Making Memories

What’s the outlook for Fall travel? Even though it’s already September, there’s still time to plan. So continuing Fall travel suggestions, let me take you to a magical place where the mountains and the lakes and everything surrounding them are in perfect harmony. Come with me to Acadia National Park in Maine, US.

How to get there?

The 2 airports near Acadia are in Bar Harbor (BHB) and Bangor (BGR). BGR has more flights, so this would be the better option. The drive from BGR to Bar Harbor/Acadia is a little over an hour. If you’re not able to find flights to/from BGR or BHB, then Boston (BOS) would be your next option, although you will need be to be prepared for a long drive. BOS airport is about 200 miles from Acadia. If you live in the New England, then Amtrak is another option. If you live in Nova Scotia, then you have the choice to use the ferry.

Transportation

If you just want to visit the main attractions inside Acadia National Park then renting a car is optional. If you want to explore other places or want to catch the first light/sunrise or the sunset, then you’ll need a car.

Due to the Covid pandemic, many car rental companies still suffer from car shortage. And being a small town, it’s not easy to find a rental car in Bar Harbor, especially if you travel during peak seasons (Summer and Autumn). If you’re not able to find a rental car in Bar Harbor, then Bangor (or BGR airport) may provide a better chance. If you don’t rent a car, then you can use the bus or car hire to get to Acadia. Both Lyft and Uber are available in Bangor and Bar Harbor, although Lyft seems to be more popular.

As noted, car rental is optional. You can use a fare-free bus called the Island Explorer to see most of the national park. However, note that the bus only operates from 7am, with the last bus leaving the park at around 6pm. The routes outside of the park run much later, until after 8pm. You can see the bus routes and the bus schedule of the Island Explorer to better plan your itinerary. Usually, you can request to be stopped anywhere along the route; no need to wait until the bus arrives at the designated bus stop. This is especially helpful if your hotel is far from the bus stop. With very convenient (and free) means of transportation, anyone can visit Acadia.

The Best Time to Visit

Not only in the Fall that Acadia is beautiful. However, due to extreme Winter climates, the best time to visit Acadia would be from late Spring to Fall. Summer is the most crowded time of the year, with July and August being the peak. Autumn is the second popular season. For safety reasons, the national park is closed from mid-October on. We only visited Acadia in the Fall, so we’ll share with you our experience here during the peak of Maine foliage. Usually, Maine foliage is at its peak from the beginning to mid October, then the park is closed after that. You can follow the Maine Foliage on this website. Also, to better be informed of the park schedules and closures, please visit the National Park Service website.

What to do there?

Acadia is divided into 3 regions: Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula, and Isle au Haut. we only visited Acadia a few days at the end of the season, so we only visited the attractions around Mount Desert Island.

Park Loop Road is a 27-mile scenic road that connects the most famous attractions in Acadia National Park like the ones listed below. The Island Explorer has routes to take you to all of these attractions.

Cadillac Mountain/Summit is the ideal place to welcome the day. Due to its geographic location, this is one of the first places to see sunrise in the continental US (only from October 7 through March 6, the first sunrise in the US is here). As a result, there are lots of visitors in the early morning, so reservations are required. If not for seeing sunrise, the Cadillac summit still provides an amazing panoramic view of Acadia and Bar Harbor.

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is quite popular during the sunset hours, understandably for its beauty against the twilight sky.

Sand Beach is too cold to play in the water (although we did see a few children jumped in!) However, with soft sand and beautiful rocks along the coastline, it is a nice place to stop for a picnic in between hikes or sightseeing. Located just about 1 mile from the famous Thunder Hole, you can easily stroll along the path or opt for a ride on the Island Explorer.

Thunder Hole is the place to experience thunder of the sea against the rocky shores in Acadia. When the right wave rolls into the naturally formed inlet, a thunderous sound is created and the water can shoot up to 40 feet above. The most popular time to visit Thunder Hole is about 2 hours before high tide.

Otter Cliffs is just a short walk from the Thunder Hole. If you’re a little daring, then you can climb out for some awesome photos. I only dared to walk out just a bit instead of near the cliff.

