US National Parks to Visit + Places to Skip, From Frequent Traveler

There’s so much to love about Acadia National Park in Maine.

Acadia National Park is known for its fall foliage and great hiking trails. It’s also the first location to see the sunrise in the continental United States from October 7 to March 6.

Though all of these things play a part in why I continually go back to Acadia, what I love the most is the park’s rugged coastline and proximity to Bar Harbor.

Drive, walk, bus, or bike just 1.3 miles from the quaint town of Bar Harbor, and you’re in one of the country’s most scenic national parks.

The park’s modest size is also a blessing in disguise. You can either quickly see the highlights or spend a longer time at each stop without feeling rushed or overwhelmed, which, for me, has created a stronger connection to the park.

There’s always something new to discover at Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park.

Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming was one of the first I visited solo. From the second the Teton Range came into view through my windshield, I knew it would be the place I would return to more than any other.

With challenging hikes, unique, jutting mountain peaks, and crystal-blue alpine lakes, this park always has something new to discover.

Grand Teton is close to Jackson, Wyoming, and is the only national park with a commercial airport entirely within its boundaries. I love that the park feels remote but is relatively easy to visit.

There’s so much to do in West Virginia’s New River Gorge National Park.

West Virginia’s New River Gorge was named the 63rd US national park in 2021. Though its status changed only a few years ago, I’ve already visited several times and plan to return.

This park is easily accessible and has activities and beauty to impress even the most well-traveled park visitor.

I recommend spending the day hiking, driving, or even white water rafting in this stunning and unique part of the country.

However, I probably won’t return to Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska.

Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park is an incredible sight to see. Encompassing more than 8.4 million acres of land entirely north of the Arctic Circle, the second-largest US national park is also the least visited — with just 11,045 visitors making the trek in 2023.

Getting there is part of the adventure, as there are no roads or established trails to enter the park. Because of this, though, I had to book a series of three flights to get there — the last of which cost $1,750 roundtrip.

Though it was definitely worth seeing the incredible landscapes of the Brooks Range, because of the logistics and cost, I probably won’t be visiting more than once.

I loved my time in Alaska’s Katmai National Park, but there are a few reasons I probably won’t return.

One of the last parks I visited was also one I was most excited about: Katmai National Park in Alaska.

Though I loved my time hiking and observing the large population of brown bears, I most likely won’t return because of costs and logistics.

Similar to other parks in Alaska, no roads connect it to other parts of the state, so visitors must fly or boat in. I flew to King Salmon, Alaska, on a charter plane and then to Brooks Falls on a seaplane for a total of $1,350.

Another reason I’m glad I visited just once is because it truly is a wilderness park, with much of it being backcountry and less than 6 miles of maintained trails. At the end of the day, I’m not comfortable exploring bear country alone as a solo traveler.

Visiting the National Park of American Samoa was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The National Park of American Samoa is extraordinary and unique, not just as a national park but also simply as a destination.

The park, which is the only National Park Service site south of the equator, will forever be one of my favorite unique national-park trips. Though I’d love to return, it’s unlikely I will because of logistics. After all, the park is one of the most remote in the US.

Only two flights make the nearly six-hour journey from Honolulu to Pago Pago, American Samoa, each week — and each roundtrip flight costs at least $1,000.

Planning is also a little complex from there, as there’s little tourism infrastructure. But there’s something very special to me about having what can accurately be described as a once-in-a-lifetime trip.