11 Most Breathtaking Towns In The Northern United States
The Northern United States is a mosaic where each piece fits together perfectly. Hills rolling on the riverside, glacier-fed lakes, harbor towns, and island fortresses all combine into a landscape that is both wild and welcoming. Together these elements create the heart of the north, where towns are as alive as the rivers and rainforests. No matter which town you visit, the things you see there will leave an impression that stays with you long after you leave. Keep reading to discover eleven of the most breathtaking places the Northern US has to offer, and why each one deserves a place on your travel list.
Leavenworth, Washington
To see a mix of this Washington town's natural beauty as well as the beauty created by its citizens, visit Front Street Park. Being home to "Art in the Park," this outdoor recreation space has tents scattered throughout its grounds where artists display their work. The park also hosts festivals through the year, such as Icefest and Oktoberfest.
For even more beauty, take a walk through Waterfront Park. Deer, beavers, and other wildlife share the trails with travelers as they walk through a forest that overlooks high mountains and the gently flowing river. After exploring the beauty of the wild, take a look through the Nutcracker Museum. Full of a very niche collection of nutcrackers, this museum shares the evolution of the nutcracker through models, paintings, and photography.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Discover this coastal Maine town by walking the Shore Path that runs through it. Laid out by residents in 1880, it is one of the oldest public walkways in the state and acts as a central line for much of Bar Harbor, stretching along the ever-serene Frenchman Bay. From the path, islands and peninsulas bloom between the bay and the sky.
While walking this scenic path, explorers will find Ells Pier, a locally beloved spot where you can sit on the wooden planks and whale-watch. For one more vantage point of the town's magnificent bay, stroll through Agamont Park. This park makes for a great viewing point, where you can watch small sailboats and massive cruise ships on the water atop a cushion of green grass. Acadia National Park begins practically at the edge of town, and the Cadillac Summit Road requires a timed vehicle reservation from late spring through October, so book before you drive up.
Mackinac Island, Michigan
With sights that seem equal parts history and invention, this island is an important stop in North American tourism. Mackinac Island honors its past at Fort Mackinac, where numerous historic buildings hold exhibits that explain the region's battlefield history. Along with being informative, the fortress is a fine place to explore, standing on a bluff over Haldimand Bay. For the other side of the island, walk the path above Lake Huron's shores. No cars have been allowed here since 1898, so everything moves by horse, bicycle, or foot.
About 140 feet above the lake is Arch Rock, a natural limestone bridge arching above the trees. The geological bridge curves over the blue water like a picture frame. Mix both history and spectacle at the Grand Hotel, where a live orchestra plays in the ballroom, treats are served at afternoon tea in the parlor, and guests dress for dinner. Its front porch runs 660 feet, among the longest in the world.
Lake Placid, New York
This village in the mountains has a number of quieter draws, such as Lake Placid Public Beach. The beach rests along Mirror Lake right in the downtown district. While on the beach, locals can be found swimming in or kayaking on the gentle water or relaxing on shore. The view from the shore is excellent, with a range of mountains standing beyond the forest on the far side of the lake.
Summer visitors will be treated to Songs at Mirror Lake, a free concert series that hosts new artists every Tuesday in a natural arena. Adding to the story of the little lake town, Lake Placid hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, one of only three places to hold the Winter Games twice. To see where legendary Olympians competed, head to the Olympic Center, where you can skate on the same rink the 1980 US hockey team did or walk through the Olympic Museum.
Sitka, Alaska
Walk the totem-lined coastal trails of Sitka National Historical Park, where the 1804 battle site between Russian traders and the Indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit is preserved. No matter where you turn, this park has a great deal to offer, from enormous spruce trees to the sparkling Indian River. Since Sitka was once Russia's colonial capital, one notable structure still remains. The Russian Bishop's House, built in 1842, is among the last surviving examples of Russian colonial architecture in North America.
While in the home turf of America's bird, head to the Alaska Raptor Center to meet the bald eagle in person. While rehabilitating raptors, the center also houses raptors-in-residence, eagles too injured to return to the wild. Visitors can meet these residents and learn more about their history and habits. A quarter-mile nature trail loop connects the center to the Tongass National Forest that houses it, the largest national forest in the country, creating a space for guests to walk through a temperate rainforest of native Alaskan plants.
