Hike & Kayak Maine's Acadia National Park

Welcome to Bangor! After meeting your fellow travellers, you’ll hop on a shuttle over to Acadia National Park for the start of your hiking and kayaking adventure. There’ll be a short stop at the visitor’s centre before you’re quickly whisked away to the scenic Sand Beach – the starting point for your hike along the Great Head Trail. Pass by ocean views, rocky scrambles and hints of the area’s history before looping back down south toward the wonderfully named Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff. You’ll enjoy a trail lunch with your group overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, where you might spot a seal or two swimming about! The final hike of your first day will take you to Jordan Pond – a glacially carved lake bordered by two rounded peaks known as the Bubbles. As you go, keep an eye out for beaver activity below or nesting peregrine falcons above.

After breakfast, you’ll head out to conquer two of Acadia’s highest peaks. First on the list is Cadillac Mountain, where your hike will start gently before easing into more of an incline. There’ll be granite stairs and iron rungs to lend a hand but expect your lungs to get a workout! The effort will be well rewarded at the summit, where you’ll get breathtaking views of Bar Habor, Frenchman Bay and the Schoodic Peninsula. After, head next door to Dorr Mountain – at the summit there’ll be a stop for lunch where you can enjoy an unspoiled ocean view. If time allows, after the descent, you’ll head into Bar Harbor and visit a local museum to learn about the area’s history and hear the stories of the Wabanaki people.

Today you’ll go a bit further afield, travelling by ferry over to Winter Harbor/Schoodic Peninsula. This is the quieter side of Acadia with only 10% of visitors to the park making the journey over (meaning there will be even less in-between you and Mother Nature). When you arrive, you’ll drive a loop round around the peninsula, taking in the views of lighthouses, seabirds and forested islands, stopping to take a few snaps. Then you’ll be out on foot again for a walk from Blueberry Hill up the Anvil Trail, then onward to Schoodic Head. There’ll be a stop for lunch at the summit as you pause to take in the panoramic ocean views. Once back at sea level you’ll do some more exploring of Winter Harbor before heading home to Bar Harbor for the night.

Get up early this morning and head to Acadia to take on its most famous hike – the Beehive Loop. Sprinkled with steep cliff faces and narrow ledges, it’s not a hike for those who don’t do heights! But for those that brave it out, you’ll be rewarded with a commanding view looking back over Sand Beach and Great Head. You’ll descend using a gentler route around The Bowl, a serene pond, where a well-deserved lunch will be served. After heading back for some downtime at your accommodation, you’ll then head out for a session of sea kayaking. Set off in tandem kayaks and paddle around the Porcupine Islands and along the coastline of Frenchman Bay, hopefully spotting a few harbor seals and porpoises as you go.

Your final day on Mount Desert Island starts with a shuttle toward Bass Harbor – a fishing village on the quiet side of the island. Along the way you’ll check out a postcard-perfect view of a 19th century lighthouse which has featured on USA currency. You’ll then head on a loop hike, taking you through some of the park’s most interesting and vertical cliff formations. Rocky steps and ladders will help you on your way to an incredible view of Echo Lake. With one peak down, there’s only one to go as you take an easier wander through beech forest heading for the summit of the aptly named Beech Mountain. After taking a second and enjoying a few snacks, you’ll head back down to your vehicle, have one last lunch together – then it’s back to Bangor where your adventure will end. If you’d like to extend your stay here, just speak to your booking agent.