Lassen Volcanic National Park with kids

Lassen Volcanic National Park is a 4h 46m drive from Dublin, CA (244 miles) and rates 2.4 out of 5 for families with young kids. Boiling mud pots and a lava tube you walk through by torchlight - Yellowstone in miniature. Good for 1–2 days. Budget roughly $800–1,500 against a fixed yardstick of 2 nights, family of four. Best months: August ONLY.

What to do with kids in Lassen Volcanic National Park

• Bumpass Hell Boardwalk Included ($30)
  Boiling mud pots, fumaroles & steam vents ('Mini Yellowstone').
• Subway Cave Lava Tube Free
  0.3-mile flat underground lava tube walk with flashlights.

Prices link to the operator, last checked 2026-08. They change - check before you go.

Where to eat

• No food inside park — pack all meals!
• Nearest dining in Redding (45 min west)

How it scores

Weather by season

Common questions

• How long is the drive from Dublin, CA?
  About 4h 46m - roughly 244 miles.
• What does it cost for a family of four?
  Around $800–1,500 for 2 nights, family of four, including lodging, food and activities. Not the cost of the stay we recommend.
• When is the best time to go?
  August ONLY.
• What is the catch?
  The park highway's opening date varies with the snowpack and can be as late as early July, and Lassen plows up to 40 feet of snow off it each spring - check the road status before you commit the drive.

This trip appears in

National parks you can drive to · Trips you can do for under $1,500 · Best in August

What we checked, and when

True on the dates above. Prices and opening hours change without notice - check with the operator before you drive.

Other trips near here

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A 14,000-foot volcano over a swimming lake, with a waterfall you can walk behind.

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Reno, NV

Cheap rooms, a good children's museum and a wildlife sanctuary - a casino town used sideways.

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Humboldt Redwoods / Avenue of the Giants

A parkway through old-growth redwoods, and a drive-through tree on the way.

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Costs are a fixed yardstick: 2 nights, family of four, lodging, food and activities. Not the cost of the stay we recommend.