Have you ever wanted the information that you can get on a tour without being on an actual tour? Without other people? Without a set schedule? Without having to walk around in the heat or cold?
If so, then national park audio tours are the way to go!
I love these. You download them to your phone and then listen to them at each point of interest. It’s super easy.
I also like to listen to them BEFORE I go so I know what to expect. If you want to do this, go to Story List and click between the title and the page icon. A photo pops up while the story plays.
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Other pros
- it’s really easy to use
- you learn interesting facts and stories at each point of interest
- it has perfect timing if you want to follow it as is
- it’s very flexible – you go at your own pace. You can take breaks, stay for a long time at places you love, and can even stop it and start another day if you want.
- You can start the tour any time you want
- many of the tours have multiple start points, which gives you more flexibility
- you do it by yourself/ with your family/ friends; not strangers
- you will often discover places you didn’t know about
- you don’t need cell service or WiFi to run the tour (after you’ve downloaded it). It does use GPS, but this works without a cell or WiFi signal.
So, what is the audio tour?
The tour is a combination of a storyteller, audio guide, guidebook, and interactive map. As you follow the route the tour tells you to take, you automatically begin to hear stories about what you’re seeing, what you’re about to see, and why it all matters. The tour works by using your location, so it knows what stories to tell without you having to do anything.
How do the audio tours work?
- Once you book a tour, you’ll get a text or email with instructions and a link to download the app and a passcode.
- Download the app (while in good WiFi/signal) and use your email address and password to access your account.
- There are often multiple versions or entrances for your tour – be sure to download all audio guides. The file size is pretty big, so I recommend doing this while you are on WiFi.
- To begin the tour, you just need to go to the starting point and open the app and tour.
- When you click on tour, you get a pop up with a simple menu.
- If you click on Know Before You Go, you get additional options where you can watch a tutorial so you can see how it works, preview your route, or access the stories before you go.
- The audio starts automatically once you reach the starting point. It reads the GPS in your phone – there’s a map with you indicated as a blue dot and the places on the tour marked.
- Stick to the tour route and speed limit for the best experience – otherwise a new audio may start playing before the previous one finished and they play over each other.
Some things to be aware of
- You need a good cell signal or WiFi to download the app and each tour within. (though you don’t need cell service to take the tour after you’ve downloaded it).
- It’s valid for multiple visits up to 1 year after purchase.
- It does not include entry tickets or reservations to any attractions along the route.
- It is an audio tour on your phone only. It does not include transportation, parking fees, food, and drinks.
- It doesn’t include car rental. You can rent a car here if you need one.
Tours Available
The national parks bundle
This is my favorite bundle (it’s hard to go wrong with these parks). There are actually 28 national parks plus 6 other tours included in the bundle.
You get 20% off if you purchase the whole bundle. However, you can also purchase audio guides for individual parks by clicking on the links.
The parks included in this bundle are:
- Acadia
- Arches
- Badlands
- Bryce Canyon
- Canyonlands
- Capitol Reef
- Carlsbad Caverns
- Death Valley
- Everglades
- Glacier
- Grand Canyon
- Grand Teton
- Great Smokies (including Cades Cove & Blue Ridge Parkway)
- Hawaii Volcanoes
- Joshua Tree
- Mesa Verde
- Mount Rainier
- Olympic
- Petrified Forest
- Rocky Mountain
- Saguaro
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon
- Shenandoah
- White Sands
- Yellowstone
- Yosemite
- Zion
Also, Enjoy Bonus Tour of :
Get the whole national parks bundle here
The Ultimate Utah bundle
There are actually 10 tours in this bundle, including all the Might Five.
You get 20% off if you purchase the whole bundle but you can purchase audio guides for individual parks/ tours by clicking on the links.
Tours in the Ultimate Utah bundle are:
Get the 10-tour Ultimate Utah bundle here
Ultimate Arizona bundle
There are 6 tours in this bundle, plus 3 extra bonus tours, making a total of 9. It includes 3 national parks.
You get 20% off if you purchase the whole bundle but you can purchase audio guides for individual parks/ tours by clicking on the links.
Tours in the Ultimate Arizona bundle are:
Get the 9-tour Ultimate Arizona bundle here
Ultimate American Southwest
There are 40 tours in this bundle, plus 3 extra bonus tours, making a total of 43! It includes:
- 9 Arizona tours (3 national parks)
- 14 California tours (5 national parks)
- 4 Colorado tours (2 national parks)
- 3 Nevada tours
- 9 Utah tours (5 national parks)
- 3 New Mexico tours (2 national parks)
- 3 bonus tours
You get 20% off if you purchase the whole bundle but you can purchase audio guides for individual parks/ tours by clicking on the links.
All the tours included in the American Southwest bundle are:
Arizona
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Saguaro National Park
- Sedona and Red Rock State Park
- Horseshoe Bend & Page
- Hoover Dam tour from Las Vegas
- Mt. Lemmon
California
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- Yosemite National Park
- Big Sur
- Silicon Valley
- Pacific Coast Highway (both ways)
- 17 Mile Drive
- La Jolla
- San Francisco
- Lake Tahoe
- LA Filming Locations
- Hollywood Celeb Homes
- San Luis Obispo
Colorado
Nevada
Utah
- Arches
- Bryce Canyon
- Canyonlands
- Capitol Reef
- Zion
- Monument Valley
- Grand Staircase Escalante
- Goblin Valley
- La Sal Mountains
New Mexico
Bonus Tours
Get the 43-tour Ultimate American Southwest bundle here
Tour of California
There are 16 tours in this bundle. It includes 4 national parks and one national seashore.
You get 20% off if you purchase the whole bundle but you can purchase audio guides for individual parks/ tours by clicking on the links.
Tours in the California bundle are:
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
- Yosemite National Park
- Point Reyes National Seashore
- Big Sur
- Silicon Valley
- Pacific Coast Highway (both ways)
- 17 Mile Drive
- La Jolla
- San Francisco
- Lake Tahoe
- LA Filming Locations
- Hollywood Homes
- San Luis Obispo
- Palm Springs
Get the 16-tour California bundle here
Florida Five
There are 5 tours in this bundle (plus an extra bonus tours), including one national park.
You get 20% off if you purchase the whole bundle but you can purchase audio guides for individual parks/ tours by clicking on the links.
Tours in the Florida bundle are:
Get the 6-tour Florida bundle here
Hawaii 8
There are 8 tours in this bundle, including 1 national park.
You get 20% off if you purchase the whole bundle but you can purchase audio guides for individual parks/ tours by clicking on the links.
Tours in the Hawaii bundle are:
Get the 8-tour Hawaii bundle here
Enjoy these audio tours
Have you used any of these audio tours? Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
Are you just starting to think about taking a national parks trip? Get Inspiration
Are you starting to plan a trip to a national park? Read my National Parks Guides
Do you want an itinerary to help plan your trip? Check out my Detailed Itineraries
Are you ready to book your trip? Use these Planning and Booking Resources
About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for most of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, comprehensive camping and hiking gear reviews and buying guides, and helpful packing lists and gift guides will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.