Acadia Locations
From ocean cliffs to lakes to mountaintops to carriage roads to mossy paths to stone bridges to birch-lined paths to sandy beaches, Acadia is full of beautiful places.
Which location is best for you? That depends on a few factors!
1) Accessibility - Can everyone in the group walk over rocks and roots, or is flat footing important? Is a spot close to parking best, or would a walk through the woods be doable?
2) Timing - Do you have to work around nap times, mealtimes, or cranky times of day? Are you up for an early session (close to sunrise) or is later morning/evening more realistic?
3) Group Size - Some locations have large spaces for big groups, and others work best with a smaller crew due to narrower paths.
4) Location - Nothing on the island will be more than a 45ish minute drive from anything else, but if proximity to a specific spot is important to you, we can guide you to the places closest to where you want to be!
5) The feel! - Each location has its own unique personality, so it’s helpful to consider what kind of “look” you’re going for in your photos.
Bass Harbor
Great for: morning light, classic coastline, lighthouse views
Group size: small groups
Best time: early morning (as close to sunrise as possible!)
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: not the best - steep drops
Mobility considerations: steep drops, lots of stairs, uneven footing on rocks
Seawall
Great for: the quiet side of the island, playing with rocks, ocean horizons
Group size: small or big groups
Best time: early morning (as close to sunrise as possible!)
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: moderate to okay! it’s easy to stay away from the rock edges
Mobility considerations: some slippery footing and walking over rocks
Ocean Path
Great for: ocean cliff vistas, classic “Acadia” views, can combine with Sand Beach (full session only)
Group size: any!
Best time: early morning close to sunrise, late afternoon
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: steep drops from cliffs - not great for running toddlers
Mobility considerations: some uneven footing on rocks, but we can stick to flat/wider areas
Other notes: very crowded after 9am in peak season. poison ivy in the vicinity.
Jordan Pond
Great for: variety - lake, mountain, carriage road, woods, bridges, boardwalks
Group size: small or big
Best time: early morning or afternoon
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: very!
Mobility considerations: easy walking
Other Notes: parking is extremely competitive (sometimes impossible!) after 9am-ish during peak season
Hunters Beach
Great for: variety (ocean, woods, bridge), fewer crowds
Group size: small to medium
Best time: early to mid morning
Session type: full sessions only
Kid-friendliness: path to the beach and beach itself have uneven footing, but there are lots of fun rocks/roots etc to explore
Mobility considerations: 1/4 mile path to the ocean is uneven (roots and rocks), and the beach is boulders
Other notes: not available for mini sessions because of the walking time to the beach
Sand Beach
Great for: mountain & ocean views, can combine with ocean path (full session only)
Group size: big or small
Best time: early morning (as close to sunrise as possible!)
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: very
Mobility considerations: long staircase to get to beach but then sandy footing
Other notes: crowded and difficult to park after 9am in peak season
Sieur de Monts
Great for: woods, birches, Acadia history
Group size: small to medium
Best time: morning or afternoon
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: very
Mobility considerations: easy walking from parking lot
Other notes: can be buggy
Eagle Lake
Great for: lake and mountain views, carriage roads, 3 miles from Bar Harbor
Group size: any!
Best time: afternoon/evening
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: very
Mobility considerations: easy walking and close to parking lot
Other notes: parking is competitive in peak season, need to be conscious of bikers on the carriage roads
Shore Path
Great for: ocean and Bar Harbor views, in Bar Harbor downtown
Group size: small to medium
Best time: early morning or afternoon/early evening
Session type: mini or full sessions
Kid-friendliness: some drops from edge
Mobility considerations: easy walking from parking
Other notes: downtown parking is competitive in peak season.
Compass Harbor
Great for: close to downtown Bar Harbor
Group size: small to medium
Best time: early morning or afternoon/early evening
Session type: full sessions only
Kid-friendliness: flat walking to beach. some rocks on beach to climb, but they can be avoided
Mobility considerations: the path to the beach is about 1/2 a mile and flat. the beach itself is mostly rocky and requires walking down some rocks.
Ship Harbor and Wonderland
Great for: the quiet side of the island, combination of woods and ocean
Group size: small to medium
Best time: early morning or evening
Session type: full sessions only
Kid-friendliness: some roots, rocks, and boardwalks along the trail. the large rocks to the ocean can be avoided with little walkers.
Mobility considerations: no elevation gain, but the trails are uneven in places
Other notes: parking can be limited in peak season, so we avoid late morning through the middle of the day
