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It's beautiful up here. Honestly, I can't say it's jaw-dropping spectacular, nor is it all that dramatic... but it is still quite beautiful. We found it was very easy to navigate the 27-mile loop road around the park. We did not go up to Cadillac Mountain, so while that might've been a bit more challenging drive, we wouldn't know. We traversed the remainder of the path quite effortlessly. While we got to see the noted points of interest along the way, we didn't access most of the walking trails. We just mostly stayed on the driving paths. If we ever could return, I'd love to go on a formal tour of the area, so we'd learn about all the geological / historical / and other facts and figures that I'm sure we don't know. Still, I really enjoyed our leisurely tour of the area. Just beautiful. And lots of fun !!
Wow, this place was absolutely beautiful. I have visited a few national parks now but have never reviewed one. I was a solo visitor and only drove up for the day, so I didn't experience it in its entirety, but I did get to do Cadillac mountain, Jordan pond, and drive the park trail loop. Jordan pond was the highlight of my visit. It is an easy 3 mile loop around and just absolutely beautiful. If you are visiting Maine, or just thinking about coming here, I highly recommend it! I would love to visit again and be able to do sunrise on Cadillac mountain. I wish I had my dog with me! :)
I cannot put in to words how beautiful Acadia is. I took a few pictures that don't do it justice. All I can say is it will take your breath away. We drove from Portland, which was a long drive, and I wish we'd had more time. Next time we are staying in Bangor so we can spend more time in Acadia. The shuttle service around the park was amazing! We would have never been able to see what we did if we drove around. I would have been looking for parking most of the time. I can't wait to go back. This was a trial run. Next time we will have more time to spend in the park and plan our shuttle trips.
This park is stunning and well worth the trip to visit. We camped in the Blackwoods Campground for a week and spent the days hiking the various trails including the North ridge trail to Cadillac Summit as well as various trails up to Sargent Mtn. One of us did the Beehive which has iron rings and is not for those with fear of heights or cliffs. The views are gorgeous, the weather crisp and just right for a summer hike. We weren't able to get a reservation for sunrise at Cadillac Summit, but we did sunset at the summit which was also stunning and serene. Amazing place to visit.
Another great National Park in America! We only had a couple of days in Acadia but we packed in a lot of fun events! We rode bikes along the Carriage roads which are set up for biking & hiking along the Park. Biking nestled in the Natural forest on a paved path leading to Eagle Lake. We drove our car up to Cadillac Mountain and hiked along the edge placing us at the most Eastern point in the USA! On the way down we stopped by Sand Beach & were able to witness a baby seal rescue that washed up on shore. A smaller National Park but very well maintained by the National Park Services.
I'd have to say that Acadia is one of my most favorite national parks. So much beautiful nature to see all around when hiking about. The park boasts over 120 miles of hiking trails. There are spots for swimming and kayaking and other water activities. Biking the trails is another great way to see wildlife on their natural habitat, foliage, and more. Granite peaks (like Cadillac Mountain) with spectacular views. A wonderful way to become with nature whilst checking the cost off your must-see list.
Where do you even begin to review a national park as gorgeous as Acadia? Sand Beach and Thunder Hole are a must see. Beautiful sights. Cadillac Mountain is worth it.
Finally at Arcadia National Park. Great day visiting I now have a lifetime pass to any federal park in the US
I wish I could have done Acadia National Park justice through my photos. But alas, the park is too beautiful for a camera. We spent all day here and did various walks / hikes, and explored Bar Harbor. If you find yourself on the east coast, I would definitely recommend checking out this park. We went early in the morning to catch the sunrise (tickets purchased upon release 24 hours prior). The sunrise was beautiful, the hikes were beautiful, the scenery was beautiful. I could go on and on. We did a walk around Jordan Pond (the name is misleading as it was more of a lake than a pond) with a two year old, and saw many other kids. The full walk was a little over 3 miles, with about half the walk done on planks, and the other half on rocks and dirt paths.
