How to Plan the Perfect One Day in Acadia National Park Itinerary
Discover the best coastal trails, lighthouse views, and cozy places to stay on Mount Desert Island with this one day in Acadia National Park itinerary.
Waves crashing against the highest rocky cliffs on the Atlantic coast, lakes reflecting vibrant forests on the banks, lighthouses perched above the sea — Acadia National Park is an absolute dream.
If you’re visiting the coastal Maine destination for the first time on a short trip, you may be wondering how to plan an itinerary for Acadia National Park in one day when there is so much to see. I’ve put together the guide below to help you maximize your time for a quick weekend in Acadia.
Did you know that Acadia is one of the 10 most popular national parks in the country? Over 4 million people flock to Maine’s Mount Desert Island each year to hike the 158 miles of trails, cruise along the famous Ocean Drive, and explore the historic carriage roads with their stone bridges.
It’s truly a bucket-list destination that any nature lover should make a point to visit. While you could easily spend a whole week exploring the park and other nearby islands, sometimes you have to find a way to squeeze just one day in Acadia National Park into a packed road trip. Luckily, that is enough time for a scenic drive and a short hike or two along the coast, mountains, and lakes.
Since most of the park is on Mount Desert Island, I recommend sticking to this region for a short visit of one or two days. The one day Acadia National Park itinerary below suggests the best route to follow and some trail options of varying difficulty. If you have two days in the park, fill the extra time with more hiking or biking on the carriage roads.
Acadia National Park Map
Use this map of Acadia attractions to plan your route. All of the activities on this 1 day in Acadia National Park itinerary are pinned for reference. Just click the square at the top right corner of the image to open a Google Map that you can save and edit as you plan your trip.
One Day in Acadia National Park Itinerary
Follow the route on this itinerary for Acadia National Park in one day to maximize your time and sightseeing in the park. We’ve included options for a morning and afternoon hike covering a variety of difficulty levels.
Sunrise at Cadillac Mountain
The highest peak on the Atlantic Coast, Cadillac Mountain is one of the most spectacular places to watch the sunrise — but it’s also one of the most popular things to do in Acadia National Park. The 3.5-mile Cadillac Summit Road winds up to the top, where a short loop trail offers views of Bar Harbor, the coastline, lighthouses and offshore islands.
During the high season, roughly late May through October, you need a vehicle reservation to drive to the top, and options are available for either sunrise or daytime visits. These permits go quickly in the summer, so grab one as soon as possible.
If you don’t want to deal with sunrise crowds at the summit, there are other spots where Park Loop Road traces the coastline with views over the sea. But make sure you drive up Cadillac Mountain at some point throughout the day for the panoramic vistas.
Drive Park Loop Road
The 27-mile Park Loop Road is Acadia’s main scenic drive and the access route to many of the most popular things to do in the park. If it’s your first visit and you only have one day in Acadia National Park, it makes sense to spend most of your time along this route.
Since several miles of the road is one-way, you have to be a bit strategic to avoid wasting time backtracking throughout the day. If you’re coming down from Cadillac Mountain, you’ll want to take a right onto Park Loop Road to start the driving tour, or if you’re entering the park through the Cadillac Mountain entrance station near Bar Harbor, it’s a sharp left U-turn onto the drive before you reach Cadillac Summit Road.
Along the drive, plan to stop at Sieur de Monts for the Wild Gardens of Acadia and the Nature Center, Sand Beach for golden sand and access to several trailheads, and Thunder Hole to see waves crashing into the cliffs.
The section of Park Loop Road between Sand Beach and Otter Cove known as Ocean Drive gets very busy in the middle of the day, so aim to arrive here early in the morning to sightsee and park for a hike before driving the second half of Park Loop Road later in the afternoon.
Morning Hike in Acadia
If you’d like to incorporate a morning hike into your scenic drive, there are several trailheads along the first section of Park Loop Road. Choose from the options below for an easy, moderate or difficult trail.
Ocean Path Trail
The Ocean Path Trail is an easy walk along the coast between Sand Beach and Otter Point. From the trailhead at Sand Beach and back, the entire route is 4.4 miles, round trip and takes at least two hours to complete.
You can shorten the hike by just walking the section between Sand Beach and Thunder Hole for about 1.4 miles, round trip, or from Thunder Hole to Otter Point, about 3 miles, round trip. This is the perfect easy morning hike for your one day in Acadia National Park.
Great Head Trail
Starting from Sand Beach, the Great Head Trail is a moderately challenging hike along the rocky coast. With a 1.3 or 1.9-mile loop option, the path features views of Sand Beach, the Beehive, some ruins, and the ocean. At the highest point, you’ll stand 145 feet above the sea. Allow a couple of hours for this trail.
Beehive Loop
The Beehive Loop is an Acadia staple, but not for the faint of heart (or height). The challenging, 1.4-mile trail with 450 feet of elevation gain includes sections where you’ll climb up iron rungs and steep rocky steps along exposed cliff edges.
The payoff, though, is sweeping views of the Ocean Drive coastline. If you’re up for the challenge, this is a can’t-miss for a first-time in Acadia National Park itinerary. I recommend doing this one first thing in the morning as parking at the trailhead fills up fast.
Lunch at Jordan Pond House
If you only have one day in Acadia National Park, I don’t recommend driving back to Bar Harbor for lunch, especially since the town gets crowded at peak times. A picnic lunch at Jordan Pond is a great option, or you can check out Jordan Pond House, a waterfront restaurant in the national park that’s been around since 1893.
The cafe is famous for its popovers with jam but also serves sandwiches, stews, and seafood. The outdoor lawn seating has views of the lake.
Because it’s a popular spot, you’ll either want to make a priority seating reservation ahead of time or line up to put your name down before it opens at 11 a.m. The Jordan Pond area has some beautiful hiking trails and carriage roads to check out while you wait.
