The Best Wildlife-Viewing

With approximately 3,000 different types of native animal species and 18,000 different types of plants, the United States is one of the world's most environmentally diverse countries—in fact, it is one of 17 mega-diverse nations, according to the World Conservation Monitoring Center. From Maine's rugged coastlines to Washington's emerald rain forests, there's enough to see and do right here at home—no long-distance plane ticket or safari lodge reservation required.

A visit to a national park is possibly the best way to view America's magnificent landscapes. The National Park Service, or NPS, was established in 1916 by Woodrow Wilson with the signing of the "Organic Act." It has been hailed as one of the most democratic things the United States government has created and has been imitated all over the world. The National Park Service currently manages 423 parks and monuments on 85 million acres of land, all of which are preserved "for the enjoyment of future generations."

However, in many parts of the United States, you do not even need a park admission to see wildlife. Consider Austin's famed bats or San Francisco's cherry-headed parrots: sometimes wild animals coexist with us in urban areas. While there are innumerable amazing experiences to select from, AFAR's nature-loving editors have chosen ten of their favorite sites to watch wildlife in the United States.