Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is where the mountains of coastal Maine meet the Atlantic Ocean - a stunning 49,000-acre preserve on Mount Desert Island featuring rocky coastlines, granite peaks, pristine forests, and the charming village of Bar Harbor. It's the first place in the US to see the sunrise from October through March.

Cadillac Mountain (1,530 feet) is the highest point on the US Atlantic coast north of Rio de Janeiro, and watching the sunrise from its summit is an iconic Maine experience. The Park Loop Road winds past Thunder Hole (where waves crash into a narrow chasm), Jordan Pond (crystal-clear glacial lake), and Sand Beach (one of Maine's few sand beaches in a park).

The carriage roads, built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in the early 1900s, provide 45 miles of car-free paths perfect for biking, hiking, and horseback riding through the park's forests and past beautiful stone bridges.

The best time to visit Acadia is summer (June to August) for warm weather and full services, and fall (September to October) for spectacular foliage.

Summer brings comfortable temperatures (15-26°C), long days, and whale-watching excursions. September and early October offer stunning fall colors, clear skies, and thinner crowds. Late October is peak foliage.

Winter brings snow and many facility closures, but cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular. The Park Loop Road partially closes in winter.