Why You Should Visit Acadia National Park In September
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September is one of the best times to visit Acadia National Park. You’ve got cooler temperatures, fewer crowds, and the potential for early fall foliage. Whether you’re hiking granite peaks, biking the carriage roads, or just soaking in coastal views, the park feels more peaceful and accessible this time of year.
In 2022, my family took a trip to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in Maine for the first time. My sister was on summer break, and it made the most sense for taking a family trip. But as you can imagine, it was pretty crowded and parking in the park was a bit of a nightmare.
I wanted to go back to Acadia National Park without the crowds. Some Maine locals I follow said September is one of the best times to go to the park. I tried to plan a trip to Acadia National Park in September of 2023, but unfortunately, I had to cancel the trip because of Hurricane Lee. I did not want to drive 6 hours from Connecticut to sit in my Airbnb the whole trip and potentially lose power.
This year, I finally attempted another September trip to Acadia National Park. The plan was to go up to Lubec first, spend a night there and pop over to Campobello Island in Canada, then drive two hours south to Bar Harbor, Maine for a trip to Acadia National Park. Thankfully, the weather cooperated for us.
Why Is September A Good Time To Visit Acadia National Park?
There are a couple of reasons why September is a great time to visit this national park:
- Less Crowds. If you’re like me and hate going to crowded places, but you still really want to experience Acadia National Park, September is a great time to visit. By going in September, you miss the summer crowd and the leaf peepers. Some of the more popular spots might still be crowded, but overall, the park was not crowded like it is in the summer months. I had no issue finding parking for the popular Beehive Trail, which was not the case when my brother did it in the summer (you can read about his experience with that here).
- Mild weather. The weather was very mild compared to when I went in July in 2022. That summer trip, there were times when the heat was honestly unbearable. And I don’t know about you, but I do not enjoy hiking in peak summer heat. Personally, I thought the weather was perfect. It wasn’t freezing, but it also wasn’t disgustingly hot. I was able to actually enjoy the outdoors without feeling like I was melting.
- All of the park roads are still open. So, you’ll still be able to access the entire park. Due to the potential for hazardous road conditions, most of the Park Loop and paved roads are closed from December 1st to mid-April.
- Visitor Centers, gift shops, and restaurants are still operating as normal. This way you can get information, souvenirs, or use facilities like the bathroom. Most of these are usually open until October.
My Experience Visiting in September
The trip I planned was relatively short. We were staying over two nights, but we actually only had one full day. We got there Saturday night, had all of Sunday, and then left relatively early Monday morning because we had a long drive ahead of us and things we wanted to do to break the drive up. While we didn’t have a lot of time, we made the most of it.
Day One: Bass Harbor Head Light Station
We arrived in Bar Harbor on Saturday night and after dropping our stuff off at our Airbnb, we headed to Bass Harbor Head Light Station. This was one of my top priorities for the trip because I missed it during my first trip to Acadia National Park. I wanted to get it out of the way because it really wasn’t close to the main portion of the park.
When we got to the lighthouse, it was honestly mobbed. We actually could not get a spot in the parking lot for about 20 minutes. I hopped out of the driver’s seat and had my boyfriend get behind the wheel to wait while I went and checked out the lighthouse. He is a good sport. Eventually, he was able to get a spot.
Since I left my boyfriend sitting in the line of cars waiting to park, I tried to make my visit quick. I was planning on just seeing the iconic view of the lighthouse from down below and then hustling back to the car. I jogged down to the bottom (which was thankfully a short distance) and it was VERY crowded down there.
It was very rocky down below, so I had to carefully navigate the large rocks to try and get to a spot where I could photograph the lighthouse without a bunch of people there. I know I said the national park isn’t busy in September, but this is the fifth busiest destination in the entire park.
In addition to this being one of the most popular spots, I also made it worse because of when I went. There was a mega lighthouse cruise out of Bar Harbor that day that saw 18 lighthouses, it was Maine Open Lighthouse Day, AND I accidentally went close to sunset. So, the odds were very much against me. Regardless, I was able to get the picture I wanted!
When I had wrapped up, my boyfriend had texted to let me know he was able to get a spot. I sprinted back up the hill only to find out he went up to the lighthouse. I followed the path to the lighthouse where I found him. I ended up going back down to the bottom with him so he could see it.
While we did get a parking spot, we decided not to stay for the sunset. We really did not want to navigate the rocks in the dark while a bunch of other people navigated the rocks. So instead, we headed back into Bar Harbor for a bite to eat. We got dinner at Galyn’s, which we thoroughly enjoyed. I had a creamy pasta dish and my boyfriend got a steak.
