10 Best Cities and Towns Near Acadia National Park
These cities and towns near Acadia National Park are some of the best places to stay on a trip to the coast of Maine.
Looking for the best cities near Acadia National Park? The stunning coastal park on Mount Desert Island in Maine is known for its cliffs, coves, mountains, and beaches. Many of the best towns near Acadia National Park are located along bays and harbors, with views of bobbing boats and offshore islets.
Whether you’re looking for the best campground in Acadia, charming fishing villages, or a larger city with amenities, this guide to towns close to Acadia National Park lays out the pros and cons of different options.
I’ve also included recommendations for the best places to stay near Acadia National Park, from hotels with a view and cozy lodges to Acadia camping cabins and glamping tents.
Keep reading for where to stay at Acadia National Park on vacation!
Best Towns Near Acadia National Park
The towns close to Acadia National Park are mostly villages and harbors spread across both sides of Mount Desert Island. This is the largest island off the coast of Maine and where the majority of the national park is located.
I’ve also included a couple of towns near Acadia National park that are on the mainland, where you’ll find quicker access to the nearest airport and a few bigger city amenities like chain stores and hotels.
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island is the closest town to Acadia National Park. Fronting Frenchman Bay, the downtown grid along Main Street and Mount Desert Street is packed with seafood restaurants, ice cream shops, gift stores and taverns.
A collection of inns and bed and breakfasts ring the commercial district, many with a coastal flair. More hotels and cottages line Eden Street and Main Street heading in and out of town.
This is by far the most popular place to stay near Acadia National Park. Bar Harbor offers easy access to Acadia’s Hulls Cove Visitor Center and Park Loop Road.
Many popular destinations in the national park like Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Cadillac Mountain and Jordan Pond are only about 5 miles away. From town, you can also walk the Shore Path along the bay or cross the Bar Island Trail at low tide to an offshore island.
While it may be the most convenient town near Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor has some drawbacks. Since the national park has over 4 million visitors annually, the small town tends to get very crowded during the short tourist season (roughly May through October) and accommodation prices are high.
Where to Stay in Bar Harbor
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Northeast Harbor
Northeast Harbor juts into the bay on a mini peninsula, with views of the Cranberry Islands just offshore. Originally settled in the 1760s, the village is is part of Mount Desert town, which also includes Seal Harbor, Otter Creek, Pretty Marsh, Hall Quarry and Somesville.
There are only a few places to stay here, and a small dining and shopping district along a picturesque Main Street a couple of blocks from the harbor, where you can join seasonal scenic boat rides and sunset cruises from the local marina.
Northeast Harbor is one of the closest towns near Acadia National Park’s Park Loop Road, 6 miles away. It’s also just a couple of miles from one of the only two historic gate lodges in the park and an access point to the carriage roads, quiet hiking and biking paths that meander along the mountains. The local Asticou Azalea Garden and Thuya Garden display colorful flora throughout the summer.
This is where I chose to stay, because it is still close to the national park, but not as busy and pricy as Bar Harbor. While there are way fewer amenities, I still prefer it to the crowds. Plus, Bar Harbor is only 20 minutes away if you want to go there to eat.
Where to Stay in Northeast Harbor
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Southwest Harbor
Located on the west side of Mount Desert Island fronting the Somes Sound, Southwest Harbor has views of the Cranberry Islands. The town near Acadia National Park has a compact commercial district on Main Street with cafes and restaurants less than a mile from the marina.
Most of the small inns, B&Bs, and vacation rentals here ring the harbor, but there are a few outlying options in other nearby villages like Seawall, which also has an Acadia national park campground.
While Southwest Harbor is at least a 30-minute drive from popular spots like Cadillac Mountain and Jordan Pond, there are some other Acadia activities on this side of the island. The coastal Wonderland Trail, the Flying Mountain Loop, the St. Sauveur and Acadia Mountain Loop, the Bass Harbor Head Light Station, and Echo Lake Beach and swimming area are all less than 5 miles away.
Where to Stay in Southwest Harbor
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Tremont and Bass Harbor
Tremont, one of the best towns near Acadia national park on the southwestern end of Mount Desert Island, also encompasses the village of Bass Harbor, both located on an isle-dotted inlet. The 1858 Bass Harbor Head Light Station, a popular Acadia landmark, is located here.
This part of Mount Desert Island is often called the “quiet side” as it’s much less crowded than the Bar Harbor area (with the exception of the aforementioned lighthouse). There are only a few inns and cottages to rent here, and a few eateries scattered around the harbor.
Aside from things to do in Acadia National Park like the nearby Wonderland Trail, Long Pond and Echo Lake, Tremont and Bass Harbor are just a water taxi away from Swans Island, where you can hop on boat tours to see lighthouses and puffins.
Where to Stay in Tremont
Trenton
Trenton is a small town near Acadia in mainland Maine just before the bridge to Mount Desert Island. This is a great area to look for places to stay near Acadia if Bar Harbor is too full or expensive. The tiny Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport is also located here.
With just a couple of small hotels, a camping resort, and limited restaurants, this isn’t the most amenity-rich town close to Acadia National Park, but Bar Harbor is only 20 minutes away and Ellsworth on the mainland 15 minutes. The Hulls Cove and Cadillac Mountain entrances to the national park are also about 10 miles from Trenton.
