Guest blog written by Els Voet @foot.onearth
If you prefer nature over city trips, a road trip through the Southwest of the United States is perfect to do with kids.
Yosemite National Park
We started our road trip in San Francisco. Our first national park was Yosemite National Park, where we were immediately introduced to the largest trees in the world: the Sequoias. Our first hike was in Tuolumne Grove, where the kids could climb and walk on fallen trees (with a diameter of about 2 meters). The trail also passed through the tunnel tree.
The next day, we visited a few must-sees: the Tunnel View lookout point, the Bridalveil Falls, and the Lower & Upper Yosemite Falls. Since Tioga Road was still closed due to snow, we went for a hike to Mirror Lake.
If you’re in the area, you can do this day tour. But you can also take a day tour from San Francisco.
Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Park
In search of the largest trees in the world. This is where you’ll find the General Sherman (the largest tree in the world by volume and weight) and the General Grant (the largest in circumference). Impressive! In Grant Grove, you can take a short walk to the General Sherman Tree, but you can also hike further along the North Boundary Trail, where you walk through the forest away from other tourists. You can even walk through a fallen tree here. Congress Trail is also a must-do in this park. We also did The Big Trees Trail, where you should definitely make a stop at the Giant Forest Museum.
This is a fun tour to explore the parks.
Death Valley National Park
On our way to Death Valley, we made a detour through Red Rock Canyon State Park.
Sights to see in Death Valley:
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Badwater Basin: an endless white salt flat
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Dante’s View: the drive up to the viewpoint is definitely worth it
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Devil’s Golf Course: usually there’s no water here, but when we visited, the area actually looked green
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Zabriskie Point: a viewpoint with colorful rhyolite hills
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Harmony Borax Works: where borax used to be mined
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Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: huge white sand dunes
Las Vegas
We’re not big fans of cities, but we still wanted to visit this one. To keep it fun for the kids, we walked part of The Strip and stopped by the M&M’s store. After that, we went to see the fountain show at The Bellagio.
If you want to stay on The Strip, The Venetian Resort is a fun, kid-friendly hotel.
Valley of the Fire State Park
We made a big detour to visit this State Park, but it was definitely worth it.
We visited Arch Rock, Atlatl Rock (where you can see petroglyphs), and Elephant Rock. We also did a combination of the White Domes and Fire Wave trails. The trail takes you past slot canyons, arches eroded into the sandstone, and stunning views.
Sedona
On the way to Sedona, you can make a stop at the Hoover Dam.
Sedona is known for its breathtaking landscape of red rock formations. There are many beautiful hikes to do here. We chose two: Devil’s Bridge and The Subway.
To reach The Subway, you first hike the Boynton Canyon Trail. There’s only a small parking area at the trailhead. We arrived at 7:45 AM and got the last spot. To find the cave, it’s best to download the route to your GPS in advance.
The trail to Devil’s Bridge is fairly easy, with some light climbing at the end (our preschoolers managed without any trouble). To get your photo on the bridge, you’ll need to wait in line. We waited about half an hour (and started walking from the parking lot at 7:00 AM).
After all the hiking, our preschoolers definitely earned some downtime! So we headed to Slide Rock State Park, where natural slides have been carved into the red sandstone by the river. Fun for both kids and parents.
One playground in Sedona you shouldn’t miss is Sunset Park. Don’t forget to bring swimwear so the kids can enjoy the splash fountains. A few noticeable differences compared to playgrounds in Europe:
- Always enough benches and picnic tables
- Always a (free) toilet
- Drinking fountains to refill your water bottles
- Shade covers over the play equipment so it doesn’t get too hot and kids can play out of direct sunlight
At sunrise, head to Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout for the most beautiful sunset over Sedona. You do have to pay an entrance fee (but you can visit during the day and return in the evening with the same ticket), and it gets very crowded.
Grand Canyon National Park
On the way to the Grand Canyon, you can stop at Barringer Crater — one of the best-preserved meteorite craters in the world.
Even though we found this canyon breathtaking, our kids weren’t exactly impressed. 😅
One thing you definitely should do is walk part of the Rim Trail to Hermit’s Rest. You can choose which parts to hike and which to skip using the free shuttle bus that stops at various viewpoints.
On our second day in the park, mom hiked all the way down to the Colorado River via the South Kaibab Trail and came back up along the Bright Angel Trail. The route was 29.2 km long, with about 1500 m of descent and 1400 m of ascent. Only do this with proper preparation, and definitely stop by the Backcountry Information Center the day before to check things like weather conditions. The weather is very unpredictable. I started out in light snow, and an hour and a half later I was hiking in a T-shirt and shorts. I completed the hike in exactly 7 hours, jogging parts of the way.
