What to Do in Acadia National Park: 5 Ready-to-Go Itineraries
Planning a trip to Acadia National Park? Whether you have just one day or a full week, these ready-made itineraries take the guesswork out of your visit. Each one highlights a different way to experience Acadia and nearby Bar Harbor, from famous viewpoints and sunrise hikes to hidden gems and scenic drives.
We put these together after spending three weeks here during peak fall foliage season. Acadia is full of short, rewarding hikes and beautiful drives, making it easy to fit multiple highlights into a single day. Here are 5 one-day Acadia itineraries you can mix, match, or follow one per day to create your perfect trip!
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1. The Adventurer
If you're looking for a full day of iconic hikes, coastal views, and thrilling climbs, this is the one for you.
Morning
Arrive early and park at Sand Beach Parking Lot.
Hike the Beehive Trail, a short but exciting climb with iron rungs and ladders. Best for hikers comfortable with heights.
Walk Ocean Path from Sand Beach to Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs. This flat, coastal trail gives you access to some of Acadia’s most famous viewpoints.
Midday
Enjoy a picnic lunch at Sand Beach. Or head to a nearby lobster pound like C-Rays if you need a break.
Optional: Add on the Great Head Trail, which also starts at Sand Beach.
Afternoon
Hike the Precipice Trail, Acadia’s most thrilling climb with steeper elevation and more iron rungs. Less crowded in the late afternoon.
Itinerary Summary:
Beehive Trail
Ocean Path (Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs)
[Optional] Great Head Trail
Precipice Trail
🐾 Dog-friendly? Beehive and Precipice are not dog-friendly, but Ocean Path is. Sand Beach is not dog-friendly from June 15–Sept 8.
🎯 RTL Tip: Start your day with breakfast and pack a lunch so you can stay out exploring without needing to backtrack. Sand Beach Parking Lot is one of the best base points in Acadia, giving you easy access to Beehive, Ocean Path, and more without needing to re-park. (So it’s worth arriving early for a spot!) While ending the day at Precipice means a bit of extra driving, we found it totally worth it; the trail is far less crowded in the late afternoon, making for a more peaceful (and less rushed) climb.
Beehive Trail
Thunder Hole
Precipice Trail
2. The Classic
For first-timers or anyone wanting the best of the best, this itinerary checks all the major boxes.
Morning
Sunrise at Cadillac Mountain (reservation required). If you can’t get a spot, consider hiking Gorham Mountain instead.
Breakfast in Bar Harbor at Cafe This Way.
Late Morning to Afternoon
Drive Park Loop Road. Stop at Sand Beach and Thunder Hole.
Visit Jordan Pond and walk part or all of the Jordan Pond Loop.
Head to the Bubbles for a short hike or roadside view of Bubble Rock.
Evening
Finish the loop drive and watch for sunset over Hulls Cove.
Dinner at C-Rays or Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound.
Itinerary Summary:
Cadillac Mountain
Downtown Bar Harbor
Park Loop Road
Sand Beach & Thunder Hole
Jordan Pond
The Bubbles
🐾 Dog-friendly? Yes! This itinerary is fully dog-friendly.
🎯 RTL Tip: If you’re also planning to follow the Adventurer Road Trip, feel free to drive past Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Cliffs on this loop since those stops are already included in that itinerary. But if you're not planning to do both, make time to enjoy the views at those classic stops, especially Thunder Hole and ideally about an hour before high tide for the full wave-crashing effect. Once you reach Jordan Pond, hop out and walk as much or as little of the 3-mile loop as you’d like. This was one of our favorite Acadia trails, and the boardwalk views of The Bubbles are worth the crowds. You can continue on foot to hike the North and South Bubble summits or, if you’d rather skip the climb, just drive to the scenic roadside pull-off and admire Bubble Rock from below.
Park Loop Road
Jordan Pond
Bubble Rock
3. The Bit of Everything
A mix of adventure, coastal views, and classic Acadia moments will be found in this ‘Bit of Everything’ itinerary!
Morning
Start with the Beech Cliffs Ladder Trail (park at Echo Lake Beach). Not dog-friendly, but short and fun with great views.
Midday
Drive to Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Be sure to take the side trail behind the parking lot for the famous photo view.
Stop for lunch at Seaside Dairy Bar and Lobster Pound.
Afternoon Options
The Bubbles (for another short hike and scenic overlook)
Jesup Path for a peaceful golden hour walk
Dinner at The Travelin' Lobster
Itinerary Summary:
Beech Cliffs Ladder Trail
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Seaside Dairy Bar
Optional: The Bubbles or Jesup Path
Dinner at The Travelin' Lobster
🐾 Dog-friendly? Most stops are, except Beech Cliffs Trail.
🎯 RTL Tip: After your climb, take time to soak in the views of Echo Lake from both the beach and the summit by following the trail to the right after reaching the top for the best vantage point. At Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, be sure to explore the less-visible path at the back left of the parking lot, which leads to the iconic photo view. Once you’ve grabbed lunch at Seaside Dairy Bar, you can build the rest of your day around your interests: add a short hike at The Bubbles, enjoy a golden hour walk along Jesup Path, or head into Bar Harbor. If you’re driving toward Ellsworth, stop for dinner at The Travelin’ Lobster... their hot lobster roll was our favorite of the trip!
Beech Cliffs
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Jesup Path
4. The Bar Harbor Best
A great mix of Acadia and Bar Harbor with minimal driving and lots of coastal charm.
Morning
Sunrise hike at Gorham Mountain Loop
Midday
Breakfast at Side Street Cafe
Walk and shop in downtown Bar Harbor
Afternoon
Walk the Bar Island Land Bridge at low tide & explore Bar Island
Lunch at Bar Harbor Lobster Co
Enjoy a drink at Ivy Manor Inn
Itinerary Summary:
Gorham Mountain sunrise hike
Downtown Bar Harbor
Bar Island Land Bridge
🐾 Dog-friendly? Yes!
🎯 RTL Tip: You know what’s so cool about this one? You’re spending time in Bar Harbor, then popping into Acadia National Park... without ever getting back in your car! The Bar Island Land Bridge is a unique experience only accessible around low tide, so be sure to check tide charts before you go. You’ll have about a 3-hour window to explore (1.5 hours before and after low tide), and if you miss it, you’ll either have to wait or call a water taxi. Time it right, and you’ll enjoy a scenic walk to Bar Island, all starting from downtown. Parking downtown can get tight in peak season, so we arrived about 30 minutes early to grab a spot near the waterfront. Simple, beautiful, and one of our favorite “non-driving” ways to sneak into Acadia.
Gorham Mountain Loop
View of Bar Harbor from Bar Island
5. The Secluded Schoodic
For those wanting to escape the crowds, Schoodic Peninsula offers a peaceful and scenic alternative to Mount Desert Island.
All Day
Drive from MDI to Winter Harbor, then follow the 6-mile one-way scenic drive around Schoodic Peninsula.
Stop at Schoodic Point and Blueberry Hill
Optional hikes and short walks available throughout
Lunch at the Pickled Wrinkle in Birch Harbor
Itinerary Summary:
Winter Harbor
Schoodic Peninsula loop drive
Schoodic Point
Pickled Wrinkle lunch stop
🐾 Dog-friendly? Yes!
🎯 RTL Tip: The Schoodic Peninsula makes up just 5% of Acadia National Park but feels like a world away from the busier trails on Mount Desert Island. We get why it’s often skipped—it’s about an hour from Bar Harbor—but if you’ve got the time, it’s absolutely worth the drive. We spent five days camping with friends at the Schoodic Woods Campground toward the beginning of our 2022 Travel Season, and it often felt like we had the place to ourselves. At one quiet overlook, we sat for nearly half an hour just watching waves crash against the rugged shoreline with nobody else around. Don’t miss a lunch stop at the Pickled Wrinkle in Birch Harbor toward the end of the loop!
Bonus: Only Have One Day?
If you want to do it all in a single day, here’s our top recommendation:
Only Have One Day Itinerary:
Sunrise at Gorham Mountain Loop
Walk Ocean Path (Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs)
Drive Park Loop Road
Walk the Jordan Pond Loop
Hike the Precipice Trail
Dinner at The Travelin' Lobster
A Heads Up: We love adventure and have a dog who travels with us almost everywhere so that factors into our picks! 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.
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And click here for Lake Placid guides & itineraries!
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