Acadia National Park

With 49,000 acres and the tallest mountain on the Atlantic coast of the U.S., Maine's Acadia National Park offers an abundance of hiking, biking, and sightseeing options to visitors. Located mainly on Mount Desert Island and a portion of the Schoodic Peninsula near Bar Harbor, Acadia's dramatic landscape of mountains and valleys was created by glaciers that carved through a granite ridge during the last ice age. Somes Sound, a valley flooded as the glaciers retreated, is the closest thing to a Scandinavian-style fjord on the eastern seaboard. Explorer Samuel Champlain named Mount Desert Island when he landed here in 1604, and the famed artists of the Hudson River School of Art helped put the region on the tourism map by portraying its beauty in their works during the mid 19th century. Wealthy summer residents built vacation homes linked by carriage roads, which today serve as highly accessible hiking and biking paths throughout the park. Hikers and autos alike can summit 1,528-foot Cadillac Mountain for dramatic views of the Maine coastline, an outing that's especially popular at sunrise. The crowds during the summer and fall time can be overwhelming for the park and visitors. Be sure to start early (i.e. before 10 am) if you're planning on driving the Loop Road, or better yet, head over to the "quiet side" of the park (western) and experience a relaxing walk on the Ship Harbor Trail or the more challenging Perpendicular Trail. Be sure to download the separate Chimani Acadia guide (included in your subscription) for a complete destination guide for Acadia National Park.