Escape to Nature: 5 Iconic U.S. National Parks That Refresh Your Spirit, Making You Feel Alive

When life feels a bit nuts, and you need to decompress, one of the best ways to do it is to spend time in nature. Feel the quiet. Breathe in the fresh air. Fill your soul with peace.

I feel sad for those who have never experienced the natural beauty of a U.S. National Park. They’re missing out—big time.

Although National Parks are havens for campers and avid hikers, just as many visitors are less experienced outdoors people. All it takes is a pair of sneakers, a water bottle, some sunscreen, and maybe some insect repellent (depending on where and when you plan to visit).

About the U.S. National Park System

The U.S. National Park System is the collection of 433 physical properties owned or administered by the National Park Service (NPS), an agency of the Department of the Interior.

According to the NPS:

• 63 are designated National Parks—congressionally designated protected areas

• 87 are National Monuments—the president or Congress can designate

• 21 are National Preserves—congressionally designated and often associated with National Parks

• 140 are Historic Parks and Sites

• and there are many more properties and designations

There may not be a National Park in your backyard, but there’s likely another protected property worthy of your time and within driving distance.

Picking 5 Favorite National Parks

I could highlight many of our Parks that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing, but in this article, I’m highlighting only five of my favorites. This wasn’t easy because every Park offered a great experience.

Unintentionally, I’ve picked some in the farthest corners of the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, California, and Maine. The stanza, ‘From sea to shining sea,’ comes to mind.

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Glaciers calving and ice floes. Humpback whales breaching and bubble feeding. Endangered Steller sea lions lounging on remote rocky shores while dozens of eagles soar nearby. Every angle is a perfect picture. And, except for the sound of nature, it’s quiet and still.

Kenai Fjords NP is like no other. Although it takes some doing to get there, it’s well worth the effort. Some cruise lines stop in Seward, the closest deep port to Anchorage. We drove across the Kenai Peninsula from Anchorage (almost 3 hours by car or train) and stayed the night before and after our cruise. Seward’s location is picture-perfect, but the town itself is more of a launching point for day cruises rather than a destination in and of itself.

Lodging: Stay in Seward, Alaska. Book early. Cruise ships book most of the available hotel rooms in Seward once their schedules are confirmed (as much as a year in advance.) Call hotels directly; they will know what nights cruise ships are NOT in town. The two consecutive nights available in Seward determined our two-week itinerary in Alaska during July. We stayed at Seward Gateway Hotel (clean and convenient.)

Best Take: Marine Tours' 7.5-hour day cruise from Seward will give you the best viewing experience, particularly if you want to see a calving glacier and humpback whales. It’s also a larger ship than the shorter cruise boats and, therefore, a smoother ride.

Tip: Dress warmly in layers. A waterproof jacket and hat are a must. During summer, temperatures are often in the mid-40s to low 70s, and rain or mist is common, but don’t despair. You’ll rank it as one of your best days in Alaska, rain or shine.

Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii

What I remember most about Haleakala National Park was sitting at its summit just before sunrise, overlooking the sweeping volcanic landscape above the clouds. It was mystical. But in addition to the moonscape at the summit (see pictures above), Haleakala has rainforests, cloud forests, and a rocky coastline. The park is also home to plants, like the Silversword, that are found nowhere else in the world.

More importantly, the park is a sacred land for Native Hawaiians and their culture. Many significant cultural sites are still used within the park's boundaries, and the NP manages archeological sites. Walk softly, stay on trails, and never stack or carve rocks.

Haleakala offers the opportunity to escape the island’s popular beaches and the hustle and bustle of tourism. Enjoy the park’s natural beauty and lack of cell phone coverage.

Lodging: We visited Maui for a week and stayed at a resort on Kaanapali Beach, about a 1.5-hour drive to Haleakala Summit.

Best Take: View the sunrise from Haleakala’s summit.

Many consider this a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For this reason, upfront planning is required.

• You must make an online reservation up to 60 days in advance on recreation.gov.

• You’ll want to arrive at the summit by 4:00 AM. Factor in the drive from the park gate (where there is an entrance fee) to the summit—about 30 minutes.

