Arizona national park named a top US travel destination — and it's not the Grand Canyon
Saguaro National Park near Tucson was named a hidden gem of the U.S. National Parks, according to a recent report.
Vacation rentals marketplace HomeToGo analyzed which national parks across the country offer smaller crowds, stunning scenery and affordable stays for those looking to escape to lesser-known destinations to experience the beauty of the U.S. wilderness.
'According to our 2025 Travel Survey, almost half of U.S. travelers have their eyes set on the great outdoors, with 49% planning to visit national parks or wilderness areas this year,' Eleanor Moody, HomeToGo's travel expert, said in an news release. 'As many vacationers continue to show particular interest in off-the-beaten-path destinations, whether this is to escape the crowds or find more affordable options, we hope this guide helps travelers pinpoint their perfect park escape."
Here's why Saguaro National Park is one of the top national parks to enjoy nature without crowds, as well as a roundup of the top 10 national parks from HomeToGo's ranking.
Saguaro National Park showcases the Sonoran Desert in all its prickly, sunlit beauty with its more than 94,000 acres of land on the western and eastern edges of Tucson.
The park helps protect the biodiversity of the Sonoran desert landscape, including unique desert species like roadrunners, Gila monsters, desert tortoises and the iconic saguaro cactus.
The park offers scenic drives, short trails and breathtaking views of towering cactuses, arid valleys and rugged mountains. During certain times of the year, the desert blooms with vibrant colors, bringing the trails to life.
On the road? An Arizona city was named among the most underrated US travel destinations
Additionally, the park was recently certified as an Urban Night Sky Place by Dark-Sky International, making it the first National Park Service location in Arizona to achieve this certification. Urban Night Sky Place recognition is awarded to sites near or surrounded by large urban areas that actively promote an authentic nighttime experience amid artificial light.
One of the best parts? This stunning destination can also be budget-friendly. According to HomeToGo, the median nightly price per person for a vacation cabin near the park is about $53.
To help preserve this unique landscape, visitors are encouraged to follow park guidelines closely.
"As outdoor enthusiasts hit the trails, we encourage park visitors to embrace the Leave No Trace principles - preserving these natural spaces and leaving the parks as they found them,' Moody said.
The desert environment: this tiny mouse lives in Arizona and eats cactus. See what it looks like
Here's a list of the 10 most beautiful — and affordable — national parks for a vacation this summer 2025 and the median price per night per person for a vacation rental stay in the area, according to HomeToGo.
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska: $59
Congaree National Park, South Carolina: $62
Saguaro National Park, Arizona: $53
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon: $75
Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota: $56
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado: $56
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado: $112
Arches National Park, Utah: $77
Lassen Volcanic National Park, California: $120
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah: $76
To figure out the top national parks for travel, HomeToGo looked at vacation rental data and travel interest from January 1 to March 15, 2025. They focused on trips planned between April 1 and Sept. 21, 2025.
The data was taken from the site's own exclusive pricing and search demand data, in addition to 2024 visitor statistics from the National Parks Service´s Integrated Resource Management Applications portal.
Only parks with reliable vacation rental price data were included. Each park was scored using three factors:
Affordability: the average nightly cost per person for a vacation rental near the park.
Crowd size: how many people visited the park in 2024.
Popularity: how many people searched for that park on HomeToGo during the travel dates.
Each factor was given a score between 5 and 10, with 10 being the best (for example, the cheapest park or the least visited one). The highest possible total score a park could earn was 30.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Looking for a beautiful summer escape? Try this Arizona national park
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