While you suppose “nationwide park,” it’s possible you’ll suppose thick forests, tall mountains, and even desert landscapes. However make no mistake about it: There are many nationwide parks with ocean-front vistas. In truth, some are even largely composed of water!
When you’re prepared for an out-of-the-box (however maybe not out-of-the-boat) journey, these ocean nationwide parks needs to be in your bucket record. Beneath, you’ll discover a transient overview of every of our eight favourite nationwide parks with ocean entry, together with not solely trip-planning fundamentals like their location and greatest seasons for a go to, but additionally all the very best methods to discover them when you get there.
Prepared? Let’s dive in! (Pun completely supposed.)
1. Olympic Nationwide Park
A sprawling wilderness tucked only a ferry experience and a drive away from one of many greatest city areas on the west coast—Seattle—Olympic Nationwide Park actually does have all of it. On this case, meaning loads of dense forests and towering mountain peaks, but additionally alpine meadows, a one-of-a-kind rainforest, and, sure, craggy and scenic shoreline. It’s no marvel Olympic Nationwide Park is each a UNESCO World Heritage Website and an Worldwide Biosphere Reserve.
Whereas the Pacific Ocean is famously moody and chilly—in different phrases, not the best vibe for swimming—there are many different attention-grabbing methods to discover the coast. Arrange for a seashore day at Mora or Rialto—or, for a barely quieter ambiance, head to Second Seashore simply south of La Push. Together with merely sitting again and having fun with the completely beautiful surroundings, that is additionally an incredible place to discover intertidal life varieties together with sea stars, urchins, and nudibranchs. Simply make certain you deliver a jacket alongside together with your regular seashore gear like sunscreen!
Planning Your Journey
The easiest way to remain close to Olympic Nationwide Park, in the event you ask us—shock shock—is to camp there. There are many campgrounds contained in the park itself that supply RV slots, in addition to a number of non-public campgrounds within the space. (Listed here are the very best.) When you’re prepared to do some driving, you can too go searching totally free dispersed tenting places on the Nationwide Forest lands adjoining to the park—however because the park itself is already so giant, chances are high you’ll wish to spring a couple of dollars to be nearer to the motion.
Journey Overview for Olympic Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: Late June by mid-September, to take pleasure in lengthy sunny days and keep away from the winter’s near-constant rain.
- Methods to get there: From Seattle, you’ll wish to take a ferry out to the peninsula. Campers and RVs can experience on the Seattle ferry system, however be sure you double-check dimension restrictions earlier than your journey.
- Seasonal closures: Choose roads, campgrounds, and services are closed or have decreased hours from October to Might.
- Entry charges: $30 per car for seven consecutive days of entry.
2. Acadia Nationwide Park
Now to go to the whole different nook of the nation, Acadia Nationwide Park awaits vacationers desirous to see probably the most rugged a part of the northeastern coast—full with granite peaks which were battered into their romantic form by an limitless wash of salt spray. When you’ve had your fill of selecting recent blueberries or using across the park in a horse-drawn carriage, you’ll be able to go tide-pooling on the aptly-named Wonderland Path, or really feel the primordial energy of the deep for your self at Thunder Gap. There are additionally alternatives for canoeing and kayaking.
Planning Your Journey
Together with quaint Airbnbs and splendid motels within the close by gateway city of Bar Harbor, Acadia Nationwide Park does supply three campgrounds with RV-friendly websites: Blackwoods, Seawall, and Schoodic Woods Campgrounds. (In fact, like several nationwide park campground, spots can go quick, so that you’ll wish to make your reservations as far upfront as you’ll be able to.) There are additionally quite a lot of non-public campgrounds within the direct neighborhood, in addition to close by Lamoine State Park. Listed here are our high Acadia Nationwide Park campground picks, whether or not you’re in search of rustic or regal.
Journey Overview for Acadia Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: Late September to mid-October presents beautiful leaf-peeping alternatives together with ocean views—or are available excessive summer time in the event you plan to get nearer to the water in a canoe or kayak.
