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What: #7 Hike in a National Park I’ve never been to

Where: Acadia National Park, Maine
When: August 8-10
Why: Growing up, I was fortunate to be exposed to the joys of being outdoors, traveling with my family to many national parks across the country, and I often recall vivid memories from many of those amazing road trips. With so many of my travels being international lately, I had felt I was missing out on a few of the awesome things we have in this country. After another amazing trip to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (which didn't count for this because I've been there countless times), I knew I was hooked and ready to get back to the parks. For me, Acadia has stood out as this really timeless place, and I wanted to experience it for myself, and as I had a road trip planned out that way, it fit easily into the itinerary.

For me, the best things to do in Acadia were biking the carriage roads, hiking on a few great trails, and getting up close in the tide pools. Or, as our ranger guide said one day, "be wanderers and wonder-ers." So, we took that to heart.

The carriage roads (imagined and constructed by Rockefeller along with the hand-built stone bridges) were a treat, hard enough to feel like you earned the views, but not so hard that it was altogether miserable.

And the hikes, up the Beehive, along the Ocean Trail, around the summit of Cadillac Mountain, and to the top of Flying Mountain...each was amazing in its own way. 

And finally those tide pools, it really was impressive how much life you find in them. I could have spent hours, days, seeing and doing more in the park, but the adventures I did have already are some of my new favorite memories.