With dramatic coastlines and sometimes moody, foggy weather, Acadia National Park is unlike any other national park in the eastern United States. I put off going for years, opting for higher mountains and trips "out west". While Acadia might not have the pull of the western parks, it's definitely a national park worth visiting. My daughter and I flew from Atlanta to Boston and then road tripped north to spend two days in Acadia National Park. Here's everything we did and some practical tips to help you plan your trip.
Acadia national park at a glance
LOCATED IN MAINE
established as a national mounument in 1916
named a national park in 1929
elevation 1530 ft. on cadillac MTN
visited in july
The best time to visit Acadia National Park is in the late spring, summer and early fall. Keep in mind though, because of its northern - and coastal location - the weather can change quickly. It can be cool, even in summer or it can get very hot. Also, rain and foggy, misty weather is quite common.
Summer temperatures can range anywhere from 45F to 90F. When we visited in July, the weather was unusually cool for our two days in Acadia. We wore long pants and a light jacket most of the time. It was cloudy and foggy off and on so we didn't have a chance to see sunrise or sunset from Cadillac Mountain.
Southerner Says: we were also warned about black flies that sometime appear in summer but we didn't see even one. Apparently they are worse in May and June after a rainy spring.
Fall is the most popular time to visit Acadia National Park because of the autumn colors. Generally, the peak fall foliage is in mid October which means the busiest time is the first of October through the Columbus Day weekend. Average October temperatures hover around 67F for the day and 45F at night. If you do decide to visit in fall and want to camp keep in mind that most campgrounds, including park campgrounds, close in mid October.
Winter in Acadia is cold and most of the park roads close. However, portions of the scenic one way loop road are open, as well as Jordan Pond Road - weather permitting. December is the mildest of the winter months, with day time highs averaging 34F. January is the coldest month with highs averaging 29F and lows in the teens. Winter activities include hiking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.
Acadia National Park is located on Mount Desert Island, off the east coast of Maine in the northeastern United States. The closest city to Acadia National Park is the small town of Bar Harbor.
The northeastern area of the United States is the perfect region for road trips. Generally the roads are in good condition and there are tons of things to see and do in a relatively small area as opposed road tripping out west where you are usually driving large distances.
Depending on where you are coming from, you can road trip north up coastal Highway 1 stopping in some of the small towns or drive the Interstate 95, if you don't have a lot of time. Read my Boston to Bar Harbor road trip article to see where we stopped before we spent two days in Acadia National Park.
For a fly and drive road trip, the closest airports are:
You could fly to one of these cities and rent a vehicle. You'll need a car to get out to the island but once you're there, Bar Harbor has a shuttle called the Island Explorer that goes into the park and makes stops around the island. You could also rent bikes and pedal into the park from Bar Harbor or you could arrange an organize from Bar Harbor. If you fly into Portland, tours can also be arranged from that city. I've placed some helpful links below.
This post contains affiliate links. That means I might earn a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you book or buy something through a link I provide. This keeps Southerner Says on line and on the road. Thank you for your support.
Whether you want to camp or stay in a hotel, Acadia National Park has options for everyone. Here's some options.
We opted to camp for our two days in Acadia National Park. The National Park Service has three developed campgrounds in the park and two of those are on Mount Desert Island. Blackwoods Campground, is on the east side of the island and Seawall Campground, is on the west side. Both campgrounds are open seasonally, May through mid October, and are reservation only. You can make a reservation via Recreation.gov and you can reserve a site up to six months in advance.
If you can't get a reservation inside the park, no worries, there are are plenty of other campgrounds on on the island. I researched a few in case we couldn't get a reservation in the park and one campground that caught my eye is Mount Desert Campground. The setting and tent sites are very scenic. According to their website, they have both wooded and waterfront sites.
Even though our road trip was a bit last minute, we were able to snag a site in Blackwoods Campground for our two days in Acadia National Park. It's one of the most peaceful and quiet campgrounds I've ever stayed in. And it smelled like trees!
Blackwoods Campground has 221 tent only sites and 60 RV sites. The sites are very spacious and since there are so many trees, has plenty of privacy. The campground has flush toilets and water available but like most NPS campgrounds, no showers. However, right outside the entrance to the campground there is a store where you take a shower and buy firewood.
The campground is conveniently located just a few miles from Bar Harbor and some of the more popular attractions in the park. You can even hike right from right from the campground.
Acadia National Park doesn't have a park lodge like many other national parks do. Still, there are plenty of accommodations nearby in Bar Harbor and the surrounding areas of Mount Desert Island. You can find cottages, inns, bed and breakfasts, and hotels on the island. Near Blackwoods Campground is Otter Creek village where you'll find the cutest market and inn.
Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island in general, provide plenty of opportunity for outdoor activities. Hiking, bicycling, horse back riding, swimming, fishing and boating are just a few of the many things to enjoy. We weren't really there long enough to do much more than hike but next time I would love to get out on the water. There are several boat tours that leave from Bar Harbor. A tour to see the puffins would be a dream. Here's a few of the other things we did get to enjoy in the park.
Start your two days in Acadia National Park at the park's only visitor center. The Hull's Cove visitor center is a unique visitor center that you don't want to miss. One of the first things you'll notice are the 52 steps to reach the entrance. However, if you aren't able to climb stairs, there is an accessible entrance at the rear of the building and parking is available there.
With displays and interpretive signage, the visitor center is a good opportunity to learn a bit about the history of Acadia. Another bonus is that Park Rangers are on site to offer advice and answer questions. Visitors can get their park passport stamped, buy souvenirs and enroll in Junior Ranger programs.
As you leave the visitor center, head over to Park Loop Road. This loop road is the primary way into the park. It's 27 miles long and you can access most of the popular park features from it. There are turnouts and plenty of scenic overlooks to enjoy. Some sections of the road are one way so drive with caution. Also be careful where you stop and pull over. Some sections are very narrow and areas like Thunder Hole and Sand Beach can be crowded. Drive slowly and watch out for wildlife, especially early in the morning.
A visit to Acadia National Park wouldn't be complete without seeing Cadillac Mountain. It's the highest peak in the park and on Mount Desert Island. If the weather cooperates, it's the best place to watch the sunrise or sunset. Many people choose to hike but you can also drive to the top.
Since the Cadillac Mountain is one of the most popular spots in the park the Park Service has implemented a reservation system to access the mountain. Find out all the details and how to get reservations here.
Unfortunately, the weather wasn't in our favor when we were there. Even though it wasn't raining, it was cloudy and foggy at that higher elevation. We gave it a couple of tries and were finally rewarded with a little blue sky on the second afternoon. The rolling hills and the ocean views are beautiful from the summit.
Throughout Acadia carriage roads in the park are a huge part of Acadia's history. Inspired and created by John D. Rockefeller, Jr, these broken stone roads were exclusively designed for horse and carriages. Mr. Rockefeller wanted a way to travel in the park with no motorized cars so he had the roads built.
The goal was to build a way to get around but not interfere with the beauty of the Island. So during construction of the roads, they didn't move any trees or earth. Instead, they built the rounds around the the natural features.
All of the materials used for the carriage roads are from Mount Desert Island. They utilized rock from the island to build bridges over the streams and built the guardrails out of large blocks of granite. They even installed local cedar signposts at all the intersections. Then those signs were stained and painted a color to compliment nature.
Today, visitors to Acadia National Park can enjoy the carriage roads by walking, biking and even riding horses on them.
One of our favorite things to do in national parks is hiking, so some of our two days in Acadia National Park was spent on a few of the park's 150 miles of trails. Hiking trails in Acadia take you through forests, along the gorgeous coast and to the top of mountains, like Cadillac Mountain.
We especially enjoyed wandering around the Otter Creek area near our campground. We hiked Bubble Rock in fog so thick that when we got to the top, you could barely see the rock. The scenic trails around Jordon Pond offer the chance of a peaceful stroll and are good for anyone, especially families with small children. Schooner Head overlook, with is its stunning ocean view, is the perfect place for a picnic lunch.
The entrance fee for cars is $30 for 7 days and $25 for motorcycles if you don't have an America the Beautiful annual park pass. If you aren't familiar with the pass, it's $80 but it covers you, and everyone in your car, at over 2k interagency park sites for a year. It's a real bargain, especially if you are planning on visiting several national park units.
I think it depends. If you want to see highlights of the park, then yes you can see popular attractions in the park in two days. To really get to know the park and enjoy everything if offers, then you'll need more time. I think 5 days up to even a week would be a perfect amount of time for the park, Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island.
In Bar Harbor, probably. But in the park and campgrounds, service is very spotty depending on your provider.
Yes! Acadia National Park is one of the most dog friendly parks in the park system. There are over 100 miles of trails where pets are permitted. Of course they should be leashed and never left unattended.
If your schedule only allows for two days in Acadia National Park, you need to maximize your time. Here's a sample itinerary of what to do in the park:
Since Acadia National Park is located in a more populated area, it's easy to pick up supplies or things you might need right in Bar Harbor. There are pharmacies and grocery stores on the island. Just remember people do live here and rely on the local grocery stores for their food supply so if you are camping, you may want to bring your groceries from home or at least a more populated area. Here are a few other things that might come in handy:
Are you ready to plan your own Acadia National Park adventure? Search for airline tickets and rental cars on Expedia.com and accommodations at Booking.com. Don't forget to check Tripadvisor for reviews. Happy trails!