I knew coming in that Acadia was high on a lot of people's favorites list, so I will admit that I came here with a bit of high expectations. And honestly, this place WOW'ed me even more than I thought it was going to! We came here on a holiday weekend, which I was iffy about at first due to crowds. And yes, it was crowded, but I never found myself overwhelmed. One thing I LOVED about Acadia was their free bus system. They have multiple buses that stop all over the park, free of charge - Their mission is to keep less cars going through the park emitting carbon dioxide. The bus also dropped off in the Bar Harbor town square, which gave us a bonus spot to explore. I will admit that I am not someone who tries to do everything at National Parks. We only had one day here, so we had to pick things on a whim to do. We started at Sand Beach and trekked along the cliffs to Otter Cliff, which stops at Thunder Hole on the way. All of these sights, including that beautiful ocean view, were incredible to see!! If you find yourself able to visit this park, you absolutely must. It is such a unique one that can't be missed!
I had questions as to whether my trip was too late in the year, as some seasonal businesses were starting to shut down. Weather varies of course, but my mid-October visit could hardly have been a better time, as I was greeted by trees still covered in leaves with changing colors and consistent weather in the 60's or so, for which you need long sleeves but is great for hiking. The areas included in the national park are astonishingly dynamic. The rocky, seaweed-covered coasts that one associates with Maine are there, and are largely unspoiled, and I spent plenty of time on the trails. I underestimated how big the mountains would be, and how you could end up in an area that really felt quiet and secluded just a few minutes away from the beach or the towns. I didn't see a ton of wildlife during my visit, and perhaps the local animals avoid tourist spots, but I only had a couple of days and there are many places i would certainly explore more if I had the time. As with most national parks, the option to buy a pass for this one site or for all national parks almost always favors the latter. They weren't checking passes due to the government shutdown when I visited, but the park was open, and it would have been a crime to try to keep people away.
It is a national park. So you kind of know what to expect. It is nice to have the national park pass to get in for free. This park has different scenery than other national parks of course. I liked it. I also like the driving loop trail to check out all the great spots. It is on the way to Bar Harbor so very convenient if you are going there or staying there. Plenty of ocean views and greenery. There are some spots that are very easy to get down to, nice paths or trails, paved. There are some great picnic spots too. I still prefer some of the other national parks better, but it was a great place to visit.
I have been to dozens of national parks and in my opinion Acadia is one of the most beautiful. I'm really glad that we visited during the off-season because it wasn't super packed and that added to my enjoyment. Even though it's one of the smaller parks, it's very dog friendly and that's super important to me. There's also a lot of diversity so it doesn't feel nearly as small as it is. You get rocky coastline, forests, mountains, amazing views and water features. Even in dense fog, it was really beautiful. While sitting in the car, we spotted a porcupine, well actually our dog spotted it lol, and we watched it waddle around for a few minutes before heading back into the brush. It was a really cool experience. The whole park felt very laid back and maybe that was because we came during the off-season but the roads were also very easy to navigate and the cooler weather just made everything so much more enjoyable. I definitely recommend checking this one off your bucket list if you haven't already.
I'm no stranger to parks and beautiful natural places, but Acadia is like a dreamscape. There's stunning ocean views from crumbling gorgeous cliff sides. There are lakes, streams, ponds, scenic lighthouses, boats, bikes, trails, gardens, crazy hikes with vertical iron rungs, rolling forest hikes, lighthouses, and more! The main issue you'll run into is crowds.. lots of people want to come here, especially in July and August. Best thing to do, go in as early as possible, do some things, take a break, go back again after 3. If you're early, you can get a parking spot then work from there. If you are flexible on time, take advantage of the shuttles, but be warned, they may be full, and they don't run every 10-15 minutes, so plan accordingly. I would be in the park by 7, have plans maybe on a tour in Bar Harbor late morning or early afternoon, then head back after 4, and I got to all the must-do's, ie hiked the Beehive, the Bubbles, Cadillac Mountain sunrise and sunset (reserve this early as spots sell out, I booked mine 3 months in advance the minute they released and they were sold out shortly later, especially sunrise tickets), Jordan Pond and popovers, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, as well as some boat tours in the area, including very successful whale and puffin watching. For more hints and tips, I watched some YouTube videos, there's great info out there, especially the videos from Ash, a former park ranger, who has loads of helpful tips to get around and not spend your trip sitting in traffic or waiting in a parking spot. read more
