Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park is, without exaggeration, one of the most spectacular family destinations in the United States. The Teton Range rises abruptly from the Jackson Hole valley floor — no foothills, just an immediate vertical eruption of 13,000-foot granite peaks that dominates every view. Against that backdrop, a valley full of moose, bison, elk, wolves, bears, and raptors plays out daily.

For families, the park works at multiple levels depending on the ages and energy of your crew. With very young children, simply driving the main park road — US-89/191 from Jackson to Moran Junction, then Teton Park Road — delivers extraordinary scenery and wildlife viewing from the car. The classic stop at Oxbow Bend (a calm bend of the Snake River at the base of Mount Moran) is accessible to everyone and produces moose sightings on most mornings.

Bring binoculars.

For families with kids 5 and up who can handle moderate hikes, the Jenny Lake area is the park's crown jewel. The Jenny Lake Shuttle (a small boat) crosses the lake in 10 minutes, depositing hikers at the base of a short trail to Hidden Falls — a stunning waterfall accessible to most kids with a half-mile hike. The round trip via shuttle and falls is one of the best family hikes in the entire national park system.

Cascade Canyon beyond the falls offers more ambitious hiking for fit older kids and teens.

Wildlife is distributed throughout the park. Early mornings produce the best sightings — bison in Antelope Flats, moose in willow thickets, raptors over the Snake River. The park has over 300 bird species and the full charismatic megafauna of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

The $35 7-day vehicle pass is extraordinary value for a family — it covers unlimited entries and exits for a full week. Buy online at recreation.gov to skip the entrance station line. The America the Beautiful Annual Pass ($80) covers all national parks and pays for itself immediately if you visit two or more parks in a year.