In this guide we’re sharing the best things to do in Acadia National Park, plus where to stay, itinerary options, and more!

Acadia National Park has been at the top of our “want to visit” national parks list for YEARS! The park combines all of our favorite scenery including coastal views, forests, lakes, and mountains into one park, so we had a very strong feeling we would love the park. And thankfully we did!

In fact, in our 2021 recap video, we both agreed that Acadia National Park was one of our favorite national parks that we visited throughout the year (and we visited 14 total)! During our time in the park we tried to squeeze in as much as possible and every single hike, view, and activity completely exceeded our expectations.

Watch our first time at Acadia National Park, including sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, hiking the Precipice Trail, and a delicious iconic food!

And in this guide we’re sharing everything you need to know to visit Acadia National Park for yourself, including when to visit, where to stay, tips for the park, things to do, and itinerary options. We hope that you have as much fun experiencing all of the park’s scenery and unique things to do as much as we did!

Looking for more things to do in Acadia National Park and in Maine? 

• Our Favorite Hikes in Acadia National Park
• How to see the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park
• Hiking the Precipice Trail at Acadia National Park
• How to backpack the Cutler Coast in Maine
• The BEST things to do in Portland, Maine
• 12 Day New England Fall Road Trip Itinerary

Note: this guide contains affiliate links, which means that if you use the links provided and make a purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We will only ever recommend products we truly love, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!

About Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is primarily located on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, with 5% of the park also on the Schoodic Peninsula, on the Atlantic Ocean and is the only United States National Park in the Northeast.

For years this region has been enjoyed and used by a variety of people, starting with the Wabanaki Native Americans thousands of years ago, before European settlers arrived and tourism to the area eventually grew, with artists and the affluent frequenting the area. 

Preservation of the land began in 1916, with the establishment of Sieur de Monts National Monument, which was then changed to Lafayette National Park in 1919, before eventually getting its current title of Acadia National Park in 1929.

The park is now the 8th most visited US National Park and for good reason. With gorgeous scenery everywhere you look, a mix of easy and challenging hikes, an iconic food item, and a great town nearby, Acadia offers something for everyone.

Before embarking on your adventure, please review the Leave No Trace principles to ensure you leave every place better than you found it, so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come!

These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. 

When to visit Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is open year-round, but your experience will vary depending on the season. Here’s what to expect during each season, including weather and crowd levels!

Winter

In the winter, you can expect some road and trail closures, so some of our favorite hikes and activities on this guide will not be accessible or safe. But the wintertime is a great time to enjoy solitude and go snowshoeing around the carriage roads.

One important thing to know about visiting in the winter is that a lot of businesses in the nearby towns, like Bar Harbor, close for the winter season, opening back up in the late spring and early summer. So if it is your first time visiting Acadia, you will not get the traditional experience in the wintertime.

Spring

During the spring, more trails will be accessible and the park is still quiet before the summer rush. However, keep in mind that snow may be melting, making the trails a bit muddier and wet, which can be dangerous for some hikes.

Summer

The summer is the busiest season at Acadia and brings great weather, lush, green trees, and clear trails. This is one of the best seasons to hike in Acadia, but since it is a popular time, make sure to start your days in the park VERY early.

Fall

If you want great weather, colorful foliage, and slightly less crowds than the summer, the fall is the PERFECT time to be in Acadia!

We visited in the fall, specifically the third week of October, so our photos and experience reflect visiting during that time frame. Fall foliage varies every year, but this foliage tracker was a very helpful resource for us during our time in Maine!

If you visit in the fall, try to stick to weekdays, which will be less busy than the weekends. We also suggest visiting before the end of October if you want to take advantage of most things in Bar Harbor being open. During our visit, it seemed that things slowed down in town by November.

Getting to + around Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is located in Downeast Maine, close to the towns of Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.

The term Downeast comes from the direction that ships would sail (downwind and to the east) to get to this area from New York and Boston. This region of Maine encompasses the area from the Canadian Border, including the easternmost point of the United States, to just southwest of Acadia National Park.

Although there are quite a few smaller towns nearby, it can still be a bit of a trek to get to Acadia National Park depending on where you’re coming from.

Flying to Acadia National Park

The closest airport to get to Acadia National Park will be the Bangor International Airport (BGR), which is located just over an hour from the park.

