10 Unmissable Things To Do In Acadia National Park On A First Visit

Iron rung hikes, spectacular ocean views, picturesque lakes and stunning photography make Acadia one of the most visited of all the popular USA National Parks. Don’t be fooled by the parks small size, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy. But with so much to do, how do you prioritize where to go?

In this guide we show you our 10 favorite things to do in Acadia National Park to help you plan your visit to the far reaches of the American northeast. We recommend you spend at least 2-3 full days checking off the highlights in Acadia, and you can also use our tips to avoid the crowds.

Our Experience

We visited Acadia National Park in October 2020 as part of a larger autumnal New England road trip. And despite it being the height of covid, the park was still incredibly busy. When we visited, we hiked many of Acadia’s popular trails, shot sunrise photography every morning and visited many of the parks beaches.

While many northern US parks have just one peak season in summer, Acadia has two distinct seasons in summer and fall when beautifully vibrant autumnal foliage lights up the park. We enjoyed visiting in October and it was worth seeing the fall foliage despite the heavy crowds. If you’re interesting in visiting during fall, we highly recommend you read our guide about Acadia in October next because we share important tips you need to know. Read more about us.

SHOP: Our New England Guidebook features the best of Acadia and other popular places in the region.

Acadia National Park Regions

Often called the Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast, Acadia National Park protects the highest rocky headlands in the state of Maine. But before we get into the best things to do in Acadia, it’s important to know there are several different regions in the park:

• Mount Desert Island (split into east and west)
• Schoodic Penonsula
• Isle au Haut

Mount Desert Island is the largest island off the coast of Maine and most of the Acadia’s popular activities are located here. The island is split into a eastern and western side with most visitors spending their time in the park on this large island.

On the eastern side of Mount Desert Island, you’ll find Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Otter Cliffs, Sand Beach and Thunder Hole. It’s the most visited region in Acadia and it’s also home to Bar Harbor, a great town to set up base.

The western side of Mount Desert Island is less visited because it’s more secluded compared to the east. But this is where you’ll find Acadia Mountain, Bass Harbor Head Light Station, Beech Mountain and Echo Lake Beach.

To the north, the Schoodic Peninsula showcases the best of Maine’s stunning coastline. It’s where you can visit Schoodic Point, Blueberry Hill and Frazer Point. And located in the south, Isle au Haut along with the outer islands can only be visited by passenger ferry. Many people do not visit this section of the park.

If it’s your first time visiting, we recommend starting with Mount Desert Island. Then head to the other regions if you have more time unless you want to get away from the crowds. Throughout our guide, we’ll highlight each region where you can see Acadia’s must see attractions so you can easily plan your trip.

Now, let’s explore Acadia:

1. Go Hiking

One of Acadia’s greatest assets is the diverse range of short hiking trails. You can walk a flat family friendly trail around a picturesque lake surrounded by colorful trees, hike a quick forest trail to a summit with gorgeous bay views or climb up sheer face granite rocks via iron rung ladders for an adrenaline rush.

Many of the hikes in the park are typically short, but fairly steep. We love hiking in Acadia because most trails end with spectacular ocean or lake views at each summit. It’s also very easy to hike 2-4 trails here in a single day if you want to see a lot of the park.

The most popular hike in Acadia is the Precipice Trail. It’s a 3.2 mile round trip with over 1,000 ft of elevation gain. But the highlight is a series of iron rungs and ladders on a vertical cliff face. However, the Precipice Trail is only open in spring and fall to allow for peregrine falcon nesting season in summer. Check out how to hike Precipice Trail or you can watch our Precipice GoPro video. We’ve even listed this trail in our popular guide to the 50 best hikes in the US because it’s so unique.

If you’re a bit nervous to take on the Precipice Trail, you can start with the smaller Beehive Loop Trail. This trail also has rung and ladder obstacles, but it’s only 1.4 miles round trip with about 500 ft of elevation gain.

