New England is the perfect home base for travel lovers because there is so much to do in our region.

If you enjoy spending time in nature, visiting historic sites, exploring the diverse foodie scene, or enjoying family-friendly activities for the little ones, you could spend your entire life in New England and never run out of things to see, do, and explore.

That's why when MediaFeed featured 15 of America's most beautiful state parks, we were all ears. Given the natural beauty of our region, surely we would be featured, too, right?

Of course, New England made several appearances on this list. Coming in at number 5 was Baxter State Park in Maine, home to the state's highest peak, Mount Katahdin (5,267 feet), and over 200 miles of hiking trails. And just a few notches down at number 8 is a famous park deep in the White Mountains of New Hampshire: Franconia Notch State Park.

Once home to the Old Man of the Mountain, Franconia Notch is famous for the beauty of its 244,000 acres of mountains, lakes and hiking trails.

Visitors can explore Flume Gorge, a three-kilometer loop trail that immerses you in nature and is framed by granite walls.

If you are not afraid of heights, you can also take the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, which takes you to the scenic summit of the mountain in 10 minutes.

Or cool off with a refreshing swim in Echo Lake before enjoying a picnic by the water.

No matter what you choose to do on your trip to the mountains, one thing is certain: your time in one of America's most beautiful state parks is guaranteed to be unforgettable.

Click here to start planning your visit to Franconia Notch State Park.