Cadillac Mountain is a must-see when traveling to Bar Harbor, Maine…read more It gives a great overview of the harbor and a real rugged experience. But be prepared. Make reservations in advance online; you can't make them in person. You must buy park tickets, which are $35 (kind of ridiculous for a state park), and $6 bucks to tour the top of the mountain. They had a small gift shop and only one working restroom with two portalets close by. Some people drive it, some hike it to see the sunrise and some bike it. I would only recommend driving it given how narrow the road is and it's off the side of a cliff. It was a nice overall experience.

We opted for the one and a half hour shore excursion that takes you to the top of the highest peak…read moreon the North Atlantic Seaboard. You enter Arcadia National Park. Today it was foggy yet as we ascended up we climbed above the clouds: surreal and beautiful. There is a gift shop and a restroom.

I'm no stranger to parks and beautiful natural places, but Acadia is like a dreamscape. There's…read morestunning 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.

Did we go in a wrong entrance or something?!…read more I was underwhelmed for sure. We walked a few trails and took some photos but ??? Im very glad we hit Cadillac Mountain - that's where it's at!!!

This was a medium effort hike to an absolutely amazing view! At the end of the trail there are two…read moreadirondack chairs just waiting for you, although we sat in the sun on the rocks soaking in the gorgeous scenery. This is very much worth your time if you are in Bar Harbor and are planning to go to Acadia. It's nestled among a residential area so pay particular attention to remaining on the path. Far off in the distance you can spot some seals; bring binoculars! You can walk out (or in) via a paved road or through the woods. We walked through the woods going in...there are a lot of roots to step over so a good pair of hiking boots will really be worth it for this short hike. Also a bit muddy after a couple of days of rain so also bring some insect repellent.

super close to acadia, showers work great and are hot :) would definitely recommend staying thereread more

Drove in to take a look but fee was $6 per person from those out of town. We were looking for a…read morehiking trail which we were told they had one about an hour hike. It looks to be a campground and boating facility. We took a look around but decided not to stay.

This was something I wanted to explore as I found it online while researching…read more We came here before entering the park and I found the short walk/hike down to the rocks easy (maybe 0.2 of a mile?) and the rocks are flat enough here that you can easily walk around a little and see the view from different angles. No one else was here while I was visiting (01 May) and I was able to take photos and enjoy the ocean. Gorgeous views.

What a stunning location. Turn before you hit the park entrance pass station,and you'll come out in…read morea parking lot that was, at the time we visited, nearly empty. The views from the lot are lovely enough, but the short (.25 mile) hike down to the cliff edge is absolutely worth it. If you are severely mobility challenged, you will probably want to stick to the parking lot overlook. If you are comfortable with a paved downhill slope, the views along the water are worth it. As you get to the end of the path, there will be natural rock steps toward the water and tidal pools. Avoid taking early shortcuts -- the path down to the incredible tidal pools is easier if you follow the path to its natural conclusion. I'd recommend wearing sturdy, waterproof shoes with a good grip, and taking extreme caution with every step -- even at the best possible viewing time (maybe an hour or so before low tide) -- the rocks will be slippery and falling is very easy. You will see tidal pools all along the shoreline, and there is a stunning sea cave accessible during low tide. I would continue to the natural end of the path and double back along the shoreline and tidal pools to get to the cave. Otherwise the scramble down is quite rough. The sea cave is worth the effort if you arrive prior to low tide. However, this is an area where the dangers of rising tide are acute. Be safe. Be smart. And enjoy!!

Have you ever visited a tidal island?…read more So interesting to cross the Bar Island Path to walk from Bar Harbor to Bar Island. Check the tide schedule for the daily times for high tide and low tide. For about 90 minutes before and after low tide, the submerged sand and gravel bar is exposed creating a path to safely pass. If you don't come back in time, you will be stranded for the next 9 hours on Bar Island.

