10 Best East Coast National Parks to Visit in the USA

Think the best national parks are all out west? These ten incredible, must-see East Coast National Parks say otherwise. Here’s where to go.

When people think of U.S. national parks, they picture the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or some vast desert in Utah. But the East Coast has its own lineup of parks that deserve just as much hype. Instead of endless canyons and towering red rocks, you’ll get misty mountain ranges, hidden beaches, dense swamps, and even entire islands where the only way in is by boat.

There are over twenty official national parks on the East Coast, but some are more bucket-list worthy than others. This list covers the 10 best East Coast National Parks—places that deliver jaw-dropping landscapes, the best hiking and wildlife, and zero regrets for making the trip.

The most-visited national park in the U.S. isn’t in California or Utah—it’s right here in the Smokies. And for good reason. This place is massive, wild, and ridiculously scenic, with rolling mountains fading into the mist, deep forests that stretch for miles, and black bears casually crossing the road. It also straddles two states, has zero entrance fee, and gives you everything from high-altitude viewpoints to historic cabins straight out of a pioneer movie.

Best Things to Do

• Clingmans Dome – A short but steep half-mile walk to the highest point in the park (6,643 feet). The view goes for 100 miles on a clear day, but it’s often swallowed by fog (hence the name “Smoky”).
• Cades Cove Loop – A slow, scenic 11-mile drive where you’ll see deer, turkeys, and maybe a bear, plus some 1800s log cabins that make you wonder how people survived here before Uber Eats.
• Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte – A 10-mile round-trip hike with rock ledges, massive caves, and the best mountain views in the park (if you don’t mind climbing 2,500 feet).
• Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail – A winding, less crowded back road with waterfalls, old-school Appalachian homesteads, and zero cell service.

How Long to Stay

2–3 days minimum. One for scenic drives, one for a long hike, and a third to explore waterfalls, hidden trails, or just sit on a porch with a bourbon watching the mountains do their thing.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

The easiest way in is through Gatlinburg, TN (1 hour from Knoxville) or Cherokee, NC (1.5 hours from Asheville). If you want to stay inside the park, LeConte Lodge is a good choice (no roads—you have to hike up). Nearby towns to stay include Gatlinburg (crowded and commercial but lively) and Townsend (calmer, with fewer chain restaurants).

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Acadia is where the Atlantic Ocean meets the mountains, a rugged mix of rocky coastlines, dense forests, and granite peaks that make it one of the most visually striking national parks on the East Coast. It’s the only national park in New England, which means it gets packed in peak season, but the ocean views, carriage roads, and endless hiking trails make it worth every second. Plus, it’s home to Cadillac Mountain, the first place in the U.S. to see the sunrise for part of the year.

Best Things to Do

• Cadillac Mountain – Drive or hike to the summit for panoramic views over the ocean, forests, and tiny islands dotting the coast. Sunrise is legendary here, but so is the 3 a.m. wake-up call.
• Jordan Pond & The Bubbles – A moderate 3.3-mile loop around a clear glacial lake, with an optional 1.5-mile side hike up South Bubble for a killer view.
• Ocean Path Trail – A relatively easy, 4.5-mile coastal trail that runs past some of Acadia’s most iconic spots, including Thunder Hole (where waves crash into a sea cave) and Otter Cliffs (one of the best coastal views in the park).
• Beehive Trail – Not for the faint of heart. This 1.5-mile climb involves iron rungs, sheer cliffs, and exposure, but the views from the top are unreal.
• Schoodic Peninsula – The quieter, less-visited section of the park with wild, rocky shores and fewer tourists.

How Long to Stay

Two to three days is enough to hit the highlights. If you want to slow down and explore more hidden trails and coastline, four to five days is ideal.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

Fly into Bangor, Maine (1 hour away) or Portland, Maine (3 hours away). The closest town, Bar Harbor, is right at the park’s doorstep. Lodging in Bar Harbor is convenient but pricey in summer. Campgrounds inside the park book up early, so reserve in advance.

The Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S., home to a maze of slow-moving water, mangrove tunnels, and more alligators than people. This is where you come to canoe through silent waterways, spot manatees floating by, and see prehistoric-looking birds gliding over the sawgrass marsh. It’s one of the most unique national parks on the East Coast, blending raw nature with an eerie, quiet beauty that you won’t find anywhere else.

Best Things to Do

• Take an airboat tour in the northern section of the park for a fast, loud ride through alligator-infested waters.
• Kayak through the Ten Thousand Islands, a vast network of mangroves where dolphins often swim alongside you.
• Hike the Anhinga Trail (0.8 miles, flat), where you’ll see alligators, turtles, and wading birds up close.
• Drive the Loop Road through Big Cypress National Preserve for some of the best off-the-beaten-path wildlife spotting.
• Visit Flamingo at the southern tip of the park to see manatees, crocodiles (yes, crocodiles, not just alligators), and stunning sunsets over Florida Bay.

