Unforgettable Boston to Acadia National Park Road Trip: 10 Must-See Stops (By a Local!)
If you are driving from Boston to Acadia National Park, you are in the right place! I grew up exploring New England, so I can provide you with the best insight on what to do on your road trip. Boston is most likely where you will fly if you are visiting Acadia National Park, and although the drive is almost five hours, it has many beautiful spots along the way.
Whether you want to spend one day driving or make it a fun multi-day road trip, this guide is the perfect place to start planning! It has everything you need to know about the best stops for a Boston to Acadia National Park road trip.
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Things to Know About Driving From Boston to Acadia National Park
Since Boston is only a few hours from Acadia National Park, planning a road trip is not overly difficult. You have a few different ways to drive it, depending on what you want to do and see. No matter what, you will fall in love with this beautiful road trip!
Distance from Boston to Acadia National Park
If you drove straight to Acadia National Park from Boston without stopping, the drive would be about 4.5 hours without traffic. In the summer, the traffic can cause over an hour delay. I would recommend allocating an entire day to driving from Boston to Acadia National Park to accommodate traffic delays and have time to stop at a few places along the way!
Getting from Boston to Acadia National Park
Drive: The easiest and quickest way to get from Boston to Acadia National Park is to drive. Driving also allows you to have the flexibility to stop along the trip!
Bus: If you do not want to drive, you can take a Greyhound Bus from Boston to Bangor and hop onto another bus from Bangor to Bar Harbor. The bus ride is a full-day trip.
Train: Although a train does not directly connect Boston to Acadia National Park, you can ride the train from Boston to Portland and hop on a bus to Acadia National Park. The train and bus ride is a full-day trip.
Airplane: If you do not want to road trip, you are in luck! Cape Air offers flights seasonally from Boston to Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport just outside of Acadia National Park. The flight is quick and usually not too expensive.
Best Time to Plan a Road Trip
Acadia National Park is open year-round, so no matter what season you want to visit, you will have plenty of things to do! Summer and fall are the best times to visit because you can enjoy the coastal road trip in all its glory. You will have endless beaches, lighthouses, and downtowns to explore.
Summer and fall are the busiest times to visit these areas, so there will be crowds. If you are up for a winter road trip, you can enjoy the must-see sights with fewer crowds. Driving along the coast during winter is beautiful!
Where to Stay
If you are planning a multi-day road trip, there are many great places to stay! The areas that will have the most accommodations are Boston, Portsmouth, Portland, Camden, and Bar Harbor. These areas will also have the most things to do, including attractions, tours, and restaurants. Many of the smaller towns you pass through will have fewer accommodations but are still great options!
Boston to Acadia National Park Road Trip Itineraries
Whether you want to make your road trip from Boston to Acadia National Park two days or seven days, there are many ways you can build your itinerary! Here are a few example road trip itineraries I would recommend!
3-Day Road Trip
Day 1: Boston to Portland
Day 2: Rockland and Camden
Day 3: Acadia National Park
4-5-Day Road Trip
Day 1: Boston to Salem or Portsmouth
Day 2: Portland
Day 3 and 4: Boothbay, Rockland, and Camden
Day 5: Acadia National Park
6-8-Day Road Trip
Day 1: Boston to Salem
Day 2: Portsmouth
Day 3: York and Kennebunkport
Day 4: Portland
Day 5 and 6: Boothbay, Rockland, and Camden
Day 7: Acadia National Park
The Best Boston to Acadia National Park Road Trip Stops
Although there are many places between Boston and Acadia National Park, these are a few of my favorites. I grew up making this drive to Acadia National Park, and these are the spots I would stop at continuously. You will not be disappointed!
Boston, MA
Of course, the first stop is Boston! If you have time, you will love spending at least one day walking around Boston. Boston is a historic city, offering many things to do, including historical sites, museums, parks, and delicious food.
Although you can spend a week experiencing everything it offers, you can see many must-see sights in one day. I recommend spending at least one full day in Boston if you have time!
Here are some of the best things to do:
Freedom Trail
Paul Revere House
Old State House
Boston Common and Public Gardens
Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market
North End
USS Constitution and Museum
Museum of Fine Arts
Salem, MA
Salem is a beautiful coastal town in Massachusetts and a perfect place to stop on your road trip. It is known for being the home of the Salem Witch Trials, so if you love learning about that part of history, you will love Salem!
Although Salem is known as one of the best places to visit around Halloween, it offers fun things to do year-round! You can enjoy delicious food, visit cute shops, go on a ghost tour, or explore museums.
