Acadia National Park
Pink granite, crashing surf and, for part of the year, the first sunrise in the country.
Photo: Plh1234us · CC BY-SA 3.0
Acadia guide: Cadillac Mountain sunrise and its reservation, the Park Loop Road, Jordan Pond, the carriage roads, Bar Harbor and the quieter Schoodic Peninsula.
Acadia: what to expect
Acadia covers much of Mount Desert Island on the coast of Maine, where rounded granite mountains meet the cold North Atlantic. Created in 1916 as a national monument and made a national park in 1919, it was the first national park east of the Mississippi River and took the name Acadia in 1929.
The 27-mile Park Loop Road links the highlights: Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, where waves boom into a narrow inlet, Otter Cliff and Jordan Pond, with its view of the twin peaks called the Bubbles. Cadillac Mountain, at 466 meters the highest point on the US Atlantic coast, is the classic sunrise spot; from late May to late October, driving up needs a vehicle reservation.
John D. Rockefeller Jr. paid for 45 miles of broken-stone carriage roads, closed to cars and perfect for walking and cycling, with 16 stone bridges. The town of Bar Harbor is the base for lodging and lobster dinners, and the free Island Explorer buses link it with the park in summer.
Acadia: top things to do
- 1Sunrise on Cadillac Mountain
- 2Popovers at Jordan Pond House with a view of the Bubbles
- 3Cycling the carriage roads and their stone bridges
- 4Thunder Hole as the tide comes in
Acadia: best time to visit
June to mid-October; fall color usually peaks in early to mid-October.
Acadia: insider tips
- Book the Cadillac Summit Road reservation as soon as your dates are set; sunrise slots go fast.
- Ride the free Island Explorer buses in summer instead of hunting for parking.
- Check the tide table for Thunder Hole and for the sandbar walk to Bar Island.
Acadia: fees, passes and parking
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Private vehicle | $35 per vehicle, 7 days |
| Motorcycle | $30 per vehicle, 7 days |
| Per person (on foot or bike) | $20 per person, 7 days |
| Annual pass for this park | $70 per year |
- America the Beautiful pass accepted: $80 a year for US residents, $250 for others (also covers the $100 fee).
- Non-US residents aged 16+: $100 extra each, unless they hold an annual pass.
- Driving the Cadillac Summit Road from late May to late October needs a $6 vehicle reservation on top of the entrance pass.
- US residents enter free on a few fee-free days.
Checked Oct 26, 2026. Official prices
Gas and fast charging nearby
12 gas stations within 20 km
- 5.7 km Shell
- 7.2 km Shell
- 7.4 km Irving
- 7.5 km Sunoco
- 7.6 km Citgo open 24 hours
- 8.5 km Shell
- 16.5 km ChargePoint Fast chargers (ChargePoint)
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
Acadia in photos
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