Acadia National Park Family Vacation

Your family adventure begins with a pickup in Bangor and a scenic drive to Camden. Once you arrive, it’s time to get moving with a hike up Mount Battie. The trail is short and rewarding, making it a great first-day outing, and the view over the harbor is the kind that gets everyone excited for what’s ahead.  

After lunch, keep the fun going with another hike in Camden Hills State Park, where forest trails and rocky viewpoints invite kids and adults alike to explore. Later, settle into the hotel before heading out for a sunset windjammer sail. Watching the boats bob in the harbor and feeling the breeze on deck is a memorable way to kick off the week.  
Accommodation: Camden Riverhouse, Camden  
Meals: Lunch, Dinner  

Hiking: 3-4 miles (5-6 kilometers) 

After breakfast, drive to Rockland for a guided kayaking adventure through the Muscle Ridge archipelago. This is the kind of day kids remember: paddling past little islands, scanning for seabirds, and feeling like explorers in a place that feels both peaceful and wild. Lunch is included during the outing.  

Back in Camden, the afternoon is kept light so families can recharge. Grab an ice cream, stroll the harbor, or simply rest up before dinner and another cozy overnight on the coast.  
Accommodation: Camden Riverhouse, Camden  
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner  

Kayaking: 2-3 hours 

This morning, travel to Acadia National Park, where your family gets its first proper introduction to one of the East Coast’s most beloved national parks. After a stop for orientation, sit down for lunch at Jordan Pond House, a classic Acadia tradition.  

In the afternoon, walk the Jordan Pond loop, an easygoing trail with great scenery and very little elevation gain. With sparkling water, mountain views, and plenty to notice along the shore, it’s a wonderful trail for families to enjoy together. Later, continue to Bar Harbor and settle into your hotel before dinner in town.  
Accommodation: Bar Harbor Inn, Bar Harbor  
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner  

Hiking: 3 miles (4.8 kilometers), 1.5 hours 

This morning, trade busy roads for Acadia’s famous carriage roads on the Witch Hole Pond Loop. It’s a fun, family-friendly way to experience the park, with wide paths, woodland scenery, and plenty of room for kids to roam comfortably. Then drive up Cadillac Mountain. Standing high above the coast, your family will take in panoramic views of islands, forests, and open Atlantic water – a real wow moment in Acadia.  

Afterward, head to Tremont for lunch at Thurston’s Lobster Pound, where the setting is as memorable as the meal. Then continue to Bass Harbor Head Light for a photo stop and a chance to watch the surf crash against the rocks below. By late afternoon, you'll be back in Bar Harbor with time to relax before dinner on your own this evening.  
Accommodation: Bar Harbor Inn, Bar Harbor  
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hiking: 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) 

This morning, we head to the coast for a walk near Otter Point, where crashing waves, pink granite cliffs, and ocean views make every turn feel dramatic.  

After lunch, finish the day with the Norumbega Mountain Loop, a short but rewarding hike that gives your family a final taste of Acadia’s wilder side. This evening, celebrate the week with dinner at the Bar Harbor Inn.  
Accommodation: Bar Harbor Inn, Bar Harbor
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner  

Hiking: 5 miles (8 kilometers) 

Before saying goodbye to the coast, enjoy one last easy walk on the Jesup Path and Hemlock Path Loop. Boardwalks, trees, and open marsh views make this a peaceful final outing and a nice contrast to the bigger adventures earlier in the week.  

Then it’s time to drive back to Bangor for airport drop-off, with the kind of family stories that tend to get retold long after the bags are unpacked.  
Accommodation: Not applicable  
Meals: Breakfast  

Hiking: 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers)