itsTripEasy logoMy BookingCart
Nature · Acadia and the Maine Coast

Acadia & Maine Coast Adventure: 5 Days

Bar Harbor and a trolley tour of Acadia, on a family budget, with a whale watch, a day on bikes and Diver Ed’s sea creatures (from 2027) as optional add-ons.

  • 5 days / 4 nights
  • Starts at Bangor (BGR)
  • Rental car
The rocky coastline of Acadia National Park in Maine

Attractions

What you will see as you travel the route, day by day, and how to make the most of each stop.

5sights on the route
1national park
1trolley tour of Acadia
4nights in Bar Harbor
Bar HarborPark Loop RoadJordan PondCadillac Mountain
1Day 1

Arrive in Bar Harbor

The Shore Path

On your own

Why it is worth itAn easy walking path along the shore of Frenchman Bay, starting near the town pier.

Insider tipFinish with a lobster roll for dinner.

2Day 2

Trolley tour of Acadia

Acadia by trolley

Oli’s Trolley tour of Acadia

Why it is worth itA 2.5-hour narrated tour of the Park Loop Road, Sand Beach and Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.

Insider tipHave your camera ready for Sand Beach and the views from the Cadillac summit.

Optional add-on

Diver Ed's Dive-In Theater Boat Cruise

A boat trip in Bar Harbor where a diver goes down with a camera and brings sea creatures up for kids to see and touch. For 2027 dates.

Available from 2027

$115 per person

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

3Day 3

A free day, or a whale watch

Optional add-on

Bar Harbor Whale Watch

A whale-watching trip from Bar Harbor out to the Gulf of Maine with a naturalist, looking for humpbacks, finbacks and minkes.

$135 per person

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

4Day 4

The carriage roads

Acadia carriage roads

Why it is worth itCar-free gravel roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr., circling Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond.

Insider tipThe surface is gravel, so go at an easy pace and bring water and snacks.

Jordan Pond House

Optional

Why it is worth itA restaurant by Jordan Pond, famous for its popovers, with a view of the two rounded mountains called the Bubbles.

Insider tipExpect a wait at lunchtime in summer.

Optional add-on

Full-Day Hybrid Bike Rental

A full day on a hybrid bike from Bar Harbor, with a helmet and lock, for the carriage roads around Jordan Pond.

$70 per person

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

5Day 5

Cadillac sunrise and home

Sunrise on the summit

Cadillac Mountain

Why it is worth itThe highest point on the U.S. Atlantic coast, and for part of the year the first place in the country to see the sunrise.

Insider tipBring warm layers; it is cold on the summit before dawn.

The order of stops can shift with the weather, and access to some sites can change with the season or local conditions. See Day by day for the full plan.

Why this trip

Acadia is the perfect first national park for kids: ocean, mountains and lobster rolls in one small, easy place. You stay at the Acadia Inn in Bar Harbor, with a pool and room for four, a few minutes from the park entrance. A trolley tour shows you the park's highlights, and an early drive up Cadillac Mountain gets you the view. If you like, add a whale watch out in the Gulf of Maine, a day on bikes on the carriage roads or, for 2027 trips, Diver Ed's boat, where a diver brings sea creatures up for kids to hold (all optional add-ons).

  • Trolley tour of AcadiaA 2.5-hour Oli's Trolley tour of the Park Loop Road, Sand Beach and Cadillac Mountain (booked).
  • A free day, or a whale watchA free day in Bar Harbor, or add a whale-watching trip out to the Gulf of Maine with a naturalist (optional add-on).
  • The carriage roadsWalk the car-free carriage roads around Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond, or add a full-day bike rental and ride them (optional add-on).

Trip at a glance

Length
5 days / 4 nights
Starts / ends
Bangor (BGR), about 1 hour by car; or Boston (BOS), about 5 hours
Getting around
Self-drive (rental car not included)
Pace
One base, one trolley tour and easy days, with a whale watch, bikes and Diver Ed's as optional add-ons
Best time to go
Late June to early October
Great for
Families with kids
Accommodations
Comfort Plus
Flights
Not included. You book; timing tips in your pre-trip guide

Day by day

Day 1 and day 5 are travel days. The order of the days in between is flexible and can shift with the weather.

