We just returned from our trip to Acadia National Park and I learned so much, mainly the hard way. The kids were so excited to visit their first National Park. They had so much fun becoming Junior Rangers. The first two days felt like we were just getting the lay of the land. After lots of research and doing things all wrong, we put together the perfect itinerary for Acadia National Park. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, this is a LOT of information.
How many days should you spend in Acadia National Park?
I would say that you could cover all of the basics in three days, but I would build in a fourth if possible for inclement weather. New England weather is really unpredictable which makes planning a challenge. You have to be ready to pivot at a moments notice. There were days where the weather would say sunny on our phones as we stood there in the rain. Just be prepared and layer, layer, layer.
The Loop Road
Acadia National Park is one 27 mile loop around Mount Desert Island. Most of that loop is one way traffic. The road to Cadillac Mountain, the Bubbles and Jordan Pond is two way traffic.
It would take about 45 minutes to drive the Loop Road without stopping. Everywhere I read before coming said it took 3-4 hours. I don’t know where they got that from. We ended up doing the loop several times a day.
Your biggest challenge visiting the park will be parking. What’s nerve racking is the fact that it is a one way road so if you miss a parking lot, there is no turning back.
There is a free shuttle called the Island Explorer that goes around the island from the Visitor Center, so you can avoid all of that hassle by using the bus system. I am a control freak and wanted to have my car, mainly because the kids have so much stuff that we needed to have accessible.
highlights of Acadia National Park:
(in clockwise order on the Loop Road):
- Sieur de Monts Nature Center/ Jesup Path
- Sand Beach
- Thunder Hole
- Otter Point
- Jordan Pond House
- The Bubbles/ Balance Rock
- Cadillac Mountain
- Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
The Perfect Itinerary for Acadia National Park
DAY ONE
As you arrive in Bar Harbor, stop into the Acadia National Park Visitor’s Center. It’s been a long drive and it’s a great place to stretch and use the bathrooms. (Note: you have to climb 50 stairs to get there!)
This is where you will get a map of Acadia National Park and there are park rangers there to answer any questions. There is a bulletin with ranger programs that are going on as well as general information. Make note of when sunrise, sunset and high tide will happen. If you plan to use the shuttle, grab a schedule.
You can also pick up your Junior Ranger booklets. Not only are they free, they will make your child look out for things they normally wouldn’t even notice.
Lastly, the Visitor Center is a great place to take a picture with the Acadia National Park sign. If you walk to the edge of the parking lot entrance, you will see a little trail to the sign.
Visiting Downtown Bar Harbor
Now you are going to head into downtown Bar Harbor for lunch. Again, parking is a bit of a nightmare here. Be prepared to circle.
We ate at the Side Street Cafe more than once because it had the shortest wait times and the kids loved it there. They got model magic to play with and a giant cookie with every meal. They were sold.
After lunch, have a wander around Bar Harbor. I thought we would need more time for this than I had scheduled in. In all honesty, the shops are mostly tourist traps and after you have seen one, you have seen them all.
The only shops we enjoyed were Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop, which is the oldest bookstore in Maine. The Rock and Art Shop was a really cool place. Wander down to Agamont Park, which is a green space with a gorgeous view of the ocean.
After we walked around the downtown, we head to our hotel to check in. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor, an IHG Hotel, which is a mile outside of town. It was only a three minute drive to the park entrance and we never had to worry about parking.
After we settled into our room, the kids had a nice swim in the heated pool and I soaked in the hot tub. This hotel has such an incredible view of the ocean.
The Holiday Inn was also dog friendly and kids ate free. I had been disappointed that we weren’t right downtown and in the end, I was so happy we didn’t have to deal with the traffic or fighting for a parking spot. Be sure to read our full review.
DAY TWO
I was up early to run into town to grab breakfast for the crew. Coffee Hound Coffee Co. at the Stadium was my go-to. They are well known for their delicious, albeit pricey breakfast sandwiches. My kids loved their crepes and the coffee was delish. Parking isn’t bad in the morning and they don’t start checking meters until 8 A.M.
Head to the park and start clockwise around the Loop Road. You will check in at a Ranger Station. You should purchase your park pass in advance and have the QR code ready on your phone. I have heard of the park reaching capacity.
Note: phone service is pretty non-existent in the park. I have AT&T and it was in SOS mode the whole time. Therefore, you can’t rely on you phone for maps, calls or to bring up reservations. Print or screenshot your reservations. You have to keep it on your dash while you’re in the park.
The lack of cell service made it challenging if my husband dropped us off and went to find parking because we had no way of getting in touch with each other. For this reason, I would even consider bringing walkie-talkies.
You should also make a plan for lunch. Jordan Pond is the only place to eat in Acadia National Park. I would pack a picnic lunch and drinks in a cooler if you can.
Sieur de Monts Nature Center
Your first stop along the Loop Road is going to be Sieur de Monts Nature Center. “Sieur de Monts” is the title given to Pierre Dugua, a French Explorer and nobleman who came to Mount Desert Island in 1604. The Nature Center is small and free of charge. This is a great place for your kids to interview a park ranger since it is not as busy as the Visitor Center. There are also bathrooms here.
The Nature Center is where the trail head to Jesup Path is. This is an easy trail that leads down a boardwalk through the Great Meadow Wetland. It is simply a beautiful area. It will be buggy so put on your repellent.
Jesup Path is an out-and-back trail that is about 2 miles long and takes about 45 minutes to complete. We opted to go to the end of the boardwalk and loop back on Hemlock Path which goes through the woods. On our way back to the car, we walked through the Wild Gardens of Acadia.
Wild Gardens of Acadia
At the Wild Gardens of Acadia, you can see over 400 native plant species in thirteen sections designed to represent natural plant communities found within Acadia National Park. We didn’t spend more than 20 minutes here and it was free of charge. I thought it was going to be a large botanical garden, but it is not that formal. This is a great place to do the leaf study in the Junior Ranger book.
Note: while we were visiting, part of the Loop Road was closed for construction. Be prepared for detours that will take up more time.
Head back to the Loop Road. Your next destination is Sand Beach. Expect to circle, because parking is tough. If the lot is full, you can look for street parking (you are allowed to park in the right lane). There is a small lot just beyond Sand Beach than nobody seemed to park in. I think people get so anxious since it is a one way road and if you don’t grab a spot, you have to do the whole loop again.
You will leave your car here for a bit because you are going to walk the Ocean Path up to Thunder Hole. We did Sand Beach last so the kids weren’t hiking in wet bathing suits.
The Ocean Path is a 1.8 mile corridor of the Park Loop Road which runs along the rugged coastline of Acadia. The walk from Sand Beach to Otter Point would take about 45 minutes (without stops).
Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is a natural rock inlet where waves crash with a thunderous boom. This is a really popular stop and the crowds are always high. Be aware that the rocks are really slippery.
A ranger told me that the best time to see Thunder Hole is two hours before high tide. I think this is really hit or miss. We stopped a few hours before high tide and got some booms, but when we came back two hours before high tide the next day, the sea was really calm.
If you watch a video of Thunder Hole on YouTube, it is usually from a hurricane when the waves are really impressive.
I also have to note here, I can’t believe how crazy some people are. There were people climbing up on the slippery cliffs above Thunder Hole, even pulling their young children up for selfies. I couldn’t even watch. One slip and it would be over. Don’t be those people. I saw so many people fall on flat ground. Acadia attracts nearly 3 million visitors every year and reports an average of one or two accidental deaths each year.
Otter Point
You can continue up the Ocean Path to Otter Point. I thought this area was beautiful and the views were stunning. Look out for Monument Cove and Boulder Beach which are nice areas to explore. Watch out for kids running ahead because there are some steep drop offs. My kids loved climbing on the rocks at Otter Point. We could even see seals in the water.
If you have a packed lunch, you could stop anywhere along the Ocean Path and have a nice picnic with a scenic view.
