Guided By Curiosity

“The striking scenery and diverse resources of Mount Desert Island have attracted people for thousands of years. The first inhabitants, Native Americans here more than 5,000 years ago, were followed by the French and English. By the 1800s, settlers were arriving in large numbers and engaging in fishing, shipbuilding, farming, and lumbering. The island became known to the world in the late 1800s, when artists depicted its beauty in paintings. The rush to experience Mount Desert Island, and the desire to protect its lands, had begun.” – National Park Service

Acadia, the “Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast,” had been on Kramer and I’s bucket list to experience together since our first camping trip as a couple in 2018. The last time I went I was three, so I really didn’t remember any of it and Kramer had never been that far East. We had the best time camping in June 2026, and we plan on returning sometime in the near future because we simply didn’t get enough! For being a small National Park, there are so many options to choose from in regard to hiking, camping, towns to visit, etc. so this guide will hopefully provide some insight into locations you’re considering and if they fit what you’re looking for.

When we first arrived, we stayed in Bar Harbor for a night to see the town and get an early start in the park the next morning. Which I want to emphasize on the early start. Due to Acadia being small, it gets extremely busy fast. I highly recommend going in the summer and doing hikes first thing early in the morning and late in the evening. You have sun from 4:45am to 9:00pm so utilize that to your advantage like we did. We were up at 5:00am on our first morning and 3:00am the second morning and it was so nice to not feel suffocated by the crowds during those early morning and late evening hikes. Plus we spent Monday-Wednesday in the park and that helped with the crowds as well. Weekdays and early mornings/late evenings are key during peak season!

We had two full days in the park and soaked up as much as we could. The hikes are gorgeous and the land is just magnificent. It is not every day you get to see forest trees touching the sea and to experience that was magical. We also were really lucky to be there during peak Lupine and wildflower season and while Lupine is one of my favorite flowers and I loved seeing so many in the wild, it is important to note that it is invasive to the area and aggressively taking over native plants.

There are so many options to choose from so I have organized this blog by location with our experience to help shed some light on that specific place and share some helpful tips and tricks!

Thunder Hole (1.7 Miles)

The first stop we made was Thunder Hole around 11:45am. We came directly from Bar Harbor after the rain stopped that morning. It was still sprinkling when we left the town, so the park hadn’t really gotten busy yet. One tip I have is to go during high tide as that is when it really thunders and the waves crash. We got there just as high tide was ending so it wasn’t super intense, but it was still rumbling. There is a lot to explore in that area along the trail there so take time to walk on the rocks and look out at the ocean. We spent more time exploring off the rocks than we did at Thunder Hole itself.

Fabri Memorial

By the time we left Thunder Hole it was time for some lunch! We picked up some local Maine blueberry jam and made lunch at the Fabri Memorial picnic area overlook. We ate delicious peanut butter and blueberry jam sandwiches while chatting with fellow travelers. One even had a guitar and strummed some tunes while we enjoyed our lunch overlooking the ocean and forest. This is a great spot for a break and to see Acadia in all her glory. There are bathrooms here as well and when you continue on the loop, just down the hill is a gorgeous beach to stop and explore. We even saw a Bald Eagle there!

Seawall Campground

After we had our lunch, we made our way to camp. We opted to stay at Seawall strictly for ocean access and less traffic. Seawall is located on Southwest Harbor, so it takes about 30 minutes to get there from Bar Harbor. However, since it is not on the Northeast Harbor, there is less traffic and it is much quieter and doesn’t feel congested. We will gladly take a longer drive if it means a quieter campsite. Plus, this gave us the opportunity to explore some of the smaller towns which ended up being such a treat. We stayed at site A36, which was only .3 miles from the ocean. We could hear the waves crashing from our site and it was beautiful. It made for an easy walk to the beach to watch the sunrise on the morning we did not go to Cadillac Mountain (more on that later). There are also lots of trails on the Southwest side that are much calmer than those on the Northeast so if you’re ever feeling crowded, just pop over to the Southwest side. There is no phone service at this campground (and through most of Acadia) and no camp store. We prefer camping without phone service as we prefer to totally disconnect. There is a nice camp store just a few miles away that offers everything you may need including firewood.

Ship Harbor Trail (1.5 Miles)

After setting up camp we made our way to Ship Harbor Trail. This 1.5-mile loop was a perfect evening walk. It was slightly foggy while also being sunny on the this side of the island so we felt like we experienced a really unique visual on this loop. It takes you through the forest then out by the ocean with multiple opportunities for beach and rock exploring. This was a beautiful trail and a great evening walk. Plus going later in the day meant we almost had the whole loop to ourselves!

Abels Lobster

Since we were camping our plan was to cook all our meals at camp while in Acadia. Unfortunately, in the process of packing our stove got left behind so we had to find other options. Fortunately for us, we are the biggest foodies and love finding hidden gems. After we finished our Ship Harbor hike, we made our way to Abels Lobster for dinner. We arrived just in time to watch the sun set and when I tell you it was the most beautiful sunset, I’ve ever had the privilege of watching I truly mean it. We had a 45-minute wait, but the restaurant has tables and chairs placed outside that gave the perfect view to the sunset. We grabbed some drinks from the bar and watched the boats go by and the sun go down. We sat outside and ate our AMAZING lobster rolls (I’m a cold lobster roll girl, but this one was better warm) while enjoying the evening sky. This was our favorite restaurant on the island, and I recommend it to anyone visiting Acadia or Bar Harbor!