Here are additional Acadia hikes to include in your itinerary (all distances are roundtrip and taken from the NPS website):

• Acadia Mountain – 3.7 mile loop summiting St. Sauveur and Acadia Mountain with views over Somes Sound 
• Bar Island – 1.9 mile trail across a gravel bar connecting the town of Bar Harbor and Bar Island
• Beech Mountain – 1.2 mile loop to a fire tower with views of Long Pond and Mansell Mountain 
• Cadillac North Ridge – A 4.4 mile trail to the highest point in Acadia and the eastern seaboard
• Jordan Pond Loop – 3.3 mile loop following the shoreline of Jordon Pond
• Great Head – 1.9 miles with beautiful ocean views, rocky scrambles and hidden history
• Gorham Mountain – 3.5 miles showcasing mountains and the rocky coastline with views of Mount Desert Island
• The Bubbles – 1.5 mile hike to North Bubble, South Bubble, and Bubble Rock

READ: Best hikes in Acadia National Park

2. Summit Cadillac Mountain

After hiking, Cadillac Mountain is the next popular thing to do in Acadia. It’s located in the eastern side of Mount Desert Island and it’s the highest point on the entire US eastern seaboard. You can drive a personal vehicle directly to its summit, hike the shorter North Ridge Trail or take the longer South Ridge Trail to the top.

The best time to summit Cadillac Mountain is at sunrise. At the top, you’ll be among the very first people in the United States to see the sun creep over the eastern horizon. But the bad news is everyone wants to visit at this time of day so it can be a challenge.

If you want to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, you’ll need a vehicle reservation if visiting from mid-May to the end of October. During our trip in October 2020, the NPS trialed this reservation system at the last minute and it was absolute chaos in the park. Unfortunately we could’t get reservations to see sunrise on Cadillac Mountain so we settled for a mid-day reservation.

Here’s what you need to know for timed entry tickets:

• Vehicle reservations are required from May 22nd through Sun Oct 27th, 2024
• 30% are available 90 days in advance, the remaining 70% will be allocated 2 days in advance at 10:00am ET
• Reservations cost $6 and you’ll have to choose between a sunrise or daytime 30 minute timed-entry window
• Go to Recreation.gov and be ready with your details to apply for a sunrise time slot right at 10am
• Each member of your party can apply at the same time to give you a better chance
• This reservation is completely separate from the America the Beautiful pass or $35 fee you paid for entry

Travel Tip: Daytime visits to Cadillac Mountain still have great views but may be hazy. It can also be extremely windy at the summit so take layers even on a warmer day.

3. Drive Park Loop Road

The Park Loop Road is extremely scenic drive and it’s one thing you don’t want to miss in Acadia. This 27-mile (43km) stretch of road was built between 1921 and 1958 to separate the local roads from the carriages roads. Today it’s the main artery running through the national park on the east side of Mount Desert Island.

We love the Park Loop Road because it passes many of the best attractions, trailheads and overlooks making them easily accessible for all visitors. Most of the parking areas are located along the right-hand lane and speed limits range from 25 mph to 35 mph. It’s not meant to be a fast drive and can be extremely congested in the peak seasons.

In order to beat the crowds, we highly recommend you begin your day early. Prioritize the sights you want to see first and have a back up plan in case you can’t get parked. Also be mindful of where you park. We saw a few vehicles carelessly left on the side of the road and bigger vehicles such as buses and RVs couldn’t easily get though. So the larger vehicles ended up hitting the car just to get by.

Travel Tip: Acadia Park Loop Road only covers the eastern portion of Mt Desert Island. You’ll need to take other roads to access hikes or attractions on the western side of the island.

4. See Thunder Hole

While our photo above doesn’t look like it, Thunder Hole is one of the best places to see in Acadia because it shows the power of ocean tides. When the tides turn or a storm occurs, water is forced into this narrow inlet on the rocky eastern shoreline of Mount Desert Island. The air produced during this phenomenon causes a thunderous repercussion along with 40 ft splashing waves crashing on to the rocks.

Thunder Hole is located half way along Ocean Path between Sand Beach and Otter Point. It’s a natural place to stop if you’re walking the entire trail. We visited at a calm time of day when the tides were not turning so Thunder Hole was more like Whimper Hole. You can also reach Thunder Hold by driving the Park Loop Road and there is a small parking lot located nearby.

Travel Tip: Try to visit Thunder Hole about 1–2 hours before high tide for your best chance of hearing the famous thunder roar.

5. Ocean Path Trail

We discussed other hikes at the beginning of this guide, but we wanted to highlight one specific trail because it’s a unique thing to do in Acadia. Ocean Path Trail is 2.2 miles one way or 4.4 miles round trip showcasing picturesque cliffs and stunning ocean views. There is very little elevation gain, but some of the trail is rocky and uneven so good hiking shoes are a must.

