If you’ve never been to Yellowstone National Park, you’re missing out on a great adventure. It was the world’s first national park and is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of North America. Families from all around the world flock to northwestern Wyoming every year to see wild animals and geothermal features and experience life in the wild west. Come join the fun!

Bring a good camera because there are some amazing things to see. Bison, mountain goats, grizzly bears, elk, bald eagles, wolves, geese, and antelope are just some of the wildlife you can glimpse in their natural habitat.

Though you should keep your distance from the animals, you’ll want to get a close-up of the fascinating geothermal features like the mudpots, hot springs, and geysers. (Just make sure you stay on the designated paths.) If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see an eruption from the world’s largest geyser, Steamboat Geyser. You can definitely count on seeing a spectacular eruption from Old Faithful, which got its name for reliably erupting at regular intervals since it was discovered in 1870.

When you’re not playing photographer, you can enjoy the park in other ways. Fishing, hiking, scenic drives, horseback riding, historic walking tours, and outdoor mountain cookouts are just some of the ways you can experience the wild majesty of Yellowstone. During the winter season, you can explore the park by skiing, snowmobiling or hopping on a snowcoach tour.

In addition to learning about the flora and fauna of the area, you can get up close and personal with its wild west history. There are many museums situated throughout Yellowstone Park and in the surrounding towns. Be sure to include a visit to one of the many ghost towns to get a real feel for what life was once like in the American west. Many of these are mining towns that were abandoned long ago, but now they are living museums offering a glimpse into the area’s rugged past.

A variety of lodging options are available in and around the park. You can really get back in touch with nature by camping in a tent or RV in many of the allotted campgrounds. You can take it up a notch and try out the glamping options near the park. (For more about Glamping in Yellowstone, see the link below.) If camping isn’t for you, there is also a convenient KOA cabin and cottage site just outside the Yellowstone west entrance. There are also many hotels and lodges to choose from both inside and outside of the park.

If you are ready for a wild west adventure, book your accommodations and vacation package well in advance since spots tend to fill up fast.