Now that school is back in session, I finally have time to recap all of our summer travels! First, we took the boys to Costa Rica (see recaps here and here). Then our big vacation this summer with our complete family of five was to Maine to visit Acadia National Park! It was a lot of travel to get there from Florida, but our kids did great and we had an incredible time. We visited Maine over Independence Day and it felt like the most quintessentially Americana 4th of July experience. If you’re traveling with little ones to Bar Harbor/Acadia, read on to get all the info on family-friendly hikes, restaurants, and what to bring for a successful vacation.

What to Bring:

When traveling to Acadia National Park, or coastal Maine generally, don’t forget to pack rain jackets and water shoes or Crocs. The weather can change quickly from clear and sunny to rainy and misty. You’ll also want water shoes or Crocs if you plan to do any clamming or exploring the tide pools and rocky beaches. Don’t forget bug spray, especially for evenings. I liked this sign warning of giant mosquitos!

Getting to Acadia:

We flew into Portland Jetport, where we picked up our rental car to drive to Bar Harbor. As a side note, why don’t airports have a family loading spot?! When one parent is pulling around the car and the other parent is trying to keep track of three small kids and carry all the luggage (including car seats), it would be so nice to allow the driving parent to briefly leave the vehicle to assist with the luggage and kids. I think this could be useful for others, too, like elderly people or limited mobility persons. If any airport staff are reading this, I’m available for consulting on what is helpful to traveling families! Only half kidding…

Once we made it in the car, we settled in for the three hour drive to Acadia, stopping for lunch in Brewer at Mason’s Brewing Company for a fantastic lunch on the river. Burgers and pizza are their specialties but I went with the smash sausage tacos on the appetizer menu and they were delicious (and spicy!).

You could also stop in Augusta to see the state Capitol or Freeport to go to the LL Bean flagship store. Both are stops I wish we had time to make, but we wanted to maximize our time in Bar Harbor!

General tips while in Acadia:

Phone Service: We have AT&T and had minimal cell service during our vacation. It’s refreshing to be off the grid, but can be difficult when you need to look up information or directions. We typically handled any necessary communications once we were back in our hotel.

Strollers: While I read several blog posts about stroller-friendly hikes before our trip, I would say that most of them are not stroller-friendly. You may be ok with a Bob or other off-road stroller on one or two, but I don’t think we ever encountered a paved path in the park. Most hikes were rocky and even the flat ones had loose gravel. We were going to bring our City Mini GT, but at the last minute, decided to bring our Summer Infant 3D Lite to save space/weight. It turned out to be a poor choice as it was pretty useless!

Parking: At 76.7 square miles, Acadia National Park is one of the smallest national parks in the US. However, it is also one of the most frequently visited national parks, with over 4 million visitors per year. This means parking spaces are at a premium. The park offers a shuttle service (the Island Explorer Shuttle) between Bar Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and the park from late June through Columbus Day. The shuttle picked up at our hotel every 30 minutes! It seems like a great way to get around the area without dealing with the hassle of parking. We didn’t take advantage of it because with our three small children (ages 6, 4, and 2), we wanted to have our car seats, as well as be in control of our schedule. The shuttle does not provide access to Cadillac Summit.

Vehicle Reservations:

In order to visit the park, you need a standard entrance pass. This pass costs $35 per vehicle and is included in the annual park pass if you have one. If you want to visit Cadillac Summit between May 22 and October 27, you also need a timed vehicle reservation. This pass costs $6 per vehicle. Many people like to visit Cadillac Mountain to be one of the first in the USA to see the sunrise. With the sun rising at 4:55 am in early July, we opted to visit later in the day. I purchased a Cadillac Summit daytime pass for each day at various times so that we would have options depending on the weather and what we were doing each day. Reservations are released 90 days ahead and two days ahead.

Much of the most populated area of the park is accessible via a 27-mile loop, part of which is one-way, so it is important to have an idea of your game plan for visiting the park and minimizing excess driving. We recommend doing Ocean Path early in the morning, followed by Jordan Pond for lunch. Most of the rest of the park can be visited at any time with no trouble.

Where to Stay:

We stayed at the Acadia Inn just outside of downtown Bar Harbor on Eden Street. I can’t say enough about this hotel and how they literally thought of everything for kids! It is one of the most family-friendly hotels I’ve ever visited. There were always cookies or cupcakes at the front desk, even patriotic themed for the 4th of July. The hotel has a pool and playground (swings, slide, and climbing feature) on the grounds. There are three trails accessible from the hotel grounds, ranging from 2 to 7 miles round trip.