This airport is serviced by American, Allegiant, Delta, and United Airlines and has nonstop service from Philadelphia, DC, Orlando, Tampa, Boston, and La Guardia.

The next best airport is the Portland International Jetport (PWM) in Portland, Maine, which is 3 hours (depending on if you take a toll or not) to Acadia National Park. This airport has nonstop flights to and from many major cities in the US on American, Delta, Frontier, jetBlue, Southwest, and United Airlines, plus a couple more regional airlines.

The Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is the closest major airport, with nonstop flights to many cities in the US and on all major airlines, but it’s a 4.5 hour drive to Acadia National Park, with tolls. This is a great option if you plan to do a larger New England road trip though!

Driving to Acadia National Park

If visiting Acadia National Park is a stop on a larger Maine or New England road trip, here is how long you can expect to drive from nearby destinations, beyond the few cities we listed for airports. 

Augusta, ME: 2 hours (116 miles)
Baxter State Park (Maine): 2 hours, 30 minutes (132 miles)
Portsmouth, NH: 3.5 hours (220 miles)
North Conway, NH: 4 hours (207 miles)
Lincoln, NH: 4.5 hours (240 miles)
Stowe, VT: 6 hours (303 miles)

Note: some of the roads and times above include driving tolls. If you want to avoid paying for tolls, make sure to turn off tolls on your Google Maps settings.

Getting around Acadia National Park

While there is a shuttle to get around Acadia National Park (more on that below), we highly recommend driving or renting a car. This will give you the most flexibility to get to the park and explore the park!

Vehicle length restrictions

Some roads in the park prohibit RVs and buses, including the road up to Cadillac Mountain. Make sure to check the park map to see which roads do not allow oversized vehicles so you can plan accordingly. 

Free Shuttle

Parking can be an issue at Acadia National Park, especially in the summertime and peak fall foliage. However, you do have another option! From late June to early October, there is a FREE park shuttle called the Island Explorer that takes visitors around the park, as well as to neighboring towns.

The shuttle can take you to many trailheads on this guide and you can see the schedule and stops here. 

Where to Stay in Acadia National Park

The most popular place to stay when visiting Acadia National Park is Bar Harbor. This quaint town is located on Mount Desert Island, just under 10 minutes from some areas of Acadia National Park. The town itself is very charming and has restaurants, shops, parks, and places to stay.

Ellsworth, which is larger than Bar Harbor, is under a 30 minute drive from the park and offers more traditional hotel options, plus more dining options and grocery stores. It is also more affordable than staying in Bar Harbor, which can be a bit pricey.

Here are some options in both areas!

Hotels 

Bar Harbor

Atlantic Oceanside Hotel
The West Street Hotel
The Inn on Mount Desert
Hampton Inn Bar Harbor
Best Western Acadia Park Inn

Ellsworth

Hampton Inn Ellsworth
Comfort Inn Ellsworth

Airbnbs

Bar Harbor

Sunset Studio (Studio, 1 bathroom): Located right in town, this studio is the perfect location to explore Bar Harbor and be close to the park!

Come Home Cabin (Studio, 1 bathroom): This cabin is so charming and features tons of wooden finishes, a huge lawn, and is close to both Bar Harbor and the park!

Cottage by Acadia National Park (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom): This cottage is tucked into trees and is walking distance to the park’s carriage trails and other trails! 

Restored Barn (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms): This Airbnb is located on a beautiful property and would be a great choice for families!

Ellsworth

Nomad’s Rest (Studio, 1 bathroom): This dome is SO cool and definitely meets the definition of glamping, with nice finishes, a kitchen area, and a bathroom (which is detached, but right next to the dome). There are views of Branch Lake too!

Lakefront Studio Apartment (Studio, 1 bathroom): This apartment is not only located on the water, but also offers kayaks and canoes to use, plus a hot tub! Note- it does not have a full kitchen.

Cottage on the Lake (Studio, 1 bathroom): This cottage offers everything you need for a comfortable stay and has amazing views!

Whitetail Cottage (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom): This cottage is located even closer to Acadia than Ellsworth and while it doesn’t have WiFi or a TV, it has a very nice design and is located on a gorgeous property. It would be the perfect spot to unplug!

