Welcome to the Acadia National Park Tour
Maine is well known for its fall foliage. But you might be surprised to learn that this foliage is relatively new! These forests used to be entirely dominated by coniferous evergreen trees, like spruce and fir. Young deciduous trees now populate them. What happened? Learn more about it in our Acadia National Park Tour.
We are proud to be an official member of the Acadia Chamber of Commerce.
About the Tour
Take this self-guided driving tour, immersing yourself in the stunning fall colors and rich history of Maine, beginning at downtown Bar Harbor. Discover La Rochelle, a Gilded Age mansion, and learn about the raging fire that gave rise to today’s vibrant autumn foliage.
Enter Acadia National Park at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center and begin the drive around Park Loop Road. Along the way, discover the Great Meadow, Sieur de Mons, and Bar Harbor’s history. Pause at Beaver Lake and Jackson Labs to learn about Acadia’s wildlife before continuing to Egg Rock Overlook and the Precipice Trail.
Take a detour at Schooner Head, pausing at the Ocean Path Trailhead if you want to explore the path on foot. Continue along to Sand Beach, Old Soaker, Thunder Hole, Monument Cove, Otter Cliffs, and Hunters Beach.
Pause at Jordan Pond for delicious popovers and jam or to enjoy the view. Continue past Bubble Pond and Eagle Lake, and finally begin driving up to the top of Acadia’s most famous peak: Cadillac Mountain. Your tour ends there, allowing you to immerse yourself in the beautiful vistas atop the mountain.
This Acadia Park Loop Road Audio Tour (part of our existing tour) allows you to explore the park’s wonders with maximum flexibility and value. Drive the iconic Park Loop Road up to the top of the most famous Acadia spot: Cadillac Mountain (not named after the car, but the car was named after the man. WAIT! What??). To know more, buy the Acadia National Park audio tour app.
What You'll See
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Welcome: Hull’s Cove Visitor Center
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Park Loop
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A Celestial Bear Hunt
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Precipice Trail
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Sieur de Monts Spring
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Pause at Egg Rock Overlook
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Ocean Path
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Sand Beach
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Old Soaker
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Thunder Hole
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Monument Cove
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Gorham Mountain
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Boulder Beach
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Otter Cliff
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Otter Cove
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Jordan Pond & House Restaurant
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Bubble Rock
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Eagle Lake
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Conclusion: Cadillac Mountain Summit
Tour FAQs
The absolute best month to visit Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine is undeniably October. That’s when Acadia’s claim to fame — the stunning fall colors — reach their peak vibrancy. Get ready to see stunning yellows, brilliant oranges, and deep reds all around the park. If you can’t make it to Acadia in October, late September also features these beautiful autumn leaves.
One of the best ways to explore Acadia is by driving through the park in your own car. This can be a full-day excursion, filled with hikes, picnics, and photo ops…. but if you don’t have that kind of time, you can still enjoy Acadia with a two-hour drive.
You can avoid the crowds at Acadia in two ways — visit in the summer or skip those jam-packed Acadia National Park tours. As New England’s only National Park and a beautiful spot for changing autumn leaves, Acadia is often crowded in September and October.
In Acadia National Park, fall colors are at their most vibrant in October.Â
All the Acadia tours will tell you the same thing — you can’t miss Cadillac Mountain when visiting Acadia National Park!
Additional Information
Starting Point
Acadia Summer Tour (April – October): Hulls Cove Visitor Center, 25 Visitor Center Rd, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Acadia Winter Tour (November – March): 2Â Cottage St, Bar Harbor
Park entry tickets
It’s now easier than ever to buy your park entrance pass in Acadia. Three types of weekly passes (vehicle, motorcycle, individual) may be purchased by credit card from automated fee machines available year round, 24 hours a day. One is located at a pavilion in the parking lot of the Hulls Cove Visitor Center. Another is available inside a gatehouse at the entrance to the Schoodic Institute on the Schoodic Peninsula. Various other annual and lifetime passes can be purchased from in-person sales locations or online. More at go.nps.gov.
Cadillac Reservation
Driving to Cadillac Mountain requires a prior reservation. Private vehicles cost $4, and there’s a $2 non-refundable reservation fee. To buy tickets, head to recreation.gov. Our main tour to Jordan Point is expected to take 2 hours, followed by 30 minutes to Cadilac’s entrance. You can make a stop at the Jordan Pond House by making a reservation here.
What do we do?
Simply put, Action Tour Guide is an audio guide, map, and tour book – all in one app! We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. You can experience our driving and walking tours at your own pace and literally at any time of the day!Â
Lifetime Validity
​Changing travel date? No worries! All individual tours come with lifetime validity.Â
No Network Needed
The tour works offline, so you do not need your phone network to enjoy the tour. However, we suggest you download the tour at your home, hotel, visitor center, etc., before heading out for a completely immersive experience.