• The weather before sunrise is often wet, windy, and below freezing. Dress accordingly. Sandals, shorts, and a hotel blanket will not keep you warm enough. Wear layers.

• You’ll want to stay under the covers when the alarm goes off at 3:00 AM. but get your butt out of bed!

Tip: If you are considering a sunrise view, pack a puffer jacket (or similar) in your luggage.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon, California

There’s a reason these parks are known as ‘The Land of the Giants.’ Until you’ve stood next to a Giant Sequoia or stopped along the road or a trail in these parks to see the never-ending view, it’s tough to comprehend the sheer size, scope, and natural beauty these two National Parks offer. No picture or description can do them justice.

The two Parks are located adjacent to each other in California's southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Kings Canyon is north of Sequoia; if you visit one Park, you’ll also want to experience the other.

Here’s a brief comparison between the two:

• Sequoia National Park covers 404,063 acres and is known for its giant sequoia trees, particularly the Giant Forest and the General Sherman Tree (the largest tree by volume in the world, with a circumference at its base of 102.6 feet). For perspective, Giant Sequoia tree bark can be up to 18 inches thick.

• Kings Canyon National Park covers an additional 461,901 acres and is known for its deep canyon (the deepest in the U.S.), hiking (including backcountry experiences), and the General Grant Tree in Grant Grove.

Sequoia is more accessible and, therefore, more crowded than Kings Canyon. However, when we visited in April, we encountered only a handful of people in both Parks.

The area covered by these Parks is ginormous. To give you some perspective, Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument (the latter was designated by President Clinton in 2020 and covers the area where the Giant Sequoias grow within the National Park) offer over 1,000 miles of trails, more than 2,600 rivers and streams, and 158 lakes and ponds. Then, add on Kings Canyon acreage, the glacier-carved valley more than a mile deep, high mountain meadows, and more. You get the picture.

Lodging: Given the physical size of these Parks, book lodging here as early as possible (a year in advance.)

Best Take: Giant Forest, including the drive-thru Tunnel Log, General Sherman Tree, and Cedar Grove picnic area.

Tip: Book a few nights at Wuksachi Lodge and dinners at The Peaks Restaurant in advance.

Acadia National Park, Maine

There’s nothing like the combination of the rugged New England coastline and miles of hiking trails through pine forests. Acadia National Park offers the best of both. The Park encompasses nearly 50,000 acres along the Atlantic Coastline of Maine — including Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula, Isle au Haut, and other outer islands.

Can’t decide between a beach or mountain vacation? Pick Acadia and get a bit of both. Want to experience nature, but the old back says you need to sleep in a decent bed? Pick Acadia and get both. Traveling as a couple, with friends, or with extended family? Acadia has something for everyone.

Acadia offers 60 miles of coastline, 33 miles of scenic driving roads, 45 miles of carriage roads (walk, bike, or take a horse-drawn carriage tour), and more than 150 miles of hiking trails. Great lodging, restaurants, and shopping are in Bar Harbour, just outside the park’s main entrance, so you can enjoy nature while enjoying a good meal and night’s rest at the end of the day.

It’s very popular and can get crowded, particularly on the East Side of Mt. Desert Island, where the scenic Park Loop Road, Jordan’s Pond, Cadillac Mountain, and the Carriage Roads system are. Peak months are May through October—as summer winds down, foliage season starts. The West Side is quieter and offers great hiking, kayaking, freshwater fishing, and swimming. Head there for Seal Cove Pond, Hodgdon Pond, Echo Lake, Long Pond, Somes Sound, Southwest Harbor, and Bass Harbor—each with unique characteristics. The drive there is beautiful, too.

You can take a ranger-led hike and learn more about the area’s flora and fauna; spend a few hours at Sand Beach (swim if you dare—the coastal water in Maine is ice cold!); kayak or fish in a freshwater pond or lake, or the ocean; make a reservation for a horse-drawn carriage ride at Wildwood Stables and learn about this auto-free road system, including many stone bridges that span streams along the route, built and donated by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and family. Tours operate rain or shine. We got rain and still had a great time.

Lodging: Bar Harbor, Maine, has many hotels, inns, and Airbnbs. The Bar Harbor Inn & Spa is spectacular, but it's pricey unless they’re running a special. Since parking is limited, a hotel within walking distance of the town center will save you some aggravation.

