The National Parks Holidays

When a country is the size of a continent you'd expect it to have a national park or two, but a visitor to the States could spend every week of the year in a different park and still need another month or two to complete the set. In fact, the US National Park Service protects a total of 84 million acres across every state in the Union. Now that's impressive. The concept of the National Park has been described as "the best idea America ever had" which, given the nation's other contributions to the world, is quite some compliment. As you can imagine these parks attract some serious numbers of people, but another bonus of their sheer vastness is that they rarely – if ever – feel crowded, even on high days and holidays. Take Yellowstone and neighbouring Grand Teton National Parks which spread out majestically across swathes of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. So, where to start? What better place than at the beginning, with the world's first National Park, Yellowstone, enshrined back in 1872 'for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.' An admirable sentiment, and one that countless visitors have since appreciated as they take in the park's extraordinary waterfalls, geysers and petrified forests. It's also understandable why the forests are so petrified – Yellowstone sits on the collapsed caldera of a vast volcano that is responsible for the extraordinary geysers such as Old Faithful, capable of shooting boiling water 150ft into the air. Beat that, Vegas..
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The National Parks holiday ideas

A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started

  • One Country USA – Washington DC – Shenandoah – Charlottesville – Roanoke – Banner Elk – Asheville

    America’s Most Scenic Drive - Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip

    Unveil the splendour of ‘America’s Favourite Drive’ on this 11-day road trip from the iconic political capital of Washington DC to the buzzy hub of Atlanta

    15 days, from £2350 to £3700

  • One Country USA – Los Angeles – Las Vegas – Zion National Park – Bryce Canyon – Lake Powell – Monument Valley – Grand Canyon - Phoenix

    Spring or Autumn in LA, Las Vegas and the National Parks - A Seasonal Road Trip Through the American West

    Venture across the American West on a 13-day road trip, soaking up the views along the way

    13 days, from £3150 to £4350

  • One Country USA - Canada - Seattle - Olympic National Park - Vancouver - Vancouver Island

    Orcas, Black Bears and Rainforests - A Road Trip Along the Pacific Northwest

    Drive through the vast coastal, forest and island landscapes of the Pacific Northwest on this 16-day road trip adventure

    16 days, from £3900 to £5700

  • One Country USA – The American West – Las Vegas – Zion National Park – Bryce Canyon National Park – Moab – Monument Valley – Grand Canyon

    National Park Explorer - An Adventure through Nevada, Utah and Arizona’s Wilderness

    Hit the trails and open skies of Nevada, Utah and Arizona on a 13-day journey through the American West’s legendary landscapes

    15 days, from £4700 to £7500

  • One Country USA – The American West – Montana – Wyoming

    Family Ranching in the American West - Cowboy Culture and the Rhythms of Ranch Life

    Live the cowboy life for 15 days on a family ranch holiday, with hands-on adventures and classic Western experiences

    15 days, from £4750 to £7550

  • One Country USA – California – Las Vegas – The Grand Canyon – San Francisco

    National Parks, Outdoor Adventures & City Fun - Reconnecting with Nature in the United States

    Nestle into nature on this epic 16-day adventure across some of America’s most iconic national parks

    16 days, from £4850 to £7800

  • One Country USA – Canada – Wyoming – Montana – Yellowstone – Banff – Jasper – Vancouver – Seattle

    Road Tripping the Rockies - From the American West to Canada

    Traverse five states and provinces on this epic three-week road trip, charting the rugged beauty of the Rockies Explore some of North America’s most impressive national parks

    21 days, from £6650 to £9900

  • One Country USA – Massachusetts – New York – Tennessee – Arizona – Nevada – Utah – Wyoming – Montana – California – Hawaii

    Sabbatical Coast to Coast - A 53-Day Journey Across the USA

    Live the American dream on this 53-day coast-to-coast sabbatical through iconic cities, national parks, deserts and islands

    53 days, from £15100 to £21700

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Practical advice and inspiration to help you prepare for your holiday

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Even more impressive is the scenery found within the confines of those nation parks. Any snooty European who scoffs at the huge number of Americans without passports might get an inkling as to why that might be when staring into the vastness of the Grand Canyon or up at the cascading waterfalls of Yosemite.

Another must visit would be Grand Canyon National Park, which has the added attraction of being the perfect natural complement to the glitz of Vegas. Take time out on a helicopter ride over and into the Canyon, or experience the very disconcerting view from the Skywalk that protrudes over the edge.

Yosemite National Park in California is another of the classics and makes for one of the most alluring combinations imaginable with a sophisticated city stay in San Francisco and a few days wine tasting in the elegant Napa and Sonoma valleys. Another region where lovely landscapes are conveniently located is Utah, home to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, home to sandstone peaks, Pink Cliffs pinnacles, cliffs and domes, flat topped mesas and arches respectively.

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