Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park should be on anyone’s list of places to visit because it is one of the jewels of New England due to its pristine wilderness that is gorgeous all year round! It is definitely a place you should make sure and visit if you are traveling in the north-eastern part of the United States. Acadia National Park was one of the places we stopped while on our road trip through New England. Our previous stops included Niagara Falls and the Adirondack Mountains in New York. These are the 8 reasons why you should visit Acadia National Park and the surrounding area.
IT’S BEAUTIFUL
First and foremost, Acadia National Park is absolutely beautiful! The park is located along the Atlantic Coast in Maine and is composed of a few different islands so it doesn’t matter where within the park you decide to visit, beauty surrounds you! Acadia might not be the oldest national park in the nation, but it is the oldest east of the Mississippi River!
Public Transportation
As with most national parks, traffic and parking can be a headache so the National Park Services has made it a little easier by providing free shuttle bus service. Just park your car and take the bus, as the shuttle busses make it easy to get almost anywhere within the park using the free service!
Cool Off
Escape the heat of summer and cool off in the cooler climate of Maine! Even though other parts of New England might be warmer during the summer months, Acadia National Park and it’s islands, stick out into the Atlantic constantly being bathed by a cool ocean breeze .
Exercise
There is no shortage of physical activities within Acadia National Park because there are loads of hiking trails and bicycle trails along the coastline. Horseback riding and kayaking are also available within the area. Remember to bring your bike to the park and ditch your car and ride your bike along the trails instead of driving your car! While riding a bike, you will be able to take in your surroundings, along with tons of fresh air. I don’t even need to tell you how much healthier it would be to keep your body active by cycling around the island compared to driving your own car or riding the free shuttle bus.
Get Out on the Water
Acadia is right on the Atlantic Ocean, therefore has a lot of shoreline to explore! You can take sailboats between the different islands, you can rent a kayak for the day to explore the park from the water, along with the wildlife! It’s not all jagged cliffs along the coastline, but there are even beaches that during the summer time are huge spots for the locals and tourists alike to swim.
Seafood
Maine’s culture is known for it delicious seafood and famous lobster. This is a type of food that you must eat while visiting in order to get the full Maine experience. I would also suggest trying clams, mussels, crabs, scallops, shrimp and any other seafood.
Friendly People
Last, but certainly not least, I couldn’t forget the friendly people! Maine has an extremely low property crime rate so most likely you probably won’t have your wallet or camera stolen. The locals are friendly and helpful and will help you in any way they can.
Surrounding Towns
There are so many small and wonderful places to visit that surround Acadia National Park! Try to explore as much as possible. If you are short on time, make sure to check out Rockland Harbor and the Breakwater lighthouse, which is just south of the park. It’s a historic lighthouse complex at the end of the Rockland Breakwater in the harbor of Rockland, Maine!
Acadia National Park is a wonderful place to visit in the summer time as well as throughout any time of the year so don’t forget this list when you are trying to plan your next visit to New England. Make sure to check out a few of the other Treasures Of Traveling we stopped along on our road trip through the north-east including Niagara Falls, Portland, Maine and the Adirondack Mountains.
Check out the map below to see where Acadia National Park is located at!
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