What is the closest national park to Boston?

Acadia National Park, about 200 miles from Boston in a straight line. By road, figure roughly 4 h 40 min on our estimate (straight-line miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route). Next closest: Shenandoah (473 mi) and Cuyahoga Valley (548 mi).

Can you visit a national park on a day trip from Boston?

Not easily. The closest, Acadia, is about 4 h 40 min away by our rough estimate, so plan on at least one night.

How many national parks are within a day's drive of Boston?

1 by our rough estimate (up to 8 hours of driving): Acadia. 1 national parks are within 300 straight-line miles.

Are there National Park Service sites closer to Boston?

Yes. Within 100 miles there are at least 10 other NPS sites, the nearest being Boston African American National Historic Site (3 mi), Boston National Historical Park (3 mi) and Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (5 mi).

Boston · Massachusetts

National parks near Boston

Last verified October 1, 2026Straight-line miles · drive times estimated

The closest national park to Boston is Acadia National Park, about 200 miles away as the crow flies, or roughly 4 h 40 min by road on our estimate. 1 national park is within 300 miles. Here are the nearest 8, a few road trips, and the Park Service sites even closer to home.

★ Boston. Numbers match the list below; dashed lines are straight-line distance.

At a glance

Boston to the parks

National parks near Boston at a glance
Closest national park	Acadia National Park 200 mi straight-line
Within 150 / 300 / 500 miles	0 / 1 / 2 national parks
Day trip (≤ 3 h, est.)	None
Closest NPS site of any kind	Boston African American National Historic Site, 3 mi
Metro population	5,034,221 (Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro, Census 2025 est.)

The closest three

Nearest to Boston

Photo: NPS Photo by Kent Miller
Maine
Acadia National Park
Straight line
200 mi
Drive (est.)
≈ 4 h 40 min
Quiet month
October
Entrance
$35 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / Neal Lewis
Virginia
Shenandoah National Park
Straight line
473 mi
Drive (est.)
≈ 11 h 10 min
Quiet month
November
Entrance
$30 / vehicle
Photo: NPS Photo / D.J. Reiser
Ohio
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Straight line
548 mi
Drive (est.)
≈ 13 h
Quiet month
November
Entrance
Free entry

The nearest 8

National parks by distance from Boston

Straight-line miles from the city to each park's NPS reference point (often its center, not an entrance). Drive times are a rough estimate: miles × 1.3 at 55 mph, not a route.

National parks nearest Boston, with straight-line distance and estimated drive time
#	Park	Straight line	Drive (est.)	2025 visits	Quiet month
1	Acadia National ParkME	200 mi	≈ 4 h 40 min	4,079,318	October
2	Shenandoah National ParkVA	473 mi	≈ 11 h 10 min	1,682,152	November
3	Cuyahoga Valley National ParkOH	548 mi	≈ 13 h	3,025,325	November
4	New River Gorge National Park & PreserveWV	611 mi	≈ 14 h 20 min	1,958,440	September
5	Congaree National ParkSC	792 mi	≈ 18 h 40 min	287,833	February
6	Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNC · TN	815 mi	≈ 19 h 20 min	11,527,939	November
7	Indiana Dunes National ParkIN	826 mi	≈ 19 h 30 min	2,629,497	September
8	Mammoth Cave National ParkKY	876 mi	≈ 20 h 40 min	660,734	May

Closer to home

National Park Service sites within 100 miles

Not national parks, but run by the same Park Service: monuments, historic sites, seashores and recreation areas. Links go to nps.gov.

Boston African American National Historic Site3 mi · MA
Boston National Historical Park3 mi · MA
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area5 mi · MA
John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site5 mi · MA
Adams National Historical Park6 mi · MA
Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site6 mi · MA
Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site6 mi · MA
Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site9 mi · MA
Salem Maritime National Historical Park14 mi · MA
Minute Man National Historical Park17 mi · MA

Straight-line miles to each site’s NPS reference point. Long-distance trails are left out.

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