Acadia National Park Itinerary (1-5 Days)
To shorten the planning for your Acadia trip, we’re bringing you 5 ready-made Acadia Itineraries. All are great ways to spend one day (or five different days) in Acadia National Park.
As Road Trip Locals, it’s no surprise we love road trips. It’s one of our favorite ways to get to know a new area, so we’re always looking for unique ways to combine activities and create a full-day adventure.
One great thing about doing this for your trip to Acadia National Park is the relatively manageable length of top park activities. Meaning, it’s easy to double, triple, and quadruple up activities, so you can see and do a lot even in just one day.
Here are 5 road trips (one-day itineraries) for your next visit to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, Maine!
A note on when to visit: We spent three weeks in Ellsworth, Maine, in October 2022 as part of our 2022 Travel Season. October was a great month to visit for fall foliage and park openings (some trails will be closed between March and August for falcon nesting), and while we worried about crowds, they weren’t bad with a little planning and some patience. We highly recommend visiting Acadia National Park in October!
Table of Contents Hide
1. The Adventurer
As its name suggests, this road trip is a full-day adventure!
Make sure to grab breakfast before you start your trip and pack a lunch if possible. You’ll want to leave early enough to get a parking spot at Sand Beach Parking Lot, and you’ll want to stay here throughout the morning and possibly early afternoon because you’ll have easy access to multiple activities from the same parking lot.
Your first activity on this Acadia itinerary is to hike the Beehive Trail. The Beehive Trail is one of the most popular and fun hikes in Acadia National Park, but because it includes iron rungs and ladders with sections of steep climbing, you’ll want to feel comfortable with heights before tackling this one.
Park at Sand Beach Parking Lot, then hike the Beehive Trail. (You’ll have to cross the parking lot and Park Loop Drive to reach the trailhead.) Follow the full Beehive Loop, then return in the direction of your car but keep walking to Sand Beach.
Sit and relax at Sand Beach while taking in the views, then begin walking the flat Ocean Path Trail to Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs.
You can walk as much or as little of this path as you’d like, but it’s a great way to see the coast and some of Acadia’s most popular attractions. Plus, by walking this path to Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs instead of driving, you won’t have to worry about parking. The Ocean Path is a 2.2-mile one-way walk that is dog-friendly. And although you’re walking along the road for the majority of this trail, you can take various side paths to bonus overlooks and additional viewpoints.
After your walk along the Ocean Path, make your way back to Sand Beach. (Note: Following the one-way Ocean Path will give you two chances to catch Thunder Hole at the best time, which is about an hour before high tide.)
When back at Sand Beach, grab your pre-packed sandwiches from the car and enjoy a casual beach picnic. After that, you could choose to hike the Great Head Trail, a 1.8-mile hike that starts at Sand Beach, or you could get back in your car to make your way to your next adventure of the day.
Want a break between activities? Consider one of the other best things to do in Bar Harbor: eating lobster rolls and finding your favorite local lobster pound. Of the places we tried, Bar Harbor Lobster Co is the closest to Sand Beach, but we’d recommend C-Rays for this road trip instead if you have enough time or want a longer break from hiking and climbing.
Perfectly fueled after your beach picnic? Head next to the Precipice Trail.
The Precipice Trail was our favorite hike in Acadia National Park. Consider Beehive your warmup for this one. The Precipice Trail is an approximately 2.1-mile loop that once again uses iron rungs and ladders, but this time you’re climbing about 1,000 feet of elevation. (This hike is longer, steeper, and includes more sections of rungs and ladders.) If you’re not afraid of heights or you’re up for a challenge, you’ll enjoy a fun climb while taking in the most gorgeous views of Mount Desert Narrows.
In our opinion, the Precipice Trail is by far the most fun hike in Acadia National Park, but it’s also the scariest as you’re walking along sections with steep cliffs.
RTL Tip: While hiking Precipice towards the end of your day technically means doubling certain portions of your drive, we loved hiking Precipice in the afternoon because it was much less crowded. We also preferred to hike Beehive first because once you get a spot at the Sand Beach Parking Lot, you won’t have to worry about parking for the rest of your day. By the time you get to Precipice, most people will already have come and gone. This also means you’re likely to find more solitude at Precipice hiking later in the day… which means you get to go and climb at your pace.
The Adventurer Road Trip:
Beehive Trail >
Ocean Path (Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs) >
[Great Head Trail] >
Precipice Trail
Dog-Friendly? No. Beehive and Precipice are NOT dog-friendly. Ocean Path is dog-friendly. Sand Beach is not dog-friendly from June 15-Sept 8.
Beehive Trail
Thunder Hole
Precipice Trail
2. The Classic
The Classic Road Trip is going to give you, well, the classics of Acadia National Park! You’ll see Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Jordan Pond, and Bubble Rock, and drive the Park Loop Road.
To start, drive to Cadillac Mountain for sunrise. (Note: Reservations are required. Can’t get reservations? You can hike Cadillac Mountain instead or go a little off route and hike Gorham Mountain Loop for sunrise.)
After enjoying sunrise, drive to Bar Harbor for breakfast at Cafe This Way. (Outdoor patio is dog-friendly.)
Then, you can explore and walk around downtown Bar Harbor or start your drive to Park Loop Road.
If you’re also planning to take the Adventurer Road Trip, you can drive past Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Cliffs and spend more time at Jordan Pond and The Bubbles. (The Adventurer Road Trip includes these stops along the Ocean Path.)
If you’re not planning on doing the Adventurer Road Trip, stop to enjoy the views at Sand Beach and Thunder Hole. (If possible, be at Thunder Hole about an hour before high tide to hear the thunderous sound of waves hitting the inlet.)
Keep driving along Park Loop Road until you reach Jordan Pond. Park and hop out of your car to walk as much or as little of the 3-mile Jordan Pond Loop as you’d like. Jordan Pond is one of the most popular trails in Acadia National Park, so it’ll likely be busy, but it’s worth navigating the crowds for a fun boardwalk stroll and gorgeous views of Jordan Pond and The Bubbles.
Next, you’ll make your way to the Bubbles. You can hike from Jordan Pond, or you can drive. If you drive, you’ll have the option to hike from the road to both the North and South Bubble Summit, or you can simply marvel at Bubble Rock from the road if you’d prefer not to hike any further.
Finish your day driving the remainder of Park Loop Road, enjoying various overlooks and views of carriage roads along the way. Depending on your drive's timing, you may see a beautiful sunset over Hulls Cove on the way back to your rental.
For dinner, consider C-Rays or Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound if you’re staying outside of Mount Desert Island.
The Classic Road Trip:
Cadillac Mountain >
Downtown Bar Harbor >
Park Loop Road >
Sand Beach and Thunder Hole >
Jordan Pond >
The Bubbles & Bubble Rock
Dog-Friendly? Yes! All activities on this itinerary are dog-friendly. Acadia National Park is one of the most dog-friendly national parks in the United States.
Park Loop Road
Jordan Pond
Bubble Rock
3. The Bit of Everything
A little bit of adventure with a ladder trail, plus a little bit of classic with an iconic Acadia lighthouse, gives you a little bit of everything on this road trip! (You can even grab a lobster roll for lunch!)
Today’s road trip starts with the Beech Cliffs Ladder Trail. Our recommendation is to park at Echo Lake Beach.
After your climb, and plenty of time to take in the views of Echo Lake from the beach and the trail summit (follow the trail all the way around to your right once you summit), make your way to one of Acadia’s most photographed landmarks: Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.
You can walk the main trail down to the lighthouse, but make sure you also walk along the trail found on the left-hand side or very back of the parking lot. (If you’re looking toward the lighthouse, there’s an obvious trail on your right and a less-obvious trail on your left. The view you’re probably looking for of the lighthouse will be found on the trail to your left, towards the back of the parking lot. You’ll walk along rocks for a stunning view of Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.)
On your way back, stop at the Seaside Dairy Bar and Lobster Pound for lunch.
All road trips at Road Trip Locals are pick-your-own-adventure, so next, you have some options for filling out the rest of your day! If you aren’t planning to do the Classic Road Trip (or you skipped this activity), you could add The Bubbles to your itinerary next.
Then, you could make your way to Jesup Path for a gorgeous golden hour walk through the woods.
After that, grab dinner in Bar Harbor, or eat at The Travelin' Lobster if you’re heading to Ellsworth. The hot lobster roll from The Travelin’ Lobster was our favorite of our trip!
The Bit of Everything:
Beech Cliffs Ladder Trail >
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse >
Seaside Diary Bar and Lobster Pound >
The Bubbles or Jesup Path >
The Travelin’ Lobster
Dog-Friendly? No. Beech Cliffs Trail is not dog-friendly. The Bubbles, Jesup Path, and Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse are dog-friendly.
Beech Cliffs
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Jesup Path
4. The Bar Harbor Best
We’ll still get you into Acadia National Park today, just not how you might think. The Bar Harbor Best Itinerary is a great way to explore Bar Harbor, plus a few sections of Acadia National Park, in one day.
Start your day with a sunrise hike at Gorham Mountain Loop.
Then, head back into Bar Harbor, where you’ll spend the rest of your day, with breakfast at Side Street Cafe. After you eat, walk around the shops and explore downtown Bar Harbor. When you’re ready for lunch, consider Bar Harbor Lobster Co.
Then, it’s time to head back into Acadia National Park… without getting back in your car. Make your way to the Bar Island Land Bridge and walk to Bar Island.
Note: The Bar Island Land Bridge is only accessible about 1.5 hours before and after low tide. (And if you lose track of time and miss this window, you’ll either have to wait hours until low tide comes back or call a water taxi to safely retrieve you.) Make sure to check the tide before planning this road trip so you know what time is best to walk the land bridge.
After exploring Bar Island and returning to Bar Harbor, consider grabbing a drink on the front lawn of Ivy Manor Inn.
The Bar Harbor Best:
Sunrise Hike Gorham Mountain Loop >
Downtown Bar Harbor >
Land Bridge to Bar Island
Dog-friendly? Yes!
Gorham Mountain Loop
View of Bar Harbor from Bar Island
5. The Secluded Schoodic
For our final road trip, we’ll take you to the less-visited, but just as beautiful Schoodic Peninsula.
The Schoodic Peninsula makes up about 5% of Acadia National Park but is much less visited than the other 95% on Mount Desert Island (MDI).
We understand why this is true - there’s just so much to do on Mount Desert Island that it can feel tough to prioritize driving about an hour to the Schoodic Peninsula - but if you have the time, it’s worth the road trip.
Once you pass the town of Winter Harbor on your drive from Mount Desert Island, follow the 6-mile, one-way loop road around Schoodic Peninsula. We highly recommend making stops at Schoodic Point and Blueberry Hill. There are also a few hikes to explore here as well.
RTL Tip: If you get hungry, stop at the Pickled Wrinkle in Birch Harbor, which you’ll pass toward the end of the loop.
Dog-friendly? Yes!
Bonus: The ‘Only Have One Day’ Itinerary
If you only have one day to explore Acadia National Park, and you want our recommendation for how to spend it, this one’s for you.
Here’s what we’d pick to get a taste of all the best things Acadia offers. Note: We love adventure and have a dog who travels with us almost everywhere so that factors into our picks.
The ‘Only Have One Day’ Itinerary:
Sunrise Hike Gorham Mountain Loop >
Ocean Path (Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs) >
Park Loop Drive >
Jordan Pond Loop >
Precipice Trail >
The Travelin’ Lobster
You can see a full breakdown of what this day would look like and our more detailed recommendations here. (Scroll to ‘Day 3’ and the Acadia National Park portion of that road trip.)
Keep planning your perfect road trip to Acadia National Park
Here are 10 of the best hikes in Acadia National Park.
And here’s our pick for the 6 best things to do in Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.
Exploring more of New England? Check out our Wicked Good 10-Day New England Road Trip.
Or click here to read posts from New Hampshire.
Click here for Vermont.
And click here for Lake Placid guides & itineraries!
Your turn! Please leave us a comment below!
We’re always looking for inspiration and would love to hear about your adventures too! What’s an upcoming trip you’re looking forward to, or which of these Acadia road trips sounds the best to you? Please share with us in the comments below!
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