Two Days Exploring Acadia National Park

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Most of the activities at Acadia are outdoors, so this itinerary is weather dependent. If you are fortunate to get a clear evening and a clear day then Acadia can be an outdoor enthusiast’s ideal.

Advance Planning:

• Book a hotel early. Finding somewhere for a family to stay that is a reasonable value can be difficult (most everything is very pricey and the cozier places are targeted for couples).
• Get a copy of the Beaver Log (the park’s newspaper) .
• Book a kayaking adventure with one of the outfitters in Southwest Harbor (the quiet side of the island). Maine State Sea Kayak. is one outfitter on this side of the island.
• Bring your bikes! Or you can rent bikes from several outfitters on the island.

Clear Evening: Star Gazing
If there is a star gazing ranger talk while you are in Acadia then GO! Dress very warmly and bring a flashlight (it can be a dark walk down to the beach). The stars and other celestial objects are brilliant when viewed from the beaches along the Maine coast.

Day 1: Hike, Picnic, Kayak
My family’s favorite hike is the Beehive trail which is considered strenuous and not recommended for younger children. But if you are a group of hardy hikers, undeterred by heights, then this is a great trail to entice even the most reticent teen out for a climb.

Park at the small parking lot at the top of Sand Beach. The trailhead is across the road (back a bit). For a short hike you can go up the Beehive and loop back down to the parking lot. For a longer hike, continue up and over Gorham Mountain. This will bring you to the Gorham Mountain Trailhead not far from Otter Cliffs You can then follow the Ocean Path back about 1 ½ miles. Note that depending on your route this can be a 5 mile hike (or longer if you go out to Otter Cliffs) —be sure to bring plenty of water along especially on a hot, dry day.

Head over to Northeast Harbor where you can get a picnic lunch to go from The Colonel’s Restaurant and Bakery. Take your picnic down by the harbor and watch folks coming and going on their boats while you enjoy your picnic.

Enjoy the afternoon with a group kayaking.

For dinner wander through Southwest Harbor to find a restaurant to suit your family’s taste. While there are fewer restaurants here than in Bar Harbor, most offer a broad spectrum of selections. Dry Dock is one casual family friendly spot.



Day 2: Bike
The carriage trails around Acadia are outstanding for biking—wide, fairly smooth and free of motorized traffic. Get a map, find a starting point and head out for as long or short as your family would like.

When you tire of biking and hiking, drive the Loop Road around Acadia being sure to stop at Thunder Hole. Back in Bar Harbor there are plenty of places to browse. For a healthy take away lunch try Michelle’s Brown Bag Café. You can watch candy being made, try lobster ice cream and shop all along Main Street.

When you head out of Acadia, look for some wild blueberries to purchase and take home to freeze. There is a fabulous wild blueberry stand on Route 1 in Ellsworth, just north of Acadia. Buy a flat at around $3/pound and take them home to make pies and muffins all winter!