Carriage Roads consist of 45 miles of groomed gravel roads that wind through Acadia. As the name suggests, these are the roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. originally for horse carriages. Weaving around the mountains and through the valleys, the carriage roads take you to some of the most picturesque attractions in Acadia. One of the most famous path is the Tri Lakes Loop where it takes you to 3 very beautiful lakes:

Bubble Pond is a small pond surrounded by majestic mountains.

Jordan Pond has the most serene sceneries. There are many hiking trails around here where every turn is a view to be admired. Called a pond but it’s large like a lake.

Eagle Lake is the largest lake in Mount Desert Island surrounded by forests.

Along the path from one pond/lake to another, there are many beautiful bridges. One of my favorites is Duck Brook Bridge. You can locate this bridge using this map.

Echo Lake is especially beautiful in the Fall when it is surrounded by Autumn foliage. With fewer tourists than the popular Jordan Pond, it is easier to capture the mesmerizing scenery. If you like hiking, then the Beech Cliff Ladder Trail gives you a panoramic view of Echo Lake from above.

Wildwoods Stables – here, you can rent a horse carriage to stroll through this 300-acre estate. You can also walk to the Jordan Pond from here. At this estate, there are small shops and eateries; you can bring the food to have a picnic by the pond, or there are also tables and chairs on the lawn for you to enjoy the food while admiring the beautiful surrounding.

(Upper) Hadlock Pond is another beautiful pond with hiking trail nearby. The water at this pond is fairly still, which enables you to capture reflection photos. You can visit this page for more information on this hiking trail and the must-see spots.

Northeast Creek is stunning even if viewing from afar. The photo shown here was taken from Route 3, the major route to Bar Harbor. If you want to have a closer look at the flora and fauna, then you can rent a canoe or a kayak to paddle down the creek.

Stanley Brook Road Bridge is a triple-arched bridge built in 1933 that connects Seal Harbor Beach and Jordan Pond. This stone bridge surrounded by leaves of red and gold creating a rustic feel, a lovely composition for your Fall photos.

Little Hunters/Pebble Beach has lot of rocks and pebbles of all colors, a lovely place to take photos or for kids to play near the shore.

South Bubble Mountain is where you can see the Jordan Pond from the bird’s eye view. Even more attractive is the Bubble Rock/Balanced Rock that can only be seen if you hike in about 1 mile. The trail to the Balanced Rock is seemingly not difficult, more on the easy side. This website outlines the details of the trail that leads to the Balanced Rock, if you’re interested.

Village Green is an urban park centrally located in Bar Harbor, where there are lots of hotels, shops and eateries nearby.

Did you know…?

If you’re a fan of books or movies of horror genre, then you would already know that Stephen King’s mansion is in Bangor! Located in the heart of Whitney Park Historic District, the Victorian style mansion is where all of the famous horror stories were born. Therefore, you would not be surprised to find that the gate to the mansion is decorated with spiders, bats and even 3-headed dragons. Although Stephen King no longer lives here (the mansion is now being used to archive his work), the mansion is not open to the public. However, you’re welcome to take photos from the outside. In addition, there are tours available that take you to spots in Derry that have inspired his most famous works.

With summarized information and photos provided, I have failed to fully describe the true beauty of Acadia. Pick a few iconic attractions from the long list above to visit with the timeframe you have in this town, but don’t forget to enjoy, not only the sceneries, but the food as well as the lifestyle here. Have a taste of the New England goodies. Where else to get the freshest Maine lobster, especially the not-to-be-missed lobster rolls?! Have lobster-everything! While you’re at it, have a cup of clam chowder as well! If you don’t have to follow school schedules, then plan to spend more than a few days here so you can visit all of Acadia and not just the Mount Desert Island. If time allows, take a ferry to Nova Scotia (note this is part of Canada, so you’ll need a passport). Admire the stunning sceneries, enjoy the delicious food, breathe the delightful mountain air and immerse yourself in nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows.“. The relationship between man and nature is sacred, comforting, and vital for survival. Let nature relieve your everyday-stress. To really live, you must be fully present; and to really live comfortably, you must create that sacre relationship with nature!