Where to Stay in Acadia National Park: Best Areas & Places to Stay

Are you wondering where to stay in Acadia National Park? Trust me, I know how tricky it can be. Before my first visit to Maine’s most famous recreational area, I felt the exact same!

With an area of 47,000 acres surrounded by a handful of gorgeous little towns and villages, feeling overwhelmed is completely normal. Fortunately, when you break down the neighborhoods where much of the accommodation is situated, it’s not as bad as you think.

This guide on the best places to stay near Acadia National Park will wipe away all of your confusion and help you choose the right location to base yourself. We’ll go through all the best areas to stay in Acadia, along with their pros and cons and hotel recommendations for each. Let’s get into it!

*Disclosure: This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link.*

Overview of Where to Stay in Acadia National Park

If you’re looking for the best place to stay in Acadia National Park, you won’t be short of options; from camping at Blackwoods Campground to lodging in one of the villages at North Mount Desert Island, you’ll be spoiled for choice. 

Anyone who doesn’t want to stay directly in the park itself won’t be short of options either; the closest neighborhood with hotels is Bar Harbor, which is only 1.3 miles (2.1 km) away.

For this post, I’m going to speak about six of the main places that visitors tend to stick to when coming to Acadia National Park. All have their benefits and drawbacks and offer something different from the others, but I’m certain there will be one that suits your style.

You must establish your budget before choosing where to stay in Acadia National Park. Generally speaking, the closer you are to the park, the more expensive the place will be. But there are always some last-minute bargains to be snapped up as long as you keep an eye on the prices.

AREA	BEST FOR	RECOMMENDED HOTEL	MORE HOTELS
Camping Inside Acadia National Park	Adventure travelers, budget-friendly	Blackwoods Campground	-
Bar Harbor	First-time visitors, convenience, foodies	The Elmhurst Inn	More hotels in Bar Harbor
North Mount Desert Island	Family-friendly, quiet escape	Eden Village Motel and Cottages	More hotels in Mount Desert Island
Ellsworth & Trenton	Budget-friendly, fine-dining, culture	Hampton Inn Ellsworth	More hotels in Trenton More hotels in Ellsworth
Northeast Harbor	Luxury stays, summer visits	Kimball Terrace Inn	More hotels in Northeast Harbor
Southwest Harbor	Quiet stays, off the beaten path, outdoorsy lovers	Lindenwood Inn	More hotels in Southwest Harbor
Bangor	City lovers, nightlife, dining, atmosphere, shopping	Fairfield Inn by Marriott Bangor	More hotels in Bangor

Best Areas to Stay in Acadia National Park

1. Camping inside Acadia National Park

Let’s start with the bad news: If you want to stay directly inside the park, your options will be very limited. Unfortunately, there are absolutely no hotels within the premises of Acadia, so your only option is camping.

Even when it comes to camping, you won’t be spoilt for choice. In fact, there is only one designated campground inside the park: Blackwoods Campground.

Right in the heart of Acadia National Park and only ten minutes from the seaside, Blackwoods is a site made for small and large tents with additional space for RVs to park up, but it’s limited.

Additionally, the site has all the amenities avid campers could ask for, including flushable toilets, BBQ facilities, picnic tables, and more.

Since Blackwoods Campground is at the center of the park, staying here will give you prime access to a bunch of activities like biking trails, mountain walks, boat cruises, and a 27-mile (43.5 km) loop road system connecting you to the coastal areas.

Blackwoods Campground is the best place to stay in Acadia National Park if you’re after a low-priced getaway. Pitching a tent or parking up an RV is normally cheaper than splashing the cash on a fancy hotel, especially if you’re traveling alone. 

2. Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is where a lot of people tend to base themselves during their travels to Acadia National Park. The main reason for this is the short distance between the two – it’s only a five-minute drive, so even if you don’t have a car, you can take a cab or a bus.

Honestly, I love Bar Harbor; it’s the main access point to Acadia National Park, filled with yummy restaurants like Project Social Kitchen & Bar and cafes such as Coffee Hound at the Stadium.

Plus, the town has activities to suit every taste: rent an EV to cruise around, walk around the Jesup Memorial Library, or catch a movie at the Reel Pizza Cinerama.

Another huge perk of staying in Bar Harbor is that many ferries heading for the smaller islands in Acadia National Park depart from there quite frequently, giving you prime access to some parts of the recreational area you wouldn’t have if you stayed elsewhere.

Bar Harbor has a real charm to it; between the stunning seaside views and colored buildings along the shores, you’ll feel like you’re in paradise. You have to put it on your Acadia National Park itinerary!

The town only has a population of over 5,000 people, and much of the tourism is seasonal, so if you stay there during the off-season, it will have a real local feeling to it.

Whereas if you go in the summer, there’s a little more crowd and accommodation can be more expensive, so you have to weigh up your options.

Read Next: The Perfect 2 Days in Acadia National Park Itinerary

Pros and cons of staying in Bar Harbor

Best places to stay in Bar Harbor

3. North Mount Desert Island

North Mount Desert Island is a hidden gem unknown to many and doesn’t get near the number of visitors as Bar Harbor, but that’s its draw. It’s undoubtedly the best place to stay in Acadia National Park if you want a quiet escape.

