Our FULL Visit Guide to Acadia National Park!
Last Updated on April 3, 2024 by Kelly
Acadia National Park, located in Maine, is one of the best national parks in the United States. With sweeping coastal views, thrilling hikes, and waves constantly crashing across the rocks, the park packs a lot of New England charm. In my opinion, it’s the best park in New England!
Acadia National Park receives about 4 million visitors each year! We visited Acadia National Park and we were super-impressed with the views and the hikes. We visited the park on a whim, and I’m so glad we explored while we were living in New England.
In this post, I’m sharing my favorite things to do at Acadia National Park!
23 Things to See at Acadia National Park
1. Beehive Trail
The first hike we completed at Acadia National Park was the Beehive Trail. We love to go hiking, and this was one of our favorite hikes. What I liked about the Beehive Trail was the experience of using the iron rungs, ladders, and hand bars to scale up the rocks. The view from the top was absolutely incredible. We saw Sand Beach below us, as well as the coast and Frenchman Bay.
The Beehive Trail is 1.4 miles roundtrip and will take you up a 450 foot cliff trail. It took us about 2 hours to complete the hike. We stopped frequently for photos and had a mini-lunch at the top. I wouldn’t recommend this trail for children. The granite is extra-slippery when it’s wet, so it might not be advisable to hike it on a rainy day. It’s a good idea to always check out current advisories on the park’s website, as well as speak to a local park ranger.
2. Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
If you’re looking for a picture-perfect spot of coastal Maine, head to the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse is located on the southern portion of Mount Desert Island, and it marks the entrance to Bass Harbor. The lighthouse was built in 1858 and stands 56 feet tall.
3. Precipice Trail
The Precipice Trail is one of Acadia National Park’s most intense hikes. As the name suggests, there are many precipices and steep drop-offs. This hike is not for someone with a fear of heights! The hike is 3.2 miles round trip. There’s some intense vertical gain on this hike, with many portions requiring non-technical climbing. (There are iron rungs to help assist.) One portion of the hike gains 1,000 feet in about a mile! We wouldn’t recommend this hike for children.
4. Hulls Cove Visitor Center
A great place to start out your day is at Hulls Cove Visitor Center. You can buy your park entrance ticket, speak with a ranger, and make a plan for your day.
5. Ocean Path
If you’d like a nice coastal walk, you should check out the Ocean Path trail. The Ocean Path is a trail that connects Sand Beach to Otter Point. This is also more of a family-friendly walk. You’ll be able to see Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Monument Cove, and Otter Cliff. The trail is about 2 miles one-way.
6. Jordan Cliffs Trail
If you’re up for a challenging hike, the 5-mile Jordan Cliffs Loop will take you up to the top of Sargent Mountain. The hike is not recommended for children, people with a fear of heights, or during rainy weather. This hike also utilizes iron rungs.
7. Summit of Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain is the highest point of the entire East Coast. Many people flock to the summit to see the sunrise and the sunset. Because it’s so popular, vehicle reservations are needed for much of the year. If you secure reservations, be sure to hike the Cadillac Mountain Summit Loop Trail. It’s a short loop that has great views.
8. Blue Hill Overlook
An alternative to viewing the sunrise from the summit of Cadillac Mountain is to drive a little ways down to the Blue Hill Overlook. I’ve read that it can be less crowded than the summit, but we personally did not have the time to do this when we visited Acadia.
9. Echo Lake Beach
Echo Lake is a lake located within Mount Desert Island. If you want to go swimming at Acadia National Park, this is the place to go. Thee freshwater lake has a fairly sandy beach and a large shallow area for kids to play.
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10. Book a Guided Tour of Acadia National Park
This half-day guided minivan tour will let you see the park’s main attractions without having to worry about driving and parking. Your guide will know the best places to visit, and because it’s a private tour, you have more freedom with the timeline. With this tour, you’ll drive the Park Loop Road, see the summit of Cadillac Mountain, visit Sand Beach, and visit Thunder Hole.