The Ocean Path walking trail begins at Sand Beach on the eastern shore of Mount Desert Island and it ends at Otter Point with Thunder Hole as the halfway point. If you want to hike to Thunder Hole, it’s 0.7 miles from Sand Beach. This first section follows packed gravel surfaces so it’s accessibility friendly. After 1.4 miles into the hike, there are two large staircases which descend into rocky sections of the cliff with steep drops into the ocean.

If you’ve ever seen a photograph of Acadia’s coastline, it was most likely taken from somewhere along Ocean Path. We like this trail because it highlights some of the best views in Acadia with very little effort and it’s incredibly easy to access. Use our day hike packing list to prepare for your walk in the park.

Hiking Tip: Follow the trail past Otter Point as far as Otter Cove for views over Dorr and Cadillac Mountains.

6. Explore The Roads Less Traveled

If you’re not a hiker or you’re visiting with kids, the next two activities are great for visitors of any age. We’ve included them together in our guide because they are both located on the east side of Mount Desert Island. They are also good way to get off the beaten path and away from the crowds.

We’ll begin with the beautiful auto-free carriage roads. Originally built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. from 1913 to 1940, the 45 miles of carriage roads in Acadia helped to preserve the trees in the park. The roads are about 16 feet wide and can be used by pedestrians, bicyclists, and horse-drawn carriages today. No cars can drive on the carriage roads, but dogs are allowed on leashes.

We like the carriage roads because they connect all of the major Acadia attractions centering around Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond. Here is an official map so you can plan out your route. Don’t miss the gatehouses and beautiful stone brides throughout the intricate network. Visitors can also book a carriage ride through Wildwood Stables.

On the other side of the eastern part of the island, you can visit the Wilds Gardens in Acadia. Created in 1961, these gardens are home to over 400 plant species designed to showcase Acadia’s native plants. It’s an incredibly peaceful place to visit and we enjoyed how all plants are labeled by habitat which makes learning about them very easy.

The Wild Gardens of Acadia are located within the Sieur de Monts sections of the park along the Park Loop Road. Visitors can also explore the Abbe Museum, the Great Meadow Wetland and historic memorial paths nearby.

READ: Why you should get a National Parks Passport

7. Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

The Bass Harbor Head Light Station is one of the most famous lighthouses on the US east coast. We think taking photos of this beautiful lighthouse is one the best things you can do in Acadia National Park because the bright red light beams out to sea once darkness takes over.

It’s located in Tremont, Maine on the southwest corner of Mount Desert Island. The light station is the most visited place on the west side of the island and the fifth busiest destination in the park behind Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Sand Beach, and Thunder Hole. So it’s safe to say you can expect crowds. However, it’s difficult to visit the lighthouse because it’s not located easily along the roads like many of the other attractions.

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is the busiest at sunset since it’s on the west side and it’s incredibly popular with photographers. Just to give you a little perspective, we visited in October and tried to get a parking spot at 3:30pm, which was 2 hours before sunset. The line of cars waiting to get parked took us 45 minutes just to get into the parking lot. After that, we had to navigate very uneven rocks to set up our tripod without standing in the way of others who were already there.

Here are a few tips for visiting:

• The parking lot is limited to about 25 cars and you’ll have to wait for a spot
• Roadside parking is not allowed along the entrance road and 102A
• About an hour before sunset, the rocks will be overrun with people and tripods
• There is no public access to the inside of the lighthouse and you can only see it from the outside

Photography Tip: We highly recommend photographers arrive very early in the afternoon to get a parking spot and a good vantage point along the rocks. We enjoyed the sunset over the lighthouse, but it’s something we’d probably never do again due to the chaos in the parking lot and on the rocks.

8. Enjoy The Beaches And Ponds

Another cool thing to see in Acadia are the various beaches and ponds scattered throughout the national park. Here’s where you should go:

Jordan Pond – This is one of the most popular water features in Acadia. Jordan Pond is 150 ft deep making it the deepest and second largest lake in the park. It’s located along the Park Loop Road about 30 minutes from Hulls Cove Visitor Center. You can’t swim in Jordan Pond because it’s Seal Harbor’s drinking water supply, but you can canoe or kayak.

