20 Ways to Recreate in Parks

Visiting a national park is an opportunity not only to experience extreme beauty in nature and learn about history, but also to spend quality time with friends and family and enjoy a variety of fun recreational activities. Check out 20 ways to recreate in parks, plus one more for fun to track your adventure! Remember to recreate responsibly while visiting to help protect America's treasures and promote safety and health for everyone.

Whichever way you choose to enjoy the parks, share your experience on social media using #FindYourPark / #EncuentraTuParque as a way to inspire others, give helpful advice for the next person, or celebrate the moment.

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  Recreate Responsibly

  If you’re heading to a park, find tips to protect America's treasures while looking out for each other's health and safety.

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  Health Benefits of Parks

  Learn more about how recreation in parks can help with physical and mental wellness in addition to having fun.

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  Volunteer

  Get in a little play time in parks while giving back as a steward of public lands and enriching other visitors' experiences.

Many activities you don't  have to go it alone. Check the ranger program schedule at parks you are visiting.

NPS / Volunteer Photographer Conanr L'Ecuyer

Take a Hike

Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails. Hiking is an incredible way to connect with nature, get your endorphins going, and breathe in some fresh air. Find hiking and trails opportunities near you, including on the National Trails System, to enjoy the great outdoors or walk in the footsteps of history. Get tips to hike smart.

Cycle Through

Out for an afternoon or a long trek, bicycling is a fantastic way to explore the natural scenery or tour historic places while stretching the legs. Check out the paved paths, dirt trails, and bike-friendly roadways at national parks across the country. Get tips for bicycling, know where to go, and even find some trip ideas to get started.

Go for a Drive

Home to some of the most stunning drives in the country, many roadways in national parks were designed to dazzle with dramatic views around each bend and on scenic overlooks. Enjoy the drive but remember to keep driving safety in sight at all times. Hop on a shuttle or other public transportation available at some parks to let someone else do the driving while you sit back and enjoy the scenery.

Find Your Way

Compass and GPS navigation activities, orienteering, and geocaching are fun ways to explore parks, test your skills, and maybe find “treasures” in parks that make them special. Find parks that offer these activities and be well prepared for your adventure before setting out. Remember to use Leave No Trace principles to tread lightly.

Some parks are almost entirely water and coastlines. Take a peek under the water to see plants, wildlife, and maritime history under the waves.

NPS / Brett Seymour

Dive In

Explore an underwater world of aquatic plants and animals and maritime history by diving or snorkeling into the many oceans, lakes, and rivers in national parks. Follow underwater trails at some water parks or check out a few trip ideas to get started planning your underwater adventure.

Float Your Boat

Take your boat out on oceans, lakes, and rivers in national parks to enjoy time with family and friends or even find solitude. Motorboats and other propelled vessels are a way to explore many scenic and historic places throughout the country with quite a few marinas and boat ramps to launch from. Hop on a guided boat tour at some parks to spot wildlife and learn the maritime heritage of the local community.

Paddle Forward

Jump into a canoe, kayak, or raft or on top of a paddle board to soak up the gorgeous views paddling the waterways of national parks. It’s an awesome way to get outdoors, spend time with friends, and practice finding your best center of balance. The Wild and Scenic River System offers thousands of miles of river to explore, from historic communities to vast wilderness.

Cast a Line

Whether you are experienced or looking to try something new, national parks in rural and urban areas are places to try fly fishing, beach fishing, deep sea fishing, or ice fishing. Plan ahead for fishing by knowing rules, regulations, tips, and tricks. Sustainable hunting is also permitted in some parks with careful planning.

Going it on horseback sometimes allows you to see parts of the parks that are less seen by other people.

Courtesy of Sherrie & Ron White

Ride a Horse

Saddle up and ride the trails with your faithful steed on a horseback-riding excursion, which will allow you to see the park in a completely different stride. Start planning your horseback-riding trip, including finding parks with horse-friendly trails and areas, horse campgrounds, and even a few trip ideas to get started

Conquer Your Climb

For the adventurous, many mountains and glaciers in national parks can be explored with careful planning and preparation. Rock climbing and bouldering are another popular challenges for seasoned and novice climbers alike. Climbs up lighthouses, observation towers on battlefields, and stairs up historic and prehistoric mounds can offer another perspective on history, as well as breathtaking views!

Get as Low as You Can Go

Enter the depths to explore a whole new world underground. National parks are home to some of the longest, deepest, and even most decorated caves in the world. Some have excessive cave decorations and rare “speleothems” seen by the public only in these caves. Exploration ranges from gentle self-guided walking tours to adventurous ranger-led squeezes through passages.

