Acadia & Bar Harbor Weekend Trip from Boston
Granite coast, carriage roads and the first sunrise in the United States
2 days, 553 mi, about 10h 36m of driving: planned day by day with stops and somewhere to stay.
2 days, 553 mi, roughly 10h 36m of driving spread across them — Boston, Massachusetts, USA to Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Each day below is paced around a realistic amount of time in the car, with stops, timings and somewhere to sleep already worked out. Swap anything you don't like, or rebuild a whole day.
Lighthouse in the morning, harbor town at midday, island coastline by dinner — Maine unspools north all day.
Portland Head Light · Cape Elizabeth
Maine's oldest and most photographed lighthouse, perched on a rocky point above the Atlantic.
💡 Park at Fort Williams Park; the light is a short walk from the lot.
Cape Elizabeth
Camden Hills State Park · Camden
A drive-up viewpoint over Penobscot Bay and Camden's harbor — no climbing required, just a short walk from the summit parking.
💡 Drive the toll road to the top of Mount Battie for the view without the walk.
280 Belfast Rd, Camden
Long Grain · Camden
A well-loved small-town restaurant in Camden known for its noodle dishes — worth the stop on a coastal drive.
💡 Small space — arrive right at opening or expect a short wait.
20 Washington St, Camden
Overnight in Bar Harbor, Maine, USA
- View
Browse places to stay
Bar Harbor, Maine, USA · $$
Booking happens on the partner's site.
- Book Bar Harbor lodging ahead in summer — rooms sell out fast on Mount Desert Island
- Fort Williams Park lot fills by late morning in season — arrive early
- Route 1 has slow stretches through coastal towns — build in buffer time
- Two Lights State Park+3 mi
Rocky shoreline park near Portland Head Light with dramatic surf views, easy add-on.
- Owls Head Light+9 mi
Quieter, less-visited lighthouse near Camden/Rockland with a short walkable path.
You crest Acadia's summit at dawn, hear the sea roar at Thunder Hole, then pause at a lighthouse before the final stretch home.
Start the day inside Acadia before the long drive south begins.
Cadillac Mountain · Bar Harbor
The highest point on the U.S. Atlantic coast, reachable by a paved summit road — panoramic views without any climbing.
💡 Vehicle reservation required in season to drive the summit road — book online in advance.
Parking lot, Bar Harbor
The Park Loop Road links the summit down to the shoreline stops below.
Thunder Hole · Bar Harbor
A natural inlet where waves crash and echo dramatically — a quick, easy roadside stop along the Park Loop Road.
💡 Time your visit near high tide for the loudest, biggest splashes.
Bar Harbor
- Reserve Cadillac Mountain summit road entry online before 8am departure
- Splitting the drive at Portland keeps each leg well under the 8-hour cap
- I-95 through Boston can have heavy traffic near the city — avoid rush hour arrival
- Jordan Pond+5 mi
Iconic Acadia pond view with the Bubbles mountains behind it, an easy roadside stop.
- Kennebunkport, Maine+9 mi
Charming coastal town with harbor views, a scenic pause between Portland and Boston.
- Portsmouth Harbor Waterfront+6 mi
A walkable historic waterfront with tall ships, brick streets and river views on the way south.
Make this trip your own
Plan your own road trip →This route was drafted with AI. Please double-check roads, opening hours and local conditions before you go.
Made with Roadanza
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This route covers 553 mi. Put your own car's consumption and local fuel price in and you'll have the number in a few seconds.
Work it out for this route →Questions, answered
- How long does this route take?
- 2 days as planned here, covering 553 mi — an average of 277 mi a day and about 10h 36m of driving in total. You can stretch it by adding days, which spreads the same distance more thinly rather than adding new ground.
- Can I drive it in fewer days?
- You can, but the driving days get longer rather than the trip getting shorter: the distance doesn't change. Cutting one day from a 2-day plan adds roughly 277 mi to whichever days absorb it. If you're short on time, it's usually better to cut the far end of the route than to compress every day.
- Is this a loop?
- Yes, this one returns to where it starts, so a hire car goes back to the same desk and you don't pay a one-way fee.
- Can I change this itinerary?
- Yes. Open it in the planner and every stop can be swapped for one of three alternatives, any day can be rebuilt, and you can add or remove days. The drive times and the budget recalculate around whatever you change.
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