Hi everyone! Today’s post is a guide to one of my favorite National Parks, Acadia! I’ll go through my visit to the park, what I recommend, and what I would like to see next time. I hope you enjoy it!

Acadia National Park – Maine

Located near Bar Harbor, Maine, Acadia National Park is a smaller park on Mount Desert Island with many hikes and a stunning drive along the Park Loop Road. I spent 2 days at Acadia when I visited, but I was able to see most of the park. I visited multiple places twice and really enjoyed everything fully rather than trying to get to everything quickly.

Sand Beach

I recommend driving all of Loop Road to hit all of the main parts of the park. Along Loop Road, you can explore Sand Beach, to see stunning views of the shoreline and the Atlantic Ocean. I ended up visiting twice, once to explore the rocky ledge and walk along a path there and then to enjoy the views and eat lunch.

Beehive Trail

I also hiked the Beehive trail to The Bowl, which is across from the Sand Beach parking lot. A friend recommended this hike saying it had great views, but as I started to hike up there was a warning sign, but I didn’t really think much of it. The warning sign clearly states “The trail follows a nearly vertical route with exposed cliffs that requires climbing on iron rungs.” (Acadia National Park Signage). However, in the group I was with we all thought it would be fine! When I tell you I was on pure adrenaline this whole hike I mean it. I was climbing iron rungs up cliff faces and bridges across vast nothingness and I was just focusing on making it safely to the top. When I did make it to the top there was not much of a view because it was all foggy, but I am still proud that I accomplished a hike like that. I do think this hike was very worth it, but if you are afraid of heights I would not recommend it! I’m not even sure if I would want to hike it again.

After you get to the top you don’t hike back down the way you came, it’s a nice loop down and you can visit The Bowl, which is a pond on the way back. The hike down was much easier and when I got back to the start I stopped to look at where I had just hiked and could even see people hiking. If you look closely at the “Looking up at Beehive hike” picture you can see people hiking.

Stops Along Loop Road

Another stop on Loop Road is Thunder Hole, where depending on the tide when the water hits the rocks it sounds like thunder. I went at both high and low tide and I could only hear it during low tide. It’s a really nice area with great views of the ocean as well! I also made a stop at Otter Point Overlook, where I wandered along the rocky shorefront.

A great thing along Loop Road is that there are many turn-offs and scenic stops. I ended up stopping at a scenic pull-off where I sat along the rocky edge and just enjoyed listening to the waves hitting the cliffs.

Continuing on Loop Road my next stop was Jordan Pond and Jordan Pond House. It is located on the west side of the park with scenic walks and a restaurant. I didn’t spend much time here as it was the last stop of my day, but I did spend some time sitting at the pond and enjoying the views. Next time, I would spend more time here to walk some of the trails and eat at the restaurant.

Sunrise at Cadillac Mountain

One of my favorite parts of Acadia was getting to watch the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. I drove up the access road, but there are a few hikes you can take to get to the top. It was very busy, so make sure to plan your timing accordingly. There are limited parking spots, so I ended up having to park on the road and walk up. It was a little bit cloudy when I went, but it was truly stunning and worth getting up early! I really enjoyed sitting and watching the sunrise, as it was very peaceful. I will definitely be doing this again and I think I would like to hike up to it next time!

What I Want to Visit Next Time

There were a few things at the park that I didn’t have time to visit, but would like to explore next time!

1. Walking the Carriage Roads
2. Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
3. Schoodic Point
4. Hike more trails

As I said before, Acadia is one of my favorite National Parks! I can’t wait to go back! I hope this inspired you to take a trip to Acadia National Park. Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever been to Acadia and your favorite part of the park! Give me a follow on Instagram or Facebook to stay updated about when I post!

Take care and stay safe,

Renée