Vacationland Coffee Roasters

The next morning the sun had us up at 5:00am so we made hot water over the fire then watched the morning sun continue to rise over the ocean while we drank our hot coffee. Around 7:00am we made our way to the park stopping at Vacationland Coffee Roasters for some breakfast. Overlooking the fishing boats going out we enjoyed delicious coffee (their cold brew was amazing), the best blueberry muffin I have ever had, and fantastic breakfast tacos!

Jordan Pond Loop (3.3 Miles)/Bubbles (2 Miles)

We wanted to hike as much as possible without having to drive around too much. We opted for the Jordan Pond loop and Bubbles since the trails merge together. We got to Jordan Pond around 8:45am and it was already PACKED. Granted, some people just went to the restaurant while others did the loop so the trail itself during the first half of the day was not too bad, but by the time we came down the Bubbles trail it was rather busy and becoming crowded. So again, I highly recommend starting as early as possible on busier trails. Bubbles itself was not bad at all crowd wise as it is a trail the requires a straight up incline that is rock climbing. The trail is marked on rocks going up, not the ground, so be prepared for that as it is strenuous. Jordan loop is easy with just a few sections that require climbing over some rocks. We did the trails first and ended around 12:30pm, just in time for some popovers and blueberry lemonade at Jordan Pond House. While not my favorite bakery item, it was a great ending, and the drink was so refreshing. We also just went to popover only booth vs waiting for a full menu table and it was perfect. The lines here can be insane and with limited reservations we just didn’t feel like the cost of time and money was worth the wait. Our quick snack with our side table overlooking the wildflowers and pond was just right for use. Plus, we had packed snacks for the Bubbles overlook and we enjoyed those as our lunch at the top so we really didn’t need a big meal.

Sand Beach (.7 Miles)

After our intense morning of hiking and early rising, we wanted to spend an afternoon at the beach. It was 80 degrees and sunny so literally the definition of a perfect day. We got to the beach around 2:00pm and stayed until around 4:00pm. Sand Beach was the perfect location to sit and relax but also walk by the water and, if you enjoy a cold swim (like me), go swimming. We really enjoyed this beach, and it never felt too busy. Everyone was respectful and there are loads of areas along the waters edge to explore, so if you aren’t one to really sit still, this is still a great place for you to explore. There are changing rooms and bathrooms at the top of the stairs of the beach too.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

After Sand Beach we went back to Bar Harbor for dinner and ice cream before we made our way to Bass Harbor Lighthouse for sunset. I knew I wanted to spend our final evening at sunset here. It was only about 10 minutes from our campsite, so it was the perfect location to end the night. The sunset here was stunning and the views of this lighthouse during dusk were, in my opinion, the best way to see the lighthouse. Looking out over the water as the night sky rolled in and seeing the boats go by while hearing the waves provided such a sense of peace. I highly recommend visiting the lighthouse for sunset, but I also recommend getting there with plenty of time. Parking is extremely limited and there isn’t an overflow lot so it’s all about waiting for people to leave.

Cadillac Mountain (Sunrise Ticket)

We were so lucky to have been able to get a drive-up ticket for sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. It was not without it trials though. We originally wanted to go on our first morning in Acadia and I tried getting tickets as we drove up from Boston (our first location of our road trip), but because we were in the car and my phone kept pinging different towers, the site thought I was a robot and rejected me. We were so disappointed! We then thought about going up on the day we were leaving the park and attempted the next morning at breakfast and fortunately we got in. They release tickets 3 months in advance from the date you want and 48 hours from the day you want they release another 80 tickets. We had already decided if we didn’t get a ticket we were going to hike it, but that would have meant a 1 am wake up call so we were really excited to get a ticket. This was absolutely worth the 3am wake-up call and it was beyond beautiful. We were really lucky to have a perfectly clear morning and have the opportunity to see the first sunrise in America. If you can do this, I highly recommend it.

Momo’s Cheesecake

After the sunrise, we packed up camp and hit the road for the next location of our road trip: Quebec City. The route we drove took us through Ellsworth so we had to stop at the unique 24 hour cheesecake store that is Momo’s Cheesecake. This is cash or contactless pay only and since we were there at 7am, it was empty besides one employee filling the fridges as we left. They had so many options for flavors (we went chocolate and blueberry) and the cheesecake was absolutely delicious. If you’re driving through, I highly suggest stopping in. Cheesecake is never a bad idea, even for breakfast!

We loved Acadia and even though we got engaged at the Great Smoky Mountains, Acadia has become our favorite National Park. Being able to see the forest touch the sea and experience this park during such beautiful time of the year felt like a privilege. I highly recommend mid-June if you’re looking for a good time to go as you get long days, perfect temperatures and weather, lush forestry, peak wildflowers, and less mosquitos and crowds.

“Today the park protects more than 47,000 acres, and the simple pleasures of “ocean, forests, lakes, and mountains” that have been sought and found by millions for over a century and a quarter are yours to enjoy.” – National Park Service