Best Things To Do In Acadia National Park
Being New Englanders, we visit this beautiful East Coast National Park often. There are so many exciting things to do in Acadia National Park!
Acadia National Park is the closest to home and there is something for everyone here. Acadia is located on Mount Desert Island on the Maine seacoast, and this park is breath taking!
This National Park has lots to see and discover. There are lots of things to do in Acadia National Park! I am pretty sure we could come here for 5 years in a row and never repeat an adventure. Below are some of the best things to do in Acadia that you do not want to miss out on!
- Jordan Pond
- Thunder Hole
- Bar Harbor
- Gorham Mountain Trail
- Coastal Rocks
- Carriage Roads
- The Bubbles
- Hemlock/Jesup Paths
- Drive Up Cadillac Mountain
- Cedar Swamp Mountain
- Difficult Hikes in Acadia
- Precipice Trail
- The Beehive Loop Trail
- Where to stay in Acadia National Park?
- What is the best month to visit Acadia National Park?
- What is the hardest hike in Acadia National Park?
- Are There Bears in Acadia National Park?
- Does Acadia National Park have a shuttle?
Jordan Pond
You will be woo’d by the sweeping views and majestic mountain surrounding the Jordan Pond Loop. Frolicking around this trail will make you feel like a child again. There was evidence of beavers on the tree stumps and we eventually came across a beaver dam.
This trail also has a long boardwalk through a heavily wooded area which made the hike even more fun! This is an easy 3 mile flat hike for many to enjoy. This is a definite addition to things to do in Acadia for any ability level.
Thunder Hole
If the weather is a bit rainy, do not fret because this makes for perfect conditions for a big thunder hole sighting! Thunder Hole is an underwater cave that sometimes gets air trapped in it as the waves crash against it.
Occasionally there will be a huge splash that gets the viewers wet. Poor weather causes the waves to crash pretty hard against the rocks that make a big thundering sound.
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is a quaint quintessential coastal Maine town. There are many ice cream shops to choose from in downtown Bar Harbor that can cool you down after a strenuous, or not so much, hike! Many delicious restaurants are downtown and you will have some of the freshest seafood here. Sit on the lawn and watch the sailboats come and go.
One of the most exciting things about visiting Bar Harbor is the Bar Island Land Bridge! For an hour and a half (before and after low tide) and land bridge appears that you can walk across to Bar Island. Once on the island there is a trail that you can take that goes into the forest. If you walk the entire trail and back it is almost 2 miles. Please be aware of the tides and do not lose track of time! The land bridge will disappear and will not emerge again for 9 hours!
Gorham Mountain Trail
Gorham Mountain is a 3.5 mile out and back hike. This is a moderately easy hike.
The majority of the trail was exposed granite. Who doesn’t love climbing on rocks?! There were lots of viewpoints that looked over the coastline. Once you reach the summit you can see the other side of the mountain that overlooks a beautiful valley. This is a great addition to things to do in Acadia for the beginning hiker.
Coastal Rocks
There is something magical about eating a packed lunch on the coastal rocks! You can walk across the Park Loop Road across from the Gorham Mountain trailhead to have lunch on the ocean! You can climb on all of the rocks and watch the waves crash against the granite. It is always so peaceful.
Carriage Roads
One of our favorite activities to do at Acadia is to bike on the carriage roads. If you did not bring a bike, or find yourself needing to rent one, Acadia Outdoor Center was SO helpful! They gave us some local knowledge low down (telling us about a secret airplane crash on a mountain) and some helpful tips about which hike to do off of the carriage trail. They also sell ice cream, coffee (thank goodness), and apparel!
There are 45 miles of carriage road trails in Acadia. Eagle Lake trail is quite steep but once you are at the top you can take the short hike up Connor’s Nubble. It is super quick and the view is incredible!
Most carriage roads are hilly. If you are traveling with children, I would be sure that they ride a bike with gears before having them bike on their own.
The Bubbles
The Bubbles trail itself was one of the easiest mountain trails that we have hiked in Acadia National Park. To see the big rock, you should summit South Bubble.
Both trails start at the same trailhead and then split near the summit. This trail is about a 1.5 mile hike, a perfect thing to do in Acadia National Park if you aren’t feeling like doing anything to strenuous.
Hemlock/Jesup Paths
These two paths create a figure 8 loop 1.5 miles long. This is a flat and easy hike with beautiful views of white birch trees and Dorr Mountain.
This trail has a long stretch of boardwalk and could easily accommodate a sturdy stroller! This trail also starts at the Wild Gardens of Acadia which is also a great stop!
Drive Up Cadillac Mountain
Enjoy the spectacular views without the strenuous hike! You can drive up the tallest mountain on the eastern seaboard! They say this is the spot that our country sees the sunrise first so many people come up to the peak of Cadillac to see the sunrise.
Starting in 2019, however, the park is requiring that you reserve (and pay) for a pass to drive up Cadillac. You can take a look at reservations here.
Cedar Swamp Mountain
Remember the locals that told us about a secret abandoned plane crash site? Well we couldn’t just hear that and not go see it! They gave us impeccable directions and we arrived at the site without getting lost! And I am sharing these directions with you!
The plane crash happened in 1970 and is a small prop plane. After researching it the crash site wasn’t discovered until 3 months after it happened. There is still debris scattered all around the side of Cedar Swamp Mountain. It was a cool but humbling find. If you are traveling to Acadia National Park and you want specific directions to this crash site click here!
Difficult Hikes in Acadia
Precipice Trail
This trail is not for small children or the faint of heart. It involves steep cliffs and narrow ledges. You will encounter iron rungs to help you hold on to the edge of the rock! Definitely an adrenaline rush. Ladders and wooden bridge also help you along the trail. All in all, this trail is a little more than 2 miles. (This hike is not always available)
The Beehive Loop Trail
This hike is only 1.5 mile and is for the adventurous at heart. This hike also has iron rungs to help you stay on the granite rock! Expect steep cliffs and spectacular views. This is a great hike to get used to the more difficult trails Acadia has to offer. Caution, this trail is very dangerous when wet.
Where to stay in Acadia National Park?
We love staying at Blackwoods Campground on Acadia with our camper, Callie. This campground is perfect for what we need it for, we never spend a whole lot of time at the campsite because we are out exploring all day long. For my full review on Blackwoods Campground click here.
What is the best month to visit Acadia National Park?
Anytime between late May – mid October! You want to give the park plenty of time to dry up after the snow melts and by mid October the leaves begin to fall and it starts to get pretty chilly.
What is the hardest hike in Acadia National Park?
The hardest hike in Acadia is the Precipice trail. This is not for the faint of heart and involves steep drop offs. This hike isn’t always available because of bird nesting sites.
Are There Bears in Acadia National Park?
Yes, there are black bears in Acadia National Park. Black bears are very shy animals and tend to stay far away from humans as often as they can.
Does Acadia National Park have a shuttle?
Acadia does have a shuttle called the Island Explorer. The bus has regular stops including campgrounds, carriage road entrances, and many trailheads. You can also flag down the bus. Unfortunately the bus does not go up Cadillac Mountain.
This shuttle system is seasonal. It is only in operation from June to October.
As always thank you so much for reading and I hope that we have inspired your next adventure! Acadia National Park is brimming with life. Even the ponds off of the side of the road are full of HUGE tadpoles, the biggest I have ever seen. For more ideas or to see what adventures The Perks have been on tap the links below!
More Resources:
Top 7 things to do in downtown Portsmouth
