Easy Access to National Parks and Monuments from Metro Areas

We love a road trip, a cross-country drive, and visiting national park wilderness areas across the United States. But let’s not forget that the National Park Service (NPS) represents a lot more than Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the other famous parks. Many national park properties can be enjoyed right in the midst of–or within a day trip from–major metropolitan areas.

Altogether, there are over 400 designated areas included in Park Service, and only 60 of those are National Parks. The rest are natural reserves, national monuments and memorials, national historic sites, national seashores, and national battlefield parks. No matter the designation, these parks are worthy of our attention and offer thoughtful and thought-provoking windows into our country. Without scheduling a long holiday trip, visitors can discover the value of the NPS, and be inspired to visit more parks.

Here are examples of parks within easy reach of major urban centers, where visitors can appreciate a slice of our national heritage, whether natural, cultural or historic. And great for travelers: there are Best Western properties to choose from in each of these cities.

New York City, New York

New York City, with 23 different park locations around New York Harbor, offers a set of three apps to help you find your way around.

• Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, National Monument. 12 million immigrants passed this way between 1892 and 1952.
• Federal Hall, National Memorial. Located on Wall Street, this is where George Washington took the oath of office as our first President, and it was the first home to Congress, the Supreme Court, and Executive Branch offices.
• Hamilton Grange, National Memorial. The country home of Alexander Hamilton and the story of his life from the Caribbean Islands to working beside George Washington.
• Lower East Side Tenement Museum, National Historic Site. Home to an estimated 7,000 people from over 20 nations between 1863 and 1935. Offers a telling history of the Lower East Side and the immigrant experience.
• Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace The boyhood home of our 26^th President (1901-1909) who espoused conservation, strenuous activity, and greatly expanded the national park system.
• Gateway, National Recreation Area. We especially appreciate the conservation of these combined 27,000 acres dedicated to recreation and wildlife refuge in the midst of Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and New Jersey.

Portland, Oregon

• Lewis and Clark, National Historic Trail. This historic trail of the Discovery Corp explorers can be accessed in 11 states from the plains to the Pacific. Here is the culmination of their 1804-1806 journey.

Seattle, Washington

• Mount Rainier, National Park. At over 14,000 feet, Mt. Rainier is a daily sight for residents of the area. Visit the park for close-up views of glaciers, rivers, forests, flowers, and wildlife.
• San Juan Island, National Historic Park. Visit saltwater shores for bird and whale-watching. SJI is also the historic site of a near conflict with Great Britain in the mid-1800s.
• Wing Luke Museum, Affiliated Area. The Chinatown-International District offers insights regarding Asian-American history in the Pacific Northwest.

San Francisco, California

• Alcatraz Island, National Park. Explore the first lighthouse and U.S. fort on the West Coast, as well as the federal prison.
• Fort Point, National Historic Site. Close up views of the Golden Gate bridge and the historic site of the fort protecting the strategic San Francisco Bay.
• Golden Gate, National Recreation Area. Great views and hiking trails, from both sides of the spectacular bridge.

Miami, Florida

• Big Cypress, National Preserve. Over 700,000 acres of freshwater swamp and an International Dark Sky Place.
• Everglades, National Park. Also a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Importance. The Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. and offer habitat for crocodiles, manatees, and panthers, among others.

Chicago, Illinois

• Pullman, National Monument. This district was the first planned industrial community in the country.  Exhibits the history of workers and urban design and architecture.
• Indiana Dunes, National Lakeshore. Along the shores of Lake Michigan, these 15,000 acres offer serene trails over dunes, prairies, wetlands, and forests.

Nashville, Tennesee

• Natchez Trace, National Parkway. A 440-mile-long scenic drive between Nashville and Jackson, Mississippi, serves both as a recreation area and a historic trail. Bike, camp, or simply take in the scenic drive and history encompassing Native Americans, early settlers, slave trade, and Civil War.

Note: Each of these metro areas offers a selection of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. Local Best Western locations provide brochures and information on area attractions, including nearby national parks, monuments, and memorials.  For more information on the National Park Service and sites near you, visit the National Park Service website.