The national parks of the United States offer breathtaking scenery, fascinating history, and unrivaled opportunity to commune with nature. The cost of traveling to and staying at a national park with a family, however, can add up to a significant expense. Here are some tips for cheap family vacations to U.S. national parks.
Camp at National Parks Instead of Staying at National Park Lodges
The stately lodges found at many national parks are impressive, often historic, hotels that offer lodging convenient to the parks’ attractions. Just as close to these attractions, and much less expensive, are the parks’ campgrounds. A tent, a cooler, a small camp stove, and some sleeping bags and pads are the basic supplies for a family camping trip. If you don’t want to invest in a tent, try borrowing supplies from a friend or relative. Another alternative is to rent a recreational vehicle from a local R.V. dealer or from a national company such as Cruise America.
Camping, especially with a tent, saves money on nightly lodging fees, but also allows families to bring their own food, which saves on dining expenses. For a special treat while camping, shower off the campsite grime and splurge on a meal at one of the national park lodges’ restaurants, such as the Red Rock Grill at Zion National Park, where the view of the park’s rock formations rival the fancy food.
Stay at Cheap Lodging Near National Parks
Not up for camping? Scout out the lodging options at towns just outside the park’s limits. Chain hotels in these tourist towns will often feature amenities not offered inside the park, like a free continental breakfast and a swimming pool. For instance, the town of West Yellowstone, Montana, sits just outside the Yellowstone National Park entrance and offers inexpensive chain hotels, mom-and-pop motels, and discount cabins.
Sign Up for Free Guided Ranger Talks and Hikes
Guided tours and hikes offered by national park rangers offer priceless information and experiences and are nearly always free of charge. Check out the larger park’s daily newspaper for tour times and locations. Ranger tours at Acadia National Park in Maine, for example, include hikes along the park’s unique carriage roads and stone bridges as well as tours that explore the shoreline.
Buy a Senior Pass or an Annual Pass to National Parks
If you plan to visit four or more national parks each year, especially the popular parks with the highest entrance fees, consider purchasing an annual pass for $80, which provides free access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas in the U.S., including national parks.
The annual pass, which is valid for 12 months after the month of purchase, can have up to two owners and will admit the pass owner and up to three more adults (not to exceed four adults) in one vehicle. Children under 16 are admitted free. Visitors can purchase the passport at most national parks or on the Web.
If you’re 62 years old or older, a National Park Senior Pass, which replaced the Golden Age Passport, provides free lifetime access to national parks and other federal recreation areas. The pass owner and up to three more adults in one vehicle will receive free admittance. Buy the pass at the park for $10 or through mail-order for $20.
Visit on Free Entrance Days to National Parks
Enjoy free admittance to nearly all U.S. national parks on special days and weekends. You can save up to $25 during these free admittance periods, depending on the park. For 2011, these national park free entrance days are as follows:
- January 15-17: Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday weekend
- April 16-24: National Park Week
- June 2: First day of summer
- September 24: Public Lands Day
- November 11-13: Veterans Day weekend
Set a Limit on National Park Souvenirs
Families with children understand the irresistible pull of the souvenir stores at any location catering to tourists. National parks know that visitors love shopping for trip mementos and have subcontracted their gift stores to companies that do a terrific job in marketing clothing and trinkets in attractive stores. Give kids, and yourselves, a limit on the amount you will spend on souvenirs or opt for an elongated penny souvenir from one of those machines that stretches and stamps a penny with an iconic image. Nearly every large park has at least one machine and the price per souvenir totals just 51 cents.
Enjoy the National Parks' Natural Wonders
Whether you camp, eat out at restaurants, or load up on Yosemite or Yellowstone hoodies and travel mugs, keep in mind that the best part of any national park are the natural and historical wonders. Hikes along the rim of the Grand Canyon cost nothing beyond the park’s entrance fee and provide views that are truly priceless.
Judith Zwolak - Judy is a mother of two and a freelance writer living in South Dakota. Raised by notoriously frugal parents, she comes by her family ...
