- Some national parks can be difficult to reach, and are expensive to visit by plane.
- Going has published a list that includes the most affordable parks for you to fly into, based off of average airport fares.
- The most affordable flight was to a park along the shores Lake Michigan, where the average round trip cost only $138.
Traveling to a national park this summer might feel like an out-of-budget impossibility—and that might be true if you’re trying to visit one of the most popular parks in the country, like Yellowstone You can also find out more about Yosemite. It can be difficult to make reservations in advance, but traveling to these locations is the biggest barrier. Booking flights to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport and Fresno Yosemite International Airport is expensive, but you will still have to drive for hours to get to the parks.
It’s good news to travelers who are looking for ways to enjoy national parks more easily and at a lower cost this summer. Although Yosemite or Yellowstone are popular on social networks, there are actually 63 other national parks to choose from. New data shows that there are several national parks in the list that are affordable for travelers to reach. Going. Going’s analysis of the fares of airports located within 300 miles of national parks and the number of times it has found deals at each airport determined which park was most affordable to fly to.
Indiana Dunes National Park is the result of all this number crunching.
The park is only 40 miles from Chicago Midway International Airport and 50 miles from South Bend International Airport and Chicago O’Hare Airport. Going has found that MDW flights average $138 roundtrip. It also sent 42 offers to its subscribers in the last 12 months.
Indiana Dunes National Park is not only one of the most affordable national parks to fly to but also has a lot to offer nature lovers. There are 15 miles of dunes along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. There are also more than 50 miles worth of hiking trails and swimming beaches. You can also go horseback riding or bird-watching, as well as taking guided tours. At least 350 species of birds live in the diverse landscapes of this park. This includes dramatic dunes, prairies and bogs.
You can also find out more about the following: National Park Service has recommended itineraries for half day and day trip visits to the park—making it even easier to add a national park visit to your next trip to Chicago. It is only 45 minutes away from the city, making this one of the easiest national parks to visit.
Are you looking for more affordable parks to visit this summer? According to Going:
- Indiana Dunes National Park
- White Sands National Park, New Mexico
- Big Bend National Park is located in Texas
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
- Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota
- Congaree National Park is located in South Carolina
- Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in California
- Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
- Grand Canyon National Park Arizona
Remember that you need to be patient and respectful no matter what national park you visit this summer. We all have to play our part in keeping the parks and ecosystems clean due to a federal staffing reduction.