How Long to Stay

Two to three days is enough to cover both the Shark Valley, Gulf Coast, and Flamingo areas. If you’re into kayaking or backcountry camping, you could easily spend a week here.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

The park has three main entrances: Shark Valley (closest to Miami, about 40 minutes away), Gulf Coast (near Everglades City, best for kayaking), and Flamingo (the most remote, about two hours from Miami). Accommodations range from hotels in Homestead or Everglades City to campgrounds and backcountry chickee huts.

Shenandoah is the escape button for anyone stuck in D.C. traffic too long. Just 75 miles from the capital, it’s a different world made of rolling Blue Ridge Mountains, misty overlooks, and hiking trails that weave through dense forests. The park follows Skyline Drive, a 105-mile road that rides the ridgeline like it was made for lazy Sunday drives.

Best Things to Do

• Drive Skyline Drive from end to end, stopping at overlooks like Stony Man and Thorofare Mountain to remind yourself why taking the scenic route is always worth it.
• Hike Old Rag Mountain (9.5 miles, 2,350 ft elevation gain) if you’re up for some rock scrambling and a summit view that makes the climb worth every drop of sweat.
• Take the Dark Hollow Falls Trail (1.4 miles, moderate) to one of the park’s best waterfalls—it’s short but steep, and the falls are stunning after a good rain.
• Watch the sunset from Blackrock Summit, where the boulder-covered peak makes for a dramatic foreground as the sky lights up in oranges and pinks.
• Keep an eye out for black bears—Shenandoah has one of the densest bear populations in the country, but they’re usually too busy doing bear things to care about you.

How Long to Stay

A weekend is perfect—one day for Skyline Drive and shorter hikes, another for Old Rag or a deep forest trail. If you want to hit multiple hikes and explore more remote areas, four days lets you slow down and take it all in.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

The closest big airport is Washington D.C. (Dulles, 1.5 hours away). Most visitors enter via Front Royal (North Entrance) or Swift Run Gap (Central Entrance). Inside the park, lodging is rustic but charming—Skyland and Big Meadows Lodge are the main options, both with killer views. Campgrounds are solid, and backcountry camping lets you ditch the crowds entirely.

Congaree is the kind of place that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it should. It’s home to the largest old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the U.S., which is a fancy way of saying towering trees, flooded forests, and some of the best paddling on the East Coast. It’s also one of the darkest places in the Southeast, making it a prime spot for stargazing—unless you visit in late spring, when the real show happens: synchronous fireflies. For a few magical weeks, the fireflies blink in perfect rhythm, turning the forest into something out of a sci-fi movie.

Best Things to Do

• Paddle the Cedar Creek Canoe Trail, an easy 15-mile water trail through the flooded forest, where you’ll glide past massive cypress trees draped in Spanish moss.
• Walk the Boardwalk Loop Trail (2.4 miles, flat), an elevated walkway through the heart of the old-growth forest—great for spotting wildlife without getting your feet wet.
• Hike Weston Lake Loop (4.5 miles, mostly flat) if you want a quiet trail along the water, with a good chance of seeing otters and barred owls.
• Visit in May or early June for the synchronous fireflies, a natural phenomenon that draws people from all over the country (permits required).

How Long to Stay

One to two days is perfect. A day trip covers the boardwalk and a short paddle, while a long weekend stay lets you catch the fireflies or do a longer backcountry kayak trip.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

Congaree is just 30 minutes from Columbia, South Carolina, making it an easy getaway. The park has no lodges, just primitive campgrounds, so most visitors stay in Columbia. If you’re camping, bring serious bug spray—mosquitoes here are relentless.

Most national parks show off towering mountains, sweeping deserts, or endless forests. Biscayne? It’s 95% water. This is not a park for hikers—it’s a park for people who want to kayak, snorkel, and explore islands that haven’t changed much since pirates were hiding treasure in them. The whole place feels like a secret: shipwrecks just below the surface, mangroves tangled along the shoreline, and coral reefs teeming with life. If you’ve ever wanted to explore a national park without setting foot on solid ground, this is the one.

Best Things to Do

• Snorkel or dive the Maritime Heritage Trail, where you’ll find shipwrecks, coral reefs, and enough fish to make you forget you’re still in the U.S.
• Take a boat tour to Boca Chita Key, a small island with a historic lighthouse and some of the best views in the park.
• Kayak through Jones Lagoon, where the water is so clear you’ll see stingrays and baby sharks gliding beneath your boat.
• Camp on Elliott Key, the park’s largest island, where it’s just you, the ocean, and stars so bright you’ll rethink every city you’ve ever lived in.
• Look for manatees, sea turtles, and dolphins—this place is practically an underwater safari.

How Long to Stay

A day trip works if you just want to snorkel and explore a few islands, but an overnight stay on Elliott Key or Boca Chita Key gives you the full experience.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

The park’s entrance is only 45 minutes from Miami, but here’s the catch—you need a boat. No roads, no bridges. Most people book a boat tour or rent a kayak to get around. For lodging, Miami is your best bet unless you’re up for camping on one of the islands, where it’s just you, the ocean, and a few million mosquitoes.

