A Long Weekend in Acadia: 4-Day Itinerary
View of Acadia National Park from halfway up Precipice Trail
Situated on Mount Desert Island in northern Maine, Acadia National Park boasts stunning coastlines, mountains, woodlands, and an abundance of wildlife. It might be one of the smaller national parks, but there is no shortage of things to do here.
My husband and I visited Acadia in early November 2020, and what follows is our trip itinerary. We both fell in love with the park and have already begun planning a return trip for the not-too-distant future.
Day 1: Travel to Acadia
Be it by plane, train, or automobile, make your way to Acadia. As we live in Boston, we drove up to the park, and it took a little over five hours due to food/bathroom stops.
If you are a fellow Bostonian planning on driving up to Acadia, I highly recommend making a pitstop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire to stretch your legs and grab a bite to eat. Portsmouth is a picturesque coastal city and is quintessentially New England. It also has a number of tasty eateries, including Colby’s (delicious brunch) and Cava (yummy tapas). If you’re looking to refuel with a cup of coffee, stop by Cup of Joe.
By the time you arrive in Acadia and check into your hotel, you’ll probably be quite tired, so take it easy for the rest of the day. We arrived around 5:30 PM, so after bringing in everything from our car, we made dinner and then relaxed for a little while before heading to bed early (in prep for the next day’s activities).
Historic home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Day 2: Lace up those hiking boots
Wake up early and hit the trail. Acadia has over 150 miles of trails, which you can read all about over at this page by the National Park Service. Whether you are looking for a strenuous hike or a leisurely stroll along the coastline, there is a trail for you.
My husband and I opted for one of the more challenging hikes: Precipice Trail. Featuring vertical ascents up steel rungs and narrow walkways along cliff edges, this trail is more akin to a climb than a hike. If you are interested in learning more about this trail, I did a full write-up of it in a previous post.
Precipice Trail
After finishing your hike, take it easy and explore Bar Harbor. Walk around the quaint downtown area, and afterwards, take a stroll down the Shore Path, a 1.5-mile walkway along the – you guessed it – shore. The path offers stunning views of Frenchman Bay and the islands located within it. Once you’ve had your fill of the sights, grab a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants. I recommend Side Street Café. We ordered takeout from there, and it was quite tasty.
View along the Shore Path
Day 3: Park Loop Road and Western Part of the Island
Hit up all of the well-known scenic spots on the island by driving the 27-mile Park Loop Road. This road, which is located on the eastern side of the island, drives by such famous locations as Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Jordan Pond. It also provides access to the Cadillac Summit Road, which takes you to the top of Cadillac Mountain. If you have time, I highly recommend driving up to the summit; the views of the island are unparalleled.
Coastal views along the Park Loop Road
Once you have finished exploring the Park Loop Road, grab some lunch before heading back out to explore the western half of Mount Desert Island. This part of the island, although less frequented by tourists, is no less picturesque. Drive around the perimeter of the western half to enjoy some beautiful coastal views. Be sure to stop by the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, which is off of Harbor Drive on Lighthouse Road. I also recommend making a pitstop at the Seal Cove Picnic Area on Cape Road; it’s a small yet charming stretch of beach. Once you have finished your drive, head back to your lodgings and either make dinner (which is what we did) or find a nearby place to eat.
Beach on the western half of the island
Day 4: Head Home
Before heading home, enjoy some breakfast in Bar Harbor. We grabbed a couple of egg sandwiches from Choco-Latte Café, and they were pretty good. The only downside was that in spite of ordering ahead online, we still had to wait nearly 40 minutes for our food. To be fair though, the café was short staffed that morning, so perhaps they are usually timelier. If you happen to be headed south from Acadia, I recommend stopping in Portland, Maine for lunch – there are plenty of good take-out spots.
And that does it for the itinerary. If you are going to Acadia and have any questions or want to know more about what I did when I was in Acadia, let me know in the comments section below!
