3 Amazing Days in Acadia National Park
Last summer, we took a scenic and fun-filled family vacation to coastal Maine. As part of our 10-day itinerary, we spent four nights and three full days in Bar Harbor, focusing much of that time on Acadia National Park. While Acadia is the fifth smallest U.S. national park, it’s one of the top ten most visited. And with good reason. Despite its relatively small size (a mere 49,000 acres), the things to do in Acadia National Park could easily fill a week or more. With so many activities to choose from, here’s how we decided to spend our three days in Acadia National Park.
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3-Day Acadia National Park Itinerary
Arrival in Bar Harbor
We arrived in Bar Harbor in the late afternoon and checked into our hotel, the Bar Harbor Inn. Located on the water just steps from downtown, the historic Bar Harbor Inn is the perfect choice for travelers who want to experience the natural beauty of the national park by day and relax in plush comfort at night.
The main building of the Bar Harbor Inn was originally the clubhouse of the Mount Desert Reading Room, a private club built in 1887. Along with old-time elegance, the hotel offers modern amenities like a heated infinity pool, a fitness center and a spa. We loved its gorgeous views of the harbor and its proximity to Bar Harbor’s Main Street.
Travelers to Acadia can choose from numerous charming hotels and inns that are all less than a 10-minute drive from the park’s entrance. Along with the Bar Harbor Inn, other Bar Harbor standouts include the Harborside Hotel, an Opal Collection hotel and winner of the 2020 Conde Nast award for Top 20 Hotels in New England, and the Balance Rock Inn, a AAA four-diamond 27-room boutique hotel located along the Bar Harbor Shore Path.
Bar Island Trail
After checking into our hotel and enjoying a seafood dinner at Geddy’s, we strolled down Bridge Street to catch the last of the sunset from the Bar Island Trail. The Bar Island Trail crosses a land bridge that is only exposed at low tide, connecting downtown Bar Harbor with Acadia National Park. That evening, the land bridge stretched all the way to the park, though we walked only part of the way across it. On another evening, we watched the land bridge form before our eyes as the tide rolled out.
Hikers have about an hour and half before and after low tide to explore Bar Island and walk back before the tide rolls in again. If doing the full hike is a priority during your trip, use an app like Tide Charts to check the high and low tide times and plan accordingly.
Day 1 in Acadia National Park
Beehive Loop
On the first full day of our Acadia itinerary, we woke ready to take on Acadia’s most famous hike, the Beehive Loop. Because this trail is so well-known and its views are so spectacular, parking near the Beehive trailhead can be difficult. We arrived around 7:45 a.m. and snagged one of the last available parking spots along the road next to the Sand Beach Lot.
Hiking the Beehive was a highlight of our trip. The massive granite cliffs and expanse of lush forest and glittering seas are an exhilarating sight. Not only is the Beehive considered one of the best things to do in Acadia National Park, it’s also considered one of the best hikes in the United States, right up there with the likes of the Narrows of Zion National Park or the Wave in Northern Arizona.
Beehive Skill Level
But that doesn’t mean you should feel pressured to hike it. While the Beehive Loop is only 1.4 miles long, the hike is challenging. The trail up the rock outcropping (which is shaped like a beehive) is almost entirely vertical and requires scrambling over rocks and climbing up metal rungs. If you’re not a regular hiker, if you have medical or physical constraints, if you’re afraid of heights, or if you’re traveling with small children, give yourself permission to sit this one out. I know as travelers we sometimes feel like we have to do all the “best things.” But rest assured, Acadia has plenty of other amazing sights to see.
I speak from experience because my teenagers chose not to do this hike—one because he didn’t want to wake up early and the other because he doesn’t like heights. And both were perfectly happy with their decisions. If you choose not to do the Beehive, free yourself from any FOMO by channeling the mentality of a sleepy teenager on a vacation morning.
Ocean Path
My husband and I finished our Beehive hike by 9:30 a.m. and returned to the Bar Harbor Inn to roust the teenagers out of bed. By 10:30, we were back in the park and ready to walk the Ocean Path.
Ocean Path is an easy paved trail that runs along Acadia’s main loop road for 2.2 miles and overlooks Acadia’s rocky shoreline. Along the way are various access trails that allow visitors to climb the rocks down to the water, and you should spend time exploring these offshoots. The views are outstanding, so give yourself a couple of hours to wander along the shore. We particularly loved exploring the cobblestone beaches, which are covered by enormous waterworn stones instead of sand.
Thunder Hole
Ocean Path leads to several notable sights including Monument Cove, Otter Cliffs, and Thunder Hole. Named for the thundering boom it makes as waves crash up between the shoreline’s granite walls, Thunder Hole is seven-tenths of a mile down the path from the Sand Beach Lot. It can also be reached by car from the main park loop, and parking is available in an adjacent wheelchair-accessible lot. We found Thunder Hole a bit overrated, but in its defense, it wasn’t thundering during our visit. It was also very crowded, as it’s one of the most popular sights in the park.
Acadia Trail Maps
Across from Thunder Hole is a great park store where we were able to purchase a weatherproof trail map for $10. I highly recommend buying one if you expect to hike during your Acadia trip, as the park no longer provides paper versions. The same map is also available for purchase on Amazon.
Rappelling in Acadia National Park
If you’re looking for even more adventure during your Acadia visit, consider rappelling off the cliffs along Ocean Path. Various local companies offer this service, including Atlantic Climbing School and Acadia Mountain Guides. We watched several families as they scaled the rocks, and it looked thrilling.
