Most national parks are in or within an hour drive from a major city. Find national park places near major cities you are visiting—or even your own neighborhood.
Atlanta
In or Near Atlanta
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, Georgia
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, miles-long park in northern Georgia
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Kennesaw, Georgia
Day Trip from Atlanta
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail, southern trailhead in Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia
- Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia
- Freedom Riders National Monument in Anniston, Alabama
- Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, Alabama
- Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon, Georgia
Baltimore
In or Near Baltimore
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, a series of trails in the Chesapeake Bay watershed including Baltimore, Maryland
- Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine , in Baltimore Maryland
- Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, a 560-mile trail that passes through Baltimore
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a 680-mile trail that runs through Baltimore
- Hampton National Historic Site in Towson, Maryland
Boston
In or Near Boston
- Boston African American National Historic Site in Boston, Massachusetts
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, in Boston, Massachusetts
- Boston National Historical Park in Boston, Massachusetts
- Adams National Historical Park in Quincy, Massachusetts
- Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline, Massachusetts
- John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site in Brookline, Massachusetts
- Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts
Day Trip from Boston
- Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park in Providence, Rhode Island
- Cape Cod National Seashore, in Wellfleet, Massachusetts
- Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Massachusetts
- Freedom Riders National Monument, 235-mile-long trail through Connecticut and Massachusetts
- New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park in New Bedford, Massachusetts
- Roger Williams National Memorial in Providence, Rhode Island
- Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site in Saugus, Massachusetts
- Salem Maritime National Historical Park in Salem, Massachusetts
- Touro Synagogue National Historic Site in Newport, Rhode Island
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a 680-mile trail that runs through Providence, Rhode Island
Dallas
- Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur, Texas
- Waco Mammoth National Monument in Waco, Texas
Honolulu
In or Near Honolulu
- Pearl Harbor National Memorial , in Honolulu, Hawaii
Houston
In or Near Houston
- Big Thicket National Preserve in Kountze, Texas
- El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail, a 2,850-mile trail to the west and north of Houston, Texas
Day Trip from Houston
- Padre Island National Seashore in Corpus Christie, Texas
- Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park in Palo Alto, Texas
- Waco Mammoth National Monument in Waco, Texas
Kansas City
In or Near Kansas City
- Harry S Truman National Historic Site in Independence, Missouri
- Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park in Topeka, Kansas
- Fort Scott National Historic Site in Fort Scott, Kansas
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Tallgrass Prairie, Kansas
Day Trip from Kansas City
- George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, Missouri
- Homestead National Historical Park in Beatrice, Nebraska
- Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Republic, Missouri
Los Angeles
In or Near Los Angeles
- Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, a 1200-mile trail that includes the Los Angeles area
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in Calabasas, California
Day Trip from Los Angeles
- Death Valley National Park in Death Valley, California
- César E. Chávez National Monument in Keene, California
- Channel Islands National Park in Ventura, California
- Joshua Tree National Park in Twentynine Palms, California
- Manzanar National Historic Site in Independence, California
- Mojave National Preserve in Barstow, California
- Pinnacles National Park in Paicines, California
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks in Three Rivers, California
Miami
In or Near Miami
- Biscayne National Park in Homestead, Florida
- Big Cypress National Preserve in Ochopee, Florida
- Everglades National Park in Homestead, Florida
New Orleans
In or Near New Orleans
- New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, in New Orleans, Louisiana
New York/New Jersey
In or Near New York/New Jersey
- African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City, New York
- Castle Clinton National Monument in New York City, New York
- Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York City, New York
- Federal Hall National Memorial in New York City, New York
- Gateway National Recreation Area in New York City, New York
- General Grant National Memoria in New York City, New York
- Governors Island National Monument in New York City, New York
- Hamilton Grange National Memorial in New York City, New York
- Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site in New York City, New York
- Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site in Mount Vernon, New York
- Stonewall National Monument in New York City, New York
- Statue Of Liberty National Monument in New York City, New York
- Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in New York City, New York
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a 680-mile trail that runs through New York and New Jersey
Day Trip from New York/New Jersey
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Bushkill, Pennsylvania
- Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, New York
- Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, New York
- Fire Island National Seashore in Patchogue, New York
- Morristown National Historical Park in Morristown, New Jersey
- Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in Paterson, New Jersey
- Sagamore Hill National Historic Site in Oyster Bay, New York
- Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park, New York
- Weir Farm National Historical Park in Wilton, Connecticut
- Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, a river west of New York City
Oklahoma City
In or Near Oklahoma City
- Oklahoma City National Memorial in Oklahoma City
- Chickasaw National Recreation Area, in Sulphur, Oklahoma
Day Trip from Oklahoma City
- Fort Smith National Historic Site, in Fort Smith, Kansas
- in Cheyenne, Oklahoma
Philadelphia
In or Near Philadelphia
- Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Gloria Dei Church National Historic Site in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, a 680-mile trail that runs through Philadelphia
- First State National Historical Park in New Castle, Delaware
- Valley Forge National Historical Park in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Day Trip from Philadelphia
- Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in Elverson, Pennsylvania
- Great Egg Harbor River, a 100-mile river east of Philadelphia
- Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River, a river north of Philadelphia
- New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve in New Lisbon, New Jersey
- Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, a series of trails in the Chesapeake Bay watershed including Baltimore, Maryland
- Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, a 560-mile trail that passes through Baltimore, Maryland
- Hampton National Historic Site in Towson, Maryland
New York and New Jersey parks are also close enough for a day trip from Philadelphia.
San Francisco Bay Area
In or Near San Francisco Bay Area
- Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco, California
- Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, California
- Fort Point National Historic Site in San Francisco, California
- San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in San Francisco, California
- Muri Woods National Monument in Mill Valley, California
- Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California
- Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Monument in Port Chicago, California
- John Muir National Historic Site in Port Martinez, California
- Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site in Danville, California
Day Trip from San Francisco Bay Area
- Point Reyes National Seashore in Point Reyes Station, California
- Yosemite National Park 3 hours east of San Francisco
- Pinnacles National Park in Paicines, California
Seattle
In or Near Seattle
- Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park in Seattle, Washington
Day Trip from Seattle
- San Juan Island National Historical Park in Friday Harbor, Washington
- Olympic National Park in Port Angeles, Washington
- Ebey's Landing National Historical Preserve in Coupeville, Washington
- North Cascades National Park in Newhalem, Washington
- Mount Rainier National Park in Ashford, Washington
- Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Astoria, Oregon
- Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Washington
St. Louis
In or Near St. Louis
- Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri
- Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site in St. Louis, Missouri
- Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Day Trip from St. Louis
- Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Sumner, Mississippi
- George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes, Indiana
- Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois
- Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois
- Ozark National Scenic Riverways in Van Buren, Missouri
- Springfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument in Springfield, Illinois
Washington, DC
In or Near Washington DC
- African American Civil War Memorial in in Washington, DC
- Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, in Washington DC
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, a series of trails in the Chesapeake Bay watershed
- Ford's Theatre National Historic Site in Washington, DC
- George Washington Memorial Parkway a 25-mile-long park in DC, Maryland and Virginia
- National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, DC
- National Capital Parks-East a collection of parks and sites in DC and Maryland
- Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC
- Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail a 710-mile trail that runs through DC
- Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC
- Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail a 680-mile trail that runs through DC
- The White House and President's Park in Washington, DC
- World War I Memorial in Washington, DC
- Manassas National Battlefield Park in Manassas, Virginia
- Monocacy National Battlefield in Frederick, Maryland
- Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, Virginia
- Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail, a 560-mile trail that passes through DC
- Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts , in Vienna, Virginia
Day Trip from Washington, DC
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail a 2,190-mile trail west of DC
- Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland
- Assateague Island National Seashore a miles long park east of DC
- Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, Maryland
- Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park in Middletown, Virginia
- Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park a 184-mile trail that begins in DC
Last updated: August 31, 2026