National Parks · NATIONAL PARK DAY TRIPS

The 15 Best National Park Day Trips

167 tours  ·  from $17 a head

A day trip is worth it while the gate stays inside three hours of your bed. The 15 below are the runs that still feel like a day in a park rather than a day on a bus, priced, timed and clear about how long you get on the ground.

Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa - Vernazza, the coast’s most photogenic harbor
1-Day Tours, Florence National Park Tours, Hiking & Trekking, Italy National Park Tours, National Park Day Trips, National Park Day Trips in Italy, Tour Reviews

Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa

1.Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8,486 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $66Our pick

Travel from Florence to Cinque Terre with guides such as Claudia, Chris, JoJo, or Alessandro. Choose a guided coastal hike, train travel between villages, or a Pisa add-on. Expect a long, active day with boat views, free time, and a group of up to 25.

“Book this now. This was a wonderful tour and just the right of supervised time and free time. Tour guides, who worked for Walk About Tours in Florence, exceeded our expectations! Bravo, too, to Viator who worked with us after my husband got sick and we had to change our reservation. They went out of their way to make room for us on the next day, which was our last in Italy. I can not say enough great things about this whole experience. Don’t hesitate: book it now! Worth every penny.”

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From Sofia: Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Tour - Boyana Church and its brief look at medieval art
Bulgaria National Park Tours, National Park Day Trips, National Park Day Trips in Bulgaria, National Park Day Trips in Sofia, Sofia National Park Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Sofia: Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Tour

2.Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 5,107 reviews · 8 - 9 hours · from $23Best value

Travel from Sofia to two UNESCO sites with an international group, visiting Boyana Church’s powerful frescoes and Rila Monastery’s courtyards, church, and museums. Guides such as Lubo, Kamen, Hristo, and Martin add useful Bulgarian history, while free time allows for photos, food, and mountain views.

“The transportation is comfortable, the guide is friendly and everything is as planned and perfect.”

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Florence: Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa - Manarola starts the coastal story
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Florence: Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa

3.Cinque Terre Day Trip with Optional Hiking or Pisa

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 4,848 reviews · 12 - 13 hours · from $65

Spend 12 to 13 hours traveling from Florence to Cinque Terre with guides such as Ado, Chris, Joanne, and Claudia. Visit all five villages with an optional Corniglia to Vernazza hike, or choose Pisa plus three villages. Expect trains, steep steps, free time, and a weather-dependent boat ride.

“Ado was fantastic! He was super accommodating, thoughtful, and informative. It was a great day made all the better by his knowledge and humour”

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Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco - Tunnel View gives you Yosemite’s grand introduction
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Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco

4.Small Group Yosemite and Giant Sequoias Day Trip from San Francisco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,671 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $239

Leave San Francisco before sunrise for Yosemite with a group of no more than 15. Walk beneath giant sequoias, see Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls, then enjoy free time in Yosemite Valley. Guides such as Derek, Trevor, Kurt, and Steven add stories and practical help.

“Overall, quite a good experience. Brian S is very knowledgeable, and you can tell he is passionate when he explains the movie and the history of the mountains. Interesting experience to look for climbers at El Cap mountain. However just a few things to note: The roads get really winding so do prepare some motion sickness pills ahead of time! Also be prepared for the trip to be 1) mostly getting up and down the bus for photos (except free time 2 hours during lunch), 2) have a tedious trail at the sequoia tree area (note that there’s nothing much to do if you choose not to go on the…”

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Florence: Cinque Terre Park Day Trip with Optional Street Food - La Spezia, the gateway to the villages
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Florence: Cinque Terre Park Day Trip with Optional Street Food

5.Cinque Terre Park Day Trip with Optional Street Food

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,593 reviews · 12 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60

Meet guides such as Gabriele, Roberto, Alex, or Constantino at 7 a.m. in Florence for a long but efficient day in Cinque Terre. You will visit four villages, use local trains, and possibly take a boat from Monterosso to Vernazza. Add lunch if you want a simpler food stop.