We knew about the strong tides, but had no idea it was so cool! This is a must in Bar Harbour…read more While you pay for parking everywhere in the Northeast, if you have EV, the museum charger is free and a nice walk to the sand bar and shopping/dining. You would think with an exposed ocean floor there would be more to see, but it was pretty much the same across. Oyster, mussel, clam, mollusk shells and snails. Bring water shoes as it sharp if you plan on going into the tide pool areas, or tennis shoes are fine. We went out about an hour before low tide. Just beautiful!!

We had a nice day here, driving the loop, hopping into the cold water and hiking beehive…read more The hike was the most memorable. Dare seeker kind of heights with no railings. I had with me a fanny pack that impeded my movement - the cliff side overhangs were small enough for me to feel a wee nervous about the pack's width further from the safety of the rock face. My husband had a metal water bottle he had to keep one hand on. Also quite a bit of a burden. Should have left it so he could have both hands on some of these scrambles. My pre-teens loved the steps and ladders made from bent metal bars forced into rock. It was like a jungle gym with real life stakes. And the view! It was gorgeous. Worth the climb, even if the journey wasn't stupendously adventurous.

We finally made it to Arcadia National Park. How beautiful a drive through the park loop road. Many…read moreclosures & detours to maneuver around. Good news is there are limited visitors now only being May 6th. Come this Memorial Day weekend entrance fee is free this year. Anne one of the parks employees telling me the place will be a full house. I now have a lifetime pass for national parks up to 3 people per car. Have a great summer everyone

Less than an acre, this is a nice short stop along the Park Loop Road. During our visit in late…read moreJune, there were a few flowers blooming. The plants are labeled for easy identification. Parking is readily available.

A beautiful garden with labeling of the plants. There is an on-site nature center. There was also a…read morebeautiful easy trail that loops back to the garden. The Holman / Dorr paths were easily accessible from the garden trail. These two trails were more difficult since vertical hiking and climbing were required. Due to miscalculation of time and prior commitment, our party of six didn't summit and cross the pass of Dorr Path. We had to turn back. My family will return and take care of this unfinished pleasure. Parking was plentiful.

Gorgeous views! It's worth paying the extra fee to get up on Cadillac Mountain. If you can snag the…read moremorning sunrise, DO IT, because this is the highest point on the eastern seaboard - Cadillac Mountain sees the first sunrise of the day. It's amazing.

I was a bit confused and thought that Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain were one in the…read moresame when reserving our time?! Ugh ... Once we were situated, we drove up the winding mountain to breathtaking views - large rocks and lakes! We saw some pretty wildflowers and birds as well. Was it worth the almost three hour drive? I don't know but we'll most likely never be here again so ... I'm glad that we experienced God's beauty in gorgeous Maine together :) We hiked a bit and even climbed some big rocks. Life is short - book the trip and buy the shoes !!!

The walk around Jordan Pond is beautiful and stress free. We stopped here with a group of 5 and 2…read moredogs. We made sure that we got to the parking lot early (8 AM) on a weekday to ensure easy parking. During a past trip, we arrived in the parking lot at 11 AM and it was utter chaos. We did not want to make that mistake again. The early start meant that the trail was very quiet with low traffic when we visited in early June.

We took an absolutely delightful, relaxing walk around Jordan Pond and is a must-do. This 3.3 mile…read morehike is relatively easy with only one small section where you have to walk/climb across some rocks (but still easily do-able). Saw plenty of kids doing this hike without any issues. It takes about an hour to do and is absolutely worth it. Beautiful views of the pond with so much surrounding greenery - it's amazing. We came when it was super foggy so couldn't see too much which was a shame, but I can only imagine how beautiful it would be in the sun. Jordan Pond House is just a very short walk away from here, and if you can make reservations to grab a bite (or a popover) to eat, you should do it. We came for a breakfast of popovers, and then did the hike. Super enjoyable experience, overall! Even if you don't eat there, they have bathrooms, a water bottle re-fill station, and a gift shop here so definitely stop by to refresh. Parking can definitely be rough here as they have smaller parking lots. So plan ahead and be prepared to have some patience looking for a spot. Overall, definitely recommend this trail as one of your hikes during your trip.