The small areas of Salsbury Cove, Somesville, Pretty Marsh, and Hull’s Cove make up a good chunk of North Mount Desert Island.

It’s much cheaper to stay in these localities than other places I have included on this list of where to stay in Acadia National Park. A lot of the accommodations are motel-style, but they’re as clean as any hotel you would find around.

Don’t be shocked if there’s only an odd supermarket and restaurant where you’re staying; this is completely normal. I would advise you to try to find accommodation with a kitchen, so you’ll be able to cook in the evenings.

Of course, if you have a car, you can drive to a restaurant nearby without hassle, but not everyone’s in that situation.

Since North Mount Desert Island is more rural, fewer attractions will be around, which could be a bummer if you’re traveling with small kids. On the upside, nature is outstanding; for example, near Hull’s Cove is the picturesque Lake Wood, and close to Salisbury Cove is the Hamilton Pond.

Pros and cons of staying in North Mount Desert Island

Best places to stay in North Mount Desert Island

4. Ellsworth & Trenton

Ellsworth and Trenton are two quiet working-class neighborhoods that you’ll pass through on the way to Mount Desert Island. Since the two aren’t located on the island, accommodation is reasonably priced, making it one of the best places to stay near Acadia National Park on a budget.

What I love about Ellsworth and Trenton is that they always have a good atmosphere around them. Lots of people stay in these two areas on their vacation, and it surprises me how the prices remain cheap. Who’s complaining?

If you decide to book your hotel in Ellsworth, don’t leave without trying Morton’s Moo Homemade Ice Cream; it’s incredible. Some other fun things to do in the area include visiting the Old Creamery Antique Mall, the Stanwood Homestead Museum and Bird Sanctuary, and the Telephone Museum.

Trenton is equally as charming as Ellsworth, but there are slightly fewer activities. Not to worry, though; a few games of disc golf at the Acadia Disc Golf Center and some rock climbing at Volta will keep you occupied.

The drive from Ellsworth to Acadia National Park is less than 30 minutes. If you don’t have a car, the easiest way to get there is by taking a bus to Bar Harbor and another to the park’s entrance.

Another option would be to ask your accommodation to arrange a ride; they usually know people driving there daily and might be able to find you a seat in their car for a low price.

Pros and cons of staying in Ellsworth & Trenton

Best places to stay in Ellsworth

Best places to stay in Trenton

5. Northeast Harbor

Northeast Harbor is a beautiful village 5.3 miles (8.5 km) from Acadia National Park and attracts a crowd fond of splashing the cash.

Many visitors come here in the summer to show off their yachts and spend big at the Northeast Harbor Golf Club. If you’re aiming to go all out on accommodation, Northeast Harbor is one of the best places to stay in Acadia National Park. 

If you’re going to Acadia National Park from Northeast Harbor, you can park your car at Brown Mountain Park Area and walk from there. From my knowledge, no buses run there, but you can take a cab, and it shouldn’t cost any more than $10.

There aren’t many things to do in Northeast Harbor, but they have some pleasing cafes you should check out, like Milk and Honey Kitchen and Colonel’s Restaurant and Bakery.

Pros and cons of staying in Northeast Harbor

Best places to stay in Northeast Harbor

6. Southwest Harbor

If you want to disconnect from everyday life for a couple of days and immerse yourself in nature, Southwest Harbor is the location for you. 

This peaceful enclave sits right on the water on the western shores of Mount Desert. With a great variety of attractions for visitors, like the Wendell Gilley Museum, take a lobster cruise, and you can head out to Great Cranberry Island. There will be no shortage of things to keep you busy.

One of Acadia National Park’s entrances is only 1.6 miles (2.6 km) from Southwest Harbor; therefore, your journey there will be a breeze. Your transport options will be either taking a cab or hiking to the park, as no buses run, but it’s really not far at all.

While you’re in Southwest Harbor, make sure to allocate some of your time to explore the nearby islands like Sutton Island, Great Cranberry Island, Little Cranberry Island, and Swans Island.

Ferries from the Southwest Harbor depart at various times of the day, but the times depend on the season. Your accommodation will have up-to-date information, so don’t forget to ask.

Pros and cons of staying in Southwest Harbor

Best places to stay in Southwest Harbor

7. Bangor

The city of Bangor is a terrific place to station yourself for your upcoming visit to Acadia National Park if you would rather stay in a metropolitan area. It’s 43 miles (69 km) from the park, and the drive takes roughly an hour, so they’re quite a distance from each other.

One of the main benefits that comes with staying in a city like Bangor is that it has all your home comforts and a wealth of sights for entertainment. Moreover, the nightlife scene there is exceptional; bars like Paddy Murphy’s and Nocturnem Draft Haus are a must-visit.

Some buses will drop you to Bar Harbor, and you can get on another to take you to Acadia National Park, but honestly, I don’t think it’s worth it unless you have a car yourself. Buses can take quite a long time and will have you spending more time in a vehicle than out exploring.

Pros and cons of staying in Bangor

Best places to stay in Bangor

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