Waterfall

El Yunque is the accessible rainforest: several of the best things in it are within a few hundred metres of the road, so a family with young children gets waterfalls, tree ferns and coqui frogs without a serious hike. La Coca Falls is visible from the roadside and Yokahu Tower gives a view over the canopy to the coast. Check the forest’s alerts page before you go, because the trail network is only partly open - La Mina Trail (and so La Mina Falls), Big Tree Trail and Bano de Oro are closed, and El Yunque Peak Trail runs only as far as Los Picachos. Entry on PR-191 is free and needs no reservation, but the corridor runs 8am to 5pm, parking is restricted to marked areas and fills early, and rideshare apps are not permitted to collect you. It rains most days; that is the point.

Florida’s highest waterfall is not what you would expect: a stream runs across flat ground, reaches the edge of a cylindrical sinkhole a hundred feet deep, and falls seventy-three feet into it. The water then vanishes into the aquifer, and its destination has never been established. A boardwalk and stairs descend to viewing platforms inside the sink. It is a short walk, well shaded, and genuinely strange. The fall depends entirely on rainfall - after a dry month it can be a trickle or nothing, so ask when you call. There is a small spring-fed lake for swimming and a campground.

A staircase of waterfall-fed pools dropping through the Kipahulu district of Haleakala National Park all the way to the sea. Swimming in the pools is prohibited - flash flooding funnels down this gulch with almost no warning and a rockslide closed the pools outright - so treat this as a viewpoint, not a swim stop. The half-mile Kuloa Point Trail loops from the visitor center out over the pools and the ocean cliffs, and the four-mile round-trip Pipiwai Trail climbs past a bamboo forest to 400-foot Waimoku Falls. It is the far end of the Road to Hana, so budget the drive.

Rainbow Springs pushes out hundreds of millions of gallons a day into a swimming area that is unusually forgiving for small children: a gradual sandy entry, roped shallows, and clear water that rarely drops below 72 degrees. The old garden paths above the spring lead past man-made waterfalls built when this was a private roadside attraction. Tube and kayak rentals run from a separate entrance downriver, and the paddle up the Rainbow River is calm enough for a first-time family trip. Weekends fill by late morning in summer.

The most remote-feeling park within striking distance of Austin, reached by six miles of gravel road along the Colorado River. Camping is deliberately rustic: river-access drive-up sites and walk-in sites with no hookups, composting or vault toilets in most areas, and very little light pollution. The draw is Gorman Falls, a seventy-foot travertine waterfall reached by a rocky mile-and-a-half hike, plus guided wild cave tours for older kids. Come prepared, because the nearest real supplies are a long drive back out.

Letchworth is seventeen miles long, which is exactly why staying inside it matters: from the Highbanks camping area you can reach the three main waterfalls, the overlooks and the trailheads without repeatedly driving in from outside. The park has a large campground plus rental cabins in the woods, along with a swimming pool complex that saves many hot afternoons. Sunrise over the gorge with the mist still in it is the reason people book a second night. Autumn foliage weekends are the busiest of the year.

Treman has the single best swimming setup in the Finger Lakes: a stone-walled natural pool at the base of a waterfall, with a diving board and lifeguards. Staying at the park campground or in one of its cabins means you can be in that pool the moment it opens. Campsites sit in the lower park near the swimming area, and the cabins are simple wooden units with beds and electricity but no plumbing. The Gorge Trail up to Lucifer Falls is the other reason to be here, and it starts a short walk away.

A compact gorge park where two stream-fed swimming pools are dammed right in the creek bed, so kids swim in cold moving water with rock walls on either side. The campground sits in the woods a short walk from the gorge trail and the pools. It is much smaller and less known than Watkins Glen or Letchworth, which is the appeal: the same kind of scenery without the parking chaos. Dansville is minutes away for supplies, and Letchworth is a half hour north if you want to combine the two.

Campsites and a set of small cabins sit on the hillside above Cayuga Lake at the park that holds the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rockies. The flat gorge trail to the base of the 215-foot falls is short and stroller-passable, which makes this one of the easiest big-waterfall payoffs for families with toddlers. Down at lake level there is a swimming beach and a marina. Summer weekends bring free concerts at the park, and Ithaca is twenty minutes south for a rainy-day plan.

The campground sits on the hill above the gorge, which means you can walk down to the Gorge Trail at eight in the morning before the tour buses and the day-trippers arrive. That timing changes the experience of the park completely: the same nineteen waterfalls, none of the shuffling crowd. Sites are open and grassy with some wooded loops, and there is a swimming pool in the park. Seneca Lake and the Finger Lakes wineries are minutes away, and the campground is a short walk from the village.