Treehouse (3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms): Holy cow this treehouse is gorgeous and offers a lot of space for a family or group! 

Camping

There are a handful of camping options in and around the park, which offer sites for tents and/or RVs. One thing to note about camping in this area (and Maine in general) is that they are not open year round. Most campgrounds are open mid-May to mid-October and during our visit in mid to late May, all of the campgrounds were closed.

In Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park has two campgrounds on Mount Desert Island, Blackwoods and Seawall. Both have over 200 sites and can accommodate tents and RVs, but do not have electric hookups. The price ranges from $22-$30 a night depending on the site and reservations can be made two months in advance and get booked up quickly!

Outside the Park

There are a bunch of campgrounds near the park and a couple that have come highly recommended to us are Bar Harbor Campground, Mount Desert Campground (no RVs over 20 feet or dogs), Smuggler’s Den Campground, and the KOA Bar Harbor/Oceanside Holiday.

Boondocking

The Walmart in Ellsworth allows overnight RV parking and we stayed here before exploring the park. It was hands down the most amount of vans/RVs we have ever seen at a Walmart and we felt safe.

How much time do you need at Acadia National Park?

This is a tough question! There are SO many things to do in Acadia National Park, especially when it comes to trails to hike, that you could easily spend weeks in the area and likely not see it all. 

We spent two jam-packed days in the park and at a minimum suggest dedicating two full days, but with three to four days being a more relaxed trip. We will include some itinerary options at the end of this guide to help you prioritize your time!

What to bring with you to Acadia National Park

Since the best things to do in Acadia National Park are outdoors, you’ll want to bring plenty of outdoor gear and clothing. To see everything we take hiking, as well as our favorite clothing, check out our hiking gear, as well as our guide about how to make a 10 essentials kit. 

Things to know before you visit Acadia National Park 

Entrance fee

There is a $30 entrance fee per car to enter Acadia National Park, which covers 7 days in the park. We recommend getting the America the Beautiful Pass, which is $80 per year and gets you into all National Park Service managed sites and federal lands for free.

Start early!

Our top tip for any place we visit, but especially the national parks, which are recently experiencing more visitors than normal, is to start early! While it can be tough to get up early on vacation, it pays off big time, especially at Acadia National Park, where parking can sometimes be limited. 

We tried to start our days in the park before or at sunrise, which always made our first hike of the day way less busy. We also had good luck hiking at sunset too, when most visitors have left the park for dinner. 

Dogs are mostly allowed

One awesome thing about Acadia National Park is that dogs on a leash are allowed in most areas. You can see which trails they are and are not allowed on here and we will make sure to specify under each trail below. 

Curious what we do with Kona when she cannot join us on a hike? Read this guide about how we travel with a dog.

The trails are rugged

Many of the hikes in Acadia National Park aren’t super long mileage wise, but don’t let that fool you! A lot of the trails at Acadia National Park tend to be very steep and rugged, with some offering challenging features (like ladders and iron rungs). These hikes can also be dangerous if it is raining or icy, as they can get very slick.

Cell service is limited

While you can get cell service (we are on Verizon) near the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, we didn’t have much service near Jordan Pond or in some other areas in the park. Not only do we recommend downloading AllTrails maps, but it would be helpful to download offline Google Maps for the park as well!

Want to get 30% off an AllTrails+ membership? Click this link or use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)!

We use AllTrails+ on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.

The Best Things to do in Acadia National Park

There are many things to do in Acadia National Park, including both on and off Mount Desert Island! Below we’re sharing what we think are the best things to do in the park, especially if you’re looking to experience the major highlights and don’t have a ton of time to spend.

We’re sharing itinerary options for 2-4 days at the end of this guide to help you plan your time as well!

Watch our first time at Acadia National Park, including sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, hiking the Precipice Trail, and a delicious iconic food!

Watch the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain

The best way to start your day at Acadia National Park is sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain! Cadillac Mountain is the highest peak on the North Atlantic seaboard at 1,530 feet and from early October to early March it is the first place in the United States to view the sunrise. 

This is one of the most iconic things to do in Acadia National Park and over the years has become so popular and busy that the park now requires a vehicle reservation to drive the road anytime of the day, including at sunrise.