- Methods to get there: The closest airport is Boston Worldwide, and the park may also be reached alongside the I-95 hall.
- Seasonal closures: Whereas the park is open year-round, seasonal closures apply; see particulars right here.
- Entry charges: $35 per car for seven consecutive days of entry; bear in mind that Cadillac Summit Highway requires further timed reservations and a $6 payment.
3. Kenai Fjords Nationwide Park
For a waterfront panorama in contrast to any you’ve ever skilled earlier than, head north—far north—to Kenai Fjords Nationwide Park, the place almost 40 glaciers move towards frigid waters teeming with the sort of wildlife you’ll be able to solely reliably see in Alaska. Whereas the water could be too chilly for people to swim in (at the very least for longer than a fast polar-bear plunge), the glacier and wildlife cruises departing from Seward Harbor give us two-legged creatures a cushty and unforgettable solution to stand up shut and private with this majestic land-and-seascape. Together with calving glaciers like Holgate or Aialik, you may additionally spot humpback whales, orcas, porpoises, or sea otters. (You may also strive your hand at sea kayaking right here, in the event you dare!)
Planning Your Journey
That is Alaska, which suggests it’s not so simple as displaying up and checking right into a resort room—and even pitching a tent. The one a part of the park that’s immediately accessible to Alaska’s street system is the Exit Glacier Space. (The campground there’s open to walk-up campers solely.) Nonetheless, close by Seward presents mattress and breakfasts, motels, and, after all, RV tenting spots. From there, you’ll be able to drive into the nationwide park—or take a bus or prepare.
Journey Overview for Kenai Fjords Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: Late June by early September will help you take pleasure in Alaska’s knock-out summer time—and don’t fear, it’ll nonetheless be lots chilly, particularly come dusk.
- Methods to get there: After flying to Anchorage, you’ll wish to navigate towards Seward. From there, you’ll be able to take the one street into the park, or journey by prepare or bus. Constitution flights and cruises can assist you entry areas that will not in any other case be out there by terrestrial journey.
- Seasonal closures: Whereas the park is open year-round, Alaska’s winter naturally enforces some closures—together with the street to Exit Glacier, often between October and Might. The Customer Facilities keep open from Memorial Day weekend by Labor Day weekend, until in any other case famous.
- Entry charges: Kenai Fjord Nationwide Park is free to enter—most likely since you’ll have already earned it by getting there.
4. Channel Islands Nationwide Park
When you’re in search of a really rugged and out-there ocean nationwide park, look no additional than California’s Channel Islands—a string of 5 rocky islands which are generally often called North America’s Galapagos. These windswept and wild vistas are dwelling to wildlife together with elephant seals and seabirds, and because the ocean flows, completely different components of those dynamic landscapes, resembling sea caves and white sand seashores, conceal and reveal themselves. Together with providing ocean lovers a completely unmissable alternative to see marine wildlife you simply can’t discover anyplace else, Channel Islands Nationwide Park is a well known vacation spot for snorkelers and SCUBA divers, together with these expert (and intrepid) sufficient to go cave diving. Tide-pooling, boating, fishing and browsing are all additionally standard choices for individuals who can’t get sufficient of the water—and in the event you control the horizon, you would possibly simply see the spray of a whale spout.
Planning Your Journey
Given the distant nature of this archipelago of islands, the one choice for staying on-site is backcountry tenting—the type the place you pitch a tent and herald your whole personal meals and water. Nevertheless, for these seeking to discover the better approach, staying in an RV on the southern California mainland and taking a ferry in is a good choice. There are additionally, after all, a variety of motels and trip leases out there within the space.
Journey Overview for Channel Islands Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: Each season has one thing to supply on this one-of-a-kind wilderness, from wildflowers in April and Might to the grey whale migration beginning in December. For the calmest seas and driest situations, time your go to for the summer time.
- Methods to get there: You’ll be able to fly into one in every of southern California’s airports, resembling LAX or Burbank. Guests Facilities on the mainland are positioned in Ventura and Santa Barbara, however the islands themselves are solely accessible through boat.
