ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
As a Maine photographer, I’ve had the opportunity to experience some of the best photo spots in Acadia National Park! I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite locations, with pros, cons, and photo examples!
Monument Cove
Pros: amazing sunrise, great lighting any time of day, parking lot/roadside parking, great ocean backdrop views, very private
Cons: none!
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, families, small elopements
Sunrise
Mid-Morning
Evening
Otter Point
Pros: amazing sunset, parking lot/roadside parking, great ocean backdrop views
Cons: difficult to access during high tide, the waves can be big and get you wet, potentially dangerous for young kids and pets
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, small elopements
Morning
Evening
Otter Cliff Overlook
Pros: beautiful sunset, huge parking lot, ocean backdrop views, tree backdrop views, expansive area, rocky cliff area
Cons: small area, parking lot can fill up quickly (still can park on the road), can be dangerous for kids or pets, mosquitoes at sunrise
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, small elopements
Mid-Morning
Evening
Gorham Mountain Trail
Pros: easy 25 minute hike, beautiful sunset views, view of Otter Cliffs and Sand Beach in the background, tree backdrop views, parking lot/roadside parking, expansive area, multiple access points
Cons: it gets dark quickly, so you can’t enjoy sunset for too long before you need to head down!
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, small elopements, families
Sunrise
Mid-Morning
Evening
Little Hunter’s Beach
Pros: decent sunset, expansive rocky beach area, cliff views, great ocean backdrop views, quiet, less touristy
Cons: no parking lot - roadside parking only, easy to drive past because there’s no sign, not a lot of area when it’s high tide, waves can be massive when it’s windy, some rocky cliffs require climbing and may be difficult to access, when it’s really windy, there’s a stream you have to walk through, relatively steep stairs
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, small elopements, families who may be up for the challenge!
Morning and Afternoon
Sand Beach
Pros: great ocean backdrop views, some rocky cliff views, lots of space to run/walk around, parking lot/roadside parking, best in the evening when there’s fewer people and more parking spaces
Cons: need to time it with low tide well, cold water (if you want to stand in it for photos), parking fills up quickly, so if you park on the road, you may have to park far away, poor cell service
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, small elopements, families
Mid-Morning
Evening
The Bubbles
Pros: easy 25 minute hike, beautiful views of Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake in the background, expansive area, beautiful at sunrise, accessible for kids/families, unique “bubble” rock!, small parking lot
Cons: extremely small parking lot, no roadside parking, accessing the bubble rock can be dangerous for children and/or pets
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, small elopements
Afternoon/Evening
Jordan Pond
Pros: very accessible for all age groups, expansive area, beautiful lake and tree backdrop views, beautiful sunrise
Cons: almost impossible to get a parking spot, very crowded
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, small elopements, families
Afternoon/Evening
Great