<strong>Most popular US National Park Service site: </strong>Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California's Bay Area came in first place with 15 million visits in 2019.
Most popular US National Park Service site: Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California's Bay Area came in first place with 15 million visits in 2019.
Shutterstock
<strong>2. Blue Ridge Parkway. </strong>The parkway that wanders through North Carolina and Virginia for 469 miles, with many beautiful stops along the way, attracted 14.9 million visits last year.
2. Blue Ridge Parkway. The parkway that wanders through North Carolina and Virginia for 469 miles, with many beautiful stops along the way, attracted 14.9 million visits last year.
Shutterstock
<strong>3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park:</strong> The park straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park: The park straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee.
Shutterstock
<strong>4. Gateway National Recreation Area</strong> has 27,000 acres in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Jamaica Bay and Staten Island in New York.
4. Gateway National Recreation Area has 27,000 acres in Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Jamaica Bay and Staten Island in New York.
Shutterstock
<strong>5. Lincoln Memorial: </strong>This monument to the 16th US President reads: "In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever."
5. Lincoln Memorial: This monument to the 16th US President reads: "In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever."
Shutterstock
<strong>6. George Washington Memorial Parkway: </strong>The parkway is home to the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial, which sits on the banks of the Potomac next on Columbia Island.
6. George Washington Memorial Parkway: The parkway is home to the Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial, which sits on the banks of the Potomac next on Columbia Island.
Alamy
<strong>7. Lake Mead National Recreation Area:</strong> America's first and largest national recreation area, Lake Mead has 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys, two lakes and nine wilderness areas.
7. Lake Mead National Recreation Area: America's first and largest national recreation area, Lake Mead has 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys, two lakes and nine wilderness areas.
Shutterstock
<strong>8. Natchez Trace Parkway:</strong> A 444-mile scenic drive through three states - Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee -- it's home to 10,000 years of history.
8. Natchez Trace Parkway: A 444-mile scenic drive through three states - Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee -- it's home to 10,000 years of history.
Shutterstock
<strong>9. Grand Canyon National Park: </strong>This Arizona park is home to a canyon that is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide in parts and a mile deep.
9. Grand Canyon National Park: This Arizona park is home to a canyon that is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide in parts and a mile deep.
George Rose/Getty Images
<strong>10. Gulf Islands National Seashore: </strong>A two-state protected seashore in the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Islands hosts visitors who want to swim, fish, camp, bird-watch and more.
10. Gulf Islands National Seashore: A two-state protected seashore in the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Islands hosts visitors who want to swim, fish, camp, bird-watch and more.
Shutterstock