Best Things to Do in Acadia

Be sure to check out our 2 week New England itinerary. It includes our 3 full days in Acadia National Park and all of the best things to do in Acadia National Park!

*Last updated February 29, 2024

 

 

Best Things to Do in Acadia National Park

How long to Spend at Acadia National Park

We spent 3 full days (4 nights) in Acadia National Park. If you are just driving through, you could have a great day there. However, I’d recommend at least a couple of days to get a little more feel of the island. Additionally, I think we could easily have spend an additional couple of days (or even a full week). With the extra time we could have gone to visit Schoodic Peninsula, visited the Cranberry Islands or made a day trip of to Lubec and Campobello Island (Canada), none of which we were able to do.

Mount Desert Island

Mount Desert Island is the name of the island that houses the majority of Acadia National Park. There is a section north, Schoodic Peninsula, which less busy. However, we did not visit that section so everything listed on this page pertains to Mt Desert Island.

We camped at Smuggler’s Den, which is on the less-busy southwest side of the island. However, the island isn’t that big and you can get anywhere in under 30 minutes. It was a friendly campground with a playground, laundry and camp store.

 

Cadillac Mountain

Driving up Cadillac Mountain is popular and now requires reservations. It isn’t too hard unless you are looking to get reservations for sunrise, as it is the first point in the United States to see the sun come up.

We got reservations for 7pm, which gave us time to hike around at the top and stay for sunset.

Acadia National Park Sunset

 

Beehive Trail

The Beehive Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Acadia. It is known for the sweeping views and rungs/ladders needed to reach the summit. The trail is a little over a mile, but takes longer than you’d think do to the lines that form at the ladder sections. 

It is not a trail for those afraid of heights. However, if you are looking for some adventure then it might be exactly what you are looking for. You can park in the Sand Beach lot. However, if that is full you can park in one of the lots and walk the Ocean Path trail back. Also, you will see a lot of people park on the road, which is permitted (unless otherwise noted).

 

Sand Beach

Sand Beach is located in the east side of Mt Desert Island. My kids noted that it doesn’t have a very creative name, but is often busy as it is the only sand beach in Acadia.

The water was very cold while we were there in mid-June. We only waded in the water. However, there were a few kids we saw swimming!

 

Ocean Path Trail

Ocean Path Trail goes from Sand Beach all the way down the coast (about 2 miles) to Otter Point. However, because there are numerous sights, trails and overlooks, the trail gets busy in sections.

If you are looking to save time, you may want to just park at the lots and get out at the overlooks and sights, such as Thunder Hole, which has it’s own parking lot.

 

Thunder Hole

Thunder Hole didn’t have a lot of thunder when we were there, but it is still a neat area to walk around. The sign said that the best time to visit is 2 hours before high tide, so be sure to check this Bar Harbor tide chart or this tide chart for the best thundering.

 

Jordan Pond Loop

Jordan Pond is a great 3 mile hike for families who don’t want to venture out on mountain ledges. Still, it does have some uneven rocky paths that could be difficult for older or younger visitors.

I’d recommend starting at the south parking lot and hiking counter-clockwise. That way you will be on the regular path for the first half (east side of the lake). The second half (west side) is mostly rock paths and wooden walkways, so the kids will be less likely to ask “are we there yet”?

Additionally, you can add the Bubbles Trail from the east side of the pond if you want to get a more strenuous hike. Also, this leads to the Bubbles summit and includes the famous “Bubble Rock” seen in many photos. 

 

Jordan Pond House

The Jordan Pond House is the most famous restaurant in Acadia. Additionally, it is located right next to Jordan Pond. Tea and popovers are the specialty and even the kids loved the popovers.

Also, it is a great stop before or after hiking Jordan Pond Loop. They do take reservations, but they can book up days in advance. They take walk-ins as well, just be prepared to wait.

 

Wonderland Trail

Wonderland Trail is a nice and easy 1.4 mile out and back trail to the ocean. There are numerous tidepools to explore when the tide is going out. We found numerous snails, barnacles and even a little emerald crab.

Nearby, there is the Ship Harbor Trail, which is also listed as an easy hike. We did not do that one, but it looks like there are tidepool options as well.

 

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

We visited the Bass Head Harbor lighthouse in the evening around 6pm and lucked out getting a parking space. I’ve heard that lines can form to get parking during busy times!

There are two trails. Neither are well marked and I bet a lot of people miss one. From the parking lot, if you go left, a trail leads down steep stairs to the coast where you can get a view of the lighthouse from below. To the right, there is a short path that leads right up to edge of the lighthouse.

 

Diver Ed Dive-in Theater

We were considering a whale watch tour when I came across the Diver Ed’s Dive-In Theater. I figured that the kids would enjoy the interactive nature of this tour so we signed up.

Diver Ed is a boisterous character who has been running this tour for decades. Additionally, he has a camera so that you can watch on a large TV what he is looking at during the dive. Finally, he brings up numerous samples of lobsters, sea stars, sea sponges, crabs, scallops and more for the audience to view and hold.

Also, it is worth noting that he warns the kids that they might get wet when he brings them up to the front. My daughter who sat in front, was not pleased when she was “peed on” by one of the sponges. However, it was all in good fun and definitely a very memorable experience.

 

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is the best known and busiest harbor on the island. The town itself has about 2-3 main blocks full of shops and restaurants.

Acadia’s main NPS visitor center is Hull’s Cove and is located just outside of Bar Harbor. Be aware that there are some steps to get up to the visitor center.

 

Bar Harbor Land Bridge

We could see people walking on the Bar Harbor Island Trail “land bridge” on our return Diver Ed boat ride. As the tide is rising, it looks like people are walking on water!

Additionally, if you take the land bridge to Bar Island, you have to return before high tide or you will be stuck on the island until the next low tide. Be sure to check out a tide chart so that you can go when the tide is going down.

We would have liked to hike the land bridge, but unfortunately it was high tide the time we were in Bar Harbor. We’ll definitely make sure to go next time!

 

Town Beach

After having lunch in Bar Harbor, we walked to Town Beach on the north side of Bar Harbor. There is a little boat ramp that leads down to the rocky beach.

We were given a tip that this is the best place to look for sea glass. Our kids had a great time searching for the little polished pieces of glass among the stones.

 

 

Nearby Areas

Be sure to check out our 2 week New England itinerary to see what else we did on our vacation to Acadia. We also visited Boston, Quebec City and the White Mountains of New Hampshire on this trip! Additionally, on the drive from Boston to Acadia we stopped at the Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine and the Desert of Maine roadside attraction.

 

Next Time

In addition to Schoodic Peninsula and the Bar Harbor land bridge, there are numerous trails I’d have loved to do in Acadia. Maybe not for the kids, but the Precipice Trail looks amazing. It was closed while we were there for Peregrine falcon nesting and doesn’t open until early fall. Additionally, I had Flying Mountain, Beech Mountain, Gorham Mountain and The Bubbles trails on the list, but we ran out of time to hike more due to some rain during our trip. Lastly, if you have time, it would be fun to visit the Cranberry Islands (accessible by ferry) or take a day trip up to Lubec and Campobello Island (Canada).