Acadia National Park Maine // Travel Guide

Acadia National Park is near the city of Bar Harbor, Maine. Because we wanted to see the entire NE and had somewhat limited time to do so, we had to do Acadia in one day. It’s one of my biggest regrets on this trip! If I could re-do it, I would’ve booked 3 or 4 days to explore this unbelievable treasure on the NorthEastern coast.

What To Do :

Cadillac Mountain

This can be a long day hike if you desire (7 miles), or you may drive to the lop and hike half a mile on enormous boulders to the cliffside which features a 360 panoramic view of Bar Harbor, Cadillac Mountain range, and amazing archipelagos that are breathtaking from a top of the mountain. Archipelagos are tiny islands. Here, they are referred to as “the footsteps of giants.” You can see why.

Note: Enjoy countless scenic pull offs as you drive to the top of the mountain, each better than the last.

Jordan Pond

What I thought might be overrated based on the simplistic name, was actually incredible. Jordan Pond features a ground floor view up of the mountains and with natural fog that feels reminscent of the movie Twilight. Not that I have seen that or anything...

Downtown Bar Harbor

Touristy, but quaint and worth a short visit. Downtown Bar Harbor has a cute portside with a plethora of ships, icecream, and cool ocean air. You’ll also catch close up views of the small islands.

NOTE : On the way from Portland to Acadia, we took a detour to the unique outlet offerings of Freeport, ME. Patagonia, Vineyard Vines, and L.L. Bean just to name a few. (Yes, patagonia outlets do exist!) This is where L.L. bean began. (If you have kids, this large outdoorsy outlet offers all kinds of free fun) Hannah decided to go back to school at The University of Alabama JUST because she wanted this backpack so badly. ;)