A Complete First Timer's Guide to Acadia National Park in Maine (Best Things to Do)

Acadia National Park was created entirely by private land donations, a pretty amazing feat. Established in 1919, Acadia National Park is the only National Park located in the New England area. Personally, we think the best time to visit is in the Fall, when most of the seasonal crowds have left. In order to enter the park, you'll have to either purchase an Acadia National Parks Pass in person or online, which are $30 per private vehicle or $15 per person. There is so much to do in the area that it can be a bit overwhelming on your first visit.

Our Essential Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For flights, we recommend Hopper to compare the cheapest travel dates.
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Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you!

We always use Expedia's easy to use platform for hotels.

To keep cell service while traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy eSIM’s (no installation required), and NordVPN to stay safe while connecting to different wifi.

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Get Your Guide also does the trick.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for any international or domestic travels.

Getting to Acadia National Park & Where to Stay

Getting to Acadia National Park is pretty easy, and there are a few different ways to get there. The most common, of course, is driving. The park entrance is located about 3 hours north of Portland, Maine, and is absolutely beautiful along the coast - filled with lighthouses and lots of lobster shacks! If you don't feel like a road trip, you can also try flying in to the Hancock County Bar Harbor Airport (10 minutes from the park), but it'll be quite a bit more expensive. If you're really wanting to make a trip out of it, then cruises also often stop in Bar Harbor.

Staying in the Down East & Acadia region can be a little tricky, especially depending on the time of year you plan to visit! We visited in early November, and many lodging stays and hotels were already shut down for the Winter season, however, our personal recommendation is the Sweet Fern Cabin. We loved our stay here, even though they're a little far from town, and the host Suzanne has multiple cabins onsite that you can book.

Staying In Acadia National Park :
It's important to know that campgrounds in Acadia National Park close during the winter season, and there is no backcountry parking or overnight parking in the park boundaries. You will also need to make a reservation for the campsite you'd like to stay at ahead of time, with reservations opening two months ahead of time. There are quite a few options if you're wanting to camp in the park, but I recommend looking into the Blackwoods or Seawall Campgrounds for the easiest access.

​Staying In Bar Harbor :
Bar Harbor is the closest town to Acadia National Park, and has quite a few options on places to stay. We've gathered a short list here, however depending on the time of year you're visiting, you might want to call ahead to ensure they're still open (specifically in the winter).

• Atlantic Eyrie Lodge - for excellent views of Frenchman Bay and free seasonal shuttle services to downtown
• Best Western Acadia Park Inn - located just 2 miles from the Acadia National Park entrance, for a more secluded and private feel
• Little Fig Hotel - formerly the Quimby House Inn, this adorable downtown property is the most centrally located
• Holiday Inn Bar Harbor - this waterfront hotel also has great views of Frenchman Bay, and has over 1,000 feet of ocean border

​Our Favorite Tours near Bar Harbor : 
- Acadia National Park Bus Tour
- Bar Harbor Culinary Walking Tour
- Safari Kayak Tour

Best Things to Do in Acadia National Park

Acadia Park Loop
With 3 different entrance points, we recommend doing the park loop first in the day, mainly because this can become the busiest area of the park. The park loop is 27 miles and goes one way along the coast, meaning if you miss something that you want to stop at, it'll be a little tricky to go back without going all the way around the loop. Once you complete the loop, we highly recommend checking out the other, quieter areas of the park like Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse and Schoodic Point.

Hiking in Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park instantly become one of our favorite places to hike - not only are the views incredible, but a handful of the hikes have iron rungs that require some climbing to get to the top, making them super unique too! Below, we've listed some of our favorite hikes in the park that are also some of the easiest in the park.

• Beehive Loop Trail - 1.5 mile loop, 508 ft elevation gain (with iron rungs), rated hard, has incredible views from the top
• Precipice Loop - 2.1 mile loop, 1053 ft elevation gain (with iron rungs), rated hard, also has amazing views from the top
• Gorham Mountain Loop - 3 mile loop, 583 ft elevation gain, rated moderate
• The Bubbles Trail - 1.6 mile out & back, 515 ft elevation gain, rated moderate, that leads you to "bubble rock" where many people take a photo with the leaning rock
• Jordan Pond Path - 3.1 mile loop, 42 ft elevation gain, rated moderate, that brings you around a beautiful pond
• Thunder Hole to Sand Beach - 1.7 mile out & back, 196 ft elevation gain, rated easy, that brings you to the famous thunder hole and along the coast
• Otter Point - 1.1. mile out & back, 95 ft elevation, rated easy, that lets you explore a rocky section of coastline

Cadillac Mountain Sunrise
Another great thing to do in Acadia National Park is the famous Cadillac Mountain sunrise - it's said to be the first spot in the entire United States to see the sunlight each morning, however it depends on the season you're visiting. If you're visiting during the peak season of mid-May to mid-October, you'll need a reservation to drive up the Cadillac Summit Road yourself. Permits are $6 each and can be purchased here, and are required in addition to the national parks pass. These permits are timed entries, and you'll need to print your pass and bring it with you, but you can spend as much time on the summit as you'd like. Make sure to get these in advance, 30% of the reservations go on sale 90 days before, and the remaining 70% of the reservations go on sale 2 days before.

If you aren't able to get a reservation to Cadillac Mountain, then don't worry, you have a few other options! You can either bike up, walk/hike up, or take a taxi up. And if you're visiting during any other time of year then you don't need to worry about permits at all.

Other Things to Do in Acadia
If hiking just isn't your thing, there are plenty of other things to do in and near Acadia National Park! Similar to the places to stay, many activities in the area are seasonal, so I recommend calling ahead or booking ahead of your trip. You can also check out Visit Bar Harbor for more ideas on things to do in the area!

• Acadia GEM Tour - We had a blast driving this e-vehicle around the park loop! With a max of 25 mph, and the option to take the doors off with nice weather, we loved this adventure and it was a great way to see the National Park
• Bass Harbor Head Light Station - A short walk to a beautiful lighthouse!
• Explore Downtown Bar Harbor - Downtown Bar Harbor has plenty of options for exploring, trying some local cuisine, brewery hopping, and many local shops to shop at too!
• Bar Harbor Bed Races & Early Bird Pajama Sales - Held in November, locals create groups of 5, with 4 pushing and 1 riding their "homemade bed on wheels" down Cottage Street. Plus, if you dress up in pajamas and join the festivities you can get a percentage off when shopping local!

Watch our Acadia NP Adventures here!

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Other National Park Blog Posts!
​-> Congaree National Park
-> Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park
-> Alaska National Park

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