“Amazing day - perfect blend of organized travel and alone time. Easy to navigate, easy to transfer from island to island.”

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Yosemite Highlights & Giant Sequoias Day Tour from San Francisco - Tunnel View gives you the classic first look
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Yosemite Highlights & Giant Sequoias Day Tour from San Francisco

6.Yosemite Highlights & Giant Sequoias Day Tour from San Francisco

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,455 reviews · 14 to 15 hours (approx.) · from $219

Leave San Francisco before sunrise for a full-day Yosemite trip with guides such as Glenda, Gino, Andy, or Rob. See Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, and Tuolumne Grove, with free time to walk, eat, and take photos.

“Very well organized tour. Our guide Glenda was professional, warm and funny. The drive was very pleasant”

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From Sofia: Must-See Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Tour - The Orthodox setting and dress rules
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From Sofia: Must-See Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Tour

7.Must-See Rila Monastery & Boyana Church Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,322 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $23

Travel from Sofia to Rila Monastery and Boyana Church with guides such as Maria, Iva, Diana, and Karina. Expect a two-hour mountain drive, three hours at Rila, a short Boyana Church visit, multilingual commentary, and time to explore independently.

“The Monastery is a nice place. The trip very smooth and the guide was excellent.”

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Zadar: Plitvice Lakes Guided Day Tour with Tickets - Meeting in Zadar and settling into the coach
Croatia National Park Tours, Guided, National Park Day Trips, National Park Day Trips in Croatia, National Park Day Trips in Zadar, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours, Zadar National Park Tours

Zadar: Plitvice Lakes Guided Day Tour with Tickets

8.Plitvice Lakes Guided Day Tour with Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 3,148 reviews · 10 hours · from $88

Spend about four hours among Plitvice’s turquoise lakes, waterfalls, caves, and forest paths on a guided day trip from Zadar. Your English-speaking guide handles tickets, transport, the boat, and electric train. Guides may include Filip, Paula, Monica, or Bojan. Add the 6:00 PM Zadar walk on any day.

“Perfect! The guide was organised and told a lot interesting stories, everything was so beautiful. Worth it for sure.”

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From Zagreb: Plitvice & Rastoke Guided Day Trip with Ticket - Leaving Zagreb and reaching Rastoke
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From Zagreb: Plitvice & Rastoke Guided Day Trip with Ticket

9.Plitvice & Rastoke Guided Day Trip with Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,955 reviews · 10 hours · from $61

Travel from Zagreb to Rastoke and Plitvice Lakes with an English-speaking guide such as Marko, Marin, Saša, or Sara. Walk 8.5 km beside waterfalls, ride the park boat and panoramic train, and enjoy a small-group option with hotel pickup.

“We had a great day and trip to Plitvice with Marko. He was knowledgeable, kind, and fun! We went after a lot of snow which was cool- it did mean you didn’t get the summer beauty, but you also didn’t get the crowds!”

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Florence: Day Trip to Cinque Terre with Optional Street Food - Reaching La Spezia by coach
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Florence: Day Trip to Cinque Terre with Optional Street Food

10.Day Trip to Cinque Terre with Optional Street Food

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,854 reviews · 12 hours · from $135

Travel from Florence to Cinque Terre with a guide such as John, Alex, or Chiara, using a coach, local trains, and a seasonal boat. You’ll have free time in Manarola, Vernazza, Monterosso, and Riomaggiore, plus time to swim. The optional street-food lunch adds convenience, though independent dining may suit you better.

“I loved the entire day the planning at the various towns stops via train was remarkable and well organized . Loved the variation with the ferry ride at the end swimming at Monterosso was my fave . Highly love it and would recommend and our guide Sebastian rocked ! Gracie”

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Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Trip by Boat - Starting the day in Palau or La Maddalena
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Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Trip by Boat

11.La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Trip by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,710 reviews · 6 - 7 hours · from $59

Spend 6 to 7 hours cruising from Palau or La Maddalena to Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria, and La Maddalena. Swim from the boat or at Cala Corsara, visit the old town, and buy Sardinian food and drinks on board. Multilingual guides and smartphone audio commentary are available.