Dining in Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park has only one dining facility, Jordan Pond House Restaurant. Previously, visitors could make reservations, but this policy was eliminated in 2020. Tables are currently first come, first served, which makes for long wait times. It’s a sought-after destination because of its beautiful view of the Bubbles rock formation and its famous popovers. During our three-day visit, we opted not to wait for a Jordan Pond House table, though we did stop by, take in the view, and snap a few pictures.
As a dining alternative, we stopped on our way into the park and picked up food for a picnic. After exploring Ocean Path, we headed back to Sand Beach and found a spot near the water to relax after our morning hikes, and the kids were able to roughhouse (as usual) in the chilly surf. The beach is in a cove surrounded by mountains and cliffs on both sides and provides a terrific view of the Beehive.
Great Head Trail
In the afternoon, we hiked the Great Head Trail, one of three trails that leads to Sand Beach. Great Head Trail is a moderate 1.9-mile loop that traces a peninsula with rocky outcroppings and offers stunning ocean views. You can shorten the loop to 1.3 miles by following a marked junction through the woods.
After finishing our third hike of the day, we returned to the Bar Harbor Inn for a swim. On every trip, we like to carve out time for rest, and that down time is as important to us as sightseeing. It’s one of the reasons that I place such a high value on lodging—because I know we’ll always spend quality time there.
Day 2 in Acadia National Park
Wonderland Trail
When we were choosing things to do in Acadia National Park, the weather influenced our decision to some extent. On our second day, we woke to a rainy morning and opted for a short, easy hike that would be safe in slick conditions. That hike was the Wonderland Trail, a flat, mostly gravel 1.3 mile out-and-back path that leads through a maritime forest to the shore. At low tide, the area often has tidepools.
As experienced hikers with high-school-aged children, this hike was a little too easy for us, and we didn’t find many tidepools during our visit. But overall, Wonderland Trail is an excellent place to explore with younger children or people with limited mobility who may not be up for Acadia’s more difficult hikes. It’s located on what’s known as Acadia’s “Quiet Side,” close to Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
On the Quiet Side, near the Wonderland Trail, is a must-see Acadia sight—the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. It doesn’t look like much from the path from the parking lot, especially if you’ve already seen other Maine lighthouses. But if you’re able, climb down onto the rocks and look up at the lighthouse to get the full effect. From there, you’ll see the dramatic view captured by scores of amateur and professional photographers.
While I was there, another hobby photographer wisely advised me to lean down and get some shots looking up from one of the tidepools, and I’m thankful for that terrific advice. Many people come to this location at sunset for an even more spectacular view. (Notably, my teenagers, after already having seen a handful of lighthouses on our Maine trip, wouldn’t even get out of the car.)
Thurston’s Lobster Pound
For lunch on day two, think about eating at Thurston’s Lobster Pound, just a 10-minute drive from the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Located on the water, it’s a picturesque spot offering freshly caught seafood. Although we didn’t make it there this visit, I hear its lobster rolls are worth the stop.
Acadia Mountain Trail
For our last major hike of our Acadia itinerary, we chose the Acadia Mountain Trail, located off Highway 102, a little more than halfway between Bass Head Harbor and Jordan Pond. This challenging 2.6-mile loop requires scrambling over rocks and along ledges, but the views at the top are phenomenal. The granite summit offers sweeping vistas over Somes Sound.
As with the Beehive Loop, hikers should be prepared for difficult terrain. I almost lost my balance twice on this trip, once on the Beehive and once on Acadia Mountain, because my foot slipped on the rocks. Thankfully, I caught myself both times. But the lesson is to be slow and careful. Falling even a few feet could put a big damper on your Acadia adventures.
Day 3 in Acadia National Park
Bike the Carriage Roads
On our last full day in Acadia, we biked the carriage roads. Between 1913 and 1940, John D. Rockefeller Jr. gifted 45 miles of broken-stone roads to Acadia National Park for motor-free use. Today, visitors can bike, walk, horseback ride, or take a carriage ride along the roads, which include two historic gates and 17 stone bridges.
In my opinion, biking the carriage roads is a must-do Acadia activity, and using electric bikes is the way to go. The carriage roads are long, they’re made of gravel, and they have some uphill grades, so e-bikes make the ride more pleasant.
We rented our e-bikes from Island Time Electric Bike Rentals. The bikes were in good condition, and pickup and drop-off was easy. We met the bike rental vendor at the Hull’s Cove Visitor Center parking lot where he outfitted us with e-bikes and helmets and gave us a quick tutorial on operating them.
Our rentals were for a half day, but in hindsight, I wish we’d done a full day. The scenery was beautiful, and we had so much of the park left to explore. And one of the biggest benefits to seeing the park by carriage road was that we didn’t have to worry about parking near the busiest sights like Jordan Pond.
Departure Day
On our last morning in Bar Harbor, we packed up and started the approximately five hour drive back to Boston for our flight home the next day. While we were sad to leave, we knew that we’d experienced a great sampling of Acadia National Park during our three-day stay and that we had good reason to return to this amazing place someday.
Read: Interested in reading more about our trip to Maine? Check out How to Explore Beautiful Coastal Maine in 10 Days. Looking for other great national park itineraries? You might like Grand Teton and Yellowstone in 7 to 10 Days: How to Plan an Epic National Park Trip or One Night in the Grand Canyon.
