The Best Views in Acadia National Park

We spent two full days in Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor, Maine. While you could actually spend a week or more here exploring, there are a number of places you can see in just a few days. Some of the best views were not only from short hikes, but also from driving and walking a short distance.

Day 1

Our morning began by driving to Hull’s Cove Visitor Center to pick up a map and visit with a trail guide about some short hikes. Tip: Purchase your Acadia park pass months in advance online. Additionally, it’s best to also purchase your daytime reservation to Cadillac Mountain well in advance. Cadillac Mountain is located on Mt. Desert Island and is the highest point on the East Coast.

We had daytime reservations for Cadillac Mountain at 10:30 this morning. So after leaving the visitors center, we made the drive up to the mountain. At the top, there are several parking lots to choose from. But the views…oh, the views!

Down below is not only the incredible mountainside but also the coastline, including a glimpse of the lovely town of Bar Harbor. And how lucky we were to have peak fall foliage during this beautiful October day.

After exploring Cadillac Mountain, we drove back down and continued on Park Loop road until we came to Sand Beach. Again, there are several parking lots in this area. We walked across Sand Beach to some steps, which took us to the Great Head Trail hike. What you see at the end of the trail is like a postcard picture. Simply stunning!

With clear blue sunny skies and the waves crashing below, this climb was well worth it!

After making our way back down the trail and visiting with some locals, we made our way across Sand Beach and up a different set of steps to a walkway. We followed the sidewalk down to Thunder Hole. On this day, the tide was lower and the waves weren’t nearly as active as they can be.

We took the sidewalk back to the parking lot by Sand Beach. Then made our way around Park Loop Road to Jordan Pond House. Since it was early afternoon, the parking lots near Jordan Pond were filling up. We were able to get a parking spot, and made our way to the snack bar to get a famous Popover. Sadly, they were already sold out of Popovers for the day. We still enjoyed walking around the pond and admiring the beautiful foliage.

Once we left Jodan Pond, we drove down to Seal Harbor. There was a small parking lot across the road from the beach. It was a peaceful area with a nice sandy beach. If you were taking a picnic lunch, this would be a great place to stop and enjoy!

Day 2

Just a short 15 minute drive from Bar Harbor is the charming village of Somesville. It is the oldest settlement on Mt. Desert Island and has one of Maine’s most photographed bridges.

From there, we drove to the Beech Mountain Parking lot to hike the Beech Mountain trail. This trail began on a path through the forest, but became rockier as we increased elevation. On the summit at Beech Mountain is a fire watch tower. Visitors can climb the first set of steps to a platform on the fire tower. Here you can see Acadia Mountain and other mountains along with Somes Sound and Echo Lake.

Next stop was lunch! By making our way down to South Harbor, we found a local lobster place on the wharf. Located next to the U.S. Coast Guard Station is Beal’s Lobster Pound. We shared a lobster meal that came with corn on the cob and cornbread. The best fresh Maine lobster picked right from the catch!

We then drove further down to Seawall. Along the windswept coastline here, you can see waves crashing against large rocks.

Continuing on our drive around the west side of Mount Desert Island, we approached Bass Harbor in Tremont, Maine. One of the most visited places here is Bass Harbor Head Light Station which is located on a cliffside. It is one of 3 lights managed by Acadia National Park. Visitors can only view the exterior of the light house as there is no public access to the interior.

On the other side of Acadia National Park is the Schoodic Peninsula in Winter Harbor. This out of the way part of Acadia is about an hour drive from Bar Harbor. Late afternoon this day, we drove the Schoodic National Scenic Byway. This is a more secluded area with scenic turnouts for picturesque views. It’s also home to the Schoodic Institute and the Schoodic Research Learning Center.

We arrived at Schoodic Point just as the sun was beginning to set. Along slabs of pink granite and dark basalt, the dramatic waves of the Atlantic Ocean come crashing in. The power of mother nature is breathtaking!

While we stayed at an Inn in Bar Harbor while we explored Acadia National Park for several days, there are other places nearby. Bar Harbor, Bath, Freeport, and Portland are all coastal towns in Maine worth exploring.

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