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I've been to all 63 major US national parks. There are 6 I'd recommend to first-time travelers.

10 July 2025 at 13:04
Emily takes a selfie wearing sunglasses and a beige hat, with the Grand Canyon behind her.
I think the Grand Canyon is one of the best US national parks for beginners.

Emily Hart

  • I visited all 63 major US national parks and have found that some are best for first-time travelers.
  • Great Smoky Mountains and Death Valley have scenic overlooks that are accessible by car.
  • Parks like Grand Canyon and Arches are accessible from major cities.

I've been to all 63 major US national parks, and although each one is special, not all are ideal for first-time travelers. For example, some are remote, expensive to reach, or require long hikes to see the highlights.

Others, however, are easily accessible from major cities or airports, have a solid infrastructure for visitors, and offer unforgettable views with minimal effort.

If you're just getting into the National Park System, these six parks are a great place to start.

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most stunning places I've visited.
Emily sits on a rock overlooking a body of water at Rocky Mountain National Park.
You can hike to peaceful lakes at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Emily Hart

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful places I've ever visited.

Just an hour and a half from Denver, this iconic and sprawling park is easy to access for a day trip. Just keep in mind you'll need timed-entry reservations during the busy summer months.

Here, you can hike to incredible lakes and waterfalls on easy to moderate trails. I recommend starting from Bear Lake, where several scenic routes begin. Or, you can take a drive along Trail Ridge Road, which climbs to over 12,000 feet above sea level and offers sweeping views, along with chances to see wildlife.

Great Smoky Mountains is the most-visited national park for a reason.
Emily stands in front of a roaring waterfall at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has roaring waterfalls.

Emily Hart

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, is consistently the most-visited national park in the country โ€” and I can see why.

Just over an hour from Knoxville and a short drive from the quirky town of Gatlinburg, it's easy to visit for a day trip or longer.

I love that you don't need to be an avid hiker to enjoy this park. Some of the best scenic overlooks, such as Newfound Gap and Kuwohi (the park's highest point), are accessible by car with short, paved walks to panoramic views.

There are also plenty of beginner-friendly hikes to waterfalls and historic cabins, making it an ideal starting point for first-time national park visitors.

Yellowstone National Park offers a wide range of scenery.
Emily poses with her hand resting on a rock and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone behind her.
You can see Yellowstone National Park's landmarks with minimal walking.

Emily Hart

Yellowstone National Park is a must-visit for any first-time national park traveler. Spanning parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, it's best accessed through cities like Jackson, Wyoming, or Bozeman.

The park offers an unforgettable mix of hot springs, geysers, and wildlife. With minimal walking, you can see iconic spots like Old Faithful, the Grand Prismatic Spring, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. You might even spot bison, elk, or bears from the roadside.

With well-maintained roads, visitor centers, and lodges throughout the park, I find it's easy to navigate and unlike anywhere else in the world.

Arches National Park has breathtaking red-rock formations.
Emily stands under a sandstone arch at Arches National Park.
The sandstone arches at Arches National Park are incredible.

Emily Hart

In my opinion, Arches National Park in Utah is one of the most visually striking and easy-to-navigate parks in the country.

Located just minutes from the outdoorsy town of Moab, and under four hours from Salt Lake City, it's relatively accessible and the drive itself is beautiful.

The park is packed with over 2,000 natural sandstone arches and otherworldly rock formations, many of which are visible right from the road or by taking short, easy hikes.

Arches is a perfect introduction to red-rock landscapes and an excellent choice for travelers who want big views without strenuous hiking.

Death Valley National Park offers unique landscapes.
Emily stands on a salt ground in Badwater Basin at Death Valley National Park.
Many of Death Valley National Park's popular sights are accessible by car.

Emily Hart

Death Valley National Park in California, which is about two hours from Las Vegas, is a surreal and surprisingly accessible desert landscape.