2 months ago
Acadia National Park is one of those places that genuinely lives up to everything said about it, and it stands apart from the big western parks in a way that makes it its own distinct experience. I found the combination of rocky coastline, dense evergreen forests, and mountain summits accessible within a relatively compact area meant there was always something worth stopping for. The scenery shifted constantly as I moved through the park, and keeping a camera within reach at all times was not an exaggeration. Cadillac Mountain is the natural anchor of my visit. The drive to the summit is worth doing on its own, but I chose to hike the Gorge Trail leading up to it on foot. It was a serious undertaking that included real rock climbing sections and rewarded me with views that felt genuinely earned. I budgeted a full half day for the hike rather than driving. The summit itself has a gift shop, and the views from the top looked out in every direction with nothing obstructing them. A reservation for the Cadillac summit road costs a few dollars and needs to be booked online in advance, so I handled that before I arrived. The Beehive Trail is another strong option for hikers who want something with more exposure and elevation gain than a standard walk. I also built Sand Beach and Thunder Hole into my loop drive, and the carriage roads offered a different pace entirely, peaceful and scenic with no vehicle traffic to contend with, making them ideal for biking if I had access to wheels. Parking was a genuine challenge during peak season and on weekends in particular. Arriving early in the morning was the only reliable way to secure a spot at the popular stops without waiting an hour or more. A late fall visit would hit a sweet spot where crowds thin out considerably, the air is crisp, and the park takes on a quieter quality that peak season cannot offer. I made sure to buy my park pass at the visitor center and did my research on seasonal hours before I went, as services and shuttles wind down toward the end of October. read more
7 days ago
It's beautiful up here. Honestly, I can't say it's jaw-dropping spectacular, nor is it all that dramatic... but it is still quite beautiful. We found it was very easy to navigate the 27-mile loop road around the park. We did not go up to Cadillac Mountain, so while that might've been a bit more challenging drive, we wouldn't know. We traversed the remainder of the path quite effortlessly. While we got to see the noted points of interest along the way, we didn't access most of the walking trails. We just mostly stayed on the driving paths. If we ever could return, I'd love to go on a formal tour of the area, so we'd learn about all the geological / historical / and other facts and figures that I'm sure we don't know. Still, I really enjoyed our leisurely tour of the area. Just beautiful. And lots of fun !! read more
26 days ago
Wow, this place was absolutely beautiful. I have visited a few national parks now but have never reviewed one. I was a solo visitor and only drove up for the day, so I didn't experience it in its entirety, but I did get to do Cadillac mountain, Jordan pond, and drive the park trail loop. Jordan pond was the highlight of my visit. It is an easy 3 mile loop around and just absolutely beautiful. If you are visiting Maine, or just thinking about coming here, I highly recommend it! I would love to visit again and be able to do sunrise on Cadillac mountain. I wish I had my dog with me! :) read more
24 days ago
I cannot put in to words how beautiful Acadia is. I took a few pictures that don't do it justice. All I can say is it will take your breath away. We drove from Portland, which was a long drive, and I wish we'd had more time. Next time we are staying in Bangor so we can spend more time in Acadia. The shuttle service around the park was amazing! We would have never been able to see what we did if we drove around. I would have been looking for parking most of the time. I can't wait to go back. This was a trial run. Next time we will have more time to spend in the park and plan our shuttle trips. read more
This park is stunning and well worth the trip to visit. We camped in the Blackwoods Campground for a week and spent the days hiking the various trails including the North ridge trail to Cadillac Summit as well as various trails up to Sargent Mtn. One of us did the Beehive which has iron rings and is not for those with fear of heights or cliffs. The views are gorgeous, the weather crisp and just right for a summer hike. We weren't able to get a reservation for sunrise at Cadillac Summit, but we did sunset at the summit which was also stunning and serene. Amazing place to visit. read more
Another great National Park in America! We only had a couple of days in Acadia but we packed in a lot of fun events! We rode bikes along the Carriage roads which are set up for biking & hiking along the Park. Biking nestled in the Natural forest on a paved path leading to Eagle Lake. We drove our car up to Cadillac Mountain and hiked along the edge placing us at the most Eastern point in the USA! On the way down we stopped by Sand Beach & were able to witness a baby seal rescue that washed up on shore. A smaller National Park but very well maintained by the National Park Services. read more
I'd have to say that Acadia is one of my most favorite national parks. So much beautiful nature to see all around when hiking about. The park boasts over 120 miles of hiking trails. There are spots for swimming and kayaking and other water activities. Biking the trails is another great way to see wildlife on their natural habitat, foliage, and more. Granite peaks (like Cadillac Mountain) with spectacular views. A wonderful way to become with nature whilst checking the cost off your must-see list. read more
2 days ago
I wish I could have done Acadia National Park justice through my photos. But alas, the park is too beautiful for a camera. We spent all day here and did various walks / hikes, and explored Bar Harbor. If you find yourself on the east coast, I would definitely recommend checking out this park. We went early in the morning to catch the sunrise (tickets purchased upon release 24 hours prior). The sunrise was beautiful, the hikes were beautiful, the scenery was beautiful. I could go on and on. We did a walk around Jordan Pond (the name is misleading as it was more of a lake than a pond) with a two year old, and saw many other kids. The full walk was a little over 3 miles, with about half the walk done on planks, and the other half on rocks and dirt paths. read more
I knew coming in that Acadia was high on a lot of people's favorites list, so I will admit that I came here with a bit of high expectations. And honestly, this place WOW'ed me even more than I thought it was going to! We came here on a holiday weekend, which I was iffy about at first due to crowds. And yes, it was crowded, but I never found myself overwhelmed. One thing I LOVED about Acadia was their free bus system. They have multiple buses that stop all over the park, free of charge - Their mission is to keep less cars going through the park emitting carbon dioxide. The bus also dropped off in the Bar Harbor town square, which gave us a bonus spot to explore. I will admit that I am not someone who tries to do everything at National Parks. We only had one day here, so we had to pick things on a whim to do. We started at Sand Beach and trekked along the cliffs to Otter Cliff, which stops at Thunder Hole on the way. All of these sights, including that beautiful ocean view, were incredible to see!! If you find yourself able to visit this park, you absolutely must. It is such a unique one that can't be missed! read more
I had questions as to whether my trip was too late in the year, as some seasonal businesses were starting to shut down. Weather varies of course, but my mid-October visit could hardly have been a better time, as I was greeted by trees still covered in leaves with changing colors and consistent weather in the 60's or so, for which you need long sleeves but is great for hiking. The areas included in the national park are astonishingly dynamic. The rocky, seaweed-covered coasts that one associates with Maine are there, and are largely unspoiled, and I spent plenty of time on the trails. I underestimated how big the mountains would be, and how you could end up in an area that really felt quiet and secluded just a few minutes away from the beach or the towns. I didn't see a ton of wildlife during my visit, and perhaps the local animals avoid tourist spots, but I only had a couple of days and there are many places i would certainly explore more if I had the time. As with most national parks, the option to buy a pass for this one site or for all national parks almost always favors the latter. They weren't checking passes due to the government shutdown when I visited, but the park was open, and it would have been a crime to try to keep people away. read more
It is a national park. So you kind of know what to expect. It is nice to have the national park pass to get in for free. This park has different scenery than other national parks of course. I liked it. I also like the driving loop trail to check out all the great spots. It is on the way to Bar Harbor so very convenient if you are going there or staying there. Plenty of ocean views and greenery. There are some spots that are very easy to get down to, nice paths or trails, paved. There are some great picnic spots too. I still prefer some of the other national parks better, but it was a great place to visit. read more
I have been to dozens of national parks and in my opinion Acadia is one of the most beautiful. I'm really glad that we visited during the off-season because it wasn't super packed and that added to my enjoyment. Even though it's one of the smaller parks, it's very dog friendly and that's super important to me. There's also a lot of diversity so it doesn't feel nearly as small as it is. You get rocky coastline, forests, mountains, amazing views and water features. Even in dense fog, it was really beautiful. While sitting in the car, we spotted a porcupine, well actually our dog spotted it lol, and we watched it waddle around for a few minutes before heading back into the brush. It was a really cool experience. The whole park felt very laid back and maybe that was because we came during the off-season but the roads were also very easy to navigate and the cooler weather just made everything so much more enjoyable. I definitely recommend checking this one off your bucket list if you haven't already. read more
1 year ago
We drove through Acadia National Park today and up to Cadillac Mountain. The views were amazing but it was so cold and rainy! Hard to enjoy! But OMG it was gorgeous and breathtaking seeing the Ocean lap & spew on the cliffs! #newengland25trip read more
Acadia National Park is absolutely amazing park, I can see why its one of the best National park in America and especially for Foliage. We only did a day trip, so we truly didn't get to explore the entire park. The foliage at Arcadia National Park really beautiful, with so many trails and look out point, you can either walk or just drive through the park loop. Certain spots you have to book reservation ahead of time, which we did for Cadillac Moutain. The views for Cadillac mountain was wonderful, you get a view of the entire forest of foliage. I also enjoy Jordan pond, I got some great pictures of foliage up close and personal with a beautiful pond behind it. I wish we had more time to stay and truly explore Arcadia National Park and Foliage. Highly recommend coming here. read more
Great White Park Weighing in at a hefty 49k-acres, Acadia National Park has almost every type of terrain and land type imaginable. You want mountains? It's got the largest one on the Eastern Seaboard. What else ya want? Forests? Yep. Got that. Lakes and oceans? Got that covered, as well. Meadows, streams, and rivers? Yes, yes, and yes. So, what are you waiting for--come on down! Or is that up? Well, whatever... The Good: *If you're gonna come here for one thing it's gotta be Cadillac Mountain. The views are spectacular and unlike that I've ever seen. There's one little issue, tho... See "The Ugly" below. *Twenty-seven miles of drivable roads to get you around the park. *158 miles of hiking trails *Jordan Pond is another good spot to check out and hike around. *Be sure to visit Bar Harbor, a small city just outside the park that has some shopping and good eats (this is still Yelp, right?). *Try and plan for at least a few days to explore Acadia, as we only planned for ±1/2day and that definitely wasn't enough. The Meh: *$35 entrance fee or free with an annual NPS National Park pass ($80). *The number seven most visited National Park, as they average ±4M visitors a year, so don't expect much solitude. The Ugly: *Make sure to get a pass ahead of time if you want to get to the top of Cadillac Mountain. Otherwise, no pass and you're SoL. Go to Recreation.gov to obtain one. Pro Tip: they have an app. Conclusion: If you visit Maine and don't go to Acadia--can you even say you went?? ;-) read more
10 months ago
Acadia National Park is absolutely stunning! The park was buzzing with hikers, bikers, and walkers all enjoying the perfect weather -- an ideal day to get outdoors and explore. If you have the chance to bring bikes, do it! I'm sure there are incredible views to be discovered along the Park Loop Road that you just can't see any other way. The mix of ocean views, forest trails, and mountain scenery makes Acadia a true gem. Another National Park happily checked off the bucket list -- and definitely one worth revisiting! read more
I finally got to check Acadia National Park off my bucket list this week! I took the family to experience its stunning beauty, and we started our adventure at Cadillac Mountain, where the panoramic views were absolutely breathtaking. Next, we explored Jordan Pond, followed by Otter Point and Thunder Bay--each spot was incredible in its own way. We managed to visit all these highlights (and a few more!) from 6 am until around 4:30 pm. It was an amazing day, but wow, it was unbelievably hot! read more
11 months ago
Came here as part of an excursion to the park, which stopped at Cadillac mountain for photo ops and quickly went through Acadia loop. Five stars for the beautiful scenery and majestic views; one star for the boring tour guide, who was monotone and repeated random information 2-3 times. read more
Arrive early to beat all the people lining up to see all the spectacular views. Watch out for poison ivy on the trails it's everywhere. Bring water even though it's quite cool up here. Bring good hiking boots as the 4 mile ocean trail gets a little rocky at times. Plan accordingly as your wi fi or gps most likely will go out on you during your trip. Be ready for some incredible views. We did two hikes in two days and really enjoyed ourselves. read more
2 years ago
Acadia National Park is amazing. It's been on our travel list for a while now and recently bubbled its way to the top. We didn't intend to go during leaf peeping season but that's how it worked out and we couldn't have been more pleased. On our first day, we got a week long pass into the park. We also made reservations to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain (reservations are required during tourist season--we were there during the tail end of the tourist season). Definitely, take the time to make reservations for Cadillac Mountain. It was a stunning drive with tons of areas to pull off and take in the view. At the top, there are fun trails to enjoy along with the views. We enjoyed the rest of the park as well. Definitely take the time to check out Thunder Hole. The sound is wild and cannot be adequately explained--you just have to experience it. There are carriage roads throughout the park, which we enjoyed hiking (easy breezy hiking as they're made for carriages). We also did some more challenging trails with stairs carved into rock. The leaves were mesmerizing. We got there on the last day of September. It was mostly green with some yellow leaves. By mid week though, fall foliage was in full display. We could not have timed it better if we'd tried. What a trip! Get to it! read more
Visiting this park was the main reason we were in Bar Harbor. You have to by time slot tickets to visit Cadillac Mountain and we did that. It was beautiful! But windy as heck the day we were there. We walked around the area and took in the view. We also spent some time driving in the park to various spots and locations. In my opinion, this is where the experience deteriorated. This park has NO PARKING anywhere. and if you do park on the side of the road to get out- in most places you will get a ticket. We saw many given out. The traffic loop for the park was slammed and the line to enter was over 1 hour when we got there. We heard later on that day that they stopped admitting people due to the volume already in the park. The traffic and inability to park took away from what is a beautiful spot read more
Went off season (clearly) and could not have been more enchanted! We have an annual park pass to all national parks so it got us in for free. There was a TON of parking; the place was an absolute dead zone. Don't know if that was due to it being a weekday, off season, or both, but I don't know why anyone wouldn't visit during the winter. Granted, trail options are very limited but we felt we got a nice variety of easy (Jordan Pond) and a little more challenging (South Bubble). The near top of South Bubble is a little precarious in the snow so make sure you wear cleats. read more
1 year ago
My first National Park and I'm a fan. I've been here before in January but it was cold. Warmer weather and my second trip. What a beautiful park. Take the drive up Cadillac Mountain, you won't be disappointed but the drive up and down is quite precarious. I don't do heights and this was white knuckle both ways but the summit is an amazing reward for the drive. read more
Acadia National Park is beautiful and a surprising park on the East Coast! It's one huge loop with many lookouts, hiking points, and animals to see. Stopping at the visitor center is a huge recommendation as there is always work happening and roads and trails closed! Any huge recommendation is to go during the week! The parking lots are small and it can be a tricky situation not being able to go backward (one way loop)! Make sure you have a plan and you will have an incredible time! read more
2 years ago
This road-trip was planned to visit Acadia Ntl park! Absolutely breathtaking park, I highly recommend to all. You can bike, hike and drive into the park. This park gets really busy, so plan accordingly, the earlier the better. I went in July 2024, it was very busy of course. We had some parking issues but finally got parking in some areas. Be prepared to walk a distance to your desired location. There is alot of things to see and do in the park. Make sure you get a park map upon entering so you can plan your day out. We did alot of hiking thru out the park. You will see some animals drive safely. Some parts of park like Cadillac Mtn they make you pay an extra fee. There is plenty to see and do without paying. Make sure you visit the gift shop, lot of goodies and treats. They do have a restaurant in the park. Also, the National park main office- gift shop has really good info so start there first. All the guides are very helpful. read more
Visiting the park on a two day trip through here. First day was spent sightseeing at the various stops along the one way route. For a Wednesday it was very busy. We then drove over to the lighthouse (Bass harbor not a big deal) & took a small hike along the Ship Harbour trail. Today got an early start. Wanted to stop at Sand beach but it already packed a 9am. Headed over to Jordan Pond. Got a spot and took the hike around the lake. Went counter clockwise. Again busy, but had a great day. Trail is flat for the most part. Headed off to Beech mountain trail. Awesome views & again did it counter clockwise. Should have returned the same way as the hike down was a rock scramble all the way. Tough on these older legs. (60+) read more
1 year ago
Beautiful park!! Very nice leisurely hikes with gorgeous coastal scenery. There are several strenuous hikes as well if you are up for it. Biking on the carriage roads is awesome!! We highly recommend the e-bikes! We thought we are used to mountain biking and don't want "cheat". Big mistake!!! After an hour we were dying even the hard core bikers in way better shape than us were on e-bikes. Also highly recommend bringing lots of maps. Paper, photos, written. It seemed everyone on the carriage roads were lost including us. It was super fun though!! read more
There are several areas within the park. We visited the East Side of Mount Desert Island, which is the most visited area. The visitor center had a long line of people wanting to talk to the park rangers and/ or get a map. Thankfully, I already did my research and knew what I wanted to see and do. We weren't planning to take the (free) Island Explorer shuttle, but decided to save ourselves the trouble of driving and finding parking. It traverses the 27-mile Park Loop Road and stops at all the places where I wanted to go. We were able to hop on and off easily. There is a shuttle every 30 minutes at each stop. We stopped at Sieur de Monts first to view the Wild Gardens of Acadia. It wasn't too exciting to me. Then, we got dropped off at Sand Beach. We hiked a small portion of the Ocean Path Trail to Thunder Hole. We didn't hear any "thunder". We spend most of our time at Jordan Pond. We hiked/ walked the Jordan Pond Path. It is a 3.3 mile loop along the shore. We did it counterclockwise. The lake is crystal clear and is surrounded by mountains. The trail consisted of wooden boardwalks, rocks, and footbridges. By the time we were done with the trail, I was ready for some tea and popovers at the Jordan Pond House! The only main area in the east side that we didn't visit was Cadillac Mountain. It is the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the U.S, with the summit at 1530 ft. Vehicle reservations are required to drive up the windy road. read more
Words cannot do justice to the true beauty and majesty of Acadia National Park (pretty sure the pictures don't do it adequate justice either!). Located in Maine, this park is 100% worth the effort to come visit. We stayed in Bar Harbor and planned for two entire days in the park, which worked perfectly for what we wanted to do. We did not have the best weather while we were here - persistent fog and clouds with occasional rain (maybe only 1 hour of sunshine). That being said, if it had been ideal weather, three days would've been ideal to really get in all we wanted to do. There really is so much to do and see here that we only touched on a small portion of it. A lot of the popular spots are located on Park Loop Road - a 27 mile road that takes you along the shores and through the mountains of Acadia. Most of this road is 1 way, so make sure you plan your itinerary ahead of time so you won't have to backtrack. To start off, they have a wonderful visitor's center with a bookstore and friendly rangers ready to answer your questions. They were able to advise us on which hikes would not be recommended with the coming rain. Our first stop on the park loop was the Wild Gardens of Acadia with the Sieur de Monts. It was a nice little quick stop, but if you're pressed on time, would recommend bypassing it. Sand Beach is a beautiful stop that people do swim at. We came here to do the Ocean Path - park at Sand Beach, and you'll walk along the road with beautiful views of the water, a stop at Thunder Hole, and then an eventual stop at Otter Point. About 4.4 miles round trip, this was an easy hike. That being said, unless you have plenty of time, I'd recommend parking near Otter Cliff and just doing the tail end of the walk. Ocean Path is beautiful, but you're literally just walking along the road a majority of the time with pretty much the same views you would get from the car, and Thunder Hole has its own parking lot. Save some time, just do the short walk to Otter Cliff. Jordan Pond is a must-stop. The water is so beautiful, and there's a wonderful 3.3 mile loop walk around the pond. It was super foggy during out walk, so we didn't have the best views... But I can only imagine how much more beautiful it would be in the sun. The walk was relatively easily, but there is a section where you have to walk across rocks, so keep that in mind. Highly recommend this beautiful walk. You'll also find Jordan Pond Restaurant right next to the pond. Reservations book out weeks (and can booked up to a month) in advance, so if you want to get here, plan ahead. They do save some spots for walk-ins, but this wait can be hours long. So if you want to do that, I'd recommend showing up before they open and getting in line. We showed up about 30 minutes prior to opening, were the fourth party in the waitlist line, and were able to be seated right away. The popovers are worth it. Our favorite hike was, hands down, the Beehive Trail. This is a more unique hike that requires you to have a greater kinesthetic awareness and a no fear of heights. You'll be climbing up the mountainside using metal rungs drilled into the rock (and it can definitely get slippery so do not recommend doing it when it has rained), but the views you will get of Acadia NP from the top are so worth it. Of course, everyone recommends making a drive up Cadillac Mountain for the most perfect views of Acadia NP. You have to make reservations in advance to make the drive, and they're $6/vehicle. So you definitely have to plan in advance for this. People say sunrise here is gorgeous, but we came for the sunset - didn't really see much due to the fog... But still incredible views!! Venturing away from Park Loop Road, about a 30 minute drive away is Bass Harbor Lighthouse. While you can't visit into the lighthouse, the view from here is also wonderful. It's worth a good 20-30 minute visit, so if you have the time for at least a 1 hour round-trip drive for it, it's worth the stop. We came over the Memorial Day holiday and expected it to be much more crowded than it was. Definitely people here, but the roads were pretty empty, and we had no time finding parking anywhere. But I've heard this park gets absolutely packed, so plan accordingly. If you're flying in, you need to get a rental car. There is so much to see and do for this park, and unless you plan some kind of tour, this park is not do-able without a car. Highly recommending visiting Acadia National Park. It is worth all the effort to visit and experience its natural beauty. read more
This was my second visit, & first visit without going with family. First time around I was able to go up Cadillac mountain, which is STUNNING!! This recent trip revealed that you have to pay an additional $20 per person to go up the mountain, after already paying a $35 vehicle entry fee. They're not transparent enough on the website about what you have to pay for each activity. I found it a bit pricey for visiting a national park that is unorganized and more confusing than it has to be. It made me feel like the system was made for collecting my money, and not my fellow appreciation for this natural landmark. Besides my frustrations from the beginning of this adventure, I was able to still enjoy the beauty that the park has to offer. These stables were very neat & it was a fun surprise in the park for me. The rocks along the shoreline are insanely gorgeous, just a MASSIVE variation of unique and perfectly disorderly rocks. I felt like I could lay on the big rocks alllll day and soak up the energy they had to offer. It would be awesome to come here on a hot day and bask in the sun on some rocks as the ocean mists you, then go down to the beach and take a swim when it gets too hot (my plan for next trip;)) I do hope this system is more "cut and dry" by the next time i'm able to visit. Plenty of room for growth here and it would be wonderful to see an improvement next time. read more
1 year ago
Amazing views, calm nature bathing. Refreshing the soul. Beautiful breathtaking relaxing. Trails and hikes. Perfect Summer trip! read more
1 year ago
This park is massive and beautiful. There is so much to see and wonderful views. Lots of trails to hike to views but also able to drive to places too. read more
Acadia is beautiful but...if you want to camp in it...make sure you reserve eons a head of time. That's my biggest complaint about this park: I don't know how the average family can afford to come here for a getaway. Your options are reserve camping WAAAAAAY ahead of time, or stay in pricey hotels at the nearby hotel. This is a problem with many National Parks now, to be fair, but many in the west at least have BLM lands or National Forests nearby where free or cheap camping is available. Not here. The psuedo-urban/developed areas all-around the park largely prevent that. Here, I'll find private campgrounds that charge you $40-$50 for a plot of dirt to put a tent on. Absolutely insane! OK, rant over! This is a beautiful park, and I'm glad New England has something like this. There just aren't enough public lands in this part of the country. The trails here are very scenic and very well-graded. The park maps are intuitive and include lots of relevant info. Definitely hit the Beehive trail! Yes, it will be crowded, but it's short and steep and has fantastic views! This park is a lot smaller than I was expect, so a lot of it can probably be seen in a really long summer day. read more
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More info about Acadia National Park
20 McFarland Hill Dr
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
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(207) 288-3338
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http://www.nps.gov/acad
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Ask the Community - Acadia National Park
Hoping to visit Acadia in June and want to see the sunrise. Where is the best place to stay?
We stayed at Bar Harbor Manor and liked it. Cadillac Mountain was supposed to be the best spot for viewing the sunrise.
Is it actually not open to public on weekends?
It's open on the weekdays and weekends for 24 hours, but the main road (for you to bring your car in and out--Park Loop Road) is closed from December 1st to April 14th. Check their website for any other closures. The facilities (Park HQ,…
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Acadia National Park - parks - Updated August 2026
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