On alternating nights, the hotel hosts movies on the lawn (T/Th/Sa) and s’mores by the fire pit (M/W/F). The hotel also offers special experiences for kids, including a Bedtime Story package and a Kid’s Campout. The Bedtime package includes one stuffed animal (bear, moose, seal, or lobster) and a book for $30. The Kid’s Campout includes a little tent, lantern, padded mat, and stuffed bear (and the bear’s sleeping bag!) for $20. I was able to call and set these up in advance with guest services and they placed them in the room before we arrived. It was adorable and the kids were thrilled!

The rooms at the Acadia Inn are spacious and beds are comfortable. Our room had two queen beds, a crib, and a kids campout tent, and we still had plenty of room. The hotel also includes a full breakfast, with both hot and cold items. Another favorite for our family was the make-your-own trail mix bar on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.

Viewpoints and Stops in Acadia:

There is so much to see and do in Acadia National Park. You could easily spend a week there, especially if you like to travel at a slower pace. We had three days and could have definitely stayed for one more.

When we arrived, our first stop was to Hulls Cove Visitor Center, which is the main visitor station. It’s a great place to pick up maps and speak with a park ranger about your visit. After getting the lay of the land, we headed straight for the Cadillac Mountain Road entrance as we had a vehicle reservation that afternoon and the weather was clear and sunny. Cadillac Mountain is the highest peak in the park and the three mile drive to the summit features several scenic pullouts where you can enjoy the view. At the top, there are restrooms, a gift shop, and a paved walking trail with panoramic views of the park. This area of the park is not accessible by the Island Explorer shuttle.

Sand Beach is an aptly named sandy beach within the park that is surrounded by rocky cliffs. I was shocked at how crowded it was – people were set up with tents and coolers like a summer day at the beach in Florida. Parking fills up quickly, but there are several parking areas along the road. There is no need to stress about parking because everything is connected by the Ocean Path. Sand Beach has restrooms and changing rooms and is accessible by staircase down to the beach. We did a polar plunge in the 55 degree water to cool off after hiking the Ocean Path.

Thunder Hole is an sea cave carved from the rocky Maine coast that is said to produce thundering crashes during the right conditions (about an hour and a half before high tide). We were not there during optimal conditions, but it was still a beautiful view.

Another spot to swim is at Echo Lake Beach, which is on a freshwater lake. The water is much warmer than at Sand Beach, but still chilly – typically in the upper 60s to low 70s in the summer. It is a smaller and less crowded than Sand Beach, but just as picturesque!

Jordan Pond is a glacial lake in the center of the park, where you can canoe, kayak, hike, or enjoy the famous popovers, served with butter and strawberry jam, at the Jordan Pond House. If you’d like to sit down for lunch, make a reservation in advance. Walk-up seating is available only for tea and popover service. Alternatively, you can visit Carriage Road Carry Out for a grab-and-go lunch or snacks and popover sundaes. We picked up a few wraps and sandwiches and returned for popover sundaes after hiking Jordan Pond Loop.

Bass Harbor Head Light is one of three lights managed by the Park Service, and is one of the most well-known images of Acadia. It is the most visited place on the west side of the park and has very limited parking. The kids and I actually got out of the car while my husband waited until a spot opened so he could join us. You can view the lighthouse from both sides, accessible via a paved path on one side and a short hiking trail from the other.

One of our favorite non-hiking activities in Acadia was taking the National Park Morning Nature Cruise on the Sea Princess. The 2 hour and 45 minute cruise leaves daily at 9:30 am during the season and is led by a park ranger. It costs $39 for adults, $27 for children aged 6-12, and $15 for children 5 and under. As we entered the Great Harbor of Mount Desert Island, we saw tons of wildlife, including seals, porpoise, eagles, osprey, cormorants, and peregrine falcon. I also enjoyed seeing some of the spectacular coastal homes along the coastline.

The cruise stops at the 200-year-old lobster fishing village of Isleford on Little Cranberry Island, where for 45 minutes, you can experience life in a remote island community. We visited the Isleford Museum, where you can learn about island living, and saw the tiny community’s school and post office. You can also pick up a lobster roll for an early lunch and take home a locally made souvenir from the gift shop.

Hikes in Acadia:

One of my favorite activities in life is hiking. There is nothing more peaceful and rejuvenating to me than a walk in nature! I hope to share that love with my children. The boys are good little hikers at 6 and 4 are usually able to happily go up to about 3 miles. My 2-year-old daughter isn’t quite there yet, but she was (mostly) happy to be carried in our Ergo carrier. I researched family-friendly hikes ahead of our trip using blog posts like this one to find trails that would be appropriate for our family.

