Yellowstone National Park, WY

Destination Guide

Old Faithful Geyser, copyright NPS

Who needs special-effect theme-park rides when you can get the real thing at Yellowstone National Park? You'll see boiling hot water blast out of the ground, share the road with grizzly bears and bison, and visit a lake that makes its own rainstorms. Talk about a hot spot!

This huge swath of untamed wilderness, almost the size of Wyoming State, aims to please even the squirmiest travelers in your group. Watch their eyes grow big when the ground beneath them begins to gurgle, gush, and vent, when they spot a moose, elk, wolf, or buffalo in the wild -- just a few feet away.

Yellowstone is so big and packed with natural attractions, your biggest challenge will be plotting a route to see it all. Pick one part of the park to explore each day -- or half-day. Your family's feet will thank you for it! Here are our favorites in each of five park districts: