Yellowstone National Park is an excellent family vacation destination, offering numerous outdoor adventures and opportunities to explore nature’s beauty. As the first national park, Yellowstone spans over 2.2 million acres, and a highlight being the numerous geothermal hot springs, geysers, and mud pots. The park is also home to a diverse range of wildlife, including bison, elk, bears, wolves, and more. Here are some tips for planning a memorable family trip to Yellowstone.
Plan ahead and make reservations
Yellowstone is a popular tourist destination, especially during the peak summer season. It’s essential to plan ahead and make reservations for lodging, camping, and other activities. Accordingly, when I am planning guided vacations for families, I start as early as October for the following summer.
Consider staying in the park
Staying inside the park is a great way to fully immerse yourself in the Yellowstone experience. The park offers numerous lodging options, including historic lodges, cabins, and campgrounds. Staying inside the park not only allows you to beat the crowds and reduce the amount of driving each day, but you also get to take advantage of early morning and late evening hours for exploring.
Explore the geothermal features
Certainly, Yellowstone is known for its geothermal features, and there’s no better way to experience them than by taking a stroll along the hot springs and geyser boardwalks. The most famous of these is Old Faithful, a geyser that erupts every 60 to 110 minutes. It’s an unforgettable experience to watch the eruption with your family.
Go hiking
Yellowstone has over 1,000 miles of trails that offer a variety of hiking options for families of all ages and abilities. Some of the popular hikes include the Upper Geyser Basin and Artist’s Point Trail. Hiking allows you to see the park from a different perspective and take in the natural beauty up close. Our guides take you to all the must see sights and also get you off the beaten path.
Take a wildlife tour
Yellowstone is home to a diverse range of wildlife. Taking a wildlife tour can be a great way to spot bison, elk, bears, and wolves. Our tours are led by experienced naturalists who help you spot and identify the different species of animals.
Participate in the Junior Ranger programs
Yellowstone National Park offers a Junior Ranger program. This includes a self guided booklet with activities that teach kids of all ages about the park’s history and ecology. Kids earn a Junior Ranger badge by sharing with a Park Ranger what they learned and taking an oath to protect the Park.
Leave the planning to us!
Guided tours reduce your planning time a lot, and produce a more outstanding experience. By taking a guided Yellowstone family vacation, your getaway will be even more amazing than it would if you were going on your own. Our guides are experts. They know the best restaurants, the best times and locations to look for animals in Yellowstone, and the best alternative route to avoid a traffic jam. They can provide the history of a region, talk about how the ice age-era Missoula floods shaped the landscape, and explain the intricacies of Yellowstone’s geothermal features to a six year old. Sit back, relax and leave the planning to us!
Have a look at our 5-day Yellowstone Family Vacation for more ideas about where our trips go and what you and your family will experience in this outstanding destination.
