Acadia National Park
Where to even begin. How about this…we’re already planning when to go back. Acadia. Is. Amazing.
As the 5th most visited National Park, we went in with high expectations and this remote island in Maine lived up to the billing and offered numerous surprises we couldn’t have thought imaginable.
Bass Harbor lighthouse
After a tiring weekend of hiking in the White Mountains, we got to Acadia on Memorial Day Monday and loved the change of scenery. We went from rocky peaks to rocky shores and were in awe at how basically the same mountain range dips down beneath the Atlantic, creating the peaks of Mount Desert Island (Acadia) before it does.
The Campground
This was the first campground we booked, the one that made the trip official. Since internet is a priority, we needed to stay on the edge of Mount Desert Island closest to shore and there happened to be a campground right in the sweet spot - close enough to Acadia, but still had decent cellular.
The Bar Harbor KOA had waterfront spots which offered amazing views of the sunsets. Along with all the amenities, including an on-site Lobster Pound, we couldn’t have been happier here.
One of the best things about this campground was the fact that they had a Lobster Shack onsite. Fresh live Maine lobsters cooked onsite and delivered right to your camper, what more could you ask for? How about whales, seals, and dolphin swimming right behind your campsite, 10’ tides, Yes, 10 FEET, or how about endless sunsets each night? This campground has a lot to offer.
Bar Harbor
Another amazing aspect of Mount Desert Island is the town of Bar Harbor. It’s everything you’d want in a remote town - local shops with unique items you can’t find elsewhere, a few cheesy touristy places, great food, and a strong outdoor and National Park vibe.
Speaking of food, there are many great places to eat here. Aside from the endless Lobster Pounds, of which we recommend Thurstons, there’s also fine dining in Ironbound and Crocker House, and great Latin in Havana. Those were some of our favorites, but there are 100’s more and plenty we missed.
Acadia National Park
As for the Maine attraction, Park Loop Road is absolutely stunning. This is one of the few places in the U.S. where 1,000’ cliffs rise up out of the water and it’s not just flat sandy beach.
Sand Beach
To make things even more wild, mother nature carved out a 300’ long sand beach, one of only two north of Cape Cod in the Atlantic. Most of the coastline here is rocky from cold water, limiting the formation of sandy beaches, but the conditions line up just right to create the incredible landscape of Sand Beach.
Sand Beach
Precipice Trail
Sadly, we didn’t to to hike (climb) the precipice trail. We had only a few sunny days during the trip and they were all front loaded and during work days. We did catch a sunny view of it though between storms, but when this trail is wet it’s a quick way to slip and injure yourself, or worse.
Read this to see how crazy this trail can be. We’ll definitely go back and hike it.
Precipice Trail
Pebble Beach
If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path beach to relax on Pebble Beach is for you. A short walk from the road, but tucked down a cliff, it’s easy to miss and overlooked by most. Thunder Hole was right before this and not booming, so we ventured on and stumbled across this gem.
Along with Sand Beach, Pebble Beach is aptly named…
Pebble Beach
Quite literally a beach of perfectly smoothed pebbles from years of the surf smoothing them (remember, the tides are 10ft!). We took a ton of pictures in this spot and Guinness of course found some crunchy sticks to review.
Branch Manager Guinness
Bass Harbor Lighthouse
Bass Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1877 and strategically positioned on the southwestern tip of Mount Desert Island to guide vessels navigating the waters of Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay. Bass Harbor Lighthouse stands as a testament to the maritime history of the area and continues to house a family from the U.S. Coast Guard. This was one of the first places we visited in the park as we were able to see it after work one evening.
Bass Head Light
Jordan Pond
We had read plenty about Acadia National Park, but didn’t know much about Jordan Pond. When we arrived, we were shocked because it’s one of the most picturesque settings in the park. With an amazing backstory, the Jordan Pond House has a reputation for its traditional Maine cuisine, particularly its famous popovers, a type of light and fluffy bread roll.
Jordan Pond House
We enjoyed some of these popovers with ice cream while overlooking Jordan Pond, an experience that has become beloved for many visitors to Acadia National Park.
Jordan Pond
Cadillac Mountain
By far the biggest highlight for most people is Cadillac Mountain. Standing on the highest point along the U.S. East Cost is a surreal experience. The most popular way to see the mountain is at first light as this mountain top is the first place in the United States to see the sunrise. Due to its eastern location, the mountain offers breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean. Many visitors gather at the summit early in the morning to witness this natural spectacle.
Sadly due to the cold temperatures and daily rain we didn’t get to hike to the top or catch the sunrise (did I mention we’re planning to go back??); however, we made the most of it and got a reservation to drive up in the rain.
Cadillac Mountain
We made it to the top just under the cloud cover and it was captivating. The panoramic views, natural beauty, and historical significance of this place (Rockefeller was a frequent visitor) just had us. We withstood the wind and cold temps, it was about 50 with 30mph winds, as long as we could and took it all in.
Interestingly, while up here we saw something we didn’t expect to see, but made sense after we looked into it a bit.
Bar Harbor
In the distance on either side of Bar Harbor were two cruise ships moored up to get out of the storm. Bar Harbor has a long history of being a refuge for sailors looking to get out of weather and we got to witness that firsthand.
Mount Desert Island
There were many other things to do in the park and on the island, some we couldn’t do due to weather. Our sailing sightseeing trip was canceled and there are numerous options there. Pay attention to the reviews of these though as some can be complete tourist traps.
The Carriage Roads are also spectacular and offer some of the best close-ups of the National Park.
Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor have some great restaurants and a number of sailing, nature, and lobster tours leave from these locations. Each town has something to offer and is worth visiting for a quick stop.
Thurstons Lobster Pound
For more pictures of Acadia National Park click here.