Day Two: Exploring The Park And Bar Harbor
On Sunday, we had a full day to enjoy the park. We started with breakfast at 2 Cats since it was highly recommended. I will say, it wasn’t necessarily our favorite restaurant, but the cat theme was cute, and the staff was friendly. We both got pancakes.
After breakfast, we walked along the Bar Harbor Shore Path. It was a bit hazy, but still pretty. We really only did this because we were already in town and had some time to kill before our reserved time for driving up Cadillac Mountain.
Driving Up Cadillac Mountain
Then, we headed into the national park to drive up the Cadillac Summit Road. While we could have hiked to the summit, we had other hikes that we wanted to do. Driving to the Cadillac Mountain Summit helped us save time so we could hike and explore more.
We stopped at the various pull-offs on our way to up to enjoy the views. I personally love the lake views along the road to the summit.
At the top, we walked the short loop. It’s about half a mile and it offers you views of the surrounding area.
Many people will get off the path a bit to take pictures of the surrounding landscape without people in their shots. It’s not necessary, but it is an option!
Hiking The Bubbles
The first hike we started with was The Bubbes. The Bubbles are two glacially carved granite domes along Jordan Pond. You can hike up to the top of both the North Bubble and the South Bubble. There’s a small parking lot at the trailhead that the Island Explorer does not stop at.
The hike was definitely steep in some areas with small sections that some might consider a scramble. AllTrails rates the hike moderate, which I think is fair. You definitely need to wear appropriate hiking gear and bringing water is definitely a good idea. While the hike is short at 1.5 miles, it’s only that short because it is steep.
When we hiked it, we went to the North Bubble first, but I’m sure it doesn’t matter which you do first. That way seemed the steepest and I honestly just wanted to get it out of the way first. As we made our way up to the highest point, there were multiple spots to enjoy views of Jordan Pond below.
At the top, you’ll be rewarded with great views of Jordan Pond and the ocean in the distance. It made the hike up worth the effort.
The other view I really enjoyed from the top was of a small beach along the pond. I was mesmerized watching the small waves lapping along the beach. It reminded me a bit of the Pacific Northwest because of the pines.
When we had our fill, we headed back the way we came to make our way to the South Bubble and Bubble Rock. Near the summit of South Bubble, you’ll find Bubble Rock. In the distance, you’ll see Eagle Lake.
From the summit of South Bubble, there really weren’t any views. You’ve got to go to the giant rock for the views lol.
Overall, we both really enjoyed the hike. My favorite section was the North Bubble because of the great views it offered.
Quick Stop At Jordan Pond
The reason why we stopped here was to get lunch. When I saw it was mostly expensive sandwiches on the menu, I decided I wasn’t interested. The other option was a grab and go spot upstairs, but I’m also not into pre-made sandwiches because I’m picky.
Since we were already parked, we took a quick walk to Jordan Pond. We got to see The Bubbles that we had just hiked. It’s hard to believe we were up there. I definitely preferred the views from on top of the North Bubble.
Going Into Town For Lunch
After our hike, we went back into town for lunch. We stopped at West Street Cafe. It was quiet and we had water views from our second story window. I wasn’t expecting the water views, but it was a nice surprise!
I got chicken parm and my boyfriend got the whole lobster. We both thoroughly enjoyed our food. We finished off the meal with dessert. He got a blueberry pie and I got a flourless cake.
After, we went back to the Bar Harbor Shore Path. I was looking to give us a little bit of time for our food to settle in before we went for our next hike. Who wants to hike with a stomach full of chicken parm and cake? Not me.
Along the path, I enjoyed watching the boats coming and going. I spent a lot of time photographing the moving boats and the ones on moorings. There was no shortage of opportunities to photograph boats on the water.
While I loved the boats, perhaps my favorite thing I saw along the path was hummingbirds. There were at least three hanging out in flowers in front of the Bar Harbor Inn. We spent at least thirty minutes just watching them flying around. They didn’t seem bothered by humans and there were times they flew right next to me. I didn’t want to leave, but our parking time was almost up and that was why we finally left.
Hiking The Beehive
Next, we headed to the trailhead for the Beehive. This is one of the most popular hikes in Acadia National Park. Thankfully, we were able to easily get a spot in the Sand Beach parking lot, which is across the street from the trailhead.
