Summer right around the corner equals Summer vacations! If you’re looking for something a little more educational but still fun and outdoorsy this Summer, why not head to a national park? For all of the national park newbies out there, here are a few of our favorites that we think are worth visiting.

Yellowstone National Park: Most people have heard of Yellowstone National Park, but the number one question on peoples minds is usually ‘where is Yellowstone National Park?” To start there, Yellowstone National Park is in Wyoming and was the world’s first national park. The park is open year-round and has plenty of bike trails and fish in the lakes to keep the whole family busy in the great outdoors.

For kids 5-12, Yellowstone National Park’s official Junior Ranger Program is free! To enter the program and become a Junior Ranger, families must ask for a free 12-page activity paper at any Yellowstone visitor center that they must complete in order to earn their badge along with some other requirements. They include attending a Ranger-led program, hiking on a park trail, and completing activities on various park resources, issues, and concepts such as geothermal geology, park wildlife, and fire ecology. Sounds like fun to us!

Yosemite National Park: Located in California, Yosemite National Park is full of waterfalls, meadows, and canyons that make for breathtaking views and experiences.Yosemite is also open year-round, though the trails are particularly beautiful to walk during the summer months, though there are fun outdoor activities year-round. Yosemite also has a junior ranger program for kids 7-13 and a little cub program for kids ages 3-6. The booklet with the handbook can be picked up at the Nature Center at Happy Isles,Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Centers, and the Big Oak Flat Information Station.

Everglades National Park: If you’re heading down south to Florida, be sure to check out Everglades National Park. Some more fun facts for the kids: This is the 3rd largest national park in the United States and has the only subtropical wilderness in the country. There are plenty of trails to hike, as well as the Pahayokee Overlook, which provides breathtaking views of the “river of grass” (one of the main water flow channels in the park). Boating is another park favorite here, but only recommended for experienced park goers. Everglades National Park also has a Junior Ranger scavenger hunt booklet that can be downloaded here.

Rocky Mountain National Park: A top tourist destination in Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park offers easy hikes with scenic waterfalls and gorgeous views of wildlife. This park also has campsites that accommodate motor camping, and its mountains are often used by skiers in the colder months. Kids love climbing rocks, and Rocky Mountain National Park has many for them to choose from (with your supervision, of course!)

Mount Rainier National Park: The fifth national park established, Mount Rainier National Park is located in Washington. The 14,411-foot stratovolcano, Mount Rainer, is the tallest mountain in Washington State. The park gives free educational tours and hosts story-telling events around the campfire at night. The best time to visit is in July or August when wild flowers are in full bloom and the weather is warm and dry. Though if you’re visiting in the winter, there are ranger-led snowshoe walks on weekends and holidays for children ages eight and up with their families.

Have you been to any of these national parks or one that didn’t make our list? Tell us in the comments below!