Mapped by April

Acadia National Park is easily one of the most stunning places in the United States. With dramatic rocky coastlines, dense forests, and mountain peaks rising straight out of the ocean, it looks like something straight out of a video game.

I recently spent a fast-paced three days exploring Acadia and the charming town of Bar Harbor. Because I had just started a new job and had exactly zero vacation days to spare, we had to cram a lot into a short weekend.

If you are planning a quick getaway to coastal Maine, here is my exact 3-day itinerary, along with a few major things I would do differently next time.

🛑 The #1 Thing I Wouldn’t Do Again: 4th of July Weekend

Let’s start with a major warning: Do not go to Acadia for the 4th of July. While the weather was absolutely beautiful and the holiday atmosphere was fun, the first week of July is Bar Harbor’s absolute busiest time of the year. The crowds are next-level, parking is a insane, and the town is just a little too crazy. If you can, aim for June or September to get the same great weather with half the stress!

Where We Stayed

Because we booked late and during a major holiday, we stayed in Trenton, Maine. It was about a 25-minute drive outside of downtown Bar Harbor, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. Our place was right on the water and incredibly beautiful. If you don’t mind a short commute to the park, Trenton is a peaceful, scenic alternative to the packed hotels in town.

Day 1: Exploring Bar Harbor & Grabbing a Park Pass

We kicked off our first afternoon by exploring downtown Bar Harbor. The shops along Main Street are super cute, and the whole area is very walkable. We grabbed lunch (a lobster roll, obviously), wandered the local boutiques, and hung out in the waterfront park to soak in the seaside views.

After checking out the town, we drove into the park to purchase our park entrance pass for the week and get our bearings. We also explored the Cadillac Mountain visitors center.

🗺️ Mapped by April Reservation Alert: If you want to drive to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, you now need a vehicle reservation via Recreation.gov in addition to your standard park pass. These timed-entry tickets cost $6 and sell out incredibly fast (30% are released 90 days in advance, and 70% are released 2 days before at 10 AM ET). Do not forget to book these ahead of time! Also, there are different passes for sunrise vs. daytime because of the popularity!

Day 2: The 3 AM Sunrise & The Wild Beehive Hike

This was our main adventure day, and it required a serious wake-up call.

🌅 Cadillac Mountain Sunrise

We woke up at 3:00 AM to drive up Cadillac Mountain. It sounds tiring, but it is an absolute must-do. Because of its location, Cadillac Mountain is the very first place to see the sunrise in America for a large part of the year. Watching the horizon turn pink and seeing the clouds literally disappear below us as the sun rose over the ocean was completely insane.

🥾 The Beehive Trail

Since we were already in the park at dawn, we really capitalized on being the first people there. We walked over to the Beehive Trailhead.

This hike is incredibly popular, rocky, and notoriously dangerous because you have to climb up iron rungs and ladders built right into the steep rock faces. Doing it at 5:30 AM meant we completely beat the crowds and didn’t have to wait in a single file line on a cliffside. I also think this hike just might be a little overwhelming when a lot of people are there.

Review: The Beehive is truly one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever been on in my life. It looks straight out of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Everything is so lush and majestic. However, if you are afraid of heights or steep drop-offs, skip this one. If you do tackle it, make sure you wear proper hiking sneakers or boots with traction!

🌊 Thunder Hole & The Parking Reality Check

After the hike, we walked along Ocean Path over to Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff. It’s a very easy, flat walk with gorgeous lookouts over the crashing ocean waves. We found a spot on the rocks to sit down and eat a packed lunch we brought with us.

The Midday Catch: By the time we finished lunch, the holiday crowds had descended. The park became so crowded that there wasn’t a single parking space left anywhere else. We actually couldn’t drive over to explore other major sections of the park (like Jordan Pond) because of the gridlock.

Day 3: A Hidden Gem & Incredible Local Eats

For our final day, we started with a legendary breakfast at 2 Cats Restaurant in Bar Harbor. It is absolutely amazing! Do not skip it! Afterward, we parked near Main Street and walked off breakfast by doing some last-minute souvenir shopping.

Escaping the Crowds at Schoodic Point

To avoid a repeat of yesterday’s parking nightmare, we decided to leave Mount Desert Island and drive about an hour away to the Schoodic Peninsula.

Schoodic Point is technically a detached part of Acadia National Park, located in Winter Harbor, and it was a complete hidden gem. It features the same rugged, insanely beautiful rocky coastlines but with a fraction of the crowds. The surrounding town was incredibly cute, and it gave us the peaceful park experience we were craving. It does get a lot of sun, so make sure you pack some sun protection!

🍷 Bonus: Where to Drink in Bar Harbor

Before heading home, we checked out two awesome spots right down the road from one another (about a 5-minute drive apart) outside the downtown area:

1. Atlantic Brewing Company (15 Knox Rd): They have a fantastic main facility where they offer tours and free tastings. They do have a restaurant downtown, but visiting the actual brewery campus is a much cooler experience.
2. Bar Harbor Winery: Right nearby is this awesome local winery. You have to try their blueberry wine, it sounds unique, but it is absolutely insane and delicious. (Also, everything in Maine is kind of blueberry themed)

🗺️ Want to explore more of Acadia? If you have more than 3 days, I highly recommend checking out my custom Acadia National Park Google Map which features all the incredible spots, like Jordan Pond, that I didn’t get a chance to see!

📸 A quick note on visuals: All photos featured in this post were taken by me. Please do not download, copy, or reuse them without my written permission. Thanks for supporting Mapped by April!