Some of the easiest trails in the park are near the Sieur de Monts Nature Center, where you can see the Wild Gardens of Acadia and access several trails. We walked along the Jesup Path boardwalk until we felt like turning around and then took the gravel Hemlock Path back to the parking area. There are several interpretive signs and benches along the flat trail. If you want a climb, you can also access a few steeper paths including the Emery Path, Homans Path, Diederichs Climb, and Schiff Path that connect to Dorr Mountain.

The Cadillac Mountain Summit Loop is a short 0.5 mile loop around the summit. Most of it is paved or granite so you can easily bring a stroller. There are also several areas where you can climb on the rocks to get a different view. We left our stroller in the car for this one.

One of the most popular walks in Acadia is the Ocean Path, which is a 2.2 mile trail from Sand Beach to Otter Point. The entire path offers stunning views of the coast. One notable stop along the way is Thunder Hole, which is 0.7 miles from Sand Beach. There are parking lots at each end of the path, as well as several parking areas along the path, so you can really start anywhere you can find a parking spot. Most of the trail is made of packed gravel, so if you are bringing a stroller, an off-road stroller is preferable.

Another popular hike is the Jordan Pond Path, a 3.3 mile loop around Jordan Pond. We only made it about 3/4 of a mile before turning around because our 2-year-old was not having it, but we still enjoyed breathtaking views of the mountains and pond. Most of the trail is dirt or gravel so it is best to use a carrier for any small kiddos.

Our favorite trail of our visit, and the only one we were able to fully complete was Flying Mountain Loop. This is a moderate 1.5-mile-round trip hike that has it all. We started out with a climb to a view of Somes Sound before descending down to Valley Cove, where we stopped for a snack and looked for sea snails and skipped stones on the water. Our boys loved this hike and were engaged throughout. After leaving the cove, the trail is an easy walk through the forest to the parking area.

Another excellent family hike is the Bubbles to view Bubbles Rock, a rock perched on the edge of South Bubble by ancient glaciers. You can hike to North Bubble, South Bubble, and Bubble Rock. We went to the South Bubble and Bubble Rock, but cut off the North Bubble as we had to return to our hotel to check out. The trail is only a 1.5-mile round trip through mostly forested areas, though it has a few steep rocky sections toward the summit. I was a little nervous about my kids being around Bubble Rock due to the exposed granite and steep dropoffs, but there is plenty of room to stay away from the edge, even when taking photos with the rock!

Acadia is also home to 45 miles of Carriage Roads, built by John D. Rockefeller in the early 1900s. While the roads were originally used for carriages, they are now often used by walkers, runners, and cyclists. We think it would be great fun to rent bikes and take a family ride when our kids are a bit older and able to ride bikes.

Bar Harbor:

We had such an incredible time in Acadia that we didn’t spend much time in downtown Bar Harbor. However, it is an adorable town and definitely worth stopping for a meal or to enjoy perusing the local shops. We walked through the town on our way to explore the land bridge that makes up Bar Harbor Trail. For 1.5 hours before and after low tide, a gravel land bridge is exposed between Bar Harbor and Bar Island, where you can explore numerous tide pools. The complete trail is 1.9 miles round trip, but we just stopped to let our kids run around and explore. They loved looking for crabs and snails and watching seagulls hunt.

The Bar Harbor Village Green is also a great place for kids to run around and often hosts free concerts and events in the summer months.

4th of July Fireworks:

If you’re visiting Bar Harbor over the 4th of July and staying at the Acadia Inn, you could either make your way through the crowds to watch fireworks in downtown Bar Harbor, or you could walk across Eden Street to watch them from the shore at the College of the Atlantic. Due to the fireworks being at 9 pm, we opted for the latter, so we could get our kids back home and in bed more quickly. We were able to sit along the shore and see the fireworks over the water.

Where to Eat in Bar Harbor:

Bar Harbor and the surrounding areas on Mount Desert Island are filled with great restaurants, especially fresh seafood, and as you might expect, plenty of lobster! Most restaurants were expensive; usually exceeding $100 for our family of five, even for lunch.

Abel’s Lobster is quintessential coastal Maine. The restaurant sits on Somes Sound and is accessible by boat and car. The clapboard shingles and picnic tables are perfectly inviting for a high quality meal in a memorable setting. The kids ate lobster mac and cheese and the adults had whole steamed lobster with corn and cornbread. As tourists, it might have been nice to have even the briefest of lobster-eating tutorials from our server, but we managed after consulting YouTube for a refresher. We recommend arriving for dinner at 4:30 to ensure you get a table.