Burlington, Vermont
In Burlington, walk the treelined granite-block streets through Church Street Marketplace. The marketplace is alive with music from street musicians and the energy that comes from cart vendors who want to share their crafts and creations with the public. Keep strolling at Battery Park, which overlooks Lake Champlain and the Adirondack mountains beyond.
This 14-acre historic park hosts concerts through the summer, so if you love local music, be on the lookout for events at the park. Another waterfront draw awaits all with scientific minds hungry for new knowledge. The Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, known locally as ECHO, houses interactive science and nature exhibits. The museum is a good place to dig deeper and connect with the local ecosystem.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Living history blooms along the sidewalks of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the Strawbery Banke Museum neighborhood and gardens. This ten-acre site is a living museum of historic houses, gardens, and landscapes, with buildings dating from the 1690s onward, all standing where they were originally built. Costumed role players walk the lanes to further immerse visitors in an older era.
Step back into the present at Market Square. Instead of historic houses, this street is lined with restaurants, jazz clubs, and shops unique to Portsmouth. Finally, escape among seemingly endless beds of flowers at Prescott Park, a 10-acre park where brick paths wind around colorful gardens, and where an outdoor arts festival runs through the summer.
Marquette, Michigan
Set against Lake Superior, this town takes lake life very seriously. Tour the lighthouse that stands high on the coast. Marquette Harbor Lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation, while also serving as a museum specializing in the maritime history of the town. More lake views await at Presque Isle Park, a 323-acre forested peninsula that feels like its own little world.
Though locals call this popular hiking spot an "island," it is actually attached to the mainland while keeping the illusion of an island getaway. Out in the harbor, the old ore dock is the landmark, a hulking iron trestle that loaded iron onto freighters for decades. Finish the day with a brew at the local pub, Blackrocks Brewery, where warm golden light fills the space and visitors can chat with locals or eat from the food trucks usually parked outside.
Stillwater, Minnesota
Start your Stillwater journey by strolling across the Stillwater Lift Bridge, which connects Minnesota and Wisconsin. Standing since 1931, this historic bridge stretches over the St. Croix River, making a route that is now closed to cars but open to pedestrians and cyclists, and it anchors a five-mile loop trail across the river and back.
After taking in the river views, explore the 11 blocks that make up the Stillwater Commercial Historic District. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the buildings here reflect real architectural variety and house around 100 locally owned eateries and shops. The 1848 convention that set Minnesota's territorial government in motion met here, which is why the town calls itself the birthplace of the state. Lastly, view the city and the river you just explored at Pioneer Park, a hilltop with picnic tables and a long view.
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish has a lakeside beach that almost seems unreal. City Beach sits on a seven-mile glacial lake beneath a ridge of mountains, with soft sand perfect for a barefoot walk. Whitefish Lake flows into the Whitefish River, where Riverside Park welcomes all who want to get on the water by canoe or paddleboard, or simply jump into the current.
This town has a legacy it loves to share at the Stumptown Historical Society, which since 1982 has preserved relics of Whitefish's past in medicine, culture, and the railroad that founded the place. Whitefish Mountain Resort rises above town, and the west entrance to Glacier National Park is about half an hour east, which makes this one of the better bases in northwest Montana.
Astoria, Oregon
Venture through Astoria's riverfront in style on the Riverfront Trolley. Known as Old 300, the trolley was built in 1913 and still costs about a dollar a ride. On the hour-long route, passengers travel beside the river and through downtown, hearing the history of the town along the way. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies.
Sitting on a hill above the town is a 125-foot tower where visitors get a 360-degree view. The Astoria Column is wrapped in a painted sgraffito frieze honoring the history of the Pacific Northwest, and there are 164 steps to the top. Buy a balsa glider at the bottom and throw it from the observation deck, which is the local tradition. Discover another piece of history at the Flavel House Museum, set in a Victorian home built in 1884 and acting as a time capsule for Queen Anne architecture and the way of life of Astoria residents in the late 1800s.
North To South, Coast To Coast
From Maine to Alaska, the northern tier of the United States holds some of the country's rarest landscapes. Each town here carries a story worth exploring, whether through Victorian streets, along totem-lined trails, or on sandy beaches beneath glacial lakes. The beauty of the north is not only in the wilderness and the Great Lakes, but in the buildings and the artistic work people have put inside it. These eleven towns invite you to wander slowly and take in the views.
