It's that time of year. It's time to head to the beach. It's time to lay out. It's time to forget all about any responsibility in the world. It's time for spring break. The stereotypical spring break trip to the beach is great. I totally understand the desire to just lay in hot sand all day with no cares in the world, but I want to give you an alternative to the typical spring break get-away. Here are 12 of the best National Parks the world has to offer to make your spring break trip totally unique from the rest of your classmates' trips.

1. Zion National Park:

Nestled in the southwest of Utah is the home of Zion National Park. One of Zion's most popular trails, called The Narrows, takes hikers through the most narrow gorge of Zion Canyon. The hike has a river walkway that follows along the Virgin River for a mile. For an adventurous heart, hikers can hike upstream, past the river walkway, through the Virgin River, ultimately finding themselves thousands of feet down and between gorge walls only twenty feet apart.

2. Yosemite National Park:

One of the United States' most iconic National Parks, Yosemite National Park, lives in Northern California. During the same time as college spring breaks, one of the weeks of March, Yosemite's most popular hike, Half Dome, is closed for the season due to snow blocking the access. There are other incredible hikes that offer unbelievable views: Hetch Hetchy Wawona, Mariposa Grove,Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows. You can hike to the top of Nevada Falls in Yosemite Valley. Take John Muir trail to get a glimpse of the beautiful waterfall and half dome in the background.

3. Acadia National Park:

Happy 100th year, Acadia! Acadia rests right on the east coast with many cliff faces facing the Atlantic Ocean. During the winter season in Acadia National Park you can go snowmobiling. You can snowmobile along the Park Road Loop, a 27 mile loop that includes the road up to Cadillac Mountain. There are several rules and regulations listed on the National Park Service website to keep all participants safe.

4. Los Glaciares National Park:

This national park is in Patagonia, Argentina. It is home to the famous Fitz Roy mountain range. Trekking Fitz Roy starts in El Calafate. One of the most recommended hikes is "Around Fitz Roy" which is roughly 24 miles in total of backpacking. There is no permit or fee required for this trip. Going to Patagonia and seeing Fitz Roy is truly a once in a lifetime experience.

5. Olympic National Park:

Head to Olympic National Park in Washington. During March you can go up to Hurricane Ridge to fulfill as many winter wonderland activities as you can imagine. Hurricane Ridge has snowboarding, skiing, tubing, sledding, and snowshoeing available throughout the month of March. Each activity has different guidelines and requirements on the National Park Service website. Experience the beauties of Washington's National Park blanketed with snow.

6. Red River Gorge:

The Red River Gorge, known as the Red, has some of the best rock climbing east of the Mississippi. The Red is in Stanton, Kentucky. The beautiful sandstone offers varying routes for all climbing experience levels. The Pendergrass-Murray Recreational Preserve has over 300 routes of traditional climbing, sport climbing, and even some top roping. This makes it one of the best spots to go climb.

7. The New River Gorge National Park:

The New River Gorge, also known as The New, is one of the east coast hot spots for climbing. The New features an area called The New River Proper with various routes of sport, traditional, and top rope climbing. An area close to the Fayetteville Bridge called Bridge Buttress is an awesome spot to take first time climbers to top rope and also has great areas for lead climbing outside.

8. Banff National Park:

This national Park is in Alberta, Canada. Banff offers an opportunity for the brave-hearted: ice diving! Even though this excursion requires having a scuba diving license, it is well worth it. Ice Diving in Banff National Park takes place in Minnewanka Lake.

9. Joshua Tree National Park:

Joshua Tree National Park is one of California's most beautiful national parks. Settled in Southern California, Joshua Tree is truly one of the United States greatest climbing meccas with thousands of routes throughout the park. The park has numerous bouldering areas and its many traditional climbing, sporting climbing, and top roping routes making it a place for first timers and life long climbers alike.

10. Grand Canyon National Park:

The South Rim is the part of the Grand Canyon that is open year round. From the South Rim, you can venture into the Grand Canyon on the back of a mule. Mule trips can either take you into the Grand Canyon, where you can stay a night or two at Phantom Ranch, or you can ride a mule around the South Rim. This opportunity to see the Grand Canyon will provide you with a unique way to experience the Grand Canyon fully without having to do much walking yourself!

11. Rocky Mountain National Park:

Rocky Mountain National Park is the home of the United States' most beautiful mountains higher than 14,000 feet. Loft Route, one of the three routes to the top of Long Peak, is a 13 mile hike with a 5,300 feet elevation gain. It has some of the most beautiful views through the 13 miles to the summit of Long Peak. This route is the shortest route, but has more scramble sections than the other two.

12. Monte Rosa, Swiss Alps:

This last one technically is only a mountain range rather than a National Park, but Monte Rosa is the highest summit in the Swiss Alps mountain range. If mountaineering to send a summit in the Swiss Alps seems impossible, don't worry; there is another way to get up close to Monte Rosa: Cross Country Skiing! If you want to climb to the top of Monte Rosa there are no seasonal restrictions on the route; however, it's strongly encouraged that you prepare for temperatures 35 degrees celsius below zero if you choose to send the summit.

Happy adventuring! Get off the beaches and head to some National Parks.