Acadia
Location: Maine
Established: February 26, 1919
Acadia National Park -- which comprises land on Mount Desert Island, Isle au Haut and the Schoodic Peninsula -- is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River and the only national park in the Northeast. At 47,000 acres, Acadia may be one of the smaller national parks, but it is also one of the most popular, hosting nearly 3 million people each year. It's easy to see why, as the park's 27 mile scenic Park Loop Road on Mount Desert Island is easy to navigate and gives you access to the park's lakes, mountains, forests, and rocky coasts. We loved exploring the diverse landscape and had a blast frolicking in the water at Sand Beach (cold, but tolerable), relaxing at Jordan Pond, hiking to the top of Bubble Rock (a .7 mile trek that was pretty tough and, quite frankly, scary once you reached the top -- no guard rail!), and driving to the summit of Cadillac Mountain which, at 1532 feet, is the highest point along the North Atlantic Seaboard and is the first place to view sunrise in the US from October thru March.
At the start of your journey, I recommend stopping by the Hulls Cove Visitor Center to purchase a self-guided tour CD, which provides an excellent overview of Acadia's history, geology, natural resources and points of interest as you navigate Park Loop Road. However, as beautiful as the drive is along Park Loop Road, don't miss an opportunity to park your car and explore Acadia's wonderful hiking trails and over 45 miles of carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The carriage roads are a wonderful (and tranquil, as vehicles are not permitted) way to explore the park on foot or by bike. Regardless of how you choose to visit Acadia, it will certainly be memorable. That is certainly true for us, as Acadia National Park is where we first fell in love with national parks!
Thunder Hole