The Jordan Pond House sits at the southern point and it’s the only fully serviced restaurant inside Acadia. If you can get a table, it’s a fantastic place to grab lunch or dinner and you can make reservations here. From Jordan Pond, you can hike the 3.3 mile loop or you can hike to South Bubble for amazing views over the pond.

Hiking Tip: If you’re lucky enough to get a parking spot for the Bubbles, walk through the forest to Jordan Pond’s northern edge. This way you don’t have to battle for another parking spot near the restaurant.

Sand Beach – This is a natural stopping off point along Park Loop Road. There is a large parking lot where the Ocean Path Trail begins and the beach itself is about 300 yards long. It’s one of the most visited places in Acadia because it’s easily accessible. The beach is open for swimming from mid-June to the beginning of September and you can check conditions here.

Hiking Tip: Beehive Trail begins right behind the Sand Beach parking lot. We climbed Beehive, descended and walked across Sand Beach before walking along Great Head Trail.

Echo Lake – This stunning lake is one of our hidden gems in Acadia and you can swim in it unlike Jordan Pond. It has plenty of parking spaces and offers warm fresh water rather than cold salt water at Sand Beach.

Hiking Tip: Include Echo Lake with hikes up Acadia Mountain and Beech Mountain before continuing to Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse for sunset.

9. Schoodic Peninsula

The Schoodic Peninsula is the only section of Acadia located on the mainland, but it’s a very remote area when compared to the rest of the park. While it’s managed by the NPS, it’s a minimally-developed, low-visitation area. From the Hulls Cove Visitor Center on Mount Desert Island, you can expect it to be about an hours drive.

There is a 6-mile, one-way loop road around the entire peninsula offering beautiful views and you can use the various vehicle turnouts to stop when needed. One of the most popular stops on Schoodic Peninsula is Arey Cove Road which leads to Schoodic Point offering beautiful views of Mount Desert Island.

At Schoodic Peninsula, we think the views are similar to Ocean Path, but with way less people. You can also bike the Schoodic Loop Road, camp at Schoodic Woods Campground or hike one of the many trails on the peninsula. Click here to see the list of hiking trails nearby.

Tidepooling is a popular activity on the peninsula and it’s great for kids. During low tide, plants and animals are exposed and it’s common to see barnacles, vibrant algae, marine snails and small sea anemones. The best time is 1.5 hours before or 1.5 hours after low tide. Just be mindful of where you step and always leave no trace. You can also go tidepooling on Bar Island and Ship harbor.

Travel Tip: We only recommend visiting Schoodic Peninsula if you have at least 3 days on your Acadia itinerary or you prefer to be away from crowds.

10. Catch A Sunrise

It might not have the majestic valley of Yosemite, nor the staggering beauty of sunrise and sunset at Grand Canyon, but Acadia is a surprisingly photogenic national park. We think the Bass Harbor Lighthouse, Jordan Pond and basically every mountain summit in the park are stunning. Bar Harbor and the small villages in the area do emit some light but not much, which means stargazing is also another popular thing to do in Acadia. Lakes make for excellent foreground at night.

We have eluded to sunrise a number of times in this list of the best things to see in Acadia because it’s one of the most amazing places to see the sun rising in the US. If you can’t secure a ticket for sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, you have other options. One of our favorite sunrise locations in Acadia is right along the rocks at Schooner Head.

You can always night hike the 2.0 mile trail (one way) from Cadillac North Ridge Trailhead if you are desperate to summit Cadillac Mountain for sunrise. Or if you prefer a challenge, wake up earlier and hike the 4 mile (one way) Cadillac South Ridge Trail, which is a more scenic route.

Other places to consider spending sunrise with fewer people:

• Champlain Mountain summit (the top of Precipice Trail)
• Beehive Trail summit
• Great Head overlook
• Anywhere else east facing without obstruction

Like we said earlier, we couldn’t get tickets for sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. So if you can’t either, there are plenty more places you can go in the park and it will probably be way less busy.

Bar Harbor Extras

Bar Harbor is the quintessential Maine coastal town and it’s located less than 2 miles from the entrance of Acadia National Park on the eastern side of Mount Desert Island. The town of Bar Harbor itself is not officially part of Acadia. But since it’s very close to the park, it’s a popular spot for accommodation. It’s also a great place to try the famous Maine lobster.

