Acadia National Park on Maine's Mount Desert Island has carriage roads, rocky coast and the first sunrise in the US from Cadillac Mountain. Bar Harbor is a lively base.
Good to know
- Cadillac summit road requires a vehicle reservation from late May to October.
- Fog is common; clear sunrise views are lucky but beautiful.
- Book lobster dinners and boat tours in advance in summer.
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Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
First sunrise in the US for part of the year; reserve vehicle entry.
27-mile scenic drive past Thunder Hole, Sand Beach and Otter Cliffs.
Afternoon tea with giant popovers on a lawn overlooking the pond.
45 miles of car-free gravel roads built by Rockefeller.
Iron-rung climbing trails with dramatic views; not for those afraid of heights.
Tiny cold-water beach and a coastal path to Thunder Hole.
Ranger-led exhibits and a hands-on nature center, useful on foggy or rainy days.
Warming chowder and blueberry pie in a harbor-view diner after a morning of hiking.
Shops, ice cream and a harbor walk along the Shore Path.
Boat trips from Bar Harbor to see humpback whales and puffins in summer, with a naturalist on board.
Museum of Wabanaki culture and history, with changing exhibits and a gift shop of local Native crafts.
Fresh lobster on picnic tables at a working harbor.
Quieter section of the park with dramatic rocky shores.