Acadia National Park locates right at the neighborhood of Bar harbor. 3 night stays is about enough to tour all good attractions. Bar harbor is also a popular cruise port of call. With free shuttle service driving around Bar Harbor, one-day stopper can easily visit national park as well. Fundy National Park of Canada is about 4 hours away. Travelers with more vacation days can combine both parks together in one trip. Acadia has three separate park areas: Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula, and Isle au Haut. Schoodic Point at Schoodic Peninsula offers a great view. Better drive there than boating if you have a car. Mount Desert Island has major Acadia National Park bests. Most attractions center around Park Loop Road. Park Loop Road mostly is one way drive. Plan you stops if you want to use both your car and the shuttle service together. Bass Harbor is another good area to stop by. We enjoy a good half day at trails and attractions.
Travel Tips
- L.L.Bean free shuttle makes you easy to tour Acadia National Park without car.
- Don’t forget Jordan Pond House home-brew beer besides famous popover.
- Must try iron rung trails. Beehive trail is manageable that my 8-years old kid did it. Precipice Trail is more challenging.
- Gorham mountain trail and South Bubble trail give you great view.
- Tide pool at Wonderland Trail is awesome.
- Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is a great photo spot. Path from left side of parking lot facing ocean takes you down to seashore.
- Cadillac Mountain is great for stargazing.
- Check tide schedule for Bar Island low tide walk
- blueberry soda is more affordable from grocery store which prices only a little more than $1 dollar.
Second visit in 2022 (cruise)
Visiting Bar Harbor for the second time via cruise, we took the Island Explorer Shuttle bus from Bar Harbor to Acadia National Park (Route 3 from Village Green to Sand Beach then transfer to Route 4 from Sand Beach to Jordan Pond. On return we took Route 5 from Jordan Pond to Visitor Center then Route 1 back to Village Green). It was a rainy/foggy day.
Sand Beach
Popover at Jordan Pond House
We all remember how good the popover was from our 2018 visit (and chiming really enjoyed the local beer last time). So on this trim even for a short visit we decided to stop by Jordan Pond house for popover and beer again.
Jordan Pond Trail
3.5 miles (mostly easy) trail around the Jordan Pond, it was very foggy when we started the trail and the pond was hardly visible, on our way back it cleared a little bit and we got to see the beautiful pond.
Back to NCL Breakaway Summary
First visit in 2018
Click here to view a picture of this trip– link will open a new tab on picaboo site.
Places We Go
Bar Island
Bar Island low tide crossing is interesting. Kids have fun searching shell animals strained at tide pool area, but don’t expect too much on marine life along the way.
Beehive Trail – iron rung
Go with a pair of good hiking shoes. This trail is fun and offers great views of Bar Harbor. My kids of age 8 and 11 finish the trail with no problem. The younger might need a push at some spots, but over all with common sense the trail is easy and safe.
We took the Beehive trail up connecting to the Bowl trail then took the Gorham Trail down.
Bowl Trail
Gorham Trail
Nice overlooks when walking along mountain ridge. We saw many senior taking this trail too. If you could not hike up, take Coastal Trail as an alternative. We did both as a round trip.
Sand Beach
Thunder Hole
Jordan Pond House
Jordan Pond is tranquil. We take a short walk around the great lawn and the pond. Enjoy good food and good beer with good view at Jordan Pond House although menu is pricier but worthy. Highly recommend home brew Jordan Pond Hoppy Saison beer. It has so fruity aromas that even a beer hater in my group is loving it.
Jordan Pond
South Bubble Trail
A short hike to the interesting Bubble Rock Overlook. Walk a little further toward Jordan Pond. The trail end will reward you good view looking back to Jordan Pond House. Parking lot is small though. Some people park car near Jordan Pond house then walk over.
Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain is a great spot for Acadia panoramic view and stargazing. We were lucky to visit the park at the time of annual Acadia Night Sky Festival. The park rangers speak fantastic star stories and knowledge. Lead audiences to find galaxies. The best stargazing experience among all national park stargazing program we have attended. 
Sunset at Cadillac Mountain
Wild Gardens of Acadia, Nature Center & Abbe Museum
Wonderland Trail
You can find abundant tide pool marine life during low tide. Rocks are also beautiful. Don’t miss it when traveling with kids.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Carriage Road
A big mesh of biking routes.
Schoodic Point
Maine Lobster. Of cause.
Before passing Thompson Island Information Center into Mount Desert Island, there are many lobster shops along route 3. 
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