America the beautiful.
HBD, National Parks!
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In the book, Lonely Planet gives lots of great tips on how to get the most out of your national park experience. Here's their advice on the best time to visit the most popular parks — and the one thing you ~must~ do while you're there.
Lonely Planet
When to go: The park is open year-round, but it's the most crowded in summer. Fall is a bit chilly, and in winter, roads and facilities may be closed.
Must-do activity: waterfall hopping. Abrams Falls (near Cades Cove), Grotto Falls, and Mingo Falls are all great.
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When to go: The South Rim is open all year, but it's really crowded in summer and really cold in winter — which makes spring and fall the best times to visit. (And the North Rim is only open from May to October.)
Must-do activity: rafting. Trips range from about four to ten days, complete with riverside camping.
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