Acadia National Park

The pink granite peak of Cadillac Mountain, at 466 metres, is the highest point in the region and famously the best place to view the first sunrise in the USA with breathtaking views over the Maine coastline and islands. Another highlight of the park is Somes Sound, a five-mile-long fjord dividing the island in half.

Acadia is one of the country’s top birdwatching destinations with some 338 species, including falcons, eagles, owls, loons, woodpeckers and warblers, as well as foxes, deer and beavers. Maine islands are also the only nesting sites for Atlantic puffins in the USA, and these fascinating birds can be seen on boat trips to Machias Seal Island from May to August.

The vibrant seaside town of Bar Harbor is the gateway to Acadia. Highlights include a walk along the Bar Harbor Shore Path, the Abbe Museum with an exhibition on Maine’s native Wabanaki people, and the Museum in the Streets, 46 information panels around town charting the history of the area.

Bar Harbor is a great base for whale-watching tours in the Atlantic from April to October, offering great opportunities to see humpback, finback, minke, as well as dolphins and seals. Bar Harbor’s proximity to the Bay of Fundy means the difference between high and low tide here is surprisingly big. You can walk across the ocean floor at low tide to Bar Island, but be sure to keep an eye on tide times.