30 Most Beautiful National Parks the U.S. Has to Offer

Best Overall

Located in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite has something for everyone. There are hikes for all levels and numerous waterfalls — each more scenic than the next. Bridalveil Falls is reached via an easygoing trail, while the trail to Yosemite Falls is more challenging, but you'll be rewarded with a view of the famous Half Dome rock formation in the distance.

Where to Stay: Tenaya Lodge, Evergreen Lodge

Best for Seeing Cacti

Saguaro National Park, in southern Arizona's Sonoran desert, is named for the saguaro, the largest cactus in the U.S.

While hiking beside these beauties, which can reach up to 40 feet high, keep an eye out for wildlife like roadrunners, Gila monsters, and horned lizards. You can also see ancient petroglyphs by following the Signal Hill Trail.

Where to Stay: JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa

Best for Sunrise

Haleakala, the world's largest dormant volcano, is definitely a highlight of any visit to the Hawaiian island of Maui — especially experiencing sunrise on the summit.

Can't wake up that early? Haleakala National Park is also known for its stellar stargazing. Hiking, biking, horseback riding, zip lining, and paragliding are also available.

Where to Stay: Fairmont Kea Lani, Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort

Best for Whale Watching

Channel Islands National Park, off the Southern California coast (and reached via ferry), is a dream destination for nautical lovers. The five-island archipelago, which includes Santa Cruz and Anacapa, offers kayaking in sea caves, fishing, swimming beaches, scuba diving and snorkeling, and whale watching.

Where to Stay: Kimpton Canary Hotel, Ventura Beach Marriott

Best for Mountain Viewing

Mount Rainier National Park, 2 hours south of Seattle (named one of the top cities to visit in 2019 by Lonely Planet), is home to 14,410-foot Mount Rainier (on super clear days you can see the peak from atop the Space Needle!).

The park offers year-round adventures, from snowshoeing in winter to hiking amid wildflower-studded fields in summer — and you're never too far from stunning panoramas of Mount Rainier, which is still an active volcano.

Where to Stay: Paradise Inn, Alexander's Lodge

Best for East Coast Sunrise

Located on Mount Desert Island, a postcard-perfect island where Rockefellers and Astors summered, Acadia National Park is rich with rocky shorelines and features one of Maine's most historic lighthouses. Hike to the top of 1,530-foot Cadillac Mountain to catch the sunrise, then back in Bar Harbor, treat yourself to a lobster roll at Stewman's.

Where to Stay: Atlantic Oceanside Hotel, Bar Harbor Inn

Best for Adventure

The red sandstone monoliths of Arches National Park in southeast Utah make for a giant playground for hikers, bikers, climbers, off-roaders, rafters, and other adrenaline junkies.

Throughout the park, there are 2,000 natural arches, including the famous Delicate Arch, which you might recognize from Utah's license plate.

Where to Stay: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Moab, Fairfield Inn & Suites Moab

Best for Geysers

When you think of Yellowstone National Park, geysers come to mind — and more specifically, Old Faithful, which does indeed live up to its name by erupting every 90 minutes or so.

Another superstar of America's oldest national park is the Grand Prismatic Spring, which is the park's largest single hot spring.

Where to Stay: Yellowstone Park Hotel, Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone

Best for a Scenic Drive

Shenandoah's famed 105-mile Skyline Drive is one of the prettiest drives in the Northeast. This National Scenic Byway runs along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it features sweeping panoramas of rocky peaks and the fertile Shenandoah Valley. (Springtime, when the wildflowers are in bloom, is one of the best seasons to visit.)

Where to Stay: Skyland, Hotel Laurance

Best for the Whole Family

There are some things you just have to see during your lifetime — and the Grand Canyon is one them, especially since the beloved park turned 100 last year.

You'll see jaw-dropping views along the 13-mile Rim Trail, and outside of the park, in Grand Canyon West, is SkyWalk, a glass horseshoe-shaped platform that takes you out 70 feet over the canyon.

Where to Stay: El Tovar, Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn

Best for Rugged Mountain Ranges

The snow-capped Teton Mountain Range is nothing short of majestic. During winter, the national park is a snowy wonderland for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. In the warmer months, hike through wildflower-filled meadows, pretend to be a cowboy (or cowgirl) on a horseback-riding excursion, and try your hand at fly-fishing along the Snake River.