A short paved loop trail through a lush tropical forest to a viewpoint overlooking a stunning 442-foot waterfall, one of the tallest in Hawaii. The 0.4-mile loop is accessible for strollers and passes through groves of bamboo, orchids, ferns, and tropical flowers. The falls plunge into a deep gorge surrounded by green vegetation and the scale is impressive. A smaller waterfall, Kahuna Falls, is visible from another viewpoint on the same loop. The whole visit takes about 30 minutes making it one of the easiest big-payoff experiences on the Big Island.

A beautiful and relatively flat 3-mile round trip hike through the Ausable River valley to a stunning 30-foot waterfall. The trail follows the river upstream with several crossings on bridges and rocks that kids find exciting. The waterfall at the end cascades over a wide rock face into a pool below. It is one of the more accessible waterfall hikes in the High Peaks region and the forest scenery along the way is gorgeous. The trail continues beyond the falls for families who want a longer adventure.

One of the tallest waterfalls in the Adirondacks at over 100 feet, accessed by a very short walk from the parking area. A wooden staircase climbs alongside the falls with viewing platforms at multiple levels, giving kids a front-row look at the cascading water from top to bottom. The ease of access makes this perfect for families with young children. The falls are most impressive in spring after snowmelt but remain scenic all summer. A short trail continues to the Raquette River above the falls.

A beautiful park with a swimming area at the base of Buttermilk Falls, a cascading waterfall that drops over 500 feet through a series of pools and rapids. The swimming pool at the base is natural, fed by the falls, and staffed with lifeguards in summer. The Gorge Trail climbs alongside the falls with views at every turn. Kids love the combination of swimming and waterfall exploration. The park also has a playground, picnic shelters, and a separate trail along Larch Meadows. It is less crowded than Taughannock and Treman.

A 167-foot waterfall that is one of the tallest in New York State, visible from multiple overlook platforms connected by stone stairways. The falls drop in a single dramatic plunge over a ledge of resistant limestone. The main viewing platform is just a short walk from the parking lot making it accessible for all ages. A trail descends to the base of the falls through a gorge. The park is home to the endangered Chittenango ovate amber snail found nowhere else on Earth. A picnic area and playground round out the visit.

A hidden gem with a deep gorge, five waterfalls, and a swimming area that gets far fewer visitors than the parks near Ithaca. The Gorge Trail runs 1.5 miles along the creek through narrow rock walls with waterfalls at several points. The Cowshed, a waterfall that flows over a rock overhang you can walk behind, is a highlight for kids. The swimming pool at the base of the glen is fed by the creek and staffed with lifeguards in summer. A replica of President Millard Fillmore birthplace cabin adds a historical touch.

A beautifully maintained 26-acre botanical garden along the Road to Hana with ocean views, rare tropical plants, and the lookout platform where the iconic Jurassic Park scene was filmed. The self-guided trail winds through labeled plant collections with peacocks and other birds roaming freely. The Puohokamoa Falls viewpoint within the garden is stunning. Kids enjoy the duck pond, the colorful peacocks, and looking for the filming locations. It is a peaceful break from the intense Road to Hana driving and the views from the overlook are excellent.

A unique creek-walk hike where you wade right up the streambed to reach two beautiful waterfalls hidden in a narrow gorge. There is no dry trail option so everyone gets wet feet, which kids absolutely love. The first waterfall is about a half mile in and the second is just beyond it. The creek is shallow and the rock walls on either side are layered with fossils. This is hands-down one of the most fun and memorable family hikes in the Finger Lakes. Water shoes are essential.

A guided cultural hike through the ancient Halawa Valley to a beautiful 250-foot double waterfall (Moa ula Falls). Access to the valley trail is only through a guided tour with a local Hawaiian family who shares the valley history, culture, and legends along the way. Kids learn about taro farming, Hawaiian plant uses, and valley life. The waterfall pool at the end is deep enough for swimming. The valley itself is stunningly beautiful with the green walls rising on both sides. This is an authentic Hawaiian cultural experience, not a tourist operation.

A stunning tropical garden on a dramatic ocean bluff north of Hilo with trails winding through over 2000 species of tropical plants and flowers. The garden descends into Onomea Bay with viewpoints of waterfalls, the ocean, and towering palms. Kids enjoy the boardwalk trail that passes a waterfall and crosses bridges over streams. The variety of exotic flowers, palms, and tropical plants is incredible. This was a filming location for Jurassic Park and you can see why. The beauty is overwhelming and photographs here look like they were taken in a fantasy world.