Most national parks are easy to get to—Dry Tortugas is not. Sitting 70 miles west of Key West, it’s a remote cluster of islands only accessible by boat or seaplane. But that’s what makes it incredible. It’s got crystal-clear water, coral reefs full of marine life, and a massive 19th-century fortress (because why not build a fort in the middle of nowhere?).

Best Things to Do

• Explore Fort Jefferson, an enormous, unfinished brick fortress that once housed prisoners (including the doctor who treated John Wilkes Booth). You can walk its moat wall for surreal ocean views.
• Snorkel in the coral reefs right off the shore—expect to see tropical fish, stingrays, and even nurse sharks.
• Swim in the turquoise waters of Garden Key, which feels like your own private Caribbean island.
• Kayak around Loggerhead Key, the park’s most remote island, home to a historic lighthouse and untouched reefs.
• Camp under the stars, where the lack of light pollution makes for some of the best night skies in the U.S.

How Long to Stay

Most people visit as a day trip from Key West, but if you want the real experience, stay overnight.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

You’ll need to book a ferry from Key West (2.5 hours each way) or take a seaplane (40 minutes). No hotels exist on the islands, so camping is the only option unless you return to Key West.

One of the newest national parks in the U.S., New River Gorge isn’t actually new at all. The river? Older than the Grand Canyon. The cliffs? Steep, rugged, and packed with world-class rock climbing routes. The park is a mix of deep gorges, dense Appalachian forests, and one of the most famous bridges in the country.

Best Things to Do

• Raft the New River, one of the best whitewater rafting destinations in the U.S. The Lower Gorge is packed with Class III to V rapids—not for the faint of heart.
• Hike the Endless Wall Trail (2.4 miles, moderate), a trail that runs along the cliffs and gives you insane panoramic views over the gorge.
• Walk the Long Point Trail (3 miles, easy) to get the classic postcard view of the New River Gorge Bridge, which stretches 876 feet above the water.
• Visit in October for Bridge Day, when people literally BASE jump off the bridge in one of the wildest events in West Virginia.
• Rock climb on the Nuttall Sandstone cliffs, known for their incredible grip and thousands of routes.

How Long to Stay

Two to three days is ideal. One for hiking and scenic drives, another for rafting or climbing, and a third if you want to explore smaller trails and historic sites.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

The park is best accessed from Charleston, WV (1-hour drive). The closest towns are Fayetteville and Beckley, both offering cabins, lodges, and camping. If you’re rafting, many outfitters offer overnight trips with lodging included.

Cuyahoga Valley is not your typical national park. There are no towering mountains, no vast wilderness, no remote backcountry campsites. Instead, it’s a mix of forests, waterfalls, historic canals, and small towns just outside Cleveland. It’s also the only east coast national park where you can ride a scenic train through the entire park, which is as relaxing as it sounds.

Best Things to Do

• Hike to Brandywine Falls (1.5 miles, easy), the park’s most famous waterfall, tumbling 65 feet into a rocky gorge.
• Ride the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, a 26-mile train route that lets you hop on and off at different trailheads.
• Walk or bike the Towpath Trail, which follows the historic Ohio & Erie Canal, passing through quiet forests and old canal locks.
• Visit The Ledges Overlook (2.2 miles, moderate), where you’ll find massive sandstone cliffs and one of the best sunset views in the park.
• Spot beavers, herons, and otters along the park’s wetlands and rivers.

How Long to Stay

A two days are enough to see the highlights, but four days lets you explore more trails and take a scenic train ride without rushing.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

The park is just 30 minutes from Cleveland, making it one of the most accessible national parks on the East Coast. Nearby towns like Peninsula and Brecksville have lodges and B&Bs, or you can stay in Cleveland for a mix of city and nature.

Mammoth Cave is exactly what it sounds like—massive, dark, and unlike any other national park on the East Coast. It’s home to the longest cave system in the world, stretching over 400 miles (and still being mapped). Above ground, it’s all rolling hills and quiet rivers, but the real magic is underground, where twisting tunnels, cathedral-sized chambers, and prehistoric fossils make this one of the most interesting national parks in the U.S.

Best Things to Do

• Take a guided cave tour—this is the only way into the cave system, and tours range from easy walks to deep, lantern-lit crawls through narrow tunnels.
• Walk the Historic Entrance Trail, an easy, open cave section where you can explore massive underground caverns without squeezing through tight spaces.
• Try the Wild Cave Tour, a 6-hour, full-body crawl through some of the park’s most remote and challenging passageways.
• Kayak on the Green River, which runs through the park’s above-ground section, offering a quiet, scenic paddle.
• Hike the Sinkhole Trail (2.4 miles, moderate) to see natural sinkholes and limestone formations that hint at the massive cave system below.

How Long to Stay

A weekend work if you just want a basic cave tour, but three full days let you do multiple tours, hike above ground, and explore the Green River by kayak.

How to Get There & Where to Stay

The park is 90 minutes from Nashville and Louisville, making it an easy detour on a Southern road trip. Stay in nearby Cave City for lodges and motels, or camp inside the park for a quieter, more remote experience.

Now that you’ve got the full list, here’s a map to help you see where each east coast national park is located—because planning is always easier when you know what’s nearby.

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