A great option with kids is to just hike the first part of the South Kaibab Trail down to Ooh Aah Point.
Page
Another city you definitely shouldn’t miss is Page.
A must-do here is visiting Lower or Upper Antelope Canyon. This canyon is located in a Navajo reservation and can only be visited with a guide. Make sure to book your tour well in advance if you want to go!
Another popular spot in Page is Horseshoe Bend — a stunning curve in the Colorado River.
The area around Page offers lots of beautiful hikes through red sandstone landscapes. We chose to visit the Toadstool Hoodoos and the Beehive Trail. At the Toadstool Hoodoos, you sign the register at the parking lot and then you’re free to explore. You can walk around freely between the unique geological formations.
The chance of getting a permit through the lottery to hike to The Wave is very slim. On the Beehive Trail, you walk past The New Wave — not as spectacular, but still a beautiful area and a much shorter hike (about 3.5 km), so it’s easy to do with kids.
With your national parks pass, you also get access to Wahweap Recreation Area, where you can cool off in the waters of Wahweap Bay.
Zion National Park
On the way to Zion, we made a stop at the Sand Caves (a bit of climbing to get there, but no problem for our preschoolers) and The Belly of the Dragon (bring a flashlight).
When we arrived in Zion National Park, we immediately noticed how crowded it was. We spent a long time looking for parking near the trailhead of the Canyon Overlook Trail, but eventually found a spot along the roadside about half a kilometer away. It’s a short hike (1.6 km) but offers a beautiful view of the canyon.
We were unfortunately unable to do The Narrows — a popular hike through the river in a canyon — because the water level was too high. 😪 Two other hikes were also closed due to rockfall (Weeping Rock Trail & Hidden Canyon Trail). The other trails were very crowded, sometimes even with people walking in line. That’s why this was our least favorite park.
Next to The Narrows, Angels Landing is one of the most famous hikes in the park. To do this hike, you need a permit, which you have to apply for months in advance through a lottery system. This was introduced due to the heavy crowds on the trail. I was lucky and got a permit. I took the first shuttle bus at 7:00 AM in May, and even that bus was completely packed — so it’s better to be at the stop before 7:00. Everyone got off at the stop for the start of the Angels Landing trail.
The first part is a wide and fairly easy path that goes uphill. The second part is a steep, narrow trail where you can hold onto chains if needed. After a little over an hour, I reached the top. This trail is described as one of the most dangerous in the U.S., but what makes it risky is mainly the crowd — even with the permit system. On the way back down, I often had to wait for people coming up through the narrower sections.
If you’re not afraid of heights, it’s definitely worth entering the lottery for a permit — it’s a fun and beautiful hike.
Another popular hike is to the 3 Emerald Pools, where you end at a small pond beneath a high rock wall. On the Sand Bench Trail, you walk part of the way through soft sand. It’s a tough hike, but that also meant we had the trail almost to ourselves — very peaceful, with great views.
If you have some time left, take the free shuttle to the town of Springdale to grab an ice cream.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Our favorite park, with its breathtaking, stunning views! 🤩
Here you can drive the Scenic Drive and stop at several viewpoints: the Amphitheater, Farview Point, Natural Bridge, and more. At the end of the Scenic Drive, you can do the Bristlecone Trail — only 1.6 km long and passing by ancient bristlecone pines.
We then took the shuttle bus to Bryce Point and hiked along the rim to Inspiration Point. We were treated to the most beautiful views of our entire trip. Our jaws dropped — it was that incredible! If you can only do one hike in Bryce Canyon National Park, make it this 2.5 km trail.
If you’re spending a second day in the park (which we definitely recommend), make sure to hike down among the hoodoos. We chose the Queens Garden and Navajo Combination Trail — a 5.2 km hike with 200 meters of elevation gain, taking you past some of the most beautiful spots: arches in the rocks, narrow canyons to walk through, and the famous “switchbacks.”
If you have some time left, head to the Tropic Ditch Falls and Mossy Cave. You’ll need to leave the park briefly, but it’s a fun little trip — especially because our kids could play in the river there.
If you’re camping at North Campground, be sure to take an evening walk. Just behind the campground you’ll find stunning views, especially at sunrise or sunset.
Capitol Reef National Park
We only passed through here, so we had just half a day in the park. Still, it was enough time to do the hike to Hickman Bridge and earn a Junior Ranger Badge.
