Our national parks cover some of the most historic and beautiful places in our great country. The national parks serve as some of the most interactive classrooms and areas for active learning for students and families across America. Our National Parks is partnered with the National Parks Foundation chartered in 1967 to protect our national heritage, educate and inspire generations to explore the richly deep history found in these same parks.
As you get ready to explore one or more of the over 400 parks in the United States here are some NH travel agent tips about many of the parks throughout our country.
NH Travel Agents Tip #1: Visiting the Smokey Mountains
There are more than one hundred species of trees in the Smokey Mountains located in North Carolina. One of the many things that make the Smokey Mountains attractive is Fall Foliage season. Depending on the elevation at which you observe the leaves change you will experience a vast array of colors in the different species of trees.
For the kids in the family, there are park ranger tours that they can go on while participating in scavenger hunts, making pottery or learning about being a blacksmith. Children age five to twelve years of age can earn Junior Ranger badges by completing different activities.
Other things that can be done in the Smokey Mountains include:
- Scenic Drives (the cades coves and more)
- Hiking through the eight hundred miles of maintained trails.
- Flora/Fauna (Salamander Capital of the World)
- Spectacular Photo Opportunities
- Clingmans Dome
- Low hanging fog at Cades Cove
- Campbell Overlook
NH Travel Agents Tip #2: Visiting the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of those amazing wonders of the world that words simply can’t describe it. The sheer size of the canyon spans more than 1.2 million acres of space in the South Western part of the United States. Giving way to rising plateaus and deep canyons that the Colorado River rushes through over 277 miles. This is one of the most popular of all the national parks to visit in the United States. Nearly 5 million people visit the Grand Canyon each year.
Here are the top spots at the Grand Canyon to visit:
- South Rim (open all year)
This location is open all year round, and the Grand Canyon Village is the center of activity here and the central hub of everything going on. There is a visitor center, Mather point, the market plaza and the Historic District with a railroad depot and some of the original lodges to visit. - Desert View (open all year)
This location is twenty-five miles east of the Grand Canyon Village and near the easternmost edge of the Grand Canyon. Desert View is located near the Hopi Indian and Navaho Indian Reservations. On a beautifully clear day, you can see over one hundred miles from this vantage point. - The North Rim (open seasonal)
The North Rim has a short season and is open from May 15th to October 15th each year. There is a visitor center here. Some of the attractions at the North Rim are Point Imperial, Cape Royal, and Bright Angel Point.