This is the best first stop at the south entrance of the park, offering a movie, “Crater Lake: Into the Deep,” that explains how the volcano formed and collapsed and what makes Crater Lake one of the planet’s most compelling places. Located on the south side of the park, four miles north of Highway 62 and three miles south of Rim Village on Munson Valley road, the visitor center is also full of nature guides and maps, and you can ask the staff for a Junior Ranger workbook.

Kids can earn a badge by paying attention to exhibits and park destinations and by attending one of the many free daily ranger talks at Rim Village; taking guided hikes throughout the park; or participating in an evening program at the Mazama Campground Amphitheater.