15 MUST DO Acadia National Park Activities for First Time Visitors

Acadia National Park in Maine is one of the top 10 most visited National Parks. This list of 15 MUST DO Acadia National Park Activities for First Time Visitors highlights many of the popular bucket-list “to-do” items within Acadia National Park plus a few extras to make sure you experience the best of what the park offers.

In addition to being one of the most popular National Parks, Acadia is also considered very dog friendly. If you are planning on bringing your pup with you check out my Dog Friendly Guide to help you plan your trip to Acadia National Park. Most, but not all the activities on this list are dog friendly.

You will need to purchase a pass to get into the park. A basic single vehicle 7 day pass is $35.00. Additional types of passes are also available.

Many of the most popular activities and sights can be found along Park Loop Road on the Eastern side of Mount Desert Island. You might hear the Western side of Mount Desert Island referred to as the “Quiet Side”.

Hulls Cove Visitor Center is a great stop at the beginning of your trip to get a map, ask questions and learn more about the park. There is also a new visitor center called The Acadia Gateway Center where you can park, hop on the Island Explorer bus and get more information about Acadia National Park.

Make sure to download directions, park maps and trail maps before you get to the park. There is little to no cell service in the park.

I would recommend spending at least 3 days at Acadia National Park to have enough time to hit the highlights of the park. If you want more time to explore additional areas of the park then 5-7 days would be ideal.

If you are bringing your dog and want to focus on the “must do” activities with your dog check out my 3 Day Dog Friendly Acadia Itinerary.

The best time to visit Acadia National Park is Mid May to Mid October. Many parts of the park close during the off season. Additionally many of the local business are closed during the Winter.

What to Bring

I recommend bringing plenty of water, snacks, and a picnic lunch if you are planning on spending all day in the park.

You will also want to bring layers of clothes. It can be quite chilly in the mornings (especially in the Spring and Fall). Some elevated areas or spots near the ocean can also be cool and windy.

Don’t forget your sunscreen and bug spray as well!

1. Drive Park Loop Road

Park Loop Road is a 27 mile road on the Eastern side of Mount Desert Island where many of the park’s most popular attractions can be found. Additionally, Park Loop Road is a scenic drive where you can also find great picnic spots and scenic overlooks.

The best place to start the drive is from Hull’s Cove Visitor Center. Note that part of this route is one-way traffic only. Prepare for possible traffic and be sure to watch for wildlife, bikers, pedestrians, and cars parked along the road.

2. Bubble Rock

You may have seen pictures of Bubble Rock, a boulder that looks like it is sitting precariously on the edge of a mountain. This can be accessed by hiking to the South Bubble Summit via the Bubbles Divide Trail and following the blue blazes to Bubble Rock.

Another way to get there is a side trail off of the Jordan Pond Path. This route is steep and requires some rock scrambling.

If you want a fun, memorable photo-op have someone take your picture pretending to push the rock over the ledge!

3. Cadillac Mountain Sunrise

Cadillac Mountain is the first place to see sunrise in the Continental U.S. during certain times of the year.

To experience Cadillac Mountain you will need to also purchase a separate timed entry ticket for $6.00 (this is in addition to your park pass). Thirty percent of the tickets are released 90 days ahead of time and 70% of the tickets are released 2 days ahead of time and can sell out fast.

It is recommended to arrive early to get a good spot. Pack a breakfast picnic to enjoy while you watch the sunrise. Don’t forget to bring extra layers and blankets to keep you warm in case it is cold or windy. A fold up chair is a nice bonus to have as well.

Tip: If you cannot get a sunrise ticket to Cadillac Mountain you can still experience a beautiful sunrise from places like Otter Point, Thunder Hole or areas along Ocean Path. You could alternatively go to Cadillac Mountain for Sunset as well.

4. Sand Beach and Thunder Hole

Sand Beach is a great stop to relax, dip your toes in the ocean, play on the beach and enjoy beautiful coastal views. It also makes a great stop for a picnic after doing a nearby hike.

From the Sand Beach Parking lot you can access Ocean Path and walk to Thunder Hole. Thunder Hole is best viewed 1-2 hours before and during high tide. You will hear the crashing surf make a thunderous sound.

5. Bar Island Trail

This experience allows you to walk on a “land bridge” from Bar Harbor to Bar Island. You can only do this for 1.5 hours before and after low tide. When the tide goes out a gravel bar connects Bar Harbor to Bar Island.

The entire hike is 1.9 miles round trip or you can just walk out onto the gravel bar and enjoy the views. You can find this activity at the end of Bridge St. in Bar Harbor.

Tip: Afterwards you can explore the many cute shops and restaurants in Bar Harbor.

6. Hike the Beehive or Precipice Trail

These hikes are some of the more popular Acadia National Park activities and can get quite crowded.

Beehive is a moderate-strenuous hike with iron rungs, exposed cliff faces and steep staircases. This is a very popular hike and is cited as a favorite for many people. It rewards you with panoramic views from the summit.

Note: Dogs are not permitted on the Beehive trail. It is also not recommended for young children or those with fear of heights. It can also be very slippery if it is wet outside.

Precipice is cited as the hardest hike in Acadia. It also has open cliff faces, iron rungs and narrow ledges. It is not recommended for kids younger than 12 years old and dogs are not allowed on this trail either. This trail closes for Peregrine Falcon Nesting. Check the Acadia National Park Website for trail updates.

7. Visit Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

This lighthouse is the iconic lighthouse that you see in pictures of Acadia National Park. It is a popular place to watch sunset.

The parking lot here is pretty small but if you go during the day it turns over pretty quickly.

There are 2 paths here. Facing the ocean, the path to the right will take you down a short paved path to the lighthouse. There is a second path to the left that goes down a set of stairs and brings you out to rocks that you will then need to do some scrambling on to get a good view of the lighthouse.

8. Hike Jordan Pond and Try a Popover

Jordan Pond is one of the quintessential Acadia National Park hikes. You get to experience a variety of terrain around the shore of Jordan Pond with views of the Bubbles and surrounding mountains.

A bonus at the end (if Jordan Pond House is open) is that you can try a popover. You don’t have to have a reservation, they have a walk up Popover and Prosecco bar on the lawn.

9. Walk on the Rocky Shoreline

The rocky shoreline of Acadia National Park is absolutely breathtaking. It is so fun to walk out on the rocks, smell the ocean and feel the ocean breeze on your face.

Some of my favorite places to experience this on Mount Desert Island are the Ship Harbor and Wonderland Trails. The Wonderland Trail is known for great tide pools where you can find some sea life around low tide.

If you adventure out to the Schoodic Peninsula, Schoodic Point is an amazing place to experience the rocky shoreline.

10. Go for a Hike

Hiking is one of the Acadia National Park activities that will immerse you in the different environments this park has to offer. There are so many fantastic trails with varying levels of difficulty. Even if you are not a hiker I guarantee you will enjoy a hike in this park.

Additionally, this is a very dog friendly park so if you love to hike with your dog and they are lucky and get to come along with you, check out 12 FANTASTIC Dog Friendly Hikes at Acadia National Park.

11. Visit Sieur de Monts

The Sieur de Monts area includes a Nature Center, access to multiple paths, Wild Gardens of Acadia, the Tarn, and Great Meadow Wetland. The Jessup and Hemlock path loop offer an easy 1.5 mile loop.

12. Carriage Trails

There are 45 miles of Carriage Trails within Acadia National Park. You can walk, bike, or even get a carriage ride along these trails. The carriage roads feature 2 gate lodges and 16 stones bridges. These trails are such a unique aspect of Acadia.

13. Hike to a Fire Tower

Beech Mountain Fire Tower is the only remaining fire tower in Acadia. You can climb to the first platform of the fire tower for beautiful views of the surrounding area.

14. Stamp your National Park Passport

If you are a National Park nerd like me, you have a National Park Passport book and have to get your stamp when you visit. Acadia National Park has multiple places to get your book stamped throughout the park.

If you don’t have a book yet, it is a fun item to get if you plan on visiting National Park Sites and you can usually buy one at a National Park Visitor Center. Most of the National Parks I have been to have more than one stamp and it is fun to see how many you can get.

15. Eat a Lobster Roll

Eating a lobster roll is not specifically something you are going to do within the park, but you can’t visit Maine and not try a lobster roll. Beal’s in Southwest Harbor is my favorite and I have tried a lot of lobster rolls!