5 State Parks for Affordable Family Vacations - Part 2

Muhammad Yasin
01/08/2015
5 State Parks for Affordable Family Vacations - Part 2

This summer, skip the hectic city vacation and try one of America's gorgeous state parks for affordable family vacations. In part two of this blog posting, we discuss the Blue Mounds Park in Minnesota, Hocking Hills in Ohio and three other natural treasures.

Blue Mounds State Park - Minnesota

Southern Minnesota's native tallgrass prairie has been preserved in this park, along with a herd of bison and a mysterious rock formation of unknown origin. Besides camping, visitors can enjoy fishing, rock climbing and bird watching.

Cliff in Blue Mounds State Park

Petit Jean State Park - Arkansas

Located 65 miles northwest of Little Rock, the park is set in the breathtaking Petit Jean Mountains and overlooks the Arkansas River. The mountains are named after a French woman who disguised herself as a boy to follow the man she adored on his exploration of the New World. Petit Jean died in these mountains and her grave is one of the park's main attractions.

Falls in Petit Jean State Park

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park - Florida

Once rated the best beach in America, St. Joseph Peninsula's white sand and turquoise water give way to striking dunes and a heavily forested interior. Snorkeling and scuba diving are popular with visitors here, along with dune hiking and sunbathing.

beach in St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

Mount Greylock State Reservation - Massachusetts

Mount Greylock was Massachusetts's first state park and features the state's highest peak. Over 100 species of bird make the park their home and many can be seen from the Hopper, a 150-year-old forest of old-growth red spruce.

view from Mt. Greylock

Hocking Hills State Park - Ohio

This popular park is divided into seven units filled with shelf caves, gorgeous overlooks of Hocking Hills and valleys filled with ferns and wildlife. The park is especially crowded on fall weekends but can be pleasantly empty on weekdays.

Hocking Hills State Park

Cape Disappointment State Park - Washington

Formerly known as Fort Canby and the site of Lewis and Clark's first glimpse of the Pacific, Cape Disappointment State Park also has the state's first lighthouse. Visitors to this park's 1,800 acres of bluffs and beaches enjoy walking, hiking, boating, and fishing.

North Head Lighthouse in Cape Disappointment

If you are visiting the United States to visit these beautiful parks, remember to research travel insurance just in case a medical need arises during your trip. Ensuring that you purchase coverage before your trip can help avoid potentially costly medical bills.


Related Blog Posts


Learn How to Travel Abroad on a Budget
Download your Ultimate Guide to Budget Travel to get money-saving tips from real travel experts. You'll discover budget-friendly destinations around the world and learn where to splurge, where to save, and how to shop for the very best deals.