Staying in Bar Harbor gives you perfect access to Acadia and saves you from driving long distances in or out each day, but it’s not a cheap place to visit. The good news is there are dozens of eateries, breweries, souvenir shops and hotels so you’ll have plenty of choice. Restaurants will fill early so advanced reservations are recommended.

Here are popular Bar Harbor restaurants:

• Cafe This Way – Globally influenced breakfasts and dinners
• Geddy’s – Family friendly pub grub with seafood and beer
• Havana – American fine dining with latin flair
• Jordan’s Restaurant – Breakfast, lobster rolls, burgers and sandwiches
• Side Street Cafe – Bar fare specializing in burgers and lobsters
• Route 66 Restaurant – Vintage all American spot
• The Barnacle – Lobster, oysters and mussels with cocktails
• Thirsty Whale Tavern – Local spot serving seafood favorites

Acadia also has no official national park lodges. Therefore, along with every other visitor to Acadia, you are left with a choice between one of the campgrounds or finding a hotel in a nearby area.

We wrote a very detailed guide featuring the best places to stay near Acadia, you can read next which includes Bar Harbor and some of the surrounding towns. But here are popular options in Bar Harbor and we like that almost all hotels are within walking distance to great restaurants.

• Acadia Hotel Downtown
• Anchorage Motel
• Main Street Motel

We stayed in the Anchorage Motel and it was a great central location. It was a bit cheaper compared to other options in town and it was clean so we have no complaints.

Can’t find a campground? Use our exclusive 30 day trial The Dyrt PRO to find both free and paid campsites near Acadia or use Dyrt Alerts to snag a spot at a sold out campground nearby.

Our Acadia Interactive Map

Use our interactive map for Acadia to familiarize yourself with the area. Click to activate the map. We’ve included the best things to see and do that we already mentioned in this guide.

Map key:

• Red – Our top attractions
• Yellow – Hikes in Acadia
• Green – Popular restaurants
• Dark Blue – Hotel recommendations

You can also open the full map here for a better and larger view.

How To Avoid The Crowds

One of the hardest parts about visiting Acadia is the crowds. Especially if you plan to visit in summer or fall, it can be really frustrating because parking lots and trailheads are absolutely packed. In October, we had difficulties with the amount of people in the park so here are a few ways to make your trip more comfortable.

If you want to help reduce air pollution and avoid parking congestion, riding the Island Explorer Bus is an eco-friendly thing to do in Acadia. The free park shuttle provides service between popular park destinations such as campgrounds, carriages roads and trailheads. It also visits the local communities and Bar Harbor-Hancock County Regional Airport running from the end of June to mid-October. Here are the free shuttle routes and timetables.

Another good option is to book a tour in Acadia. Most of these highly rated tours offer transportation so you don’t have to worry about it. Check them out below:

The Morgan Conclusion

What we like: Acadia is a stunning region and it’s very different from other US national parks. It’s also one of the few parks located on the east coast which makes it accessible for many travelers. When we visited in the fall, the autumn foliage was unbelievable and make our trip even more special. We also really enjoy hiking in Acadia because you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

What we don’t like: The downside to visiting Acadia is the small size of the park. It’s extremely crowded because most visitors are concentrated on Mount Desert Island. We found it very difficult to find parking for many trailheads and the amount of people hiking was almost too much. If you stay in Bar harbor, it’s also hard to find a spot at restaurants after people have finished their day in the park.

Is Acadia worth visiting? Yes, visiting Acadia is worth it. While the crowds are large, Acadia is one of the most popular nationals parks in the entire United States. It’s filled with challenging hikes and picturesque coastlines which makes it unique. Even if you aren’t a hiker, there are plenty of things for you to see in Acadia so it’s a great option for the entire family.

More From New England

• Best hikes in Acadia National Park
• How to hike the Beehive Trail in Acadia
• Where to stay when visiting Acadia National Park
• Tips for hiking the Acadia Precipice Trail
• Guide to visiting Acadia in the fall season
• What to know for hiking Artists Bluff Trail in NH
• Where to find the covered bridges in Vermont
• The perfect New England fall foliage road trip itinerary
• How to visit Flume Gorge in New Hampshire during fall
• Best Kancamagus Highway road trip stops

Want more Maine content? Head over to our Maine Travel Guides to explore Acadia National Park and beyond.

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We hope this guide featuring the best things to see in Acadia National Park helps with planning your visit!

Please let us know if you have any questions about visiting Acadia in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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