This was our first National Park we’ve visited together, and I feel like it was a great one to start with. What makes Acadia special is its many trails, lakes, ponds, and forests.

Sand Beach

Sand Beach is a large beach in Acadia located near Thunder Hole. It’s a very popular beach where people can layout or swim and enjoy on a nice Summer day. There are also hiking trails near by, one popular trail being from Sand Beach to Thunder Hole.

Our Opinion: Sand beach looked like a vibe. When we went, there were people playing music, laying out, and swimming. There were even people who set up a volleyball net on the beach and were playing volleyball or throwing a football around. It’s a large beach, so if you want to be away from the crowd a bit you can be. We didn’t stay on the beach for long since we wanted to hike the near by trails, but check it out if you like hanging on the beach!

Thunder Hole

Thunder Hole is an inlet on the rocky shoreline where waves crash, creating a thunderous sound and big splash. This is a very popular stop in Acadia. If you plan to check it out, it’s recommended to get there 1-2 hours before high tide. You can look up tide charts online. They also have a gift shop and a stamp for your passport book if you’re into that!

Our Opinion: Thunder Hole sounded like a cool landmark to check out, and we were very excited! However, it was a bit underwhelming. The waves barely crashed in the inlet, and there was no thunderous sound. If I were to go back to Acadia, I would check out Thunder Hole about 2 hours before high tide (which is the recommended time to go), but it seems like you need to be there at the perfect time to see anything cool happen.

Jordan Pond

Jordan Pond is one of Acadia’s most popular lakes because of its scenic beauty. Visitors enjoy kayaking, canoeing or hiking as there’s a path that wraps around the whole lake. The water is very clear as you’re able to see up to 45 feet deep. They also have a restaurant right by the lake, a large gift shop, and another stamp for your national park passport!

Our Opinion: Jordan Pond was our favorite part of Acadia! The views from the trails are amazing and we took most of my favorite pictures there. We hiked around the whole lake, which was about 3.3 miles. What made hiking around this lake so unique were the different types off boardwalks along the trail. It made for a more entertaining walk than usual. It was a rainy day when we hiked here, but there was a fog that came over the lake which made it look very cool. It usually doesn’t rain much in Acadia during the Summer, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the outdoors!

Carriage Roads

Carriage Roads are 45 miles of paved paths through Acadia. Visitors enjoy biking these roads as you can rent bikes at many places nearby. You can also run or walk on the paths, but biking will let you see more of the beautiful scenery and landmarks that the carriage roads wind through. Although there are 45 miles worth of paths, you can make it as long or as short of a trip as you’d like. The roads are marked well, but I recommend doing research beforehand on the more challenging/hilly roads so that you don’t get stuck riding up a steep hill. They offer maps at the nearby bike rental places, so be sure to take one with you!

Our Opinion: We highly recommend the Carriage Roads if you enjoy biking. It’s very easy to hop on the trails from downtown Bar Harbor. We rented bikes from a place downtown where they gave us a map and tried to show us where the easier paths are. We ended up on a medium difficulty path, which had a few tough hills. Definitely stay on the easy path if you don’t bike often! The trail is very historic and went past many nice lakes and ponds. We stopped at Eagle Lake to enjoy lunch, and finished back at Bar Harbor after about 13 miles.

Cadillac Mountain

Cadillac Mountain is the tallest peak along the North Atlantic seaboard. Its views of Frenchman Bay and the surrounding islands are breathtaking. It’s also known for being the first point in the United States to see sunlight, which makes for the best sunrise you’ll probably ever see! You can either drive up to the mountain or hike. If you drive, you will need to get a reservation online, so keep that in mind. They also have a small gift shop and a stamp for your passport!

Our Opinion: Cadillac Mountain was stunning. We took a couple trips up the mountain, once when it was foggy and once on a clear day. Both trips up were worth it, but the views are amazing on a clear day. You don’t need to spend a lot of time there, but Cadillac Mountain is a must stop in Acadia!