Many people say that you should not do this hike if you’re afraid of heights. For years, I was actually terrified to do this hike because of how people talked about it. It has steep granite staircases, iron rungs, and exposed cliff faces. I was worried I’d panic, but I decided to challenge myself.
Before you get to the section where the iron rungs are, you’ll find a sign that states the hazard and if you’re not comfortable, to take the bowl path. So, if you are afraid, you can absolutely bypass the iron rungs.
After being afraid of this path for many years, I am happy that I did it. Personally, I did not think it was as scary as many people maybe it out to be. Some people made it sound impossible, but I had no issues navigating the iron rungs or the small scrambles. It helped that I was adequately prepared with appropriate hiking shoes. Regardless, I never really felt like I was in any danger of falling even when I was on the rungs.
The views as you make your way up to the top are great. Each time we got a bit higher, I wanted to take photos. You get great views of Sand Beach pretty much the whole way up.
I might have liked the views on the way up a bit more than the views at the top. This is only because at the top, the parking lot for Sand Beach was really visible and it took away from the views a bit.
We continued on towards The Bowl, which is a small mountain pond, to finish out the loop. I didn’t think it was anything special personally, but that might be because the views from the Beehive were so great. If I were to do it again, I’d cut back towards the Sand Beach parking lot instead of going to The Bowl.
While I didn’t personally have an issue with this hike, I can see how some people could be afraid to do it. If you’re deathly afraid of hikes, this likely is not the hike for you. If you don’t think you’re capable of climbing up iron rungs on a cliff face, definitely be safe and take the bypass.
Sand Beach
Since we were parked in the Sand Beach lot, we decided to check out the beach. When we were finishing up the Beehive Trail, it started lightly raining. By the time we made it to the beach, we were greeted by a rainbow!
The beach was fairly empty so we were able to really enjoy it. I loved the rocky cliffs surrounding the beach. We got eaten alive by bugs while we were on the beach, but we still really enjoyed the beauty of the beach!
Thunder Hole
The Thunder Hole is a very popular destination in the park, but thankfully it was not at all crowded when we went. When waves are forced into the narrow channel, the air escapes with a thunderous reverberation, which is how it gets its name. You’ll experience this at high tide. We did not plan it right, so we did not get this experience. But, it was still a pretty area.
Otter Cove
As we made our way out of the park, we made a quick stop at Otter Cove because it was on the way. The sun was just setting (not that we could see it) and it was getting dark. We stayed only for a couple minutes before heading into town for dinner.
Dinner In Bar Harbor
We grabbed dinner at Tap & Barrel Tavern. This spot had a casual vibe and great food. We got an Irish Mule to split before the food came out. For our meals, I got mac and cheese and my boyfriend got a burger. We thoroughly enjoyed our food and we loved the vibe in the outdoor seating.
Last Day
On the last day, all we did in the park was make a quick stop at Eagle Lake. We parked at Eagle Bridge and made the very short walk to the lake. I loved the mountain views at the lake! Then, we got back into the car and started our very long journey home.
Thoughts On Visiting Acadia National Park In September
Overall, I really enjoyed visiting during September. I felt like I was able to do a lot more in the park during this trip than when I visited in July. There were less crowds, which made getting around the park easier and it also made parking easier.
While it is totally possible to still enjoy the park in the summer months, I preferred September because the weather was much cooler and there were definitely less crowds. I tend to visit a lot of places in the off-season to avoid crowds, but that usually means going to places when the trees are bare. In September, the trees are still green so it was almost like getting the peak summer experience without the pains of visiting during peak summer.
I’d definitely go back to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in September for a future trip. However, I would make sure that it isn’t during Maine Open Lighthouse Day because I think it brought a bit more people into the area than usual.
We visited Bar Harbor on a cruise and wish we could have made the excursion to Acadia but couldn’t. On our list for “one of these days”
This looks like a great trip for hikers!
It definitely is! There’s no shortage of trails in the national park.
So many great hikes in Acadia National Park. The steel rings look challenging yet fun. I’d love to explore the town and eat that whole lobster too.
It was definitely a lot of fun! And it’s not a trip to Maine without some lobster.
Would love to see the Bass Harbor Head Light Station, and do a couple of hikes. The views are fantastic.
There are so many great hikes to do throughout the park.
I’ve always wanted to visit Acadia National Park – and September seems like the perfect time to go. That lighthouse is so pretty!!
September is definitely a great time to visit the park. Also, I definitely loved the lighthouse!! I’d love to go back and photograph it again 🙂