Afternoon Acadia Hike
There are so many incredible trails in Acadia, so I recommend squeezing a second one into your afternoon in the park. Even with just one day in Acadia National Park, you should have time for a couple of hikes as long as you get started early. Especially in summer when the days are longer.
Eating lunch at Jordan Pond puts you in the perfect location to resume your Acadia National Park itinerary in the afternoon with one of the nearby trails. The suggestions below for an easy, moderate and difficult hike are all close to Jordan Pond.
Jordan Pond Path
The 3.3-mile trail around Jordan Pond is one of my favorite hikes in Acadia, especially in fall when the lush foliage on the banks of the lake reflects reds and oranges into the water. The loop around the pond starts near Jordan Pond House and includes a couple of cute wooden bridges, a section on a boardwalk that weaves through the trees, and a walk across a boulder field. It’s a lot of fun for an easy hike.
Plan to spend about 2 hours on this trail.
Bubble Divide Trail
The hills above Jordan Pond are called the Bubbles for their rounded shape. The Bubble Divide Trail takes you up the summits of North Bubble, South Bubble, and Bubble Rock with views of Jordan Pond below.
The moderate, 1.5-mile hike starts from the Bubbles Divide trailhead off Park Loop Road, but you can do a combo hike from the Jordan Pond trailhead for about 4 miles (longer if you continue around the whole lake). This is the perfect afternoon hike for one day in Acadia National Park!
Jordan Cliffs Loop
If you’re looking for a challenging Acadia hike near Jordan Pond, the Jordan Cliffs Loop is a great option. Starting from the lakeside and following carriage roads and a path on Penobscot Mountain, the trail eventually climbs to the summit of Sargent Mountain, for views above Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake.
The difficult, 5-mile trek takes 3 to 4 hours and has a climb on exposed iron rungs.
Sunset at Bass Harbor Head Light Station or Cadillac Mountain
Just like the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, sunset from the Bass Harbor Head Light Station is a classic on a first-timers itinerary for Acadia National Park. Be warned, though, that this is an extremely popular sunset spot and the parking lot is very small (with no overflow or street parking options nearby). If you want to claim a spot at sunset, be prepared to arrive a couple of hours ahead of time and patiently wait.
That said, the classic white lighthouse perched on the edge of rocky cliffs is a beautiful sight, and if you have the time to see it on your 1 day in Acadia National Park, the 20-mile drive over to the west side of Mount Desert Island is worth it.
Located near the town of Tremont, the 1858 Bass Harbor Head Light Station is managed by the national park and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can’t go inside, but you can take in the views from a paved walkway and the rocks below.
For an alternative sunset spot, consider skipping sunrise from Cadillac Mountain and finishing the day there instead. Route-wise, it fits perfectly into this Acadia National Park itinerary.
Tips for Visiting Acadia National Park
This planning guide for one day in Acadia National Park includes the best places to stay, tips for when to go, and information about tickets and reservations.
How to get to Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is located primarily on Mount Desert Island, on the rocky Atlantic coastline of Maine. The closest international airport is in Bangor, Maine, about an hour from the park. Since it’s a smaller airport served by just a handful of airlines, many visitors choose to fly into Boston instead and take a 5-hour Boston to Maine road trip up the coast.
What towns are near Acadia National Park?
Search for deals on hotels in Bar Harbor
While it’s the most convenient place to stay to access the park’s Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Park Loop Road, and the most popular destinations in Acadia, the town is very busy during the summer season with traffic congestion and crowds. For some alternate options, consider the quieter Northeast Harbor or Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island, or Ellsworth on the mainland. On my last visit, I stayed at the Kimball Terrace Inn in Northeast Harbor, which has views of boats on the water.
This guide has even more towns near Acadia National Park.
How long do you need in Acadia National Park?
I recommend spending a minimum of two to three days in Acadia National Park to see the main sights on Mount Desert Island and hike a few trails and carriage roads.
Since the park is so far north in Maine away from major cities, it’s worth it to spend more than just one day in Acadia National Park. With more time, you’ll even be able to visit the less crowded Schoodic Peninsula on the mainland.
If you really need to squeeze in a visit to Acadia National Park in one day, it can definitely be done by following the Acadia itinerary above. While you won’t have time for much hiking, you can still drive Park Loop Road, summit Cadillac Mountain, and take on a scenic trail or two.
How Long Does it Take to Drive the Loop at Acadia?
Park Loop Road in Acadia is only 27 miles. However, you should allow at least a couple of hours to drive it, depending on how many scenic stops you want to make.
Several stretches of the road are one-way traffic, so it’s best to plan out your stops in advance so that you don’t miss anything and have to circle back. When in doubt, pull over and park.
What is the best season to visit Acadia National Park?
The park is open year-round, but Acadia’s primary tourist season is between May and October when the weather is warm enough for roads and trails to be cleared of snow. Peak visitation occurs during summer vacation and fall leaf-peeping weeks, but the park stays pretty busy throughout the season.
If you book a trip in summer, be sure to reserve your accommodations well ahead of time and be prepared for crowds. Coming at the beginning or tail end of the season, like early May or late October, will often yield better prices.
During the winter season, roughly November through mid-April, many park facilities and local businesses close. You can still visit for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and other winter fun, but it will be a much different experience than visiting when the trails are thawed. Be aware that most of Park Loop Road also closes by the first of December.
Acadia National Park tickets
Acadia National Park requires an entrance pass, which is valid for 7 days. Vehicle passes cover up to 15 passengers. Annual passes are also sold. Check current fees here.
You do not need to make a reservation to enter the park, but vehicle reservations are required to drive up Cadillac Summit Road during the high season. Check the current dates and details here.