Sand Beach
After Otter Point, retrace your steps back down the Ocean Path to Sand Beach. Sand Beach’s warmest water temperature is between 55 and 60 degrees in August. We did not swim, although there were a few crazy people who jumped in. It was foggy and chilly the day we were there, but it didn’t stop my kids from building sand castles for hours. Lizzie and I collected rocks for the geology study in the Junior Ranger book.
After the kids got good and sandy, they rinsed off with the hose by the changing rooms. The kids wanted to head back to the hotel by this point. I did have them jump out of the car at Thunder Hole as we drove by to see the difference in the booms.
They had another swim back at the hotel and we ate dinner poolside. Then we threw clothes back on because there was one last adventure to be had.
Bass Harbor Head Light Station
We drove down to the Bass Harbor Head Light Station just as the fog began to lift. Note that this lighthouse is a 30 minute drive down to Bass Harbor.
Check for what time sunset will happen that day and plan to arrive at least an hour before. The parking lot here is tiny and there is no street parking. The earlier you go, the better the chance you have of getting a spot. My husband let me and the kids hop out while he waited in the line of traffic. He did end up getting lucky but it took over 20 minutes.
You can walk down to the lighthouse itself which is really pretty. But don’t miss the trail at the end of the parking lot that will bring you down a wood staircase to the rocks below.
You have undoubtedly seen amazing photographs of this view of the lighthouse on the rocky shoreline. But beware: this is an Instagram vs Reality spot, because behind those amazing pictures are about 50 people clamoring on the rocks trying to get a good shot.
Take deep breathes because people seem to lose all self awareness and will happily sit right in front of you, not caring that they are completely blocking your view. We actually had some teenagers climb the rocks up to the lighthouse, which is private property, just for their selfies 100% unaware or uncaring that they were ruining everyone else’s experience.
Once I rechecked my expectations, I was still really glad we went. The sunset there was breathtaking. We had several days of rain, so to see the beautiful pink sky begin to glow was quite the experience. We even had harbor porpoises and seals feeding in the waters right beside us.
DAY 3
Today you will be going backwards down the Loop Road.
Sunrise on Cadillac Mountain
This is going to be your early morning day. If you want to see the sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain, this is the day to do it. Note that you have to register to summit Cadillac Mountain, in addition to having a park pass. But here is where you have to be ready to pivot at a moments notice.
The sunrise mountain tickets have a staggered release. Thirty percent of vehicle reservations are made available 90 days ahead of each date. The remaining 70 percent are released at 10 am EST two days ahead and they will set out within the hour. Set your alarm. Put it in your calendar. Even if you score one of these coveted tickets, it is up to the weather gods to cooperate.
Watching the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain has been on my bucket list for ages, as it is the first place the sun touches in America. I mean, how cool? I got up at 3 AM on the morning we were to do the sunrise summit and… rain. My hopes were dashed and I let my family stay happily in bed.
Here is the next thing to know: you can only summit Cadillac Mountain in a car ONE time in a week (sunrise or daytime). It’s not like you can get a ticket for every day you are there and just pick the best weather day.
It also means that if your date got rained out, you probably aren’t going to get another ticket because they will be sold out. If you keep checking the reservations website, you will see an occasional ticket pop up if someone cancels their reservation.
I quickly cancelled our reservation as soon as I knew we weren’t going to do it so I could book a daytime summit ticket later in the day when the weather cleared. Daytime tickets are easier to get (though they do sell out if the weather is nice).
So here is my unpopular advice about sunrise on Cadillac Mountain: don’t do it. After experiencing all of the back and forth and high hopes being dashed, just go for a daytime ticket. It’s not worth the stress. Sleep in past 3 AM so you don’t have cranky kids all day. We got tickets at 8:30 AM, just as the sky cleared and it was perfect.
It really is worth it to drive up Cadillac Mountain. The scenic drive is not scary (if you have ever attempted Mt. Washington, it is nothing like that). It is good that they space people out with reservations because parking is less of a challenge. There are bathrooms at the top along with a gift shop and coffee. We walked around the trails and sat on a rock to take in the views. It was pretty spectacular.