11. Jordan Pond Loop Trail
The Jordan Pond Loop is a fairly easy trail around Jordan Pond. The trail is about 3.5 miles long. The Jordan Pond House is a restaurant located nearby, so you can have a nice meal after your hike.
12. Carriage Roads
Acadia National Park contains 45 miles of carriage roads. The carriage roads were a gift to the park from the Rockefeller family. Today, they’re open to pedestrians, bicyclists, and horse riders. Exploring the carriage roads is a great way to find scenic view points and escape of the crowds.
13. Beech Cliff Ladder Trail
Another popular hike in Acadia National Park with iron rungs is the Beech Cliff Ladder Trail. This trail tends to be a little less crowded in comparison to the Beehive and Precipice trails. The trail is a little less than 2 miles.
14. Baker Island Cruise with a Ranger
With the Baker Island Cruise tour, you can join a park ranger on a 5-hour exploration of Baker Island. You’ll get to visit the historic cemetery and homestead on this remote island. The tour is not recommended for small children because there is a lot of walking on even ground. The island is 130 acres and contains the Baker Island Lighthouse.
15. Sand Beach
After we completed the Beehive Hike, we went to Sand Beach. (You can view the beach from the top of the Beehive Trail, and we wanted to check it out!) Sand Beach is Acadia’s only coastal sandy beach. The beach is about 290 yards long. We thought the water was much too cold for swimming, but we did enjoy watching the waves! The beach is conveniently located next to the Beehive Trail and Ocean Path. We wrote a full article about Sand Beach if you’re interested in learning more.
16. Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is an inlet along the coast. At the end of the inlet is a small cavern. When large waves crash into the inlet, water can spout high into the sky as it makes a lot of noise like thunder.
17. Great Head Trail
The Great Head Trail at Acadia National Park is accessed from the Sand Beach parking lot. The trail is about a 2 mile loop, and it will take you along the headland of the peninsula. There are steep cliffs along this trail, so exercise caution and be mindful if you have children accompanying you.
18. Otter Cliff
Otter Cliff is a headland that is 110 feet high and juts against the sea. It’s located less than a mile from Thunder Hole, so it’s convenient to see both attractions in the same visit.
19. View Acadia from a Sailboat
One of the best ways to see Acadia is from the water! You’ll have a completely different perspective of the coastline. This 2-hour sailboat ride will give you great views of Acadia National Park and Frenchman Bay.
20. Schoodic Peninsula
The Schoodic Peninsula is just across the water from Mount Desert Island. During peak season, there’s a ferry that can take passengers across the water. (This is much more convenient than driving off Mount Desert Island, up the mainland, and then to the peninsula.) While you’re on the peninsula, check out Schoodic Point.
21. Isle Au Haut
Visitors can reach Isle Au Haut also by a year-round passenger ferry. You can board the ferry from Stonington and it will take you to Isla au Haut Town Landing. The island is over 8,000 acres, and about half of it belongs to Acadia National Park. The town is very remote, and it contains a church, school, general store, and town hall. When you visit, check out the Western Head Trail.
22. Asticou Azalea Garden
The Asticou Azalea Garden is a beautiful garden maintained by the Mount Desert Land and Garden Preserve. The garden was inspired by traditional Japanese gardens, and each element was intentionally considered. Admission is free and donations are appreciated.
23. Explore Bar Harbor
There’s lots to do in the town of Bar Harbor, which is the closest town to Acadia National Park. You can take a lobster boat 2-hour tour and learn all about Maine lobsters. Afterwards, head to Rose Eden Lobster and eat some lobster! While in Bar Harbor, you can even take a culinary walking tour! You can also take a historical walking tour through Bar Harbor.
Why You Should Visit
Acadia National Park has been one of the Top 3 most-visited national parks.
Acadia National Park is known as the Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast. If you want to see New England’s rugged coast, Acadia National Park is the place to go. The park has a lighthouse, tons of trails, and lots of beaches.