- Seasonal closures: The park is open yr spherical, although the Customer Facilities shut on sure main holidays.
- Entry charges: There isn’t any entry payment for Channel Islands Nationwide Park—although boat fare to entry the islands can vary from $50 and up per individual.
5. Redwood Nationwide Park
While you consider Redwood Nationwide Park, you would possibly first consider—effectively—redwoods. However this unbelievable copse of tall and historical timber is located immediately adjoining to a number of the most lovely Pacific shoreline within the nation, and there are many hikes that begin within the forest and finish close to the ocean’s waves. (Simply be sure you preserve your eye out for roving bands of Roosevelt elk.) Tide-pooling at Enderts Seashore is one other standard solution to take pleasure in this distinctive merging of sea and forest, and in the event you’re courageous sufficient to go to in the course of the chilly winter months, there are additionally glorious whale watching alternatives. A ranger-led kayak tour will get you really up shut and private with the wild!
Planning Your Journey
If you wish to keep in a brick-and-mortar constructing, you’ll want to seek out lodging outdoors of the park—in close by communities like Klamath or Crescent Metropolis. There are 4 developed campgrounds contained in the Redwood Nationwide and State Parks that enable RVs, although some do have dimension restrictions—and most are booked out months upfront. Listed here are the greatest RV campgrounds to contemplate within the space.
Journey Overview for Redwood Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: The summer time months that stretch from Might to October supply all the luxurious greenery the winter rains have introduced. July by early September are the driest, but additionally the busiest, whereas winter months supply a moodier ambiance.
- Methods to get there: The closest airport is a smaller one—Del Norte County Airport (CEC)—although you would additionally fly into an even bigger inhabitants heart, like San Francisco, and make a street journey of it. The park itself is accessible off U.S. Route 101, the well-known Pacific Coast Freeway.
- Seasonal closures: The park is open year-round, although some services could also be closed. (For instance, Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park customer heart is open solely between Memorial Day and Labor Day.)
- Entry charges: There isn’t any entry payment to go to Redwood Nationwide Park.
6. Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park
Discuss an ocean nationwide park: Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park is surrounded by water and solely accessible by water, mendacity in the course of the ocean some 70 miles west of Key West. Getting there’s already essentially a watery journey, and when you’re there, you’ll be capable to take pleasure in really one-of-a-kind snorkeling, diving, swimming and boating adventures, to not point out the distinctive expertise of strolling round historic Fort Jefferson.
Planning Your Journey
Attending to the Dry Tortugas takes dedication and dedication. Whereas there’s a campground at Backyard Key, it’s distant and rugged—and until you’ve invented an RV that may sail the excessive seas, you’re not going to have the ability to drive there. Nevertheless, many guests select to remain in Key West and take a watery day-trip to the Dry Tortugas. If that’s your alternative, listed here are the very best campgrounds within the space to select from.
Journey Overview for Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: Shocking, however true: The very best time to go to the Florida Keys (and surrounding locales just like the Dry Tortugas) is definitely December by April. Even in winter, it’s good and heat, and also you’ll keep loads dryer than you’ll in the event you got here in the course of the stormy summer time season.
- Methods to get there: Dry Tortugas Nationwide Park is just accessible by boat or seaplane. Most guests fly to the Florida mainland—Miami is the closest main airport—after which drive to Key West and enterprise from there.
- Seasonal closures: Whereas the park as a complete is open 24 hours a day yr spherical, sure islands are closed to the general public to help nesting wildlife—and Bush Key’s seasonally closed in the course of the sooty tern nesting season.
- Entry charges: The entry payment of $15 per individual is nice for seven consecutive days.
7. Biscayne Nationwide Park
Ocean nationwide park lovers, look no additional—as a result of absolutely 95% of Biscayne Nationwide Park is definitely underwater! That’s over 173,000 acres of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and a wild underwater world prepared for exploring. Alongside the beautiful coastlines topside, you’ll discover mangroves, coconuts, and sunsets. It’s apparent {that a} nationwide park like this one is a world-class web site for snorkeling and SCUBA diving, however you’ll be able to keep dry and nonetheless benefit from the sights by canoeing or kayaking alongside the water’s floor. Moreover, the Biscayne Maritime Heritage Path presents interactive, 3D depictions of the park’s shipwrecks, and in the event you’re correctly licensed, you can too fish up dinner—whether or not it’s snapper or lobster.