Day 1Arrive in Bar Harbor
Pick up your rental car and drive to Bar Harbor. Check in to the Acadia Inn. Walk the Shore Path and grab a lobster roll for dinner.
Stay: Acadia Inn, Bar Harbor (night 1 of 4).
Day 2Trolley tour of Acadia
A 2.5-hour Oli's Trolley tour of the Park Loop Road, Sand Beach and Cadillac Mountain (booked). The afternoon is free for Sand Beach or the Shore Path. For 2027 trips you can add Diver Ed's Dive-In Theater boat cruise (optional add-on).
Stay: Acadia Inn (night 2 of 4).
Day 3A free day, or a whale watch
A free day in Bar Harbor, or add a whale-watching trip out to the Gulf of Maine with a naturalist (optional add-on). Ice cream on Main Street after.
Stay: Acadia Inn (night 3 of 4).
Day 4The carriage roads
Walk the car-free carriage roads around Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond, or add a full-day bike rental and ride them (optional add-on). Popovers at Jordan Pond House (optional).
Stay: Acadia Inn (night 4 of 4).
Day 5Cadillac sunrise and home
Drive up Cadillac Mountain early (vehicle reservation booked), then head home.

What’s included

Included

  • 4 nights at the Acadia Inn (a room with 2 queens, sleeps 4), with Maine lodging tax
  • Acadia National Park vehicle pass and a Cadillac Summit Road reservation
  • A 2.5-hour Oli's Trolley tour of Acadia
  • A day-by-day plan, and one point of contact from booking to landing

Not included

  • Flights
  • Rental car and fuel (you book; tips in your pre-trip guide)
  • Meals
  • Optional extras
  • Tips
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal spending

Optional add-ons: Bar Harbor Whale Watch ($135 per person), Diver Ed's Dive-In Theater Boat Cruise ($115 per person, from 2027), Full-Day Hybrid Bike Rental ($70 per person). Add them in the booking box or in Attractions.

Your hotels, experiences, transfers and guides are booked for you. Flights and rental cars are up to you, and your pre-trip guide includes timing tips.

Questions

What if I need to cancel?
Plans change. If you need to cancel, you'll receive trip credit toward another itsTripEasy trip: within 24 hours of payment, 100% trip credit, so you can swap to a different destination; 90 or more days before your trip start date, 100% trip credit; less than 90 days before, no trip credit, unless you added Flexible Cancellation: with it, you get 100% trip credit if you cancel at least 10 days before your trip start date, for a trip you take within 12 months. Other trip credits never expire. To cancel or change your dates, use the cancellation request form. For a date change, choose the reason "I'd like to change my dates".
How many people can share a room?
Up to 4 share one room with 2 queen beds. For a larger group, use Plan My Trip.
Do I need a car?
Yes, this is a self-drive trip. You book your own car or rental car, and you receive a full day-by-day itinerary with every drive mapped out, so you always know where to go, plus driving-safety tips in your pre-trip guide.
Are flights included?
Flights and rental cars are up to you, and your pre-trip guide includes timing tips so your arrival and departure fit the plan.
Can the trip be customized?
Yes, right in the booking box: add up to 3 extra nights at the start or end of your trip and choose how many travelers share each room.

Good to know

  • Weather and nature. Weather, road and natural conditions are outside anyone’s control and can change quickly. They may change the plan, close roads, or delay, shorten or cancel tours and activities, and the order of days may shift.
  • Your choices. You are responsible for your own decisions, safety and choices while traveling, including how and when you drive, which activities you take part in, and following local guidance, posted warnings and your guides’ instructions.
  • Photos. Photos on this page are for inspiration. They may not show the exact location, hotel, season or conditions of your trip.
  • Not included. Flights and rental cars aren’t included; you book those yourself.
$5,258
2 travelers · 5 days / 4 nights
Book this trip