The 10 Easiest National Parks To Visit In America
It’s no secret that many of America’s National Parks are located in difficult to reach, remote locations that tend to be well off the beaten path. While there is no shortage of hard to reach or seemingly impossible to reach parks (I’m talking to you Kobuk Valley!), there are still quite a few extremely accessible locations that offer the same level of excitement and adventure without the insane journey! Take a look below for 10 easy-to-get-to National Parks that simply can’t be missed!
Biscayne National Park
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Located less than 1.5 hrs from Washington, DC, Shenandoah National Park is a gorgeous National Park providing stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley below. Sitting less than 2 hrs from Baltimore, MD and Richmond, VA, as well as being less than 3.5 hrs from Philadelphia, Shenandoah National Park is within driving distance of some of the most populated areas within America! Additionally, the park is accessed via a short drive off the major highways in the area.
2. Everglades National Park, FL
Sitting at the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula, Everglades National Park provides a glimpse into the wild, untamed landscape of Florida before the extensive urbanization made it what it is today. The expansive park is 1 hr from Miami, 3 hrs from Tampa, and less than 4 hrs from Orlando. Thanks to the Tamiami Trail, the park is extremely easy to reach from virtually all major cities within the area!
3. Biscayne National Park, FL
The little neighbor to Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park lies just south of Miami Beach on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. While 95% of Biscayne National Park is water, access to the namesake bay and the Dante Fascell Visitors Center are an easy 1 hr drive from Miami and a 4 hr drive from Orlando. In addition the being easy to get to, Biscayne National Park sees a relatively low number of visitors despite its proximity to major cities, giving you the feeling of tranquility often associated with more remote National Parks!
4. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH
Ohio’s only National Park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park captures the current beauty of the region while also paying tribute to its rich cultural history. Located in northern Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is less than a 30 min drive from Cleveland, less than 2 hrs from Columbus and Pittsburgh, Pa, and less than 3 hrs from Detroit, MI. As one of the few National Parks in this region of America, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is extremely easy to get to thanks to a variety of major airports and cities just a short drive away!
5. Indiana Dunes National Park, IN
One of the newest National Parks in America is also one of the easiest to visit! Indiana Dunes National Park located on the southern tip of Lake Michigan is 2.5 hrs from Indianapolis and less than 1 hr from Chicago! This exceptional park, which protects the incredible coastline of Lake Michigan, sits just of I-94, and is so close to Chicago that you can stop by during a layover at O’Hare International Airport!
6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN/NC
America’s most visited National Park is also one of the most accessible! Straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is within driving distance of most of the population of Eastern America. Sitting within 3 hrs of Atlanta, GA, Nashville, TN, and Charlotte, NC, less than 5 hrs from Cincinnati, OH and Louisville, KY, and less than 8 hrs from Washington, DC, and St. Louis, MO, it is no wonder why so many millions of visitors come to Great Smoky Mountain National Park each year to explore this vast, rugged wilderness!
7. Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Nested in northern Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park is not necessarily near much of anything, but it easy to get to thanks to it being in relatively close proximity to a variety of major airports. Less than 4 hrs from Phoenix and less than 4.5 hrs from Las Vegas, Grand Canyon National Park is one of the easiest National Parks of the expansive western United States to visit. It’s always nice when one of the most iconic locations on Earth doesn’t feel out of reach!
8. Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Situated deep in the Rockies of northern Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park is extremely accessible thanks to the relatively cheap and frequent flights in and out of Denver International Airport. Sitting only 1.5 hrs from the Rocky Mountain National Park, Denver is a great port of entry to this rugged and picturesque landscape.
9. Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Much like Grand Canyon National Park, Joshua Tree National Park is really not near anything, but being that it is under 4 hrs from all surrounding major cities, it’s actually pretty easy to get to! Sitting 3.5 hrs from Las Vegas, NV, Phoenix, AZ, and San Diego, CA, and only 3 hrs from Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park has a variety of nearby airports to get you from your hometown to this desert oasis!
10. Mt. Rainier National Park, WA
Situated in the great Pacific Northwest, Mt. Rainier National Park is certainly not as easy to get to as many of the East Coast Parks, but thanks to nearby Seattle, this is one of easiest National Parks to access from a major international airport. Sitting just 1.5 hrs south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Mt. Rainier National Park is a straightforward drive due south of Seattle to this Washington landmark. The iconic icy volcano of Mt. Rainier is also a mere 2 hrs away from Portland, OR, making this one of the most centrally located National Parks in the PNW!
