Start Planning! 

You’re about to go on an epic adventure to Acadia National Park! Here’s what you need to know before you go. 

• The tour has three starting points: Just before the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, Hulls Cove Visitor Center parking lot, and Rt. 3 Trenton straight to Somesville 
• Entrance to the park is $35 per vehicle. 
• May through October - advanced reservations are required to visit Cadillac Mountain. Reservations cost $6 and are available here.
• The park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, however, the park’s facilities and roads have varying seasonality and hours of operation. Learn more here. 
• The park has two visitor centers: Hulls Cove Visitor Center is open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. in the summer (closed in winter) and Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce is open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. in winter (closed in summer). 
• If you plan on dining at Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park we highly recommend reservations. 
• You can take a horse-drawn carriage rides at Acadia National Park – we recommend making reservations in advance.  
• Summer is extremely busy - arrive early to get parking at popular spots like Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse and Park Loop Road. 
• Only swim if there’s a lifeguard on duty - the Atlantic Ocean can be very rough. 
• Be mindful of rocky cliffs! 

Budgeting and Hours of Operation 

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Budget

How much you spend truly depends on what you do along the tour route, but here’s a breakdown of some costs. 

• Entrance to the park is $35 per vehicle. 
• Advance reservation for Cadillac Mountain is $6. 
• Horse-drawn carriage rides cost between $32-$72. Learn more here. 
• Somesville Bridge and Museum has a recommended $5 donation. 
• Rhoads Butterfly Garden has a recommended $5 donation. 

Hours of Operation 

Although the park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the hours of operation vary based on the season. Many roads in the park are closed during the winter months and certain visitor centers operate seasonally. We highly recommend you visit the park’s website for seasonal road closures. 

• Hulls Cove Visitor Center: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm everyday from Jun 11 - Oct 31
• Park Loop Road and Paved roads: April 15 - Dec. 1
• Carriage Roads: Year-round (with some seasonal closures)
• Echo Lake Beach: May 15 - Dec. 1, 24/7
• Sand Beach: Year-round
• Park Loop Road Fee Station: Year Round
• Cadillac Mountain: May 24 - Oct. 22
• Carroll Homestead: May 1 - Oct. 31
• Sieur de Monts Nature Center: 9 am - 5:30 pm/ May 28 - Oct 9
• Jordan Pond House Gift Shop: Apr. 27 - Nov. 5
• Jordan Pond House Restaurant: May 22 - Oct. 27
• Jordan Pond House Restaurant Dinner Service: 5:30 - 9 pm June 26 - Sept. 4
• Cadillac Mountain Store: May 24 - Oct. 22 by reservation only
• Thunder Hole Gift Shop: May 5 - Oct. 22
• Wildwood Stables: May 29 - Oct. 15
• The Bubbles: Apr 15 - Dec 1, 24/7
• Rhoads Butterfly Garden: Mid-May through Mid-October, dawn to dusk

Get Packing!

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​​Here’s our packing list for this tour. It may seem a little long, but remember, what you bring depends on the activities you choose to do for the day. 

• Phone
• Charger
• Water
• Layers - the weather in Acadia National Park is similar to that in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. 
• Swimsuit 
• Towel
• Waterproof Raincoat 
• Hiking Boots
• Sunscreen
• Hat 
• Bug Spray

Best Time to Visit 

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For the best time to visit Acadia National Park, we recommend October through early November, when the leaves have changed to vivid autumn colors and the weather is cool and crisp. 

As an alternative, September, right after Labor Day weekend, when the summer crowds are gone yet it’s still relatively warm is a wonderful time to visit.

But if you like to vacation in the summer when everything’s open in the park (it’s the high/busy season), you can swim in the ocean at Sand Beach or Echo Lake Beach with lifeguards on duty.

It’ll just be super busy in the park, which makes for lots of park traffic, especially on summer weekends, and parking areas fill up fast. 

If you visit Acadia in June or early July, be prepared for fog and mist, plus a greater chance of rain, which could limit your views and hiking options. 

Early spring in Acadia could still be snowy and icy, which means that, like winter, the Park Loop Road along the ocean may be closed.

That said, if you visit the park in the winter, the carriage roads remain open for walking or snowshoeing. 

Leave No Trace

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While exploring, we encourage you to abide by the leave-no-trace principles.

Embrace the outdoors responsibly with our commitment to preserving natural wonders.

Respect wildlife habitats, minimize your footprint, and carry out memories, not waste.

By following Leave No Trace principles, you contribute to the longevity and beauty of our planet's most stunning landscapes.

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Ready to take the tour? Check out Shaka Guide's Acadia National Park Tour!

We hope that we’ve given you all the information you need to make the most of your day. Your vacation is extremely important to us so if you have any questions feel free to reach out at aloha@shakaguide.com.

For more detailed information to help you plan, check out our Mount Rainier National Park Itinerary.