The East Coast of the United States is full of beautiful forests and natural areas that are just waiting to be enjoyed. For first time visitors, a good starting point is to experience the unmatched beauty of one of America’s East Coast national parks. In fact, many of the national parks on the East Coast can be visited in one road trip, starting at Acadia and then heading to New River Gorge before driving down to Shenandoah and catching the Blue Ridge Parkway (which is even more beautiful in fall) down to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. Although perhaps not as busy as the Tennessee portion of the Great Smoky Mountains, the North Carolina side also has amazing hikes and unbeatable views. In fact, one of the best views of the Smoky Mountains can be found at a lookout in North Carolina – the Wayah Bald Lookout Tower.