Acadia Island Explorer Questions

Can anyone share their experience with using the bus system within Acadia Park. I have looked at booking a tour, but I truly would like to have more flexibility to stop and see more. We like to Hike and take pictures.

Would anyone have any suggestions as to how to utilize the bus system so that we can see as much as possible in one day

Thanks for in advance for everyone's help in planning our trip

The biggest disadvantage to using the Island Explorer to tour is that IE does not go to the top of Cadillac Mountain, but you will be able to spend more time for photography and hiking than going on a group tour.

So the trade off for using IE to tour is - no Cadillac Mountain summit, but time for photography and hiking. The IE route to use would be number 4 which does the Park Loop Road. Route #4 attractions includes Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliff, Jordon Pond House, Bubble Rock. You will have access to trails: to name a few - Carriage Roads, the Ocean Trail, Jordon Pond Nature Trail, Bowl Trail, Bubble Rock Trail, Great Head Trail, and Jordon Pond Shore Trail. From Bar Harbor, you will access the BH Shore Path and Bar Island (only at low tide).

You could use a different route. Route #5 goes to Northeast Harbor which is picturesque. Attractions on route #5 include Jordon Pond, Seal Harbor and Bubble Rock. Some of the trails mentioned for Route #4 would still be available.

You have to know the bus schedule and the times needed to get from point A to point B. Guessing is not allowed.

SBtS

While in Bar Harbor, we rented a cab (a minivan for ultimate comfort). I think it was $80 (per cab, not per person) for a good portion of while we were in town (4 hours maybe). Or cab driver took us to all the hot spots, gave us some local insight, and stopped wherever we wanted. You can rent one at the information booth right outside the port area.

The biggest disadvantage to using the Island Explorer to tour is that IE does not go to the top of Cadillac Mountain, but you will be able to spend more time for photography and hiking than going on a group tour.

 

So the trade off for using IE to tour is - no Cadillac Mountain summit, but time for photography and hiking. The IE route to use would be number 4 which does the Park Loop Road. Route #4 attractions includes Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliff, Jordon Pond House, Bubble Rock. You will have access to trails: to name a few - Carriage Roads, the Ocean Trail, Jordon Pond Nature Trail, Bowl Trail, Bubble Rock Trail, Great Head Trail, and Jordon Pond Shore Trail. From Bar Harbor, you will access the BH Shore Path and Bar Island (only at low tide).

 

You could use a different route. Route #5 goes to Northeast Harbor which is picturesque. Attractions on route #5 include Jordon Pond, Seal Harbor and Bubble Rock. Some of the trails mentioned for Route #4 would still be available.

 

You have to know the bus schedule and the times needed to get from point A to point B. Guessing is not allowed.

 

 

SBtS

Make sure it is still running when you visit. On all 3 of our visits we cruised the week following the date they stopped running. I believe it is Columbus day. (Actually we visited that week but after Columbus day.)

The bus only runs every 30 minutes.