Acadia National Park has the distinction of being the only national park in the Northeast and the first east of the Mississippi River. Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak on the East Coast, highlights the park which is situated almost entirely on Maine’s Mount Desert Island.

Established in 1916, the park is one of the most popular in the system. A rocky, picturesque coastline gives way to numerous granite mountains, lakes, ponds and forests in a diverse habitat. Bears, moose and seabirds (among others) call the park home. You can also visit the beach or get there early to see the earliest sunrise in the continental United States. The summer is short and the crowds can be large, so make sure to plan your trip far in advance.