I'm planning a trip to Acadia national park this summer. Can anyone recommend some day trips and must do rides in the area. Thanks, Brian

 

I've been there a couple times - it's a nice area.

You can ride to the top of Cadillac Mountain, or hike up the hiking trail. I've hiked up there in the afternoon, but people say sunrise over the Atlantic is beautiful from the top. Half way up the hiking trail is a great view of Bar Harbor.

The carriage roads throughout the park are beautiful, but I don't think motorized vehicles are allowed. Good hiking, and maybe bicycles.

If your into a short hike/climb, check out the Bee Hive down on the south east corner.

The Jordon Pond loop is a nice easly (flat) hike. Be sure to stop by the Jordon Pond House for popovers.

Northeast Harbor is a nice little town with a few good restaurants, hardware store, and a few art galleries. The harbor is actually down the road from the town, maybe a 10 minute walk. You may be able to catch a ride on the mail boat from Northeast Harbor over to the Cranberry Islands for an afternoon.

Somesville is tiny, but very scenic. There is a bookstore, a public landing for boats, and not much else. I had a bald eagle soar directly over a boat I was in here a few years back. Somesville is at the head of Somes Sound, the only fjord on the US east coast. Tiny by Alaskan or Scandinavian standards, but we like to call it a fjord.

Of course, Bar Harbor is where all the tourists go - lots of restaurants, hotels, maybe even a theater.

Bring a camera & enjoy!

JR

 

Like was already said, take a ride to the actual harbor area. Nice place to hang out and grab food. I know once you cross the main bridge and get onto the island there's not many turn offs. Follow the signs and get to where to sights are. Cadillac mountain is really nice if you get there before the sunrise. Its a nice little ride during the day too. Check out thunder hole and as was stated above the carriage roads. I could have the name mixed up but I thought the carriage road was the road you pay a fee to enter (couple bucks) it's one way and the roads are beautiful!!! Cars and bikes are allowed so maybe im wrong about the name. Theres a couple other harbors to the south of the island that are very nice little stopping points. I only went there twice but one can see the whole place in a day so it's not as big as one might think. Try planning some ride routes in the surrounding towns if you plan on staying up there for more than a weekend. And you might wanna try booking a place to stay as soon as you can. Myself and three friends booked a cabin (which was more like a shed with two bunk beds haha) anyway we got the place 3 or 4 months in advanced and we were still about 10 miles from the actual bar harbor. That place books up fast.

 

The carriage roads are graded but unpaved, and motor vehicles are not allowed. They are great for bicycles. You are thinking of the Park Loop Road, which is one way for most of the way. If you really want to see the park, hiking is the way to go, but you need to spend at least a few days at it. The whole park is criss-crossed with trails which go up and down every major mountain on the island. If you're only going for one day, just riding the Park Loop Road and stopping at occasional points along the way (Cadillac Mountain, Thunder Hole, The Bubbles, etc.) will probably be plenty.

 

Camped at the bay just before the park last fall. Beautiful area. Stop at the visitor's center and pick up a map.

 

around the island is nice you also can go back to ellsworth and go up route 1 hit all the small costal towns or stay on route 1 go up to callis and come back down route 9 (airline road what it is called) back to brewer and then come back down route 1a back to ellsworth and bar harbor that would be good ride