Complete 3-Day Itinerary for Acadia National Park: Where to Stay and Must-do Activities

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Written By Katherine Mills

Did you know that four million people visit Acadia National Park every single year? It’s easy to see why—Acadia has the perfect balance of rugged coastline, lush forests, and beautiful granite mountain tops. The park also offers 158 miles of scenic hiking trails and 45 miles of wide carriage roads—both of which offer both challenging, intermediate, and beginner-friendly options. Add in some fresh, local seafood and plenty of quaint seaside towns and you’ve got a paradise that attracts families and outdoor enthusiasts from near and far.

In this blog post, we share a detailed 3-day itinerary for exploring Acadia National Park as well as travel tips, lodging recommendations, restaurant suggestions, transportation information, our favorite hikes, must-do activities, insider tips and more!

Travel Tips

  • Best time to visit: Acadia is beautiful year-round. If you are looking to avoid crowds, visit before schools break for summer in late June. If you want less crowds and great foliage, visit during the months of September and October. Hotels and campgrounds tend to be more affordable and pet-friendly during these “off-season” months.

  • Transportation: Having a car is highly encouraged, as attractions are widely spread over the island. However, the local island explorer does provide comfortable, free public transportation between campgrounds, hotels, downtowns, and most destinations.

  • Packing essentials: Visitors should definitely pack comfortable footwear (sandals and sneakers), a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, sun hat or baseball cap, backpack, first aid kit, bug spray, rain jacket, and a reusable water bottle.

Where to Stay

Mount Desert Island, the island where Acadia National Park is located, is home to numerous B&B’s, Inns, Hotels, and short-term rentals. A quick google search will provide several results. There are several towns on the island, so where you decide to stay largely depends on what kind of vacation you want. If you want to be really close to restaurants, shops, and Acadia National Park—stay in Bar Harbor. If you want a quieter stay with restaurants and hikes nearby—Southwest Harbor makes a great home base too. The benefit of vacationing on Mount Desert Island is that wherever you stay, you’re never more than a 30-minute drive away from any attraction, restaurant, or destination.

Luxury Stays

Harborside Hotel (Bar Harbor)

An Opal Collection hotel that offers stunning waterfront views, luxurious amenities, and is a short walk away from restaurants and shopping in downtown Bar Harbor.

The Claremont Hotel (Southwest Harbor)

The Claremont Hotel is a historic waterfront property that offers stunning views of Southwest Harbor, luxurious accommodations and amenities, fine dining—making it a popular destination for both relaxation and adventure.

Mid-range Stays

Holiday Inn (Bar Harbor)

Located just a short distance from the entrance to Acadia National Park and downtown Bar Harbor, this hotel provides convenient access while also providing all the essential amenities—a pool, WiFi, and a fitness center.

Terramor Outdoor Resort (Bar Harbor)

Terramor Outdoor Resort offers a unique glamping experience surrounded by the natural beauty of Mount Desert Island. The resort emphasizes eco-friendly practices and provides a serene atmosphere for relaxation and adventure.

Unique Stays

Coach Stop Inn B&B (Bar Harbor)

Guests at the Coach Stop Inn Bed and Breakfast enjoy a cozy atmosphere with charming rooms and wonderful hosts. The Inn offers a delightful breakfast featuring local ingredients that are sure to start your day off right.

Acadia Yurts (Southwest Harbor)

Don’t worry—these yurts strike the perfect balance between cozy and campy. They are well-equipped with heating, electricity, furniture, a refrigerator, cookware, and dinnerware, and a bathroom. Oh—and did I mention they are adorable?!

Campgrounds

Mount Desert Campground (Mount Desert)

Mount Desert Campground offers beautiful oceanfront and ocean view sites surrounded by lush forest and amenities every camper wants—clean bathrooms, hot showers, kayak and canoe rentals, a dock, and an indoor gathering place where campers can get fresh pastries and ice cream.

Blackwoods Campground (Acadia National Park)
Located on the east side of Acadia National Park, Blackwoods Campground offers wooded sites that are a short walk away from the ocean. Campground amenities include flush toilets, running water, a dump station, picnic tables and fire rings.

