Acadia National Park is a national park in Maine that spans nearly 50,000 acres of the Atlantic Coast. The majority of the park sits on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, and it offers some pretty staggering sights with it’s plentiful woodland and beautiful, rocky beaches. There’s plenty to do and see while visiting the area, and we’re here to help you plan your itinerary! From visiting the coastal town of Bar Harbor to relaxing at Jordan Pond, join ViewCation as we take a look at the top things to do in Acadia National Park, Maine.
Visit the Quaint, Coastal Town of Bar Harbor
The town of Bar Harbor can oftentimes function as a base for those visiting the area of Acadia National Park. The quaint, coastal town is located within the Mount Desert Island section of Acadia National Park, and it has plenty to do and see for visitors to the region. A popular thing for visitors to do when they first arrive to the coastal town of Bar Harbor is to take the walk along the Shore Path. This path offers visitors the chance to take a small walk along the waterfront of the town and check out views of the surrounding islands.
The waters surrounding Bar Harbor are particularly popular with both tourists and locals alike for kayaking and whale watching. These activities, in particular, have made the town of Bar Harbor a popular cruise-ship port. Within the town itself, there are numerous attractions that can provide a good deal of fun for visiting tourists. A few of these attractions include the Abbe Museum and the Door Museum, both of which showcase unique information about the area. The Abbe Museum is more focused on the indigenous population of Acadia National Park, while the Dorr Museum is more focused on the area’s recent history.
The Dorr Museum is named after a man by the name of George Dorr, who is often referred to as the father of Acadia National Park. George was one of the key figures when it came to getting Mount Desert Island and it’s surrounding area national-park status, and he’s rightfully revered for it!
There is a ferry that goes from the mainland section of Acadia National Park to Bar Harbor, and the ferry ride can be quite the unique experience! It’s common for tourists to park on the mainland and then take the ferry to Mount Desert Island for the day, whether they intend to spend the whole day within the town of Bar Harbor or not. Besides the aforementioned attractions, some of the other notable locations within the town of Bar Harbor for tourists to visit include it’s plethora of shops and eateries, all of which offer some unique coastal flavor! It’s particularly advised that tourists check out the lobster rolls while they’re visiting.
Go Exploring Along the Carriage Paths and Bridges
If you’re looking for a unique way to experience the open wilderness of Acadia National Park, you may want to try journeying along the area’s numerous carriage paths and bridges. These paths and bridges were constructed during the early 1900s as a means for people to explore the park. While horse-drawn carriages are still technically allowed on the nearly 50 miles of trails comprising these carriage paths, it’s much more common nowadays for visitors to simply take the trails by foot. You can also bike along the trails, or simply go horseback riding. Pets are allowed on the trails, but you’ll need to be sure that they don’t spook the horses!
The variety of trails that comprise Acadia National Park’s carriage paths and bridges can be a little intimidating for newcomers. The two most popular paths comprising the park’s old carriage paths and bridges are arguably the Maple Spring Trail and the Hadlock Brook Trail, which run parallel to each other. Of course, you can thusly take both of these trails as a loop, which is an incredibly popular option amongst visiting tourists. While the spring and summer months are the most popular times to visit Acadia National Park in general, the park’s numerous carriage paths and bridges also serve as some of the greatest locations in the area to try out winter sports like skiing and snowshoeing.
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Check out the Schoodic Peninsula
As established, Acadia National Park covers the entirety of Maine’s Mount Desert Island, as well as a modest amount of the state’s mainland. The mainland section of the park is defined by the Schoodic Peninsula, which is plenty of fun to visit and is rarely as crowded as the areas found across the water on Mount Desert Island. The reduced crowds that can be found on the mainland section of Acadia National Park mean that tourists that are sick of the crowds in and around Bay Harbor can venture back over the water for a reprieve.
As far as what the mainland section of Acadia National Park has to offer, it’s largely the same as what can be found across the water on Mount Desert Island. However, it’s all a bit more secluded, and there are also said to be some significantly greater bird-watching opportunities. Some of the more unique birds that can be found while bird watching on the mainland section of Acadia National Park include snowy owls and bald eagles, though there are plenty of other birds.