Here are some of the best things to do:
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
The House of Seven Gables
The Witch House at Salem
Salem Willows Park
Salem Common
Portsmouth, NH
I hope you love beautiful coastal towns because there are many of them between Boston and Acadia National Park! Portsmouth is a small town on the border of New Hampshire and Maine and offers fun things to do for the entire family! Whether you want to enjoy a delicious lobster roll or walk around the harbor, Portsmouth has something for everyone.
Here are some of the best things to do:
Prescott Park
Strawberry Bank Museum
Portsmouth Book and Bar
Odiorne Point State Park
York, ME
If you are looking for a spot with beautiful beaches, look no further! York is a gorgeous beach town on the coast of Maine, with some of the most beautiful beaches. Long Sands Beach and Short Sands Beach offer some of the best places to enjoy a day in the sun and ocean.
If beach days are not your thing, no problem! You can explore Nubble Lighthouse or drive to the top of Mount Agamenticus. York has many fun things to do for the entire family!
Here are some of the best things to do:
Nubble Lighthouse
Long Sands Beach
Short Sands Beach
York’s Wild Kingdom
Mount Agamenticus
Kennebunkport, ME
Between York and Portland lives a small fishing town named Kennebunkport. It is one of the most popular summer destinations on the coast because it offers beautiful sandy beaches, whale watching, and cruises around the harbor. Whether you want to enjoy a delicious seafood meal by the ocean or go whale watching, you will love your time in Kennebunkport.
Here are some of the best things to do:
Seashore Trolly Museum
Lobster Tours
Goat Island Lighthouse
Whale Watching
Portland, ME
Portland is the largest city (besides Boston) between Boston and Acadia National Park. It sits along the coast of Maine and offers many things to do. If you are a lighthouse lover, Portland is the perfect place to stop on your road trip to Acadia National Park! Portland has five lighthouses within a short drive from downtown. And if you do not like lighthouses, do not fret! Portland has delicious food and a cute downtown area you can explore.
Here are some of the best things to do:
Portland Head Light
Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse
Bug Light
Two Lights State Park
Portland Museum of Art
Peaks Island
Boothbay, ME
Boothbay is one of the most picturesque coastal towns in Maine. It is also the go-to place for all things boat tours. Whether you want to go on a sunset cruise, see puffins, cruise around lighthouses, or go whale watching, Boothbay has a fun cruise for everyone! And, of course, the downtown area is adorable, and it has delicious food.
Here are some of the best things to do:
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Barrett park
Puffin Tours
Whale Watching
Lerner Garden of the Five Senses
Rockland, ME
I hope you haven’t had your fill of beautiful coastal towns because the last two are some of the most beautiful! Rockland is a stunning coastal town in Midcoast Maine on Penobscot Bay that should be a stop on every road trip! You can enjoy shopping in its downtown, sailing on a cruise, visiting lighthouses, and relaxing by the ocean. And you can visit the beautiful islands nearby from cruises leaving out of the harbor in Rockland.
Here are some of the best things to do:
Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse
Farnsworth Art Museum
Owls Head State Park
Rockland Harbor Trail
Vinalhaven
New Haven
Camden, ME
One of the last stops before Acadia National Park is one of Maine's most picturesque coastal towns. Camden is not too far from Rockland, so you can easily add it to your road trip itinerary.
Camden is a stunning coastal town in Midcoast Maine on Penobscot Bay that offers many things to do year-round. If you like mountains by the ocean, this is the perfect place for you! You can shop in its downtown, sail on a cruise, hike in Camden Hills State Park, explore nearby lighthouses, or relax by the ocean. It has something to do for everyone!
Here are some of the best things to do:
Camden Hills State Park
Laite Memorial Beach
Megunticook Falls
Acadia National Park, ME
And, of course, the last stop on your road trip is Acadia National Park. Despite being located on Maine’s coast, the 49,000 acres of Acadia National Park are not known for the typical Maine attractions. Acadia National Park instead offers a uniqueness not found anywhere else in the state, which is one of the reasons it is in the most visited national parks every year despite being one of the smallest!
Acadia National Park offers coastal views, rocky beaches, dramatic cliffs, and beautiful mountain views and has activities for the entire family! Whether you want to drive to the tallest mountain for sunrise, walk along its rocky cliffs, spend a day at the beach, or hike around the park, there is something for everyone.
Here are some of the best things to do:
Thunder Hole
Sand Beach
Otter Cliffs
Cadillac Mountain
Jordan Pond
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
If you want to drive from Boston to Acadia National Park, this guide is the perfect place to start planning! It has everything you need to know about the best Boston to Acadia National Park road trip itinerary!
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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