5 National Parks Better Than Acadia: One of the most beautiful places in the US is Acadia National Park, which is where the grand mountains meet the wild Atlantic Ocean. The natural beauty of the park draws people in with its dense woods, calm lakes, cute old towns, and beautiful gardens.
It includes the Schoodic Peninsula, Isle au Haut, and 18 smaller islands, as well as half of Mount Desert Island. It is full of natural beauty and fun things to do. This is Maine’s crown jewel. It has beautiful walks, historic roads, a wide range of wildlife, and a rich cultural history.
5 National Parks Better Than Acadia
Acadia National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the United States. It gets about four million people a year because there are so many fun things to do there.
There are, however, some secret gem national parks that are just as beautiful as Acadia and offer many of the same activities as well as some that are completely different. These national parks are better than Acadia in some way, and they usually don’t have as many people.
1. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
The island of Isle Royale National Park is in the northwest end of Lake Superior in Michigan. It is rough and remote. This Isle Royale is an underrated gem in the Midwest. It offers unmatched peace and quiet, backcountry wildness, and exciting adventures like camping, hiking, boating, kayaking, and diving. But you can only get there by boat or helicopter.
You can also visit four lighthouses on Isle Royale. All of them are on the National Register of Historic Places. This is also a great place for people who love animals because they can see wolves, moose, beavers, otters, and mink.
Even though only 28,965 people visit this national park each year, which is a lot less than the most popular ones in the US, it still has a lot of excitement, beauty, and history to discover.
2. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Alaska’s most beautiful park, Kenai Fjords National Park, has a lot of exciting things to do and amazing natural beauty. There are bears, moose, sea otters, whales, and seals that live there, as well as mountains, ice, and the ocean. People say that the glaciers in Kenai Fjords are even more beautiful than those in Norway.
Kenai Fjords is a thrill-seeker’s dream because you can kayak, boat, camp, fish, bike, cross-country ski, dog run, and do many other fun things there. There are also a lot of hiking trails with beautiful views of ice fields, woods, coastlines, and tall mountains.
Both Acadia and Kenai offer breathtaking nature views and unforgettable experiences. Kenai is farther away and doesn’t get as many tourists (387,525 in 2023), but the dramatic glacial beauty and fun things to do make it well worth the trip. Plus, there’s no charge to get in!
3. Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Lassen Volcanic National Park is California’s most overlooked scenic national park. It has beautiful scenery and a lot of geothermal features. A lot of people don’t know about this park, which is crazy.
Hydrothermal places, like Sulphur Works, Boiling Springs Lake, and Devil’s Kitchen, are open to the public. These include fumaroles and boiling springs. Plus, visitors can go on any of the many climbing trails, which range from easy to difficult. For example, Lassen Peak offers views from the top of an active volcano. You can also find a lot of peaceful lakes, such as Manzanita Lake and Lake Helen.
A trip in Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park isn’t as expensive as one in Acadia; it costs about $126 per day. There were only 418,978 people in 2023, so it is also much less crowded than Acadia National Park.
4. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Colorado
One of the most interesting places in the country is Great Sand Dunes National Park. The Great Sand Dunes in Colorado are where dunes meet strange landscapes. The Star Dunes are there, and at 750 feet, they are the tallest dunes in North America.
People can do things like sand sledding, sandboarding, hiking, and learning about different environments. It’s also one of the best places in the US to look at the stars; Dark Sky International has named it an International Dark Sky Park.
Even though it is very beautiful and impressive, only a few hundred thousand people visit it each year (512,219 in 2023), making it a better alternative to Acadia when it comes to crowds.
Its peaceful setting and dramatic differences make for one-of-a-kind, unforgettable experiences, perfect for thrill-seekers who want to get away from the crowds and experience something new.
5. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
In Shenandoah National Park, which is close to Washington, D.C., you can find beautiful waterfalls, hollows, mountains, and a wide range of animals. Shenandoah National Park has more than 500 miles of trails, including a part of the famous Appalachian Trail.
The trails range from easy to difficult, so there is something for everyone. Along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 105-mile Skyline Drive has beautiful views and is one of the best places in the US to see fall colors.
It’s a great place for wildlife lovers, just like Acadia. You can see many different kinds of animals there, like deer, red foxes, squirrels, birds, and even black bears.
