Don’t tell the Grand Canyon, but Acadia is my favorite national park. The juxtaposition of mountains leading down into the ocean is breathtaking and rare. Add in lobsters and puffins, and it’s an unbeatable combination. However, it can be daunting to know where to start and what you simply can’t miss! Enter our Guide to Acadia National Park.
Acadia National Park is mostly located on Mount Desert Island, with smaller portions on surrounding islands and the mainland.
On Mount Desert Island, you’ll want to start at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center; 52 stone steps will lead you to rangers who would love to orient you to the area, and a small park store for the passport stamp and necessary souvenir stickers. If you have kids, you can also pick up your Junior Ranger book here! As one of the most-visited National Parks, parking can be tricky at the popular spots. Enter: The Island Explorer Shuttle, which stops at all the major sights and offers different routes for different stops. It’s free to ride, and definitely worth considering if your situation allows it! (With two young children and their double stroller, we stuck with our trusty mom-mobile)
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is the main tourist hub for Acadia National Park, and offers lots of shopping, dining, and lodging, as well as more dynamic options such as whale watching and sailing! When we visited, we went on a puffin-lighthouse cruise with Bar Harbor Whale Watch (Reach out to them for a military discount!)
Just past Bar Harbor, you will officially enter Acadia National Park. The Park Loop Road is a 27-mile loop, and provides access to many of Acadia’s hot spots. Along the one-way section, you can find Sand Beach, which (as the name suggests) is arguably the best place in the park to take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean. Just be aware that the warmest this water gets is 55 degrees!
Ocean Path
From Sand Beach, you can see Acadia at its best with a walk on the Ocean Path trail to Thunder Hole. You’ll want to visit Thunder Hole within 2 hours before high tide, and when the waves are high, to fully experience the roar of the rushing water through the rocks. We hiked this stretch with kiddos in carriers, and it was super easy!
Continue along Ocean Path (or drive on the one-way road and find roadside parking) to Otter Cliff and Otter Point on the peninsula. The whole hike is about 4 miles, but the views will have you stopping every 10 feet to take yet another picture.
The Park Loop Road continues around to Little Hunters Beach, and then moves inland, where you’ll get to go under one of the covered bridges that are part of the many miles of Carriage Roads only open to foot, bike, and horse traffic. The one-way traffic ends near Jordan Pond, which is another can’t-miss stop! The Jordan Pond House has been an Acadia institution since 1893, and is home to the iconic Jordan Pond popovers, which you can enjoy at picnic tables on their lawn overlooking the pond. This is also where you can find the best park store, if you’re like our family and need *all* the park souvenirs. You can also do the 3.3-mile hike around the pond, if you’re looking for a hike that is longer, but still easy.
On our list for our next trip to Acadia National Park is Cadillac Mountain, where you can watch the first sunrise of the contiguous United States! A pass is required to go up the mountain from May-October, and they go FAST.
Still on Mount Desert Island, but on the west side of Somes Sound is known as the “Quietside” of Acadia. Much less visited, but no less picturesque, the southern tip is home to Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. The parking is very limited, but since most people are just stopping to walk down to the lighthouse and snap a few pictures, the park ranger told us that you usually won’t wait longer than 15 minutes for a parking spot.
PRO TIP: If you plan to walk down the rocks to get the iconic lighthouse view, wear closed-toed shoes. This is not the time to wear Birkenstocks. Ask me how I know.
East of the lighthouse, you’ll find Wonderland Trail, which is super family-friendly and great for tide-pooling at low tide! We didn’t hike it this time, but it was highly recommended by the ranger we talked to, and is on our list for next time.
North of Southwest Harbor (that was fun to write), you’ll find Echo Lake, which is probably the best place to swim at Acadia. The water is much warmer than the Atlantic, and the views are stunning. With a nice sandy beach and a short walk to parking, this is the perfect spot for an afternoon at the beach. We didn’t find this until our last day in Acadia, and I was so disappointed!
Schoodic Peninsula is the only part of Acadia National Park found on the mainland. There is a lovely 6-mile one-way loop road with stunning views of the ocean, and places to pull off and walk around, as well as hikes and picnic areas. This part of the park is significantly more secluded than Mount Desert Island, but a nice change of pace from the main body of the park.
Dining Around Acadia National Park
I’ll admit it, I’m particular about my coffee. The flavor needs to be bold, not bitter, and it has to be iced, but not so much ice that it completely dilutes the coffee once it melts. We hit up Acadia Perk in Bar Harbor twice on our trip, and I’m not usually one for fruit-flavored coffee, but both times their blueberry macchiato was *chef’s kiss*.
Maine is the largest producer of lobster in the states, and there is no shortage of classic lobster pounds in the vicinity of Acadia National Park. Bar Harbor Lobster Pound had the best vibes, and with lawn games, twinkle lights in the trees, and a literal ice cream boat, the atmosphere encourages diners to linger over their lobster. Beal’s Lobster Pier is located on the quiet side of Acadia in Southwest Harbor, and had lovely views of the harbor. They cater to drive-up and boat-up customers! However, I had the best lobster roll I’ve ever eaten (admittedly, only out of 5 lobster rolls) at Abel’s Lobster on Mount Desert Island. Just make sure to bring bug spray if you plan on dining after sunset! (We got good use out of these mosquito repellent stickers!)
Specific Tips for families with littles:
- Skip the boat ride. We did a puffin-lighthouse cruise, and while it was really cool to see puffins, our boys were not interested, and by the end of our three-hour tour, we had 2 very restless little people.
- If your schedule allows, make time for a beach afternoon. My son had the best time just playing in the sand for hours. I’d recommend Sand Beach (ocean views) or Echo Lake (warmer water for swimming).
- Stay close to the park. We stayed in Bangor, at least an hour drive away from anywhere in the park. When we still had an hour+ to drive after dinner, the late nights were really rough for sleepy kiddos. It’s more expensive to stay closer, but that’s the plan for next time, and I think it will be worth it.
- If your kids will nap in their car seats, spend naptime driving around the park loop with the windows down. You can go slow and enjoy the views and salty sea air. 10/10.
- Check out Kailyn’s 5 Car Tips to Make Traveling With Kids Easier for some additional tips and tricks!
As the 7th most visited National Park in 2025, Acadia National Park is anything but a well-kept secret. But with so many beautiful things to see, it can be hard to know where to start! On the drive home from a week in Maine, my husband and I agreed it had been the best trip we’d ever taken together, and I hope this guide helps you fall in love with Acadia just like we did!