Planning Your Journey
Encompassing each the spit of Elliott Key that extends into the ocean and the watery expanse of Biscayne Bay itself that separates it from the Florida mainland, one of the simplest ways to remain close to Biscayne Nationwide Park, for a lot of, is to moor a non-public boat without delay of its buoys. Wanting that, you can too take a look at the assorted motels and mattress and breakfasts out there in close by terrestrial communities like North Key Largo or Homestead, Florida—or take into account these top-of-their-class RV campgrounds.
Journey Overview for Biscayne Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: As soon as once more, you’ll wish to head to Biscayne Bay in the course of the northern hemisphere’s winter with a purpose to benefit from the dryer of the 2 predominant Florida seasons—although it’s all the time price being able to get moist if you’re touring right here.
- Methods to get there: Guests would possibly fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale after which drive out to Elliott Key. Drivers will entry the park through the U.S. 1 Freeway or the Florida Turnpike.
- Seasonal closures: Some components of the park might seasonally near help native wildlife nesting habits.
- Entry charges: Whereas there’s no park entry payment, it’s possible you’ll have to pay for parking, a shuttle, or a ferry to entry the components of the park you’re concerned about.
8. Glacier Bay Nationwide Park
To spherical out our round-up, we’ll return to the alternative finish of the nation once more—this time to Alaska’s Glacier Bay Nationwide Park, tucked simply north of the Alexander Archipelago alongside the Gulf of Alaska. As its identify suggests, Glacier Bay Nationwide Park presents the distinctive expertise of a frigid, northerly panorama instantly alongside the salty sweep of an ocean bay. It’s one of many solely locations on the earth the place you’ll be able to go mountain climbing in a temperate rainforest and discover a fjord on the exact same day. Sea kayaking by the craggy calves of glaciers and watching whale calves leap into the air are two of the first attracts for ocean lovers. Guided boat and ship cruises make the wild accessible even for landlubbers—and provide the probability to sit down again and calm down when you spot harbor seals, sea otters, and Steller sea lions.
Planning Your Journey
In contrast to lots of the different nationwide parks on this record, Glacier Bay Nationwide Park does supply an on-site lodge—although as is true of all of the nationwide parks within the system, rooms replenish quick, so that you’ll wish to be planning effectively forward of time. The park’s Bartlett Cove Campground is walk-up solely, however there are different RV tenting choices within the higher Glacier Bay space.
Journey Overview for Glacier Bay Nationwide Park
- Finest time to go to: Given its far northerly locale, you gained’t be stunned to study that the summer time is the very best time to go to this nationwide park—with June by August being the height season (and the very best time to identify calving glaciers).
- Methods to get there: Alaska’s nationwide parks are recognized for his or her distant nature, and Glacier Bay isn’t any exception. The easiest way to entry the park is by aircraft or boat, and the closest giant neighborhood is Juneau.
- Seasonal closures: As a result of the climate on this a part of the world will be each harsh and unpredictable, it’s greatest to test with the Nationwide Park Service to see which areas of the park could also be closed. Usually talking, providers are very restricted in the course of the winter months.
- Entry charges: No entry payment is required to go to Glacier Bay Nationwide Park—although once more, it’s possible you’ll discover you’ll have to pay for transportation and different peripheral prices.
As you’ll be able to see, there are limitless alternatives on the market for nationwide park lovers who additionally take pleasure in ocean vistas—and so they go far past the sunshine-and-palm-trees vibe we consider once we consider a seashore day. Add one in every of these unbelievable locations—or all of them!—to your subsequent RV street journey itinerary, together with these bucket record nationwide forests and completely un-missable nationwide park roads that beg to be pushed at the very least as soon as.