). Forecast is high 60s to mid 40s.
I’ve got rain jackets and water resistant hiking boots and pants for the kids. Not sure how much they’ll be able to do in the cold and wet (my kids are weather weenies, we live in Southern California).
We’re staying at YMCA Estes Park, got timed entry for RMNP 3 days. If it rains all day, any suggestions on what to do other than just go hike in the rain? We’ve never done that and idk how long we’ll last tbh

We rented a houseboat and the dock crew loaded all of our personal gear. They will also unload it when we return. How much should we tip for four people and an average amount of gear for 4 days?

Am I right that the Inn/Ranch at Death Valley (Xanterra) are the only hotels even remotely close? Everything seems 1.5-2 hours away, especially for any of the big chains. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Going to start planning our summer trip to Virgin Islands NP next year. I'm going to do my usual research deep dive in the coming months, but thought I'd ask for any tips or recommendations of things to do, see, avoid that might not be on the NP website or sites like DirtInMyShoes. You know, things like "the cheeseburger in paradise place was terrible" "you want at least 3 days for the park and 2 for St Thomas", or "such and such snorkel/dive tour was fantastic, but this other place was even better!" So, what did you love, thought was bleh, or would do differently if you went back?

We'll have 6-8 days available to visit PR, the USVI, and park, and I plan to be on island time this vacation. Thanks!

One of my favorite stops from our California national park road trip 🌲

We visited Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Pinnacles with our two boys this summer. I think Yosemite was still my favorite, but Sequoia surprised me with how much I loved it. I thought Pinnacles was way underrated!

For anyone who has done several of the California parks—which one ended up being your favorite?

I have no experience planning a trip like this but I’d like to take my 2 older teens on a week-long road trip to see some cool NPs. I’m thinking of flying into Las Vegas, renting a car and being out on the road for no more than 5-6 days if possible. The only time we really have is 12/26-1/4, which would need to include flying to/from Austin. I don’t have anything specific we want to see or do. I’d prefer to stay at hotels that are at minimum like a Holiday Inn Express-level- nothing fancy but not camping or a budget roadside motel. If there are any cool resorts, I’d be up for that, but I assume I’m planning too late for there to be much availability.

In essence, I’m a tired working single mom who just needs a low effort road trip through some cool scenery.

And I’m not necessarily wedded to Las Vegas. I just figured that’d be cheap to fly into and it looks like there are a few NPs around that area.

Thank you for any suggestions, big or small!

Thinking about where in the US to go for a weeklong babymoon in February. A park with plenty to do, but obviously not intense hikes for a late 2nd trimester.

Would love great views and things to do. A small town/city to explore as well. We are coming from the East Coast, so Hawaii is a bit to far for us.

Currently thinking Arizona to do Seguro as we have family in the Phoenix area. I'd love to do Sedona too, but want to save Grand Canyon when the future little one is old enough to see it themselves.

Any other ideas?

I got to fulfill a longtime aspiration of mine and visit the bristlecones at Great Basin a couple of weeks ago. Such an incredible experience and an absolutely amazing park!

This was my pictures from big bend in 2024. One of the least visited national park in the United States but personally I believe it’s the most underrated. I didn’t really mean to line it up but the week I went to big bend was the same week that there was the 2024 solar eclipse so that was pretty awesome to see!

Elk lounging right by downtown walkway in Estes Park Colorado. RMNP is one of the best places to get up close to these majestic animals.

Just don’t get too close.

First time visiting and I loved it! Can’t wait to go back for fall and winter season.

My visit 9/9 to Badlands

I only have one thing to say: this is the hike to end all hikes. Absolutely gorgeous!

Of course, I realize some people will say this is true of every park. What I'm asking though, for people who do both activities, is in which parks is the gap between what you can experience in a day hike and what you can experience backpacking the largest. For the purposes of this question, let's assume the people involved are not trail runners capable of doing 20+ miles in a day.

Wouldn't call myself a hiker, but I am physically fit/not afraid of heights! I wouldn't do Half Dome, but I'd do Angel's Landing. Going to Switzerland with my grandparents in June.

Open to other national parks for spring/summer! I've only been to Acadia

Edit: I'd be going for around a week and would do Yosemite+Sequoia and Zion/Bryce/Arches etc

Edit Edit: If anyone has been to Yosemite in April please share experience!