From waterfalls to lighthouses, here are the 11 best scenic spots in the Northeast

USA Today

19 hours ago

From waterfalls to lighthouses, here are the 11 best scenic spots in the Northeast These are the Most Treasured Views in the Northeast
From lighthouses to waterfalls to state parks, the northeastern United States offer plenty of destinations for phenomenal sightlines and gorgeous nature.
This is part of a new USA TODAY network project showcasing breathtaking – and perhaps, underappreciated – views throughout the United States. These are some of the most beautiful landmarks, scenic vistas and hidden gems you can truly treasure throughout the nation.
Here are a few of our favorites from the Northeast:
Gilette Castle State Park, Connecticut
Located in East Haddam, Gillette Castle stands atop a hill overlooking the Connecticut River and at first glance looks like an edifice straight out of Game of Thrones. The unique castle was actually built in 1914 for silent film era actor William Gillette, famous for playing the role of Sherlock Holmes. Visitors can tour the house and museum and enjoy the grounds with hiking, picnic spots and food concessions. — Norwich Bulletin staff
Gordon's Pond Trail, Delaware
What makes Gordon's Pond Trail special? These trails offer a coastal vibe that can linger from the summer into autumn, being known for coastal views and bird watching. These trails are primarily flat. The surface of the Gordon's Pond Trail is a mix of crushed stone and boardwalk, so it's a great option for walkers and anyone on wheels, too. Great blue herons, green herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, dunlins, sanderlings and other sorts of shorebirds abound, making for great photography, as well. — Delaware News Journal staff
Nubble Lighthouse, Maine
The Nubble Lighthouse, in York, Maine, is one of the most photographed sites in the nation, and each day, artists set up their easels and paint to capture its scenic beauty. The Nubble Lighthouse, officially called the Cape Neddick Light Station, is visually stunning. While visitors are not allowed on Nubble Island, Sohier Park offers close-up views of the red-roofed, whitewashed Victorian keeper's house and the cast-iron lighthouse tower. — Howard Altschiller, Portsmouth Herald
Annapolis Rock, Maryland
Annapolis Rock, a popular hiking destination along the Appalachian Trail in southern Washington County, offers stunning views. The overlook near the eastern county line is featured on the Maryland stamp in the U.S. Postal Service's Appalachian Trail collection. "It's an iconic view. It's such a popular destination for tourists and locals. To have it on a national stamp, I think, is amazing," said Dan Spedden, president of Washington County's tourism bureau, Visit Hagerstown. — Hagerstown Herald-Mail staff
Highland Light, Massachusetts
Highland Light is in North Truro, Mass., in the Cape Cod National Seashore. Both the lighthouse and the lightkeeper's house are set back from an ocean bluff within a historic district that includes an old-style links golf course and a museum. From the top of the lighthouse, you can see the Atlantic Ocean, the national seashore, dunes, golfers, the outermost tip of Cape Cod, remnants of an old Air Force station, the Jenny Lind Tower and Cape Cod Bay. A lighthouse has been on that property since 1797. — Mary Ann Bragg, Cape Cod Times
Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire
Bounded by Portsmouth, Newington and New Castle in New Hampshire and Kittery and Eliot in Maine, Portsmouth Harbor is a rough and tumble working waterfront with postcard-perfect charm. The harbor is fed by the Piscataqua River, with currents so strong that tugboats are used to guide vessels ranging from cargo ships hauling road salt and petroleum products to $3 billion nuclear submarines in for overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. — Howard Altschiller, Portsmouth Herald
Paterson Great Falls Historic Park, New Jersey
Paterson Great Falls is home to one of the nation's most spectacular waterfalls, featuring a grand 260-foot wide, 77-foot high drop that rushes into the Passaic River. The site has existed since the beginning of time, with Paterson being established around it in 1792, and is both a National Natural Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Get a great view from either Overlook Park or Mary Ellen Kramer Park. And while you're there, you can also go down the block to the Paterson Museum at 2 Market St. Here, you can explore Paterson's history as the nation's first planned industrial city through interpretive exhibits. — Maddie McGay, The (Bergen, N.J.) Record
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is located on the border between Niagara Falls, New York, and southeastern Ontario, Canada. Niagara comes from the word 'onguiaahra' of the Haudenosaunee people, also known as the Six Nations. The term translates to 'a thundering noise,' referring to the sound of the falls. The natural wonder is a popular tourist destination, drawing about 8 million visitors to the U.S. side each year. — Genae Shields, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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Presque Isle State Park, Pennsylvania
Presque Isle State Park sits on a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula with Lake Erie on one side and Presque Isle Bay on the other. Located in Erie County in northwestern Pennsylvania and known to locals as 'the peninsula,' Presque Isle provides plenty of places for stunning year-round views of nature and of structures built by humans. Start at the park's Tom Ridge Environmental Center, where visitors can climb stairs or ride an elevator up the 75-foot-tall glass-enclosed observation tower. The top offers views of Lake Erie and is a great spot for watching migrating birds in the spring and autumn. — Erie Times-News staff
Beavertail State Park, Rhode Island
Beavertail State Park is popular with sightseers of every sort, from those who observe from their cars on a loop road through the park to hikers and picnickers to fishermen and others who scramble down the rocky cliffs to the water's edge. One undeniable attraction is the granite lighthouse at the southern end of the park. Built in 1856, it replaced earlier structures dating to 1749, the third lighthouse in the United States, after ones in Boston Harbor and on Nantucket. — Paul Edward Parker, Providence Journal
Lake Willoughby, Vermont
Experience the beauty of the outdoors in Vermont's deepest lake between Mount Pisgah and Mount Hor in northeastern Vermont – 30 minutes from the Canadian border. The 5-mile-long lake is 328 feet deep and was carved out by glaciers. The lake is located in Westmore, Vermont, which is home to less than 400 people according to the 2020 census. — Caitlyn Kelleher, Burlington Free Press