Where to Stay: Rustic Inn Creekside Resort & Spa, The Wort Hotel

Best for Coastline Views

Located in the northwest corner of Washington, Olympic National Park has 60 miles of wilderness coastline — the longest undeveloped coast in the contiguous United States. One of the most scenic and Insta-worthy beaches (especially at sunset) is Kalaloch Beach, where you might spot bald eagles, western gulls, and puffins.

Where to Stay: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Sequim, Kalaloch Lodge

Best for Beaches

Off the coast of Key West is Dry Tortugas National Park, an uninhabited island that's home to 19th-century Fort Jefferson, plus miles of unspoiled beaches (it's only accessible by boat or water plane). Wear your bathing suit, because this park has thousands of acres of coral reef, making it a prime snorkeling spot — keep an eye out for parrotfish, butterflyfish, moray eels, and nurse sharks.

Where to Stay: The Marker, The Gates Hotel Key West

Best for Red Rocks

This popular national park, in Utah's southwest corner, is known for its towering red rocks, some of which reach 2,000 feet. You can hike or bike alongside them, but one of the best ways to view these beautiful monoliths is to take a shuttle ride (you board at the visitor center), along the 6-mile Zion Canyon Scenic Drive — be sure to have your camera ready!

Where to Stay: La Quinta Inn & Suites at Zion Park, Cliffrose Lodge & Gardens

Best for Wildlife

The top sights of this northern Montana park (which extends into Canada) are Cracker Lake, with its ice-pop blue waters, and the rectangular-shaped Chief Mountain, but Glacier is also known for its abundance of wildlife. There's a sizable grizzly bear population, and elk, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats have also been spotted.

Where to Stay: Best Western Rocky Mountain Lodge, Grouse Mountain Lodge

Best for One-of-a-Kind Desert Scenery

Joshua Tree in Twentynine Palms (3 hours east of LA) isn't just the title of a U2 record; it's a national park with some pretty spectacular natural scenery. Its setting, at the intersection of the Colorado and Mojave deserts, has resulted in unique flora.

The Colorado side is rife with creosote bush, while the Mojave side is a habitat for the rare Joshua tree — the only place in America where it grows.

Where to Stay: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Moab, Fairfield Inn & Suites Moab

Best for Fossil Viewing

Once submerged under the sea, Badlands National Park, an hour from Rapid City (named on Fodor's 2019 Go list) is known for its abundance of fossils. You can see small fossils, including lizards and rabbits, as well as larger animals, such as rhinos and horses.

As you hike through the arid terrain, you'll have opportunities to spot these ancients skeletons, which is pretty cool! The park also has plenty of live animals, including bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs.

Where to Stay: Best Western Plains Hotel, Hotel Alex Johnson

Best for Waterfalls

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, and many of its trails lead to gorgeous waterfalls. Some of the most popular hikes include Trillium Gap Trail, which winds through an old-growth hemlock forest to Grotto Falls and Rainbow Falls Trail, which leads to an 80-foot-high waterfall of the same name. Don't feel like hiking? Get in the car and drive the famed Blue Ridge Parkway.

Where to Stay: LeConte Lodge, Omni Grove Park Inn

Best for Seeing America's Highest Peak

In Denali National Park, an approximately 6-hour drive from Anchorage, a few of the breathtaking wilderness vistas you'll see include glacial rivers, alpine tundra, and, of course, snowcapped Mount Denali, North America's highest peak. Keep the camera ready for wildlife spotting of moose, caribou, grizzly bears, wolves, and Dall sheep — see all five and you'll have scored what's known as a "Denali Slam."

Where to Stay: Grande Denali Lodge, McKinley Chalet Resort

Best for Active Volcano Views

Visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, home to the active Kilauea volcano (it most recently erupted in 2018), is a can't-miss attraction for anyone visiting the Big Island. To see incredible views of Kilauea's steaming caldera, take the 11-mile Crater Rim Drive, while the 19-mile Chain of Craters Road will take you past expansive lava fields, craters, prehistoric petroglyphs, and, possibly, active lava!

Where to Stay: Hilton Waikoloa Village, The Fairmont Orchid