Acadia consists of 47,000 acres of rocky beaches, woodland and glacier made rocky mountain peaks. It is a beautiful destination for adventure driven and/or scenic searching individuals. I visited during peak fall season when the leaves were beyond mesmerizing with their deep and bright colors – leaf peeping is now a hobby! Below is a complete guide to Acadia National Park.
Cadillac Mountain Long Grove
Drive the Park Loop
This road loops around the eastern part of the park with scenic pull offs to stop and take pictures. It’s a 27mile loop and a perfect, easy adventure for everyone
Jordan Pond
Beautiful freshwater pond with great views of the Bubble Mountains. There is a 3 mile loop around the pond that is easy for walking, hiking or running. The Jordan Pond Restaurant is there as well and if you want to sit down, prepare to wait. The scenery was better than the food, but definitely get the popovers – they’re incredible.
Cadillac Mountain:
Yes, it’s worth it for the sunrise. The peak of Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the east coast – the first place to view the sun as it rises – how cool is that?! Tickets are hard to come by during peak season. You can either buy them 90 days in advance, or wait until 48hrs prior to your trip and try to snag one at 10am on the Recreation.gov app. They sell out fast, but if you snag one its literally worth every second of getting up when its still dark out.
Sunrise, Cadillac Mountain Cadillac Mountain Sand Beach
Sand Beach
One of the very few sand beaches on the park’s coast that is nestled between mountain ranges. In the summer, it gets packed and even in the cooler months people are still swimming. And no, the water is never warm – those brave soles.
Schoodic Point
Located 4 miles east of Bar Harbor in Winter Harbor, this section of the park is a must see. Great place to watch the sunrise/sunset and is a little less crowded. Very bike friendly with scenic drive and pull offs to take pictures.
Hike
Hike hike hike, the trails are fun and short with views that go for miles. With about 130 trails available, there is something for everyone. Keep in mind, majority of them are short but steep. A few that we did and heard of are Long Pond, Fireman’s Station, Precipice, Beehive Trail, Bubble Trails, Beech Cliff, Carriage Roads. Do your research on each hike, some have iron rungs!
After days in the park, you need to reward yourself with a great meal. Check out my reccos for Bar Harbor and the surrounding area!