Where to Stay in Acadia: Inside the Park, Gateway Towns, and Campgrounds

By David Sanchez · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Acadia

The short answer. For a first visit, stay in Bar Harbor. You'll be five minutes from the main trails, in a lively town with restaurants, shops, and boat excursions. If being immersed in nature matters most, Blackwoods Campground puts you right in the park's forest. Plan on two to three nights; the Acadia itinerary guide helps you build your day-by-day schedule.

Acadia has one feature that makes this decision easier: the park occupies mainly one island, Mount Desert Island, or MDI, and places to stay outside the park are often less than 15 minutes from the entrances. Unlike Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, the distance between “inside the park” and “outside the park” isn't a deciding factor. What matters is how much comfort you want, your budget, and what you want to experience in the morning.

Where to stay: towns, lodges and campgrounds (12)

All Gateway townsLodgesCampgrounds

• Gateway town Bar Harbor entrance Park Loop Road main entrance (Acadia Welcome Center) · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Southwest Harbor entrance Seawall Entrance / west side of Mount Desert Island · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Northeast Harbor entrance Seal Harbor Entrance / south side of Mount Desert Island · hotels, restaurants, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Somesville entrance Central MDI junction (Route 102 / Route 198) · restaurants Directions ↗
• Gateway town Bass Harbor entrance Bass Harbor Head / Seawall Entrance (SW side) · restaurants, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Trenton entrance Main entrance via Route 3 (before the MDI bridge) · hotels, restaurants, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Ellsworth entrance Main entrance via Route 3 (mainland hub, ~12 miles) · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Winter Harbor entrance Schoodic Peninsula entrance (Acadia mainland unit) · hotels, restaurants, gas station Directions ↗
• Campground Blackwoods Campground recreation.gov · 281 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Seawall Campground recreation.gov · 202 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Schoodic Woods Campground recreation.gov · 89 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Duck Harbor Campground see NPS · 5 sites Directions ↗

Show interactive map Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO

⚠ Gateway town & Lodge data is undergoing editorial review.

Should You Stay Inside or Outside the Park?

It's the question everyone asks before booking, and the answer comes down to two things: how comfortable you are with camping and how early you want to start your days.

Choose to stay inside the park if:

• You camp and want to hit the trails at dawn without getting back in the car
• You want to watch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain: from Blackwoods, you'll get there in exactly 20 minutes
• You want stars and quiet in the woods at the end of the day

Choose to stay outside the park if:

• You're traveling with family or prefer a bed, a private bathroom, and easy access to restaurants
• Your lodging budget is flexible: options outside the park range from affordable motels to charming inns
• You want to enjoy Bar Harbor in the evening, with lobster, cider bars, and galleries

The drive between a hotel in town and the park entrance takes between five and 10 minutes. On MDI, the geography works in your favor.

Lodging Inside the Park: Camping Only

Acadia doesn't have a classic NPS lodge, unlike the Grand Canyon Lodge or Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn. No concessioner operates rooms or cabins within the park boundaries. The only way to “sleep in Acadia” is to camp. That's something to know before you start looking for a room “in the heart of the forest.”

The Jordan Pond House, often mentioned in guidebooks, is a restaurant known for its popovers and afternoon tea. You can't book a room there. For inns, hotels, and B&Bs, you'll find everything in the island's towns or on the nearby mainland. The hotels and inns around Acadia are organized by area and budget.

Camping in Acadia: The Park's Four Campgrounds

The NPS operates four campgrounds in Acadia, each with a very different setting and logistics. None offers electrical hookups for RVs. See the RV camping options around Acadia for sites with hookups outside the park.

Blackwoods Campground

On MDI's east coast, about 3 miles south of Bar Harbor, Blackwoods is the park's busiest and most convenient campground. You'll find conifer forest, direct access to several trails, and a free Island Explorer shuttle nearby. Reservations are required through Recreation.gov and open six months ahead. July weekend sites disappear within minutes of the booking window opening. The campground is open year-round, with some sites accessible even in winter.

Seawall Campground

On MDI's “Quiet Side,” in the southwest, Seawall is calmer and far less exposed to cruise-ship crowds. It has a family-and-independent-hiker feel, with direct access to the Bass Harbor area and its lighthouse. It's generally open from late May through late September. Some sites are first-come, first-served, so arrive before 9 a.m. for a chance at a spot.

