Getting to the Park
Arriving by Car
Thankfully, you do not need a boat to get to Mount Desert Island and can instead drive from the mainland over the Trenton Bridge. In terms of transportation, driving is the most common way to visit the island. From southern Maine you can follow I-95 north to Bangor, then I-395 to Route 1A, and brings you directly to the island. You can also instead take the more scenic route that starts in Portland and follows Rout 1 up the coast until it connects to Route 1A in Ellsworth.
Coordinates and Addresses for Popular Locations
Arriving by Plane
- Hancock County Airport
- 10 miles from Acadia National Park
- Direct flight from Boston's Logan Airport
- Car rentals available
- Bangor International Airport
- About 1 hour from Acadia National Park
- National airlines flights
- Car rentals available
Parking
Acadia National Park
If your selected mode of transportation was a car, you will need to purchase a park entrance pass. From May to October, all vehicles must display a park entrance pass when in the park. There are various parking locations in Bar Harbor and throughout the park, however, the most popular locations often fill up quickly. These locations include Jordan Pond, Echo Lake, and Sand Beach. Parking is also permitted along the right hand side of signed portions of the one-way section of Park Loop Road.
Bar Harbor
Parking is available in several public parking lots and parallel parking spaces in Bar Harbor. Parallel parking is paid by the hour using parking meters and public parking lots are paid by the hour parking kiosks.