Best Takes: Jordan Pond (easy) and Gorham Mountain Loop (moderate) hiking trails; Horse-drawn Carriage Road Tour; Sitting on the rocks along the Park Loop Road and gazing out at the Atlantic.

Tip: Plan to have lunch one day on the lawn at Jordan Pond House, including their famous popovers and jam (make reservations the day before as it is very popular.)

Petrified Forest National Park and The Painted Desert, Arizona

The Main Park Road is only 28 miles long, and you’ll likely do a round-trip whether entering from the north or south Park entrances. Don’t let the short distance mislead you—there’s lots to see and quite a few points of interest along the route you won’t want to miss. Many trails are easy and bring you close to ancient trees transformed into quartz. The variety of colors in one tree log is impressive.

The Painted Desert, located within the northern section of Petrified Forest NP, is a destination in and of itself. You’ll see badlands with bands of pink, coral, orange, and red near the Painted Desert visitor center, and as you drive south and enter the spur road to the Blue Mesa, the colors of the hills will change to blue, purple, and gray. The colors are truly amazing.

According to the U.S. National Parks website, Petrified Forest National Park represents more than 13,000 years of human history and culture. Petroglyphs can be found easily at several viewing sites, and over 300,000 objects are cataloged in the National Park Museum Collection, with more being added constantly.

Much of this national park lies in remote areas of the Navajo Nation, so it does not teem with tourists like many others. Holbrook is the closest city, with a population of about 4,800. Our day in October (off-season) was eerily quiet and a bit windy. With a storm heading in towards the end of our visit, the atmosphere was a bit other-worldly.

Lodging: We stayed at The Winslow in Winslow, AZ, while road-tripping across the U.S. Southwest and Midwest. It’s close to Route 66 attractions, and we found it clean, reasonably new, or recently renovated, with a great staff. It’s almost an hour from the Petrified Forest NP, so if you’re not inclined to visit ‘Standin’ on the Corner’ or other Route 66 sights, there are chain hotels in Holbrook, AZ, just outside the Park entrance.

Best Take: Blue Mesa Trail and all Painted Desert lookouts.

Tip: Give yourself as much of a full day as possible. This NP may not look enormous on a map, but you’ll find many stops and trails worth your time.

Lodging and Dinner Reservations Inside U.S. National Parks

Lodging reservations inside National Parks are at a premium, often requiring booking rooms a year in advance. Dinner reservations at top restaurants inside the Park frequently must be made several months before arrival. Plan accordingly.

Staying inside a national park can be a significant advantage, particularly in isolated and large ones like Sequoia. Lodging outside some parks can require an hour or so of driving time each way. During one visit to Yosemite, we stayed at a cabin (Airbnb) and found it took 1.5 hours to get to the Valley, where many waterfalls and Half Dome are located. The ride was beautiful but long, particularly after a day of hiking.

Some National Parks are just outside bustling tourist-focused towns with plenty of lodging and restaurants (like Acadia and Haleakala), so there’s no reason to want or need lodging inside the Park.

How To Make Reservations

The National Park Service is an agency of the U.S. federal government and oversees the National Park system. It manages contracts with private companies to provide lodging and food services inside the Parks.

• Xanterra Travel Collection and Aramark are the two largest concession operators of U.S. National Park lodges and restaurants. Xanterra operates in Yellowstone, Glacier, Death Valley, and the Grand Canyon. Aramark operates in Denali, Olympic, Lake Tahoe, and more. To make things more confusing, some national park lodges and restaurants handle reservations directly or through smaller concession operators.

• If you plan to visit a park that neither Xanterra nor Aramark handles, start your quest with National Park Reservations. Although it has a great name and URL, it is not an authorized concessionaire of any National Park or affiliated with the National Park Service of the Federal Government. It is a service that provides lodging reservations for a comprehensive list of hotels in and around virtually every U.S. and Canadian National Park. The company charges a ten percent non-refundable reservation fee based on the total dollar amount of reservations made. It’s convenient but not the best deal in town. Go to their website to find the hotel(s) you are interested in, and then do a web search to find out who the concessionaire is. You can often make your reservations directly with the hotel without the ten percent fee.