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3 Reasons to Visit a National Park Instead of the Beach This Spring Break 

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter.

What do bison, Old Faithful, mountains, and Yogi Bear have in common? You can find them all at a national park!  

America has 63 national parks, meaning that you can visit more places with preserved scenic views and landscapes than you can states. Most of the iconic national parks are located out west, such as Yellowstone and Yosemite, but maybe that means it’s finally time for that trip to California some of us have probably been thinking about. In the end, you don’t have to travel far to find a national park that’ll win you over with everything it has to offer. Here’s why a national park is the spring break destination.  

1. Unique and beautiful landscapes 

@jackie.broe

Hiking in Zion National Park in the winter (and Bryce for a day) certainly has its perks!! 👇🏻 ❄️ For one, you are able to hike some of the most popular hikes with hardly a soul around!! The hikes I mentioned in the video are easily the most popular trails in the park and we had at least 80% of each trail completely to ourselves. ❄️ It’s rare being able to see Zion blanketed in snow and WOW 🤩 what a sight it was. If you know snow is on the horizon, have the time & are able to get there, I highly recommended it. ❄️ The scenic highway is open to the public! No shuttle necessary 🙌🏻 My ONLY cons were: 🌧️ Expect some rainy/foggy days in the midst of the snowy days. It really was a 50/50 shot each day. 🥗 Lots of restaurants are closed for the season. I ate at the same two restaurants the entire week 😂 All of this to say, it was one of the most magical weeks of my life. I’d do it over and over again! 💫 #hikersoftiktok #hike #hiking #womenwhohike #hikingadventures #hikemoreworryless #ilovehiking #getoutside #getoutdoors #hikingreels #backbacking #camping #allwomenalltrails #hikerbabes #choosemountains #wildernessculture #hikingtrails #hikingday #trekking #naturelover #peakbagger #winterhiking #winterhike #hikeitbaby #zionnationalpark #brycecanyonnationalpark

♬ original sound – Jackie Broe 🧚🏼‍♂️🏹🌷

Sure, beaches are beautiful with their clear blue waters and fine white sand, but to some extent, they all look the same. On the other hand, there are certain places in national parks where you might not even feel like you’re still on Earth, like the bright pink and orange sandstone cliffs of Zion National Park. To hike through and amongst these cliffs would leave you with feelings, pictures, and memories you may never forget.  

If deserts in Utah aren’t quite your thing, don’t worry — you still have 62 other options! You could look forward to the mountains in Yosemite, Denali, or in the Smokies. If a forest is more your vibe, consider visiting the Olympic National Forest in Washington. There’s so much in our country to see, and these parks make it so easy to do that! 

2. Not as crowded as beaches 

Whether you’ve grown up in Florida or chose to move down here later in life, you know that everyone comes to our state for spring break. That’s just how it’s always been and continues to be like. If you’ve forgotten about this trend or maybe spring break snuck up on you, maybe the increase in traffic, cost of hotels or Airbnbs, price of theme parks, or the immense amount of people everywhere you go might remind you. 

If you were to go to a national park outside of Florida, however, the majority of these issues would disappear. In fact, since so many of these parks are in northern states, early spring is still a part of their slow season as it hasn’t quite warmed up to the summer temperatures yet. I don’t know about you, but I’d put on my winter coat and thick socks to be able to have these national parks virtually to myself! 

3. cheaper than A beach getaway

Nowadays, traveling (especially as a girl in college) is difficult because it’s gotten so expensive. We all know the struggle of wanting to go somewhere amazing and stay at a place that’s nice, but not have to drain our savings account in the process. Well, the beauty of these national parks is that you can camp in them!  

Between the 63 national parks, there are over 130 campgrounds within them that you can call home for the night. While on the front end, it may seem expensive to buy a tent and all of your camping supplies, it’s no more expensive than a good hotel would be for only one night. Stay in these campgrounds for at least two nights and maybe bring some friends to help cover the cost of supplies and travel. You’ll definitely be getting some bang for your buck.  

Personally, I have some really great memories from the few times I’ve gone camping, and I feel like it’s something everyone should try at least once in their life. If you don’t feel like embracing your inner Bear Grylls, you can make your camping experience just as rugged or glam as you’d like with RV parks and electricity also being offered.  

Spring break is approaching fast, but there’s still time to make your way to a national park! You certainly don’t have to go as far as California or Arizona to feel like you’ve connected with nature and had a fulfilling spring break. I don’t think that it’s ever too early to start planning out those bigger trips for next year though! 

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Hello! I am Lilli Anderson, a staff writer at the Her Campus at Florida State University chapter. My articles are geared towards culture and current trends as well as the lifestyle of a college-aged girl who loves music, sports, and the little things in everyday life. Beyond Her Campus, I am a Media Communications Studies major at Florida State University where I volunteer in the sports broadcast club, Seminole Productions. I will graduate with a major in Media Communications Studies at 19 in the spring of May 2024, so I am excited to be writing for this organization and to already be on the path of pursuing my career goals! Although I now proudly claim Tallahassee as my home, I am from the Greater Tampa Bay Area. The world class beaches, beautiful city, and endless events there are often how I fill my time; however, I can be just as content with only my laptop, a little bit of wit, and some coffee to fuel me.