Schoodic Woods Campground

The only campground on Schoodic Peninsula, the mainland section of the park, about 56 miles from Bar Harbor by road. You can also reach it by seasonal ferry from Bar Harbor in about 75 minutes. Crowds are lighter, bike paths start right at the campground, and some sites look out over the ocean. It's open from May through October, with reservations through Recreation.gov. It's a great option if you want to get away from the bustle of MDI.

Duck Harbor Campground (Isle au Haut)

This is a full experience in itself: five lean-tos on Isle au Haut, accessible only by ferry from Stonington, a trip of about 45 minutes. Sites are extremely limited, and reservations are competitive starting in April through Recreation.gov. It's for independent hikers who want the park without the crowds, as long as they're willing to handle the extra logistics. The Acadia campground guide walks you through the reservation process step by step.

Where to Stay Around Acadia: Gateway Towns

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is the park's main gateway and the best-equipped town on MDI. Historic inns, ocean-view B&Bs, boutique hotels, a few major chains, and plenty of vacation rentals make it a full-service lodging market. It's very lively in July and August, when cruise ships regularly bring thousands of visitors ashore for the day, and more laid-back in spring and September.

Best for: first-time visitors who want everything close by, families with kids, and couples combining trails with dinner by the water. Distance to Hulls Cove Visitor Center: about 3 miles.

Southwest Harbor

About 12 miles southwest of Bar Harbor on the same island, Southwest Harbor has a much more local feel. You'll find small family-run inns, a few excellent restaurants, and direct access to trails on the west side, including Acadia Mountain, Beech Mountain, and St. Sauveur. Lodging rates are slightly lower than in Bar Harbor for a similar level of comfort.

Best for: experienced hikers, travelers looking for a local atmosphere, and returning Acadia visitors who want to explore the Quiet Side away from downtown crowds.

Ellsworth

Ellsworth is the area's service town, about 16 miles north of Bar Harbor on the mainland, before the bridge to MDI. Big-box stores, supermarkets, hotel chains, and motels are concentrated here. It's not a destination in itself, but it's a dependable option if the island is sold out or your budget is tight.

Best for: road-trippers who want to spend less on lodging and families stopping overnight before heading to Bar Harbor. Allow 30 to 40 minutes to drive to the park entrance.

When Should You Book Your Acadia Lodging?

Acadia draws several million visitors every year, concentrated in a short summer season. Lodging pressure starts building as early as June.

For NPS campgrounds, reservations open on Recreation.gov exactly six months before your arrival date, at 8 a.m. Eastern Time. For a Blackwoods site on a July Saturday, be online at 7:59 a.m. Cancellations sometimes free up sites a few days before the date, so check regularly if you miss the opening.

For Bar Harbor hotels and inns, book three to six months ahead for July and August. September is still pleasant and much easier for reservations, with fall foliage arriving by late September. The best times to visit Acadia guide breaks down the advantages of each season.

The NPS may activate a timed entry reservation system on peak days. Check the park's official website before finalizing your dates.

Lodging Budget: How Much Does It Cost to Stay in Acadia?

Here are the typical high-season ranges for July and August:

In the shoulder season, from May through June and September through October, expect rates at most lodging outside the park to be 30% to 50% lower. NPS camping remains the best value if you have the gear. For entrance fees and annual passes, the National Parks fees and passes page offers useful benchmarks.

Our Recommendation for Every Type of Traveler

First visit. An inn or B&B in Bar Harbor for two nights. You'll have every convenience close at hand and can adjust your plans to the day's weather, which changes quickly on the island.

Families with kids. Bar Harbor for comfort and accessibility. If your kids enjoy camping, Blackwoods is ideal, with decent restrooms, an immersive forest setting, and free Island Explorer shuttles to the trails so you can leave the car behind. The Acadia family activities guide lists activities and trails that work well for families.

Tight budget. Blackwoods or Seawall for campers, and a motel in Ellsworth for everyone else. You'll save on lodging and can put that money toward activities and seafood restaurants.

Immersed in nature. Blackwoods for the accessible option, or Duck Harbor on Isle au Haut for a wild, isolated experience. Either way, book as soon as reservations open. Our hiking page helps you plan a trail lineup from your campsite.

Second visit or looking for peace and quiet. Southwest Harbor or Schoodic Peninsula. Crowds are lighter, cruise visitors rarely make it to these sections of the park, and you'll have access to trails with sweeping ocean views.

Frequently Asked Questions