These reservations can sell out VERY fast (in under a minute!) and if you’re unable to get one, you do have other options and can hike to the top on a couple different trails or ride a bike.

Read our guide to learn more about how to see the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain, including when permits become available and how we were able to snag one.

For those who are able to make it to the top for sunrise, you’ll be treated to gorgeous pinks, oranges, and reds as the rising sun illuminates over the Atlantic Ocean and islands in the distance. It is a magical experience! Just make sure to bring lots of layers, blankets, and hot beverages…it can be VERY cold and windy up there!

Conquer the iron rung hikes

Besides sunrise on Cadillac Mountain, the #1 thing we suggest doing at Acadia National Park is hiking one of the iron rung hikes! 

What is an iron rung hike? These are hikes that have ladders, iron rungs, ledges, and other challenging features to use to climb up steep rock faces. There are four total in the park including:

• Beehive Loop (1.4 miles round trip) 
• Beech Cliff Ladders (1.8 miles round trip)
• Precipice Loop (2.1 miles round trip)
• Jordan Cliffs (3.0 miles round trip)

Note: Peregrine falcon nesting closes the Jordan Cliffs and Precipice Loop between March 15 and August 15.

These hikes are unlike any hike we have ever done in a national park and make for a very unique experience. However, these trails aren’t for everyone, especially for those afraid of heights or are unable to climb up ladders and rungs easily (dogs are also not allowed), but if you’re up for a challenge, they are tons of fun!

During our visit, we hiked two iron rung hikes and loved them both! The first one we completed was the Beech Cliff Ladders, which only has four metal ladders to climb and isn’t too challenging or scary.

After warming up on the Beech Cliff Ladders, we conquered the Precipice Loop, which is considered the most challenging and exposed, with many sections where you’re climbing vertically up a cliff and some narrow areas to walk across. This one definitely would make someone with a huge fear of heights nervous, but we both felt that it wasn’t very scary and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 

If you’re not up for the Precipice Loop, the Beehive Loop is the most popular of the four and is shorter and less intense than the Precipice Loop, making it a good option to try out first. We hope to hike it next time and compare the two.

Read our detailed guide to hiking the Precipice Loop to learn more about what to expect and other safety warnings.

Go for a hike 

There are over 150 miles of trails at Acadia National Park, ranging in length and difficulty. Picking which hikes to do while in the park was very overwhelming, as there are SO many good options with great reviews. 

Read about our favorite hikes in Acadia National Park in this guide, including everything you need to know for each one and what to expect on the trail!

Below is a quick snapshot of our favorite hikes in the park, plus a few we didn’t have time for, but hope to hike in the future. We’re listing these in order of how we’d prioritize them if you’re short on time.

Another thing to note about hiking in Acadia National Park is that many trails can be combined together, giving you tons of options to lengthen (or possibly shorten) some hikes. However, this can also make things confusing, so make sure to have AllTrails maps downloaded.

Jordan Pond to South Bubble Summit

Miles (round trip): 3.0 
Elevation gain: 534 feet
Trail reviews and conditions
Dogs allowed?: Technically yes, but a couple parts were hard for Kona, who normally is a little mountain goat, so we suggest leaving them behind.

There are a few different routes to get to the top of South Bubble, which is one of two towering mounds over Jordan Pond, but we did this route, starting at Jordan Pond (where there is more parking) and really enjoyed it! The hike starts nice and flat along the pond, before a rocky uphill climb to the summit, with some scrambling required. 

But once at the top, the views of Jordan Pond are incredible! It’s one of the most iconic views in the park. Make sure to also walk just past the overlook to the Bubble Rock, which is a rock that is balanced on the side of a cliff. From here, you’ll have great views of Eagle Lake!

Gorham Mountain Trail

Miles (roundtrip): 1.6
Elevation gain: 429 feet
Trail reviews and conditions
Dogs allowed?: Yes! This trail doesn’t have any difficult features for dogs.

The Gorham Mountain Trail is a straightforward hike, without any difficult sections (which seems rare for Acadia) as it climbs through the forest to the summit. At the top, you’ll have sweeping views of Sand Beach, the Atlantic Ocean, Mount Desert Island, and surrounding peaks. 