“Fabulous day, great spots to stop. Comfy boat, good crew! Delicious food options. Improving the initial boarding of the boat needs attention. They took too long getting everyone on board and seemed very unorganized impacting the timing for our first stop at La Maddelena as we departed late.”

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From Florence: Cinque Terre & Pisa Day Trip - Leaving Florence Before The Crowds
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From Florence: Cinque Terre & Pisa Day Trip

12.Cinque Terre & Pisa Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,308 reviews · 12.5 hours · from $81

Leave Florence early by coach for Manarola, Monterosso, and Pisa. You’ll ride local trains along the Cinque Terre coast, enjoy free time for food and photos, and get clear help from guides such as Elisabetta, Nathan, and Ornella. The day is long, organized, and best for active sightseers.

“I really enjoyed the day trip to Cnque Terre and Pisa! There is a lot of traveling to and from destinations which I expected but would have loved a bit more time at Pisa. Of course for our trip the weather was bad and that’s uncontrollable but our guide Elizabeth was great, answering all my questions and giving good insight into the local economy during the off season! I would def recommend the tour but maybe book closer to when you know what the weather will be like!”

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From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Day Tour by Boat - Check-in at Palau: arrive early and choose your seat
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From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Day Tour by Boat

13.From Palau: La Maddalena Archipelago Day Tour by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 2,291 reviews · 7 hours · from $59

From Palau, ride the Petagus through La Maddalena National Park, stopping at Spargi, Santa Maria, Budelli’s natural pools, Pink Beach, and La Maddalena town. An English and Italian-speaking crew handles the route, while the onboard bar sells sandwiches, salads, Sardinian snacks, coffee, wine, and soft drinks.

“This is an absolutely recommended tour if you are visiting Sardinia even for a day or two. To have the best value for money experience, bring your lunch with you on the day of the trip (and thank me later). ..................... The boat was sized for the number of people. It was well equipped with two toilets (one of them did not work on the day of my travel). There were people allocating seats, that helped to reduce the chaos. The on board restaurant was a good add-on, however, very pricey.”

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From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon South Rim Day Trip - The 5:00 to 6:00 AM pickup sets the pace
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From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon South Rim Day Trip

14.Grand Canyon South Rim Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,147 reviews · from $86

Leave Las Vegas before sunrise for a full-day South Rim trip with hotel-area pickup, Route 66 scenery, Mather Point, Bright Angel, and about three hours at the canyon. English-speaking guides such as Curty, Robert, Russ, and Kevin lead the day. Breakfast and lunch are available with selected options.

“We had a wonderful experience on this day trip! It was the first time my daughter saw the Grand Canyon & we loved the hike & time on our own! Our guide Ita was awesome too!! Thank you for helping us make wonderful family memories!!”

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Krka Waterfalls Day Tour with Boat Ride from Split and Trogir - What the boat ride actually adds
Croatia National Park Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, National Park Day Trips, National Park Day Trips in Croatia, National Park Day Trips in Split, Split National Park Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Waterfall Tours, Waterfall Tours in Croatia, Waterfall Tours in Split

Krka Waterfalls Day Tour with Boat Ride from Split and Trogir

15.Krka Waterfalls Day Tour with Boat Ride from Split and Trogir

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,134 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $32

Travel from Split or Trogir to Krka National Park by air-conditioned coach, walk the Skradinski Buk trails, take a short park boat ride, and relax in Skradin. Guides such as Dario, Mate, and Ivanka add history and humor, while free time lets you set your own pace.

“We had a lovely trip to Krka, guided by Mia who is a wonderful and very informed guide. The walk through the park is really easy and beautiful, set on an elevated wooden plank trail, and has gorgeous views no matter the season. There are a wall of stairs to come out of the park to the meeting point at the end, so if you have limited mobility I would keep that in mind. We came in off season, so it was less crowded which was a bonus. Mia was so knowledgeable about not only Krka National park but also Croatia’s history and culture. Not to mention she is very…”

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