Acadia National Park is located along the coast, southwest of Bar Harbor in Maine. The park covers half of Mount Desert Island, part of the Isle au Haut, the tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, as well as parts of several smaller outlying islands. In Acadia National Park you will find the stunning rocky headlands, including the highest mountains along the Atlantic coast, a glaciated coastal and island landscape, a plethora of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. The tallest mountain on the Atlantic Coast, Cadillac Mountain, can be found in the park.
You can trace the human history of Acadia National Park back more than 10,000 years to the native Wabanaki people. Fur traders and European explorers left their mark on the area in the 17th and 18th centuries before it eventually became a summer destination for wealthy families.
In the spring, summer and fall people enjoy driving the park’s paved road to take in sights, hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, kayaking and swimming along with the many ranger-led programs offered by the NPS. In the winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing are all popular activities in Acadia National Park. With 3 campgrounds and five lean-to sites, overnighting in the park is a great experience as well (if you can nab one of the sites).
You can’t start a trip to Acadia National Park without a trip around the 27 mile Loop Road. It is the go-to scenic drive around the eastern side of Mount Desert Island and connects the parks lakes, mountains and shoreline. The road is available for travel from April 15th through December 1st (weather permitting).
The park has 14 great and 10 smaller ponds that are perfect for hiking around, kayaking and canoeing and even swimming. As a photographer, I love shooting landscape shots with these lakes. Read this to see my Top 9 Ponds you must see while in Acadia National Park.
The park boasts more than 150 miles of hiking trails! In a single hike you can find yourself hiking through a forest, walking along a rocky coastline, and even standing on an exposed mountain top. I have a list of my Top 10 Hikes in Acadia National Park here. It gives you a breakdown on each of the hikes that I love the most! You can also find them on the map below. If you are physically able you absolutely should lace up your hiking boots and hit the trail because there are so many that take you up the faces of the mountains and give you unmatched views of the coastline:
And now for what you all came here for:
My Ultimate Acadia National Park To Do List
#1 Drive the Park Loop Road
#2 Summit Cadillac Mountain
#3 Have Tea at the Edge of Jordan Pond
#4 Catch Sunrise or Sunset at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
#5 Explore the often Overlooked Schoodic Point
#6 Defy Death on the Beehive Trail
#7 Explore the Coastline at Otter Cliff
#8 Watch the Waves Roll In at Thunder Hole
#9 Stick your feet in the water at Sand Beach
#10 Walk Through the Wild Gardens of Acadia
BONUS #11 Walk Across the Bar Harbor Land Bridge
Okay okay okay, that last one isn’t technically in Acadia National Park. But it’s park adjacent and worth doing… just make sure you get the timing right or you could get stuck on Bar Island for 9 hours waiting for the tide to go back out!