The Bubbles
This was the kid’s favorite hike in Acadia. We actually did the hike twice since the first day was so foggy. The parking lot is tiny, so we had to wait for someone to leave. Just be patient, we never waited long.
This 1.5 mile (round trip) hike is a quick way to access the iconic North Bubble, South Bubble, and Bubble Rock. Visitors can take two short spur trails to reach each summit with expansive views of Jordan Pond and the surrounding mountains. There are some scrambles which the kids love doing.
If you are going to do one, do the the South Bubble. The view of Jordan Pond is breathtaking. This is also where you will find Bubble Rock (aka Balance Rock). It’s crazy to think that a glacier deposited that boulder on a cliff side and it is still dangling there. It is steep on this side, so use caution.
There is also a large cairn which marks the summit. It’s fun to put a rock on top and snap a photo.
Popovers at Jordan Pond House
Having a popover at Jordan Pond House is an iconic experience at Acadia National Park, but you are going to have to work for it. If you can make an advanced reservation, do so by visiting this link. There was nothing available during our visit. Your best bet is to arrive by 10:30 at the latest. Jordan Pond House opens at 11 and you want to be in the reservations line before it opens. We arrived 15 minutes before opening. They were taking reservations and the wait was already over an hour!
They will give you a buzzer, so I walked around with the kids and checked out the gift store. My husband had the tedious job of parking the car. Of course the lot was full, so he back tracked to the overflow lot. It was also full. So they sent him over a mile down the road to the horse stables. That was full. So he came back and circled for- no exaggeration- a full hour. Just as our buzzer went off that out table was ready, he walked in the door.
The indoor seating at Jordan Pond house is very nice, but we came for the view so opted for outdoor. We sat out on the lawn looking over Jordan Pond and I have to say- those popovers were worth the hype. The food was incredible. Each kids meal came with a popover.
If you can’t get a reservation, don’t fret. You can actually go upstairs to the cafe and order food there. While they don’t sell traditional popovers up there, you can get a popover sundae which looked amazing. You can get the same amazing view from upstairs and it was not crowded at all.
Junior Rangers
On our way out of the park, we stopped in the Visitor’s Center one last time to have a ranger look at their booklets. They will make sure the kids completed all of the activities before having them hold up a hand and repeat an oath. The ranger handed each of them a badge and they were officially Junior Rangers. This is something kids can do at every National Park. We also did the National Park passport, where they can get stamps throughout each park. You can purchase a passport in the gift shop.
It was time to head home and we had a long drive ahead of us. We were on the road by 3 PM.
This itinerary for Acadia National Park is designed for three days, but as I previously stated, I would build in a fourth day if possible. That way you won’t be as stressed if it rains one day or one activity take up more time than expected. Use the last day to finish up any activities you didn’t get to earlier. If you find that you have free time, I would check out some of the boat tours offered in Bar Harbor.
It rained the first three days we were at Acadia so we were so glad we had that fourth day to run around and repeat all of the activities we had done in the rain or missed out on.
We obviously missed out on some very popular hikes, such as the Beehive Loop. This is a 1.4 mile loop trail that ascends a 450 ft cliff face. Exposed cliffs, iron rungs, and granite staircases climb this trail revealing scenic ocean views. Considering the ages of our kids, I think I will save that one for the next trip.
Helpful links:
- Map of Acadia National Park
- All visitors need a Standard Entrance Pass ($20.00–$35.00) A park entrance pass is required year-round at Acadia National Park. All vehicles must display a pass clearly visible through the windshield.
- If you plan to drive up Cadillac Mountain between (May 24–Oct 22), you will need to purchase an additional Cadillac Summit Road Vehicle Reservation ($6, Reservations are per vehicle, not per person.) Vehicle reservations provide a timed entry to space people out (think of it like a Disney fast pass). This pass is required to drive up Cadillac Summit Road at any time. Cadillac Mountain is not served by the Island Explorer bus system.
- Specific Activities for Kids
- More info on becoming a Junior Ranger
I hope this itinerary for Acadia National Park helps you plan your trip. If you have any questions, just reach out!
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