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Plan Your Visit to Acadia National Park Travel Guide
Acadia National Park is known for its gorgeous fall foliage. You will find a rocky coastline, carriage houses, blueberry bogs, stone bridges, pine forests, granite cliffs, lobster, popovers, blueberry mojitos, 120 miles of trails, lighthouses, lakes, moose, and waterfalls. Acadia receives 3.4 million visitors each year. Plan your visit with this Acadia National Park Travel Guide.
You are excited to visit Acadia National Park and want to know the best time of year to visit, where to stay, what not to miss, and where to eat while there. Researching the best things to do while visiting Acadia National Park while working full time is overwhelming and you don’t have hours to spend on the internet. Save time and plan an unforgettable trip full of top activities with this Acadia National Park travel blog. Also, be sure to check out these Airbnb options in Acadia National Park.
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Where is Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is located near Bar Harbor Maine on Mount Desert Island. Although Bar Harbor has a small airport, it may be more cost-effective to fly into Portland Maine or Boston Massachusetts. The park is 3.5 hours north of Portland Maine and 4.5 hours north of Boston. If you do fly into Bar Harbor airport it is not necessary to rent a car, use the shuttle into Bar Harbor then use the park shuttle to explore.
Facts About Acadia National Park
In 1915 John D Rockefeller donated 11,00 acres and constructed 45 miles of carriage roads.
Acadia National Park was established in 1919 and is the first national park created from donations of private land.
It is one of the top 10 most visited US National Parks.
This is the only national park in New England.
There are 26 mountains in Acadia National Park and
Cadillac Mountain is the first place in the US to see the sunrise and is the highest mountain on the Atlantic Coast.
20% of the park is wetlands.
Best Time of Year to Visit Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is open year-round. Winter temperatures range from 15-40 degrees and freezing sleet is common. Many businesses and hiking trails close during winter months but the carriage roads are popular for cross-country skiing. The average temperatures in the summer are in the 80s. Wind and fog are common during the summer months. Summer also brings biting black flies, beware. Fall is an amazing time to visit Acadia to view the fall colors as the leaves change. Spring is off-season. Fog and rain are common and expect muddy trails. Be sure to pack waterproof clothes.
Accommodations at Acadia National Park
There are four campgrounds in Acadia, and reservations are recommended. There are many more campgrounds surrounding the park. Bar Harbor Maine is the most convenient place to stay and is full of hotels.
Things to Do in Bar Harbor
Shop Bar Harbor’s Main Street
People watch at the Village Green
Watch the boats in the harbor at Agamont Park
Grab a treat at the West End Drug Co soda fountain
Eat at Bar Harbor Inn
Drink Blueberry Ale at the Atlantic Brewing Company
Take a walk along the Shore Path
Things to Do at Acadia National Park
Hike to Duck Brook Bridge
Photograph Eagle Lake and Eagle Lake Bridge
Take a walk through the birch trees along Jessup Path
Check out the Sieur de Monts Nature Center
Hike the iron rungs of Beehive Trail
Drive Park Loop Road, Rockefeller’s Four Million Dollar Road
Listen to the waves crash at Thunder Hole
See the sea stack at Monument Cove
Have a picnic at Boulder Beach
Climb the Great Chimney at Otter Cliff
Visit Sand Beach, the Cider House Rules filming location
Walkthrough the evergreens on Jordan’s Pond Nature Trail
Photograph the Bubbles across Jordan Pond
Enjoy afternoon tea and eat popovers at Jordan Pond House
Bike the Carriage Roads
Hike to Bubble Rock
Check out the Deer Brook Bridge
Photograph Bubble Pond Bridge and Bubble Pond
Take the stairs down to Little Hunters Beach
See the nation’s first sunrise from Cadillac Mountain
Hang out with the seals at Seal Harbor Beach
Hike to Hadlock Falls and the Waterfall Bridge
Hike the Beehive Trails iron rungs
Photograph the Carriage Road Bridges
Things to Do Around Mount Desert Island
Explore Winter Harbor
Drive along Schoodic Point Loop shoreline
Photograph the Prospect Harbor Lighthouse
See the blueberry barrens and eat blueberry everything
Check out the view from the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory
Watch the Timber Tina Lumberjack Show
Hike to Man O’War Brook Falls
Photograph Southwest Harbor’s Pier One
Eat at Beal’s Lobster Pier
Take a cruise around Blue Hill Bay
Eat lobster at Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound or Thurston’s Lobster Pound
Watch the sunset at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Tips for Visiting Acadia National Park
This park gets crowded, consider using the free Island Explorer shuttle from mid-June through mid-October.
Park Loop Road is one-way and congested during the summer months.
Pick up free maps of the hiking trails and carriage roads at Hull’s Cove Visitor Center.
Pick your stops and stay alert for parking entrances.
Sand Beach, Cadillac Mountain, and the Bubbles parking lots fill quickly.
Make a vehicle reservation to watch the sunrise on Cadillac Summit Road
Pets on a leash are allowed on some trails and cannot be left unattended at any time.
Watch for moose while driving.
Pack insect repellant for mosquitos and black flies.
Check a tide chart prior to tide pooling, the higher the negative number the better the visibility.
Visit Thunderhole two hours before high tide and be prepared to get wet.
Visitors are allowed to pick blueberries and can take up to two quarts (July).
Practice Leave No Trace Principles.
Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass and keep exploring National Parks.
Be sure to check the Acadia National Park Service website for current events
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Plan Your Trip to Acadia National Park
Maine Travel Guide
Pick up a Maine Travel Guide from Amazon.com to browse on the plane.
Book Your Accommodation in Acadia National Park Now
Spending the night? Search Booking.com and VRBO in one place to find the perfect property!
Acadia National Park Attractions and Day Tours
The best attractions sell out! Don’t chance it, get your tickets now and relax when you arrive.
Travel Essentials
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Have a great vacation!