Best Timeshares Near National Parks

America is fortunate to be a land filled with National Parks across its landscape. Some of the most popular visitor attractions in the country are these parks, highlighted by such notable national treasures as the Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. So, where are the best timeshares near national parks?

Much of the time, national parks are promoted to campers, since they often offer camping spots within the park boundaries, or vacationers with their own RV or trailer. But timeshare owners may not be aware that there are great resorts within easy distances of national parks, providing a comfortable respite from the exuberance of a day hiking, biking, rafting or swimming in these parks.

National parks are as popular as ever, with over 400 parks to choose from in the National Park System. During 2021, over 297 million recreation visits were logged by the National Park Service, which would obviously include multiple park visits from individual tourists. Still, this is an impressive number and shows the increasing popularity of the parks.

Trending Towards Nature

There is definite demand from timeshare owners to get back to nature, as underscored in the latest figures from the American Resort Development Association. Three of the top four categories of vacation experiences offered by timeshare resorts involve rural/coastal, country/lakes and mountain destinations, above more publicized activities as skiing, golfing and theme parks.

Such an emphasis shows that resorts are positioned to meet the demand of timeshare owners looking for more natural, outdoor activities - perhaps an outcome of our post-COVID world. Vacationers sought more nature-based vacations when resorts were shut down due to the pandemic, and this appears to be a lasting trend as society moves beyond the pandemic.

Timeshares Near National Parks

National parks promote themselves as protected wilderness areas, so it may be tough to align the idea of a timeshare vacation with parks. But timeshare resorts are near some of the most popular national parks in the country. Below are the top parks according to visitor data from the NPS along with popular timeshare resorts nearby according to our visitor inquiries:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (14.1 million visitors)

This amazing range of mountains stretching across the border between eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina is a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains. Gatlinburg is considered the gateway to the Smokies, with wonderful timeshare resorts in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville providing a home base for hiking, biking, fishing, swimming and viewing wildlife.

Timeshares Nearby: Wyndham Smoky Mountains (Sevierville), Bluegreen Resort's Mountain Loft Resort (Gatlinburg), Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa (Gatlinburg)

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (13.7 million)

Just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, this impressive park is home to the iconic redwood trees in Muir Woods. Covering 80,000 acres and more than 130 miles of trails, it also features beaches, over 2,000 plant and animal species, historic sites like Point Bonita Lighthouse and educational venues such as the Marine Mammal Center.

Timeshares Nearby: Wyndham Canterbury at San Francisco, WorldMark San Francisco, Shell Vacations Club at The Donatello

Gateway National Recreation Area (9.1 million)

Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point near Coney Island, this Park covers multiple locations and is accessible to millions of New York City visitors. Swimming from the beaches, kayaking, bird watching, bicycling, and fishing are just a few of the activities. Historic structures like Fort Wadsworth and cultural facilities such as the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge give you plenty of options for the entire family.

Timeshares Nearby: Wyndham Midtown 45 at New York City, Hilton Grand Vacations Club at West 57th Street, Hilton Grand Vacations Club at The Hilton Club

Lake Mead National Recreation Area (7.6 million)

Las Vegas always seems to come up on our lists whenever we discuss top timeshare areas, and this is the latest example. About 30 miles from The Strip, Lake Mead stretches 110 miles and spans part of the Nevada/Arizona border. The recreation area covers mountains, canyons, and valleys as well as Lake Mead and Lake Mohave – great for watersports along with hiking, biking and viewing the unique Joshua trees.

Timeshares Nearby: Wyndham Grand Desert, Marriott's Grand Chateau, Tahiti Village

Gulf Islands National Seashore (5.5 million)

The Park runs along the Gulf coast, stretching across 12 areas and offshore islands from Cat Island, Mississippi eastward 160 miles to the Okaloosa Area east of Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The most accessible area to the west would be the Davis Bayou Area near Biloxi, while the Okaloosa and Santa Rosa areas near Destin offer incredible white sand beaches.

Timeshares Nearby: Ocean View Vacation Villas (Biloxi), Wyndham Majestic Sun (Destin), Wyndham Beach Street Cottages (Destin)

Zion National Park (5 million)

In southern Utah near the tri-state area bordering Nevada and Arizona, the landscapes are some of the most spectacular in America. A true wilderness experience, you’ll see massive sandstone cliffs reaching out from the canyons below, casting the red, orange, pink and cream colors against the blue sky. The hiking, horseback riding, kayaking on the Virgin River, birdwatching for the 291 species of birds and Kolob Canyon Scenic Drive make for a remarkable experience.

Timeshares Nearby: WorldMark St. George (St. George), WorldMark Estancia (St. George)

Yellowstone National Park (4.9 million)

Before we discuss the nation’s oldest national park, we acknowledge the devastating flooding that the park has experienced in recent days, severely impacting the northern areas of the park. All five entrances to the park are currently closed, but officials are hopeful that the west, south and east entrances of the park can be opened next week.

When fully operational, the park’s 2.2 million acres offer some of the best wildlife viewing in the country, with geothermal areas that contain about half the world’s active geysers. Look for bears, wolves, bison, moose and elk among the natural inhabitants.

Timeshares Nearby: WorldMark West Yellowstone, Yellowstone Village Condominiums (West Yellowstone), Bluegreen Resort's Lake Condominiums at Big Sky

Grand Canyon National Park (4.5 million)

The stunning landscape of the Grand Canyon can only be described from experience, and even then it is difficult to put into words. The South Rim is accessible every day of the year, with 90 percent of visitors to the Canyon using this entrance, compared to the North Rim which is more remote and only open from May 15 to October 15. As the Canyon is located in northern Arizona, Flagstaff is the closest at about an 1 ½ hour drive away, while Sedona is just over two hours away.

Timeshares Nearby: Wyndham Flagstaff, Diamond Resorts Los Abrigados Resort and Spa, Diamond Resorts Sedona Summit

Rocky Mountain National Park (4.4 million)

Norther Colorado is home to this impressive park featuring over 100 mountain peaks across the Continental Divide. Highlighted by Longs Peak at 14,259 feet high, you’ll have access to terrific hiking and walking trails plus wildlife viewing. Estes Park is the gateway to the region, and some of the best sightseeing is along Trail Ridge Road, reaching 12,000 feet in altitude as the highest continuous paved highway in North America. Talk about a Rocky Mountain high!

Timeshares Nearby: Diamond Resorts The Historic Crags Lodge (Estes Park), WorldMark Estes Park, Rams Horn Village (Estes Park)

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (4.3 million)

Running along a portion of the Delaware River along the Pennsylvania/New Jersey state line, the Park essentially runs from East Stroudsburg PA to the south up to Milford PA to the north. Hiking trails, swimming beaches, waterfalls and a beautiful scenic drive up the River Road are just the start of the fun. And the Pocono Mountains are just up the road for four seasons of playtime.

Timeshares Nearby: Pocono Mountain Villas (East Stroudsburg), Wyndham Vacation Resorts Shawnee Village (Shawnee-on-Delaware), WorldMark Shawnee Village (Shawnee-on-Delaware)

These are just a glimpse of the national parks situated across the country, and your favorite may not be shown on this list. If you have questions about timeshares near your favorite national park, or need more information about any of those shown here, click here to leave us a message or give us a call on 877-624-6889.