Explore the Stars

Switch off the lights and look up at the night sky to see shooting stars, constellations, planets, and more. Many national parks offer an escape from city lights, allowing for breathtaking views of the vastness of the Milky Way. Get tips to explore the night sky and keep an eye out for star parties in parks throughout the year.

Half the park is after dark when you turn the lights off and enjoy nature's spectacular light show.

NPS / Hannah Schwalbe

Go Camping

Pitch a tent, pull up the RV, or treat yourself to a "glamping" trip under the night sky in one of the many of amazing campgrounds in national parks. Benefits may include sleeping under the stars and watching incredible sunsets and sunrises. Start planning your camping adventure with tips and tricks. Check Recreation.gov for reservable campsites at many national parks across the country and park websites for backcountry opportunities and first-come, first-served sites.

Pack a Picnic Basket

The only thing that may be better than a visit to a national park is a visit to a national park with food. Find the perfect spot with a nice view, grab a picnic table, or even reserve a picnic area for a larger gathering of family and friends. Just be mindful of safe food storage and cleanup so not to attract wild guests to your picnic.

Watch Wildlife

From the big to the little, there are thousands of wildlife species roaming the national parks, offering many opportunites to learn about different animals in their habitats. Ask a park ranger about each park’s unique wildlife and check out tips for watching wildlife in a fun, safe way.

Become a Botany Enthusiast

Coast to coast and across the oceans, national parks have an extremely diverse array of plant life, including the world’s tallest trees and plants found nowhere else in the world. Visiting during wildflower season, which happen at different times for different plant species, ecosystems, and elevations, can offer an enchanting experience.

Find your muse in parks. Some parks have Artist In Residence programs for artists from all crafts.

NPS / Mary O'Neill & N. Lewis

Paint the Scenery

Pack your paints, crayons, or colored pencils and soak up the incredible views while creating something special. Nothing is more inspiring than being in the great outdoors or places where history was made, making the perfect spot for any aspiring artist. Keep an eye out for plein air gatherings and other painting programs led by park rangers.

Photograph Your Views

Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just like to snap photos for fun on your phone, national parks await with breathtaking views, an incredible diversity of plants and wildlife, and plenty of selfie-worthy backdrops to capture the moment. Remember to always keep safety in the picture.

Find a Perfect Reading Spot

With gorgeous views, quiet surroundings, and endless spots for the perfect reading nook, national parks are great places to get some reading done in the most peaceful environments. For an extra-special experience, bring along a book about or written by an author inspired by the place you are visiting! Find literary landscapes in parks.

Let Words Come to Mind

A national park can be the perfect spot to get inspiration to construct a beautiful poem, write a story, or fill a journal amongst the beauty of the great outdoors or the inspiration of historical places. Find a cozy tree to perch under, bring a notebook and pen, and let the thoughts flow.

BONUS: National Park Bingo

Create your own National Park Bingo or use ours to get started! Maybe even challenge family and friends to see who can mark up their board first. You can also track your progress on social media using #FindYourPark or #EncuentraTuParque.

NPS / Matt Turner

Save or download this image to play National Park Bingo with some of our suggestions to recreate in parks.

Alternative Text for Image

The image is a bingo card entitled "Parks National Park Bingo" with a five- by five square bingo grid.

Row 1, Column 1: Saw a Ranger
Row 1, Column 2: Talked to a Park Ranger
Row 1, Column 3: Went on a Walk
Row 1, Column 4: Took a Picture
Row 1, Column 5: Read a Wayside

Row 2, Column 1: Asked a Question
Row 2, Column 2: Identified Two Trees
Row 2, Column 3: Pick up a Brochure
Row 2, Column 4: Saw a squirrel
Row 2, Column 5: Found a map

Row 3, Column 1; Went on a Tour
Row 3, Colunm 2: Threw away a Piece of Trash
Row 3, Column 3, Space filled with a ranger hat
Row 3, Colunm 4: Spotted Wildlife
Row 3, Colunm 5: Picked up a Junior Ranger Program

Row 4, Colunm 1: Took a Selfie
Row 4, Column 2: Followed the park on Social Media
Row 4, Column 3: Refill Water Container
Row 4, Column 4: Took a Picture of park sign
Row 4, Column 5: Saw Exhibits

Row 5, Column 1: Took a Hike
Row 5, Column 2: Saw a Bird
Row 5, Column 3: Watched Park Film
Row 5, Column 4: Got a Stamp
Row 5, Column 5: Explored a Visitor Center

NPS / Matt Turner

Save or download this bingo card to create your own National Park Bingo.

Alternative Text for Image

The image is a bingo card template titled "Parks National Park Bingo" and consists of a five by five grid. The center box three rows down and three rows across is filled with a ranger hat.