I’ve been to dozens of national parks, and Acadia is definitely one of my favorite parks in the country!
About Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is comprised of 3 primary regions:
- Mount Desert Island (MDI): This is the main area of Acadia National Park. Although it is an island, you can drive directly into the park. Most of the park’s most popular attractions are on Mount Desert Island.
- Schoodic Peninsula: This is the only portion of Acadia National Park that is on the mainland. It’s typically less busy than Mount Desert Island, as it’s across the water from the main portion of the park. (That means you need to take a longer drive to reach it.)
- Isle au Haut: This island is accessed only by a year-round passenger ferry. You can catch the ferry at Stonington, which will then take you to Isle au Haut. The ferry ride is approximately 45 minutes long.
In addition to the 3 regions listed above, the town of Bar Harbor is located adjacent to Acadia National Park. Most visitors seek lodging or dining options in Bar Harbor after a busy day at Acadia National Park.
Acadia National Park is over 47,000 acres. The park contains 158 miles of hiking trails, 27 miles of vehicle roads, and 45 miles of carriage roads. The carriage roads were a gift to the park made by the wealthy Rockefeller family. These narrow, cobbled roads are open to pedestrians, bicyclists, and horse-drawn carriages.
Be sure to see all our posts about destinations in Maine!
How to Get There
Driving There
If you’re traveling to Acadia National Park by car, I-95 is the closet major interstate. You’ll then take US-1A and follow the signs to the park. When we visited Acadia National Park, we took our car and found the park very easy to navigate. You’ll need to purchase an entrance pass. As of this writing, the entrance fee for a private vehicle is $30.
Importantly, if you’re planning to drive up Cadillac Mountain, you’ll need to have a separate vehicle registration that is required during peak season. If you weren’t able to secure a vehicle registration, but you still want to go to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, you can also see if you can book a tour to take you to the top. The tour operator will let you know what’s currently available.
Acadia National Park is about a 3-hour drive from Portland, Maine.
Nearest Airport
The nearest major airport to Acadia National Park is Portland International Jetport (PWM). There’s also a smaller regional airport near Acadia called Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport, but it doesn’t service many flights.
Island Explorer Shuttle
During peak season, the park offers the fare-free Island Explorer shuttle. The shuttle connects many of the park’s top destinations. It also provides free transportation from Bar Harbor-Hancock Regional Airport. This is an excellent way to see Acadia National Park without having to worry about parking. It also helps to reduce air pollution, which is always good for our national parks!
Looking for a hotel? Check out the Saltair Inn! The historic inn is a bed and breakfast.
Our Experience at Acadia
We stopped by Acadia National Park on our way to Quebec, Canada. We visited the park right before I moved back to the west coast, so I was trying to see as much of New England as I could. I’m so glad that we made it to Acadia before I left for good!
Just prior to visiting the park, we spent a couple days in Portland, Maine. It was only a 3-hour drive to add on Acadia, so we made sure to fit it into our itinerary.
We only had one day at Acadia National Park, and we were completely blown away. We absolutely loved the Beehive Trail and Sand Beach. The coastal views were incredible. We would definitely return to Acadia National Park in a heartbeat to explore even more of the park! I’d like to spend at least two full days there.
Camping at Acadia National Park
There are four campgrounds in Acadia National Park:
- Seawall Campground (Mount Desert Island)
- Blackwoods Campground (Mount Desert Island)
- Schoodic Woods Campground (Schoodic Peninsula)
- Duck Harbor Campground (Isle au Haut)
Many of them are only open seasonally. See each of the websites linked above for the number of tent campsites and RV sites.
Summary
Acadia National Park is the perfect place to embrace Maine’s rugged coast. The park has everything: mountains, islands, beaches, and lots of trails. We would definitely recommend this national park to others!
Disclaimer: We always strive for content accuracy. Since the time of publishing, travel-related information regarding pricing, schedules, and hours may have changed. Please look up such information directly from each vendor or institution for the most current information.
