I have often been asked “what national park is best.” I answer, “what do you like? That will change my answer.” The table below is a running list of items/activities that I think are the best in the national park system. Of course, this is my opinion based upon my likes and our experiences.
| Activity/Item | National Park |
| Alligators and Manatee sightings | Everglades |
| Best Caverns | Carlsbad Caverns and Mammoth Cave |
| Best Fort | Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas |
| Best Glaciers | Wrangell St. Elias |
| Best Valleys | Yosemite and Zion Canyon |
| Best Volcanoes | Hawaii Volcanoes |
| Brown Bear Sightings | Katmai |
| Geothermal | Yellowstone |
| Lodging | Old Faithful Inn, Crater Lake Inn, Jackson Lake Lodge, Many Glacier Inn, Paradise Lodge |
| Mangrove Snorkeling | Biscayne Bay |
| Sand Dunes | Great Sand Dunes |
| Snorkeling | American Samoa – Ofu Island |
| Tidepools/Coastal | Olympic |
| Trees | Redwoods and Sequoia |
| Waterfalls | Yosemite (in spring) |
| Wilderness | Gates of the Arctic and Kobuk Valley |
| Wildlife Sightings | Lake Clark |
We Visited All 63 U.S. National Parks 