Get Up Close to the Coast on Sand Beach
When inexperienced travellers here of the plentiful coasts that can be found within the boundaries of Acadia National Park, they may assume that the area is filled with beautiful beaches. However, the kinds of coasts that you’ll find in Acadia National Park consist predominantly of cliffs, and it’s not a great idea to try and jump from these cliffs into the water. There are few legitimate beaches that can be found in the region, and this makes Sand Beach fairly special. As the name of the beach suggests, this is a beach with actual sand! However, only the bravest swimmers will want to venture out into the beach’s waters, as they are incredibly cold at most times of the year. Despite the fact that the swimming opportunities leave a good deal to be desired, there’s still plenty to do and see while visiting Sand Beach.
Starting on Sand Beach, there’s a walking path by the name of the Ocean Path that will show visitors some fairly incredible sights. The first of these sights is an area by the name of Thunder Hole. The name of Thunder Hole comes form the fact that the intense ocean waves crashing onto the area’s rocky cliffs creates a sound that resembles that of thunder, and visitors can toil away the day marveling at these spectacular waves and the unique sound they make. Further along the Ocean Path, tourists will be treated to another unique experience in the form of an area that has come to be known as Boulder Beach. This beach consists primarily of large rocks, which have been finely eroded over the years due to the crashing waves of the ocean. The waves have eroded these once-ragged rocks into perfectly round boulders, providing some great photo opportunities.
Finally, those who keep along the Ocean Path will be taken to an area that goes by the name of Otter Cliff. This area features cliffs steeper than any of the others that you’ll find along the path, which makes this a particularly popular location with thrill-seeking rock climbers. Right past Otter Cliff, the Ocean Path comes to an end at Otter Cove.
Check Out the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
If you’re into lighthouses and are visiting Acadia National Park, then checking out the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse should be considered an absolute must. This beautiful lighthouse was constructed all the way back in 1858, which means that it drastically predates the area’s national-park status. Back in the day, the lighthouse used to serve an important function for sailors arriving to the coast of Maine. Nowadays, the lighthouse stands as a monument to the state’s unique maritime history! The lighthouse is plenty of fun to view both up close and far away, and there’s a trail that will take visiting tourists right up to it.
Climb the Summit of Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain is arguably one of the first things that tourists will notice while visiting Acadia National Park, as the mountain looms over the area with it’s staggering height! The mountain is over 1,500 feet tall, which makes it the highest point along the entire North Atlantic coast. Due to it’s staggering height, the summit of Cadillac Mountain is said to be the very first place that the sunrise can be viewed in the entirety of the United States from October 7 to March 6.
Visitors can climb up to the summit of Cadillac Mountain if they so choose, though there’s thankfully another option that makes visiting the gigantic mountain’s summit a possibility for those who aren’t in good enough shape to make the trek on foot. The most popular way to reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain is arguably just to drive, as there’s a road that will take you to the top in only around four miles. Meanwhile, the most common way to hike to the top of the mountain is along the Cadillac Mountain South Ridge Trail, which will confront hikers with an eight-mile round trip.
Relax at Jordan Pond
Finally, let’s take a look at the numerous relaxing opportunities that are granted to visitors around the area of Jordan Pond. The pond itself is plenty of fun to visit, though there’s no swimming allowed due to it’s status as a public-water supply. Still, you’ll find plenty of people paddling out on it’s waters. If you’re in the mood for a tasty treat, you can head to the Jordan Pond Teahouse, which has been in operation since the late 19th century and is still a popular place with both locals and tourists alike thanks to it’s scones.
With all of these amazing things to do and see, it’s no wonder that George Dorr fought so hard to get the beautiful area comprising Acadia National Park it’s national-park status. Now it’s time to hear from you: did you know that Acadia National Park has some of the best bird-watching opportunities in Maine, and that the park spans both a modest amount of Maine’s mainland and the entirety of the state’s venerable Mount Desert Island? As always, like this video to show your support, and subscribe and hit the notification bell if you’d like to be among the first to know when more globetrotting ViewCation videos are on their way!