Despite its extreme name, many of the park's most iconic spots, such as Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, and Artists Drive, are accessible by car with little to no hiking required.

I think it's a great winter or early spring destination, offering incredible views, dramatic colors, and landscapes you can't see in many other places.

Grand Canyon National Park is iconic and packed with amenities.
Emily takes a selfie with the Grand Canyon behind her, wearing sunglasses and a straw hat.
Grand Canyon National Park is stunning.

Emily Hart

In my opinion, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona is one of the most iconic national parks. It's also one of the easiest to visit. Just a few hours from Phoenix or Las Vegas, the South Rim is open year-round and offers stunning views right from the edge.

I recommend hiking into the canyon, but walking along the Rim Trail, stopping at scenic overlooks, or catching the sunrise at Mather Point are just as beautiful.

With visitor centers, shuttle buses, and numerous amenities, it's ideal for a first-time park experience.

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Norwegian is vying for solo travelers with these tiny $1,880 single-person cabins on its latest giant cruise ship

17 May 2025 at 10:55
an empty bed in a single-person studio cabin on Norwegian Aqua
Norwegian Aqua has 1,387 cabins, 93 of which are for solo travelers.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

  • Norwegian Cruise Line has been leading the solo cruise travel boom.
  • Its new ship, Norwegian Aqua, has 93 single-person cabins with access to a shared lounge.
  • The cruise line added 1,000 of these increasingly popular staterooms to its fleet in 2024.

Norwegian's latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, is floating bait for cruising families. It also wants to attract the opposite demographic: solo travelers.

In recent years, Norwegian has emerged as the leader of the solo cruise boom, adding about 1,000 single-person cabins to its fleet in 2024.

For the company, it's a great money-making opportunity: 10% of cruisers from US ports go alone, with millennials and Gen Zers most likely to cruise solo, according to the trade group Cruise Lines International Association.

For solo cruisers, it's a great money-saving opportunity: Many cruise lines charge independent travelers a "single supplement" fee to compensate for lost revenue on double occupancy cabins. In some cases, this additional expense can double the cost to sail.

That is, unless they stay in one of Norwegian's solo staterooms.

Norwegian Aqua launched in March with 93 single-person cabins.
people taking photos of Norwegian Aqua
Norwegian debuted its latest ship, Norwegian Aqua, in March.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The new 4,482-guest vessel is spending the summer operating weeklong Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral, Florida. These "studio" accommodations are already sold out for a third of these voyages, with the least expensive remaining options starting at about $1,880 โ€” about $560 cheaper than a traditional inside cabin with the single supplement fee.

That's almost $270 per day for a windowless 94-square-foot cabin.
empty twin bed in a singleperson studio cabin on Norwegian Aqua
The single-person cabins are located on deck 12 and 13.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Of the 93 options, 73 are what Norwegian affectionally call "studios."

It's a fitting name for a tiny cabin, but don't let its 94-square-footage footprint fool you. It still has all the necessities of a cruise stateroom, including a twin bed sandwiched between a wall-mounted TV and a storage unit.

You'll only have to walk a few steps to the bathroom.
small, empty bathroom in a solo-person studio cabin on Norwegian Aqua
Glass walls separate the bathroom from the bedroom.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

The bathroom is similarly tight with surprisingly ample shelving.

Bring your conditioner โ€” the cabin only provides body wash and shampoo.

There's no additional seating, save for the backless desk stool. However, it does come with access to a shared living room.
empty Studio Lounge on Norwegian Aqua
The studios are far from spacious, but they can access a private Studio Lounge for solo travelers.

Brittany Chang/Business Insider

Solo cruisers can mingle with other lone wolves at the Studio Lounge, accessible only to those staying in single-person cabins.

The multi-section space has plenty of lounge seating, from chaises to shared couches. It also serves a small breakfast buffet, in addition to coffee and snacks throughout the day.

Not all who are alone at sea have to be lonely.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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