So slow down and smell the wildflowers. Eva would enjoy, instead of the long hikes they love. They had as good a time introducing 17-month old Eva to her first waterfall. You have to get out and experience it. That takes time.
Planning takes time, too.
Most will crowd the nation's major parks like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Yellowstone in Wyoming. Too many of those visitors will arrive with just a few hours to spare and won't venture far from the visitor's center. That's why Park Service educational experts urge families to find out about the park before arriving at the visitors center. Rather than simply requesting printed information, talk to someone on the park's interpretive staff to see what activities are available for children. To beat the crowds, consider heading to less visited spots like Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina or Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho.