3-Day Acadia National Park Itinerary
This summer, my boyfriend, our pup, and I decided to take a few days and head out to Acadia National Park in Maine. After many of our domestic and international trips were postponed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were eager to get out and explore a new destination. After seeing a few pictures of Acadia, I was instantly sold!
With only 3 days to explore, we really made the most of our time and saw so much of what Acadia National Park has to offer. Check out our 3-day itinerary below.
3-day Acadia National Park itinerary
Day 1 / Portland, Maine + Acadia National Park
Early AM - Depart NYC to Portland, Maine (drive time from NYC is approximately 5 hours)
If you are traveling by plane, I highly suggest renting a car for your time at Acadia.
Morning - Breakfast in Portland, Maine
Grab a donut at The Holy Donut and take a stroll around the charming streets of Old Port, Portland. These hand-made donuts are made from Maine potatoes which make them a bit denser than your usual glazed donut. We ordered the Fresh Lemon, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, and the Maine Blueberry (I highly recommend this one if you visit in the summer!).
Noon - Arrive in Mount Desert Island, Maine. Check in at accommodation
There are many options for accommodations near Acadia National Park. Airbnbs and bed & breakfasts are abundant in Mount Desert Island (MDI) and its surroundings. If you prefer being where the hustle and bustle is, I suggest staying in Bar Harbor. If you want to stay a bit farther away from the crowds but still be in close proximity to hikes, I suggest staying near Northeast Harbor, Bass Harbor, or Southwest Harbor. There are also several camping grounds in MDI: Blackwoods, Seawall, Schoodic Woods, and Duck Harbor Campgrounds.
We ventured a bit further north and stayed at a cute, dog friendly bed & breakfast called Ironbound Inn . While it is a 40 minute drive from Bar Harbor, we really enjoyed the opportunity to explore outside of Mount Desert Island.
Lunch - Depending on where your accommodation is located, head out for your first (of hopefully many) lobster rolls! We headed to Beal’s Lobster Pier for a Garlic Lovers lobster roll.
A few additional recommendations include Abel’s Lobster Pound or Side Street Cafe.
Afternoon - Head to the east side of the island into Acadia National Park and take a dip at Sand Beach (unfortunately, this beach isn’t dog friendly from June 15 - Sept 4).
The entrance fee to Acadia National Park is $30 per car or $15 pp, valid for 7 days.
Ocean Path Trail. Right at the top of Sand Beach starts an easy walking trail along Ocean Path. This is a family-friendly, mostly flat, trail that extends along the eastern coastline. The trail runs 2 miles one-way from Sand Beach to Otter Point. Along the way, you can check out Thunder Hole, Monument Cove, and Boulder Beach.
Evening - Dinner in Bar Harbor. If you’re interested in something other than seafood, check out the popular Havana, Side Street Cafe, or about 15 minutes from Bar Harbor, Atlantic Brewing Company. Make sure to make reservations and call ahead for closing hours due to Covid. During our time in August 2020, we found that most restaurants in Bar Harbor closed as early as 8pm.
Day 2 / Acadia National Park
Morning - Breakfast in Bar Harbor. Head to Bar Harbor for a tasty down-home breakfast at Jeanine’s Great Maine Breakfast. I highly recommend getting a stack of their blueberry pancakes!
Late morning - Hike up the Beehive Trail & The Bowl. This 1.4 mi hike is definitely worth it if you like a moderate to challenging hike and don’t mind climbing up vertical iron wrongs. I have to advise that if you have an extreme fear of heights, this is NOT the hike for you. I have a moderate fear of heights and there were moments on this hike were I had to push myself mentally to keep climbing (and not look down). But seeing children as young as 6 years old climbing this hike certainly gave me a confidence boost that I could do it. The views from the top were well worth it! I highly recommend bringing shoes with good traction for this hike.
Note: Dogs are not typically allowed on this hike due to the vertical iron wrong portion; however, we brought our small pup along in our K9 backpack and had no issues. If your dog doesn’t do well in backpacks or is on the heavier side, I don’t recommend bringing your dog on this particular hike.
After reaching the peak of the Beehive Trail, keep walking down the other side of the mountain until you reach a body of water called The Bowl. This place was so beautiful and serene with only a handful of other visitors there. All 3 of us, including our pup, took a nice dip in here to cool off and take in the peaceful atmosphere before continuing back down the mountain.
Lunch - After these hikes grab some lunch and beers at The Docksider in Northeast Harbor. This casual roadside restaurant served one of my favorite lobster rolls in all of Acadia! Get the meal with tater tots...you will not regret it!
Afternoon - After lunch, drive over to Long Pond for some water activities. We pre-booked two stand up paddle boards at National Park Canoe & Rental for the Sunset SUP. This was one of the highlights of the trip, getting to enjoy the beautiful sunset on the tranquil waters.
Evening - Head back to Bar Harbor for dinner. Rosalie’s Pizza is a perfect option to take away and enjoy at Agamont Park or the Village Green right in Bar Harbor.
For dessert, you definitely should grab some ice cream at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream. I had the Real Strawberry and Callebaut Chocolate, while my boyfriend had the Blueberry Sour Cream and the Cafe Breve...we recommend them all!
Day 3 / Schoodic Point + Acadia National Park
Breakfast - If you are staying near Bar Harbor head to 2Cats Breakfast or Jordan’s for some delicious breakfast options! 2Cats was closed when we visited, but I would’ve loved to have eaten there!
Morning - Based on where you are staying, I recommend either of these two options:
Option 1. If you are staying north, outside of MDI, I recommend heading to another part of Acadia National Park, Schoodic Point. This area is generally less trafficked due to its distance (a little over an hour drive from Bar Harbor), but offers beautiful coastal views.
On the way there, be sure to stop by Ravens Nest Market in Winter Harbor (355 Main St, Winter Harbor, ME 04693). This tiny place offers some tasty blueberry pies and scones, as well as other local goodies like lemon mafaldine pasta and squid ink linguine.
Option 2. If you are staying in MDI, you can head south to Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. If you’re an early riser, I suggest heading there to catch the sunrise. If you aren’t a morning person like myself, a quick Google Image search of “Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse sunrise” might convince you to sacrifice the sleep for this sunrise view.
Lunch - After Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse have some lunch in Bass Harbor. If you want a nice sit-down atmosphere check out Thurston’s Lobster Pound. For a more low-key lunch, stop by Maine-ly Delights for a bite.
Afternoon - Drive back to NYC
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There is so much more to see in Acadia, but with this 3-day itinerary you’ll get a great taste of what Acadia has to offer. I definitely plan to come back in the future for more days!
Til next time!
Ashley
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