Goblin Valley State Park
This park was along our route, so we made a stop here. You can walk freely among the mushroom-shaped rock formations, where the kids felt like little gnomes exploring.
Dead Horse Point State Park
We only camped in this park, but we did check out a few viewpoints.
Fun fact: the final scene of the movie Thelma & Louise was filmed here.
Dinosaur National Monument
We visited this park especially for the kids, and it was absolutely worth it.
At the Quarry Exhibit Hall, you can see a rock wall filled with dinosaur fossils — impressive! And not just for the kids. You can also earn a Junior Ranger Badge here, where one of the tasks is to find different dinosaur parts in the fossil wall.
You can also see petroglyphs in this park.
On a ranger’s recommendation, we visited the Utah Field House of Natural History in Vernal. It’s an interesting museum with lots of information about the local fossil discoveries and fun play areas for the kids.
Bonneville Salt Flats
At the end of our trip, we had to make our way back to San Francisco. We made a stop at the Bonneville Salt Flats and spent the night in Battle Mountain.
Lake Tahoe
We had planned to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park, but since most of the park was still closed due to heavy snowfall, we headed to Lake Tahoe instead.
We found a peaceful campground in the forest with a view of the lake and its beautiful clear blue water. The area is full of trees and perfect for hiking. In the morning, we visited a playground at Commons Beach Park, right by the lake, where there was a lively atmosphere and a small market.
San Francisco
We spent our last day in San Francisco. You should definitely rent a bike to reach the city’s most beautiful spots. And don’t miss a ride on the famous Cable Car!
- Watched the sea lions at Pier 39 near Fisherman’s Wharf
- Biked across the Golden Gate Bridge
- Visited Ocean Beach — too cold for playing, though
- Explored Golden Gate Park, which has a great playground
Tent camping
Many travelers choose to do a road trip in an RV, but we decided to travel with a rental car and camp in a tent. This gave us more freedom and flexibility. We had a four-person tent — not too big or heavy to bring along, but still spacious enough for two adults and two kids. It’s also cheaper than renting an RV and much easier to drive around with. For example, in Zion National Park, traffic is stopped for 10 to 15 minutes every time a camper needs to pass through the tunnel on the main road.
Camping in a tent also gave us a stronger connection to nature. Our kids didn’t need any toys — the area around the tent was one big playground for them.
Camping in the national parks is very well organized. You can choose your spot in advance using a map and photos of each site. But make sure to book well ahead of time — several months to even half a year in advance. In some national parks (like Yosemite), you need to book the moment reservations open if you want to secure a spot. So plan carefully where and when you want to stay so you can reserve in time.
Some campgrounds are first come, first served, depending on the season. Each site has a parking spot, a place to pitch your tent, a picnic table, and a fire ring. We even spotted wildlife a few times while camping — like deer and a great blue heron.
National Parks & the Junior Ranger Program
The National Park Service website (www.nps.gov) has all the information you need to plan your trip: what to see, how to get around, where to eat and sleep, and which hikes to do.
When you arrive at your first park, you can buy an annual pass for $80 per car. This gives you access to all national parks for a whole year.
In most national parks, you can use a free shuttle bus to get around. These shuttles stop at major sights and trailheads. In many parks, private vehicles are not allowed in certain areas during most of the year — so the shuttle is the way to go.
We did our road trip in May. Keep in mind that higher parts of the parks can still be covered in snow around that time, which may lead to road closures. You’ll find all updates and info on www.nps.gov.
At every national park, kids can take part in the Junior Ranger Program 🤠. You can pick up a booklet at the visitor center. Depending on their age, children need to complete a number of pages. Sometimes they have to gather information from small museums, info signs in the park, watch a film, or join a Ranger Talk. It’s a fun and educational way for kids (and parents!) to learn more — and to understand how to respect the park rules: don’t leave trash behind, stay on the trails, don’t disturb or feed wildlife, etc.
Once they’ve completed all their tasks, they can take the oath with a park ranger (we translated it for our kids), and they’ll receive their very own badge. Every time we entered a new park, the first thing our preschoolers wanted to do was grab their Junior Ranger booklet and start earning that next badge!
What an adventure! A road trip through the Southwest of the United States is clearly an unforgettable experience for the whole family. From stunning national parks to adventurous hikes and the charm of camping in the wild — this is a journey that will stay with you forever.
Big thanks to Els Voet from @foot.onearth v
for sharing this inspiring story full of useful tips and unique experiences. Who knows — your next trip might also be packed with nature, adventure, and fun with the kids! 🌍
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