Seawall Campground (Acadia National Park)
Situated on the quieter side of Mount Desert Island, Seawall Campground is ideal for adventurers looking for a peaceful camping experience and amazing sunsets. Campground amenities include restrooms, picnic tables, and fire rings.

Detailed Itinerary

Our 3-day detailed itinerary was carefully curated from all our favorite memories on the island. We hope you enjoy it.

Day 1: Play tourist

Breakfast

Morning Activities

Lunch

Afternoon Activities

  • Stroll through the shops and stores in downtown Bar Harbor.

  • Grab a sweet treat from the Pink Pastry Shop.

  • If you’re feeling exploratory, Hop aboard a real lobster boat and get a guided nature/sightseeing tour of Frenchman Bay.

Dinner

  • Enjoy a delicious, romantic dinner at McKay’s Public House. If you’re looking for a kid-friendly restaurant, check out the Side Street Cafe. You can make a reservation at McKay’s, but the Side Street Cafe does not take reservations.

Day 2: Explore the “quiet side” of the island

Breakfast

  • Start your day off right with some eggs Benedict or a delicious pastry from Clark Point Cafe in Southwest Harbor.

Morning Activities

  • Explore the scenic 1.3-mile Ship Harbor Trail. Parking fills up fast, so be sure to get there early!

  • Walk along the beautiful Sewall.

Lunch

  • We love eating lunch at the Seafood Ketch. It’s a local dive with good food, good vibes, and plenty of character.

Afternoon Activities

  • Stroll through downtown Southwest Harbor. Explore the shops and stores. If you want a little sweet treat, stop into Salt Shop—a local ice cream and dessert shop. They serve Maine’s best ice-cream (hard serve Gifford’s) and make a killer lemon square.

  • Explore Bass Harbor Lighthouse and take lots of pictures. The best view of the lighthouse is from the rocks below, which can only be accessed safely during low tide.

Dinner

Day 3: Explore nearby islands via ferry

Morning Activities

  • Explore Great Cranberry and Little Cranberry Island via e-bike or on foot.

  • E-bike rentals can be made at Island Time E-Bike Rentals in Southwest Harbor. You can reserve bikes in advance—they have half day, full day, or multi-day rental options. There is free parking beside the store. It’s a 5-minute bike ride from the store to the dock for the Cranberry Cove Ferry.

  • Catch the 7:15 or 9:15a.m. Cranberry Cove Ferry from Beal’s Pier in Southwest Harbor to Great Cranberry Island. If you didn’t rent bikes, be sure to plan ahead for parking. You may be able to find street parking on Clarke Point Road. There is a metered parking lot beside the Lindenwood Inn that we parked in previously. Worst comes to worst, you could park downtown and walk the 20 minutes to Beal’s.

Breakfast

  • After arriving at Great Cranberry Island, stop into the General Store for a bite to eat. They have fantastic sandwiches and breakfast pastries.

Morning Activities (cont.)

Lunch

Afternoon Activities

  • After lunch, explore the Islesford Historical Museum, and then set out to explore the island. Just be sure to catch either the 3:10p.m. or 6:10p.m. Cranberry Cove Ferry back to Southwest Harbor.

  • Ease into the evening with an afternoon appetizer and drink at The Upper Deck in Southwest Harbor. They have plenty of outdoor seating overlooking the ocean.

Dinner

Additional Activities

Hiking

Acadia is known for its endless hiking opportunities—forested hikes, coastal hikes, nature trails, fire tower hikes, etc. Here are a few of our favorite hikes that we always recommend to friends and family:

Acadia Mountain Loop Trail (2.8 miles, moderate)

Located directly next to Somes Sound, this moderate hike offers fantastic views of St. Sauvuer Mountain, Flying Mountain, the Sound, and Southwest Harbor. This hike does require rock scrambling—so it may not be ideal for young kids or individuals with poor balance.

Champlain Mountain via the Beachcroft Trail (2.4 miles, moderate)

There are several trail options for hiking Champlain Mountain—but our favorite is the historic Beachcroft Path. Start at the trailhead located alongside Route 3. Take in views of The Tarn and Dorr Mountain as you ascend and get rewarded with incredible views of surrounding mountains and Frenchman Bay. This trail makes for a great sunrise or sunset hike.

Beech Mountain (2.1 miles, moderate)

This moderate hike ascends through beautiful forest before reaching Beech Mountain, providing visitors with access to a fire tower and views of Long Pond, Mansell Mountain, and the west side of Mount Desert Island. A great option for a sunset hike.

Ship Harbor Trail (1.3 miles, easy)

Ship Harbor is a family-friendly, scenic nature trail. It is a great for small adventurers and birders. A variety of habitats can be viewed along the shore, and there is access to a quiet cove and mudflats at low tide.

Bicycle Rentals

With Acadia National Park having over forty-five miles of carriage trails that provide great views of the park’s mountains, lakes, waterfalls, and valleys—it’s no surprise that renting bicycles is one of the most popular park activities. There are several options for bike rentals, but these are our favorite:

  • Bar Harbor Bike Shop: Located in downtown Bar Harbor, this bike shop offers rentals for road bikes, gravel bikes, e-bikes, kids bikes, as well as tag-a-long bikes and Thule trailers.

  • Island Bike Rental: Located in Northeast Harbor, this bike shop offers regular bikes, e-bikes, kids bikes, tag-a-long bikes, and Thule trailers.

  • Island Time Ebike: Located in Southwest Harbor, this bike shop offers e-bike rentals and guided e-bike tours.

Swimming

Mount Desert Island offers both saltwater and freshwater swimming. A few of our favorite swimming spots are:

Cadillac Mountain

The spectacular views from Cadillac Mountain make it one of the most sought after destinations in Acadia National Park. Visitors can choose to hike or drive to the top of the mountain. Along the three-mile road, visitors will find several scenic overlooks. There are two parking lots at the summit—one that provides Western-facing views and another that provides 180-degree views from North to South. There are also restrooms and a gift shop.

Due to its popularity, Acadia National Park has implemented a simple reservation system to limit the amount of people that can drive to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Below is some helpful information for anyone hoping to get a reservation:

  • Vehicle reservations are required for May through October.

  • Thirty percent of the Cadillac Summit Road sunrise and daytime vehicle reservations are available for purchase ninety days in advance of the reservation date.

  • Seventy percent of the Cadillac Summit Road Sunrise and Daytime vehicle reservations are available for purchase at 10:00a.m.(ET) two days in advance of the reservation date.

  • Sunrise reservations have a 90-minute entry window.

  • Daytime reservations have a 30-minute entry window.

  • For more information on Cadillac Mountain Reservations, click here.

Insider Tips

A few things you should know when planning a trip to Acadia National Park:

  • Vehicle reservations are required to drive Cadillac Summit Road from mid-May to mid-October. Buy reservations online, as they are not sold at the park.

  • A park entrance pass is required year-round. Vehicles must display a pass clearly visible through the windshield.

  • All pets must be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

  • Before your trip, be sure to check the Acadia alerts page for a current list of alerts, advisories, and closures for park roads, facilities, and programs.

  • Want to avoid crowds? Visit October-May or book accommodations and activities on the “quiet” western side of Mount Desert Island.

  • There is no backcountry camping or overnight parking allowed in Acadia.

Leave no Trace

When it comes to enjoying time outdoors, remember the golden rule: Leave No Trace. It’s as simple as picking up after yourself, staying on the trails, and leaving nature just as beautiful as you found it. Think of it like being a good guest—keep things clean, respect the wildlife, take only memories and leave behind only footprints. By practicing Leave No Trace, you help preserve the magic of Maine for future adventurers to enjoy, so everyone can keep enjoying the same beautiful, wild world we love.

Interested in more of our Maine itineraries? You can find them all here.

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With love,

My Maine

Katherine Mills
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