Two years ago, for Christmas, my son received the first five books of the Campground Kids Series about National Parks. He immediately fell in love. After a great deal of deliberation, we found ourselves on a trip to The Smoky Mountains for Spring Break 2024 and his love grew. As a result, we have now found ourselves on a National Parks quest, and we are eager to explore more and more of the 63 big national parks as well as the other national park sites. 
As we have started on this journey others have begun sharing their interest as well. While we are just getting started ourselves, I feel inclined to share some of what we have learned so far.
If your child is in fourth grade you get a free National Parks Pass for the entire family for the year.
The process is painless and this is such a fun perk. We have let our boys decide what National Parks we will visit during their fourth-grade year. My son has chosen Yellowstone and Grand Teton so we will be heading there in summer 2025.
The Junior Ranger program is a neat program that teaches kids about the different national parks and offers the incentive of various little wooden badges to collect.
It can take some time to fill out the booklet at the park but you can find them online and print them beforehand if that is your preference. It is a fun way for kids to become invested and learn a little bit about each park they visit.
Join National Park Trip Planning Advice or park-specific Facebook pages to help with your planning.
The parks can be huge and overwhelming. These Facebook pages are full of questions and answers about everything from when to visit to where to stay. I have received so much wonderful advice through the utilization of these resources.
Know what to expect from each experience.
While some National Parks offer serene and natural beauty others are very busy and can be quite overwhelming. Knowing what to expect going in can help to create the best experience for all.
If crowds are not your thing, consider alternate times.
Through a little bit of research, off-peak times of day and year can be determined in order to ensure the best experience.
Our National Park experience so far has included staying outside of parks and driving into the park each day for activities. While we love camping and hiking, it is important to note that it is not necessary in order to enjoy the US National Parks. There are many parks that offer incredible views from the comfort of a car or a quick walk to an overlook. If you are at all interested, I encourage you to get out and explore the beauty our country has to offer.
What would be the first park you would choose to visit?