One of the most unique dinners we had was at Reel Pizza, an eclectic single-screen movie house that serves pizza. We had been exploring the tidal pools and on the Bar Harbor Land Bridge and were all in the mood for a casual dinner. I wouldn’t have expected a movie theater to have decent pizza, but the online reviews were great and we are happy to say the unique pizza offerings definitely lived up to expectations. While we waited for our pizzas, we let the kids run around the Bar Harbor Village Green. They had a great time making friends, climbing trees, playing imagination games, and playing the community piano. If we return when our kids are older, we would definitely return to see a movie!

On July 4, we wanted “American” food, so decided on Mainely Meat BBQ – Dreamwood Hill. The barbecue is delicious, portion sizes are substantial, and prices area reasonable for the area! We also loved that it is a local, family-owned business. The holiday decor helped us to feel right at home even though we were out of town! The restaurant closed early for the holiday, so unfortunately, we were not able to have dessert at Udder Heaven Ice Cream next door, but I’ve heard their extensive list of ice cream flavors is fantastic.

Our final meal in Bar Harbor on our way out of town was at Bar Harbor Lobster Pound. We had driven by a few times and were drawn by the great outdoor space with yard games like cornhole, connect four, Hook and Ring. We all had a great time playing together while we waited for our lunch. We ordered the fish and chips, some kids meals, and a bowl of lobster bisque because it was the only lobster item I hadn’t had during the trip. If you’re hungry, I would suggest ordering something more substantial like a lobster roll; the bisque was thin and the bowl was smaller than I expected. Another unique feature of the Bar Harbor Lobster Pound is the Ice Cream Boat, where you can order and enjoy ice cream from a boat!

On the way back to Portland:

On our way back from Portland, we visited one of my best friends from college and her family at their family’s summer home in Maine (which we previously visited in 2018!). We spent the afternoon letting the kids run around their property, fishing on their boat, and enjoying cold lobster rolls for dinner. It was a memorable evening and the perfect way to celebrate my birthday!

We spent the night in Rockland at the Rockland Harbor Hotel, and spent the morning walking around the town. Funny story – it took us the entire morning to remember that we had previously visited Rockland for lunch and shopping on our 2018 Maine vacation. I finally connected the dots after walking into a thrift shop and having a strong sense of deja vu!

We walked to the Rockland Farmers Market and let the kids play on the playground just up the hill at Mildred Merrill Park. We ate lunch at Clan McClaren, where the sandwiches (and reasonable prices) were a nice change of pace from Bar Harbor. I also love the owners’ story – their love of cooking and sharing meals with friends led to opening their restaurant! We also finally got ice cream at Atlantic Baking Co. in the form of the most mouthwatering ice cream cookie sandwich I have ever eaten.

Before getting back on the road to Portland, I did a little shopping at trendy women’s boutique Barefoot in Denim and bought some plane snacks at women-owned Bixby Chocolate.

Portland:

The final stop on our Maine trip was Portland. We spent the evening walking around the pretty downtown before enjoying a marvelous dinner at Duckfat. The restaurant was recommended by several friends and is clearly incredibly popular in the area. Fortunately, we arrived early, so the hour (+) long waitlist was not a problem and we were seated quickly once we received a text that our table was ready. Our server was excellent and led us through the menu, offering suggestions about what to order and quantities for our family. We shared a large frites with two sauces and poutine to start. I enjoyed the green goddess salad topped with smoked duck, while the rest of my family had duck fat grilled cheeses. We finished our meal with a sea salt duck fat caramel milkshake. From start to finish, this meal was perfection!

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Portland Airport, which was very comfortable and couldn’t have been more convenient as it’s located at the airport. In the morning, I ran through historic Stroudwater, which dates back to the early 1700s. We picked up Maine potato donuts at The Holy Donut for breakfast before heading to the airport. The donuts are cake-style, but a bit denser than your typical donut because of the potato. Some have glazes and others have toppings. We enjoyed everything we tried! The Holy Donut has several locations, but if you’re on your way to the airport, you’ll want to visit the one on Park Ave.

A special and surprising aspect of our return trip home was the space exhibit we enjoyed at the Portland Jetport. My boys, especially my 6-year-old, are space lovers, so getting to see real rocks from Mars, the Moon, and asteroids was a huge highlight! One of the moon rocks is the second-largest piece of moon rock on Earth (the largest is at the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum). It will be at the airport through 2029, so if you’re traveling through Portland with future astronauts, make sure to check it out.

As always, thanks for reading! Next up, I’ll be recapping our family trip to North Georgia. It was amazing and a trip we will definitely repeat in the future!

RECAP OF OUR MAINE TRIP