25 most visited National Parks in America: 2017

The most visited National Parks in America have been announced, with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area drawing in the highest number of visitors in 2016.

It was a record-breaking year for parks in the states, with 331 million people spending more than 1.4 billion hours in parks across the country. The National Park Service manages the 59 sites, which are made up of recreation areas, monuments, memorials and of course, parks. In total, over 165 million people visited the top 25 National Parks in the United States. 

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Racking up 15,638,777 visitors in 2016, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco was the most visited National Park in 2016. Among the largest urban national parks in the world, it was first established back in 1972 in a bid to bring “parks to the people”, and it has certainly managed that. The park is made up of a number of sites and stunning urban and natural locations.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Coming in second is the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and Virginia with 15,175,578 visitors. Considered to be America’s favourite drive, the 469 miles of road runs through rolling mountains and stunning vistas which stretch across the horizon.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

You’re never going to be hard-pressed to find a beautiful location for a sunrise on your Azamara Cruise holiday to the United States, but there aren’t many that can compare to the one you’ll see at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. 

Although it’s picturesque all-year-round, by fall, the amber hue that sweeps across the park is particularly spectacular. In 2016, 11,312,786 visitors headed out to see such natural beauty.

George Washington National Park

Almost two million more people visited the George Washington National Park in 2016 than the entire populations of Norway and New Zealand combined.

Any fan of the outdoors will want to visit this park. There are more than 1.8 million acres of recreational opportunities available to the 10,323,339 visitors who went last year.

Gateway National Recreation Area

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City on your Azamara cruise, why not head out to the Gateway National Recreation Area. 8,651,770 visitors made the journey to discover 26,000 acres, which covers three boroughs in the Big Apple and gives you the chance to see the oldest operating lighthouse in the country, as well as enjoy some swimming, fishing, cycling, boating and much more.

Here is a list of the 25 most visited National Parks in America:

1. Golden Gate National Recreation Area (15,638,777 visitors)
2. Blue Ridge Parkway (15,175,578 visitors)
3. Great Smoky Mountain National Park (11,312,786 visitors)
4. George Washington Memorial Parkway (10,323,339 visitors)
5. Gateway National Recreation Area (8,651,770 visitors)
6. Lincoln Memorial (7,915,934 visitors)
7. Lake Mead National Recreation Area (7,175,891 visitors)
8. Grand Canyon National Park (5,969,811 visitors)
9. Natchez Trace Parkway (5,891,315 visitors)
10. Vietnam Veterans Memorial (5,299,713 visitors)
11. Independence National Historical Park (5,067,510 visitors)
12. Yosemite National Park (5,028,868 visitors)
13. World War II Memorial (4,856,532 visitors)
14. Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park (4,813,078 visitors)
15. Castle Clinton National Monument (4,812,930 visitors)
16. Gulf Islands National Seashore (4,771,309 visitors)
17. Cape Cod National Seashore (4,692,796 visitors)
18. Rocky Mountain National Park (4,517,585 visitors)
19. Statue of Liberty National Monument (4,501,547 visitors)
20.  Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (4,360,502 visitors)
21. San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park (4,334,752 visitors)
22.  Zion National Park (4,295,127 visitors)
23. Yellowstone National Park (4,257,177 visitors)
24.  Korean War Veterans Memorial (4,084,298 visitors)
25.  Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (3,677,744 visitors)