We highly recommend combining this trail with the two others below (Great Head and Ocean Path) to create a 5.6 mile loop (view our trail recording). We started at Sand Beach, hiked Great Head, walked Ocean Path to the Gorham Mountain trailhead, hiked to the Gorham Mountain summit, and then hiked down the Bowl Trail, which connected us to Park Loop Road, where we walked back to our van. It’s a great combination of trails!

Great Head Trail

Miles (round trip): 1.6
Elevation gain: 301 feet
Trail reviews and conditions
Dogs allowed?: Yes! This is an easy trail for dogs.

The Great Head trail starts at Sand Beach and takes you in a loop around Great Head, with coastal views the majority of the way. Since it’s a loop, the views vary the entire time, which keeps things interesting! Our favorite spot was the overlook of Sand Beach, where you can really tell how blue the water is. It looked like a beach in Hawaii, not Maine! 

Ocean Path

Miles (round trip): 4.5
Elevation gain: 374 feet
Trail reviews and conditions
Dogs allowed?: Yes! This is the perfect “trail” to walk your pup!

The Ocean Path is less of a trail and is more of a gravel path along the ocean that follows Park Loop Road. So while you can drive along this path and make some stops, not all stops are accessible by car. 

On this path you get even more ocean views and there are some offshoots that go down side trails and provide different views of the coast. 

Some of the popular spots to check out on this path are Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff, which are both accessible by car or foot as well. 

Thunder Hole is a narrow inlet that is famous for making a thunderous roar when large waves enter it. To see the phenomenon, plan your walk for 1-2 hours before high tide. Otter Cliff is a 110 ft high cliff and is a popular rock climbing spot. 

Hikes on our list for next time

On our next visit to Acadia we’d love to hike:

• Dorr Mountain Ladder Trail (2.7 miles, 1,131 feet of elevation gain): Despite the name, it’s more of stairs than ladders, but has amazing views at the top from what we have seen!
• St. Sauveur and Acadia Mountain Loop (4.0 miles, 1,210 feet of elevation gain): Located on the quieter side of Mount Desert Island, near Beech Cliffs, this hike has some killer views of the ocean and Mount Desert Island. 

Have afternoon tea at Jordan Pond House Restaurant

Having popovers and tea at the Jordan Pond House is a classic Acadia experience that dates back over 100 years! 

Back in 1847, the first settlers set up a logging operation and mill at the south end of the pond, with a house eventually being built by the Jordan family, overlooking the pond named after them. This house didn’t become a restaurant until around the end of the 19th century, when the area became popular with summer vacationers, and the first popovers and tea were served around 1895 by the McIntire family. 

In 1928, John D. Rockefeller Jr. purchased the Jordan Pond House and donated it to the NPS in 1940. The restaurant was still being run by the McIntires during this time, but once they retired in the late 1940s, Rockefeller ensured that the traditions would continue and created a company to run it.

In 1979 the original building burned down, but the new building opened in 1982 and continues the tradition of popovers and tea (plus other food items) that began in 1895. It is a popular activity and the wait times can be long (we waited for over an hour), so try to arrive before they open to get your name on the list.

So what is a popover and why is there such a wait to eat one? 

A popover is a light roll made from an egg batter, with a high proportion of liquid in the batter that creates steam that causes the popovers to puff up, similar to Yorkshire Pudding in England. The outside has a unique shape and the inside is very airy and almost doughy. It’s served with butter and jam and is unlike any roll we have ever eaten…it’s simple, but delicious! 

And the best part is that if you eat outside (which we recommend), you have great views of Jordan Pond, making the experience even better.

Visit the beautiful Sand Beach

If you want to feel like you’ve escaped to a tropical beach while in Maine, head to Sand Beach! This 290 yard long beach is the only sandy beach at Acadia National Park and has clear, bright blue water and soft sand. It’s gorgeous!

This is a great spot to relax on a sunny day or go for a dip! One thing to know though is that dogs are ONLY allowed between mid September to early June. Since we visited in October, Kona got to enjoy chomping on the waves (one of her favorite pastimes)! 

Bike along the historic Carriage Roads

Acadia National Park has 45 miles of carriage roads, which were a gift from John D. Rockefeller Jr. and built in the 1900s to preserve the park’s nature and allow a non-motorized way to get around the park. 

These roads are 16 feet wide and are an example of broken stone roads, which required a lot of labor to create to ensure they could withstand Maine’s wet weather. They only allow pedestrians, bikes, and horses and are a great way to experience areas of the park that are not accessible by vehicles.

If you do not have a bike or are unable to bring yours with you, you can rent a bike from Acadia Bike or Acadia eBike Rentals (only class 1 eBikes are allowed). 

See the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

One of the most iconic views at Acadia National Park is the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, a picturesque, 56 foot tall lighthouse that sits on a rocky cliff. Even though you cannot go inside the lighthouse, it is still an extremely popular spot to visit in the park, especially at sunset for photography.

Parking is very limited here and fills up fast, so be prepared to wait for a spot or if your entire group isn’t interested in seeing it, have someone drop you off. Oversized vehicles are also not allowed, so we were unfortunately unable to visit. But a photographer friend of ours who was there at the same time said he loved it!

Visit the Schoodic Peninsula

While the majority of Acadia National Park is on Mount Desert Island, 5% of the park is also located on the Schoodic Peninsula, which connects to the mainland of Maine. Although it looks close to Mount Desert Island, it requires about an hour drive to get there. 

On the peninsula you can drive to scenic points, like Schoodic Point, hike the Schoodic Head Overlook and Anvil Loop Trail (2.6 miles, 482 feet of elevation gain), and see granite cliffs at Raven’s Nest.  

Explore Bar Harbor

While not technically in the park, Bar Harbor is so close that many people think it is a part of it! This coastal town has a charming downtown area that spans for a few blocks and leads to the ocean, with lots of shops and restaurants.

While we didn’t eat any meals in Bar Harbor, we had planned to go to The Travelin Lobster (just outside of town) for lobster, but it was closed for the season. We can highly recommend Mount Desert Island Ice Cream though, which was creamy and delicious!

Beyond food and walking around, one fun thing to do in Bar Harbor is walk out to Bar Island, which is an island right across from town. This island is actually part of the national park and during low tide, you can walk across to it!

If you do this, it is only safe and accessible to walk across 1.5 hours before and after low tide. So please make sure to study tide charts to ensure you stay safe and don’t get stuck!

Acadia National Park Itinerary Options (2-4 Days)

Now that you know of the best things to do in Acadia National Park, here are some itinerary options to help you squeeze in as much as possible whether you have two, three, or four days!

2 Day Itinerary

Day 1

1. See the sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain. Bring coffee and breakfast to enjoy during and after!
2. Hike the Jordan Pond to South Bubble Summit Trail. If you head here right from Cadillac Mountain you should have no issue getting parking.
3. Enjoy popovers and tea (plus any other food items) at the Jordan Pond House Restaurant. 
4. Head over to the west side of Mount Desert Island and hike the Beech Cliff Ladders.
5. Have dinner in Bar Harbor.

Day 2

1. Head to the park right before sunrise and hike either the Precipice Trail or Beehive Trail. You will want to get an early start to ensure you have time to enjoy it without lots of people!
2. Head to Sand Beach and enjoy a picnic brunch, before hiking the Great Head Trail.
3. Continue onto the Ocean Path and then up to Gorham Mountain for an awesome loop!
4. Spend the rest of the day in Bar Harbor, grabbing dinner and walking around town. You can also go to the Bar Island if the tides work in your favor! 

3 Day Itinerary

Days 1 & 2

Follow the itinerary above!

Day 3

1. Hike the St. Sauveur and Acadia Mountain Loop or Dorr Mountain Ladder Trail.
2. If you need lunch, head to The Travelin Lobster, which is located on the northern side of Mount Desert Island.
3. Spend the afternoon biking some of the Carriage Roads. The one around Eagle Lake looks beautiful!
4. End the day with sunset at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Try to get there early to ensure you can get a parking spot!

4 Day Itinerary

Days 1-3

Follow the itinerary above!

Day 4

1. Spend the day at the Schoodic Peninsula!
2. With any extra time you have, enjoy your final day in the area by spending more time in Bar Harbor or hiking any trails you didn’t have time for before.

Ready to explore Acadia National Park?

Pin this list of things to do in Acadia National Park to help plan your trip!