Where to Stay in Trenton
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Winter Harbor
While Winter Harbor, Maine, is about an hour's drive from Mount Desert Island, it sits just across the Frenchman Bay from Bar Harbor and offers access to a less-visited part of Acadia — the Schoodic Peninsula.
A few small inns, cottages, bakeries and cafes are scattered around the coves near Winter Harbor, and the town is about 30 minutes from more amenities in the small city of Ellsworth.
The Schoodic Peninsula is the only section of Acadia on the mainland, with granite cliffs jutting into the gulf. There is a 6-mile driving loop with scenic overlooks of lighthouses and islands, over 8 miles of bike paths, a campground, and hiking trails along the coast and up Buck Cove Mountain and Schoodic Head.
Where to Stay in Winter Harbor
Cities Near Acadia National Park
If you’re looking for the closest city to Acadia National Park, there are a couple within an hour or so of Mount Desert Island. Cities near Acadia National Park are pretty small — Ellsworth has less than 10,000 residents and Bangor a little more than 30,000. Nonetheless, you’ll find more amenities in these larger hubs.
Ellsworth
Ellsworth is one of the closest cities near Acadia National Park, located on the mainland about 20 miles from Bar Harbor and the Cadillac Mountain entrance of the park. Named after a founding father, the small historic city has a downtown Main Street district with shops and restaurants just steps from the Union River, plus the nearest chain stores and fast food options to Mount Desert Island.
Ellsworth offers several accommodations options, from a couple of chain hotels to small inns to an Under Canvas glamping resort. More hotels and an international airport are also just 30 miles away in the larger hub of Bangor.
Where to Stay in Ellsworth
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Bangor
The third-largest city in the state, Bangor is a gateway to the remote reaches of northern Maine, with a small international airport and access to Interstate 95. A bustling downtown district with boutiques, global cuisine, and a giant statue of Paul Bunyan gives way to parks and forests on the outskirts, in a region with a long legacy in timber.
One of the biggest cities near Acadia National Park, Bangor is about 50 miles from Bar Harbor. While the distance is a bit much for driving back and forth to the park, the town makes a great base in the region paired with a visit to Acadia. Aside from outdoorsy activities, you can visit the Maine Discovery Museum for interactive science and nature exhibits and the Zillman Art Museum for contemporary pieces.
There are a wide selection of hotels in Bangor, including several national chains as well as smaller inns and lodges.
Where to Stay in Bangor
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Acadia National Park Campgrounds
The best campgrounds in Acadia National Park include four options managed by the National Park Service and locations just outside park boundaries. Some are easily accessible on Mount Desert Island and others in the more remote reaches of the park.
The campgrounds in the national park are typically cheaper and more basic with fewer comforts like showers. RV camping resorts and Acadia camping cabins nearby on Mount Desert Island or on the mainland may have amenities like hot showers, clubhouses, swimming pools, and more.
Camping in Acadia National Park is a great way to spend more time in nature!
Reservations are required for all of the national park campgrounds and they open two months in advance. If you plan to camp, it’s best to make your reservation as early as possible as the sites do often fill up.
Blackwoods Campground
Blackwoods Campground is on the east side of Mount Desert Island, near popular Acadia destinations like Sand Beach and Cadillac Mountain. The 281 tent and RV sites in the woods are just a 10-minute walk to the sea. Amenities include fire rings and grills, flush toilets, a dump station, and running water, but no showers. It’s typically open from early May to mid-October.
Seawall Campground
On the west side of Mount Desert Island, Seawall Campground has 202 tent and RV sites. Located along the coast, it’s about 4 miles south of Southwest Harbor and a couple of miles from the Bass Harbor Head lighthouse. Campground amenities include a dump station, grills and fire pits, flush toilets and potable water. The season runs from late May to early October.
Schoodic Woods Campground
On the Schoodic Peninsula, across the bay from Bar Harbor, Schoodic Woods Campground is less than 2 miles from the town of Winter Harbor. The 89 tent and RV sites here include drive-up and walk-in options. Vault and flush toilets, potable water, and dump stations are available. Grills and fire rings are available at some sites, but campfires are prohibited at the hike-in sites. Schoodic Woods is open from late May to early October.
Duck Harbor Campground
The most remote Acadia National Park campground, Duck Harbor is located on an island only reachable by ferry and inaccessible to vehicles. To get here, campers have to drive to the town of Stonington, about 1.5 hours from Bar Harbor and take the mailboat to Isle au Haut.
The rustic camp has just five sites in lean-to shelters on the coast, and reservations at this location go quickly. Amenities are limited to hand-pumped potable water and composting toilets, but fire rings and food storage lockers are available for cooking. Trash must be carried out.
While the campground is typically open from mid-May to early October, the mailboat ferry only travels to Duck Harbor from mid-June to late September. If you camp outside of that time frame, the drop-off point is at the town landing on Isle au Haut, a 4-mile hike to Duck Harbor.
Other Campgrounds Near Mount Desert Island
Aside from the campgrounds on national park land, you can find some of the best campgrounds in Acadia on both sides of Mount Desert Island and near Bar Harbor, Trenton and Ellsworth. In many cases, these campgrounds have more amenities than the national park campgrounds, like shower facilities, swimming pools, sports courts, laundry rooms, and Acadia camping cabins.
