Gail's Question:

We want to take our 2=- year-old son to a national park this summer. Which might you recommend for beauty and accessibility with a toddler?

Howard Honigsfeld

Great question, Howard. There are plenty of great choices, and, likewise, some national parks that are ill-suited to relaxing with a toddler, if such a thing is possible. In my opinion, the Grand Canyon and its ledges, a desert park in summer, or Yellowstone and its boiling hot springs could add up to a nightmare of a vacation with a restless toddler if parents aren't prepared and on their toes.

I checked with Charles Wohlforth, who literally wrote the book on family vacations in national parks. Wherever you decide to go, pick up a copy of his excellent Frommer's Family Vacations in the National Parks for plenty of details on park lodging, dining, and family-friendly trails and activities. Wohlforth's top three picks for your family are Acadia National Park, Maine; Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming; and Olympic National Park, Washington. Spectacular choices, of course, ranging geographically from coast to coast, and offering a variety of ecosystems, not to mention spectacular scenery that can easily be taken in by parents of an active tot. Here are some of the toddler-friendly offerings Wohlforth recommends at each park:

Acadia Your little one can ride in a bike trailer on the carriage paths or in a canoe on the ponds. You can drive up Cadillac Mountain for fantastic views or take a ranger-led cruise among the tiny islands to see birds and seals. Toddlers love exploring the tide pools and frolicking in the surf.

Grand Teton National Park You don't need to conquer the steep trails: there are lots of level trails in the Jackson Hole valley where you are almost sure to see trumpeter swans, American white pelicans, moose, bison, elk—animals that impress even little kids. There is great canoeing at the park, including backcountry campsites you can paddle to and then swim from your site. Fantastic views of the Tetons.

Olympic National Park. Beautiful rainforest walks and incredible campgrounds. Little crowding. Superb tide pooling and playing on the beach. Also lake canoeing and swimming. Sol Duc Hot Springs has cabins and a campground nearby; besides the hot tubs and pool, there is a large toddler pool.

Howard, I hope you and your family have fun picking a destination.