5 National Park Vacation Ideas

June 23, 2009.

Are you looking for a hassle-free national park vacation? Would you like to combine whitewater rafting and hiking with nights spent under an uninhibited night sky with your family and friends for an unforgettable summer vacation?

Listed here are 5 all-inclusive national park vacation ideas:

Whitewater Rafting Through Dinosaur National Park
Dinosaur National Monument offers everything you could want in an ideal, fun-filled vacation. Hike, raft and explore where dinosaurs once roamed. Submerge yourself in a canyon surrounded by red rock cliffs. Explore side canyons and oases in a mini-Grand Canyon like setting. Explore ancient Indian rock art including petroglyphs and pictographs. And learn about the canyon’s geologic history as you delve deeper into the canyon along the Green River. This 4-day adventure is appropriate for children 7 and older.

Sea Kayaking on Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park
Step off the boardwalks and into a unique wilderness experience. Spend a half-day kayaking on Yellowstone Lake and beyond the bow of your kayak you see gushing geysers, bubbling mud pots and the rising steam of geothermal hot springs. O.A.R.S. provides everything needed to sea kayak, hike and sightsee your way to some of the most extraordinary sites in this national park. O.A.R.S.’ special permits allow adventurers to see breathtaking landscapes from unique perspectives. This ½-day adventure is appropriate for children 7 and older.

Hiking and Whitewater Rafting in Yosemite National Park
Spend two days rafting on California’s crown jewel of whitewater, the Wild and Scenic Tuolumne River, and three days exploring Yosemite National Park on foot. This five-day adventure is a mere three-hour drive from the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. O.A.R.S. partners with Yexplore for guided interpretive hikes in Yosemite National Park, culminating with a climactic 17-mile hike up Yosemite’s most iconic piece of rock – Half Dome. This adventure is appropriate for children age 12 and older.

Kayaking on Jackson Lake and Snake River Rafting in Grand Teton National Park
This unique O.A.R.S. national park itinerary is ideal for first-time kayakers and families. Spend one or two days on Jackson Lake, the shimmering soul of the Grand Teton National Park. Both the one-day and two-day trips are appropriate for adventures 4 years and older.

Hiking in Arches National Park
Spend the first part of your vacation rafting on the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon and then kick back on the banks of the Colorado in the comfort of Red Cliffs Lodge. From this luxurious guest ranch, adventurers may hike, go horseback riding, play horseshoes and bocce ball or simply read a good book. Red Cliffs features Utah’s oldest winery, a state-of the-art pool and exercise facilities as well as easy access to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

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