Readers' Choice: Best national parks & experiences

On August 25, 2016 the National Park Service will turn 100, and to celebrate 10Best launched a series of Readers' Choice contests all about the national parks. We teamed up with the National Park Foundation to nominate 20 parks, park destinations and park programs in each of the following categories: Best National Park for Kids, Best National Park Landmark, Best National Park Location for Sunrise/Sunset, Best National Park Night Experience and Best National Park Wildlife Experience. For the past four weeks, 10Best and USA TODAY readers have been voting daily for their favorites in each category. The votes have been counted, and we have our winners.

Click on each category below to read more about the top 10 winners.

Best National Park Wildlife Experience: Bear Viewing at Brooks Camp

Located at the mouth of the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Brooks Camp is one of the best brown bear viewing areas in the world. Some 2,200 brown bears live within the park, and many of them congregate in the Brooks River to feed on sockeye salmon. A protected viewing platform keeps both bears and visitors safe, and rangers are often on hand to discuss the bears and answer questions.

10 Best National Park Wildlife Experiences

1. Bear Viewing at Brooks Camp - Katmai National Park
2. Old Fall River Road Trip - Rocky Mountain National Park
3. Wake Up to Wildlife - Yellowstone National Park
4. Frenchman Bay Cruise - Acadia National Park
5. Tundra Wilderness Tour - Denali National Park
6. Wilderness Canoe Tours - Congaree National Park
7. Big Sky Circle Tour - Glacier National Park
8. Shark Valley Tram Tours - Everglades National Park
9. Glacier Bay Tour Boat - Glacier Bay National Park
10. Sensational Salamanders - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Best National Park for Kids: Acadia National Park

Standing atop Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard, is a big moment for many kids, and it's easy to get to by car. Kid-centric activities at Acadia include ranger-run Tidepool School, boat trips and sandy beaches to play on.

10 Best National Parks for Kids:

1. Acadia National Park
2. Rocky Mountain National Park
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
4. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
5. Grand Teton National Park
6. Zion National Park
7. Yellowstone National Park
8. Biscayne National Park
9. Grand Canyon National Park
10. Mesa Verde National Park

Best National Park Landmark: Fort Jefferson

The center point of Florida's Dry Tortugas National Park is Fort Jefferson, built in the nineteenth century to protect one of North America's most strategic deep water anchorages. Rangers lead visitors on regular history tours of the fort.

10 Best National Park Landmarks:

1. Fort Jefferson - Dry Tortugas National Park
2. Gateway Arch - Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
3. Half Dome - Yosemite National Park
4. Teton Mountain Range - Grant Teton National Park
5. Blue Ridge Parkway
6. Delicate Arch - Arches National Park
7. Mount Denali - Denali National Park
8. Old Faithful - Yellowstone National Park
9. South Rim - Grand Canyon National Park
10. Statue Of Liberty - Statue Of Liberty National Monument

Best National Park Location for Sunrise/Sunset: Kabetogama Lake

Within Voyageurs National Park, campers on the shores of Kabetogama Lake enjoy stunning sunrises and sunsets. Ranger-led twilight tours bring the history of the park to life.

10 Best National Park Locations for Sunrise/Sunset

1. Kabetogama Lake - Voyageurs National Park
2. Cadillac Mountain - Acadia National Park
3. Cowee Mountains Overlook - Blue Ridge Parkway
4. Cholla Cactus Garden - Joshua Tree National Park
5. Mather Point - Grand Canyon National Park
6. Beaver Marsh - Cuyahoga Valley National Park
7. Gettysburg Battlefield - Gettysburg National Military Park
8. Pinnacles Overlook - Badlands National Park
9. Haleakala Summit - Haleakala National Park
10. Mormon Row - Grand Teton National Park

Best National Park Night Experience: Summer Star Party

Every Saturday evening from May through the end of July, visitors to Cedar Breaks National Monument can attend a Summer Star Party. Park rangers at Point Supreme give a presentation on a night sky-related topic, and once it's dark, guests can see the sky through park telescopes or take a laser-powered tour of the constellations.

10 Best National Park Night Experiences

1. Summer Star Party - Cedar Breaks National Monument
2. Monuments by Moonlight Night Tour - National Mall and Memorial Parks
3. Sunset Safari - Rocky Mountain National Park
4. Chaco Night Sky Program - Chaco Culture National Historical Park
5. Star Party - Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve
6. Full Moon Hike at White Sands - White Sands National Monument
7. Starry, Starry Night - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
8. Full Moon Guided Hike - Great Basin National Park
9. Night Sky Observing - Badlands National Park
10. Night Sky Program - Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

Looking for a perfect national park experience for your next vacation? Visit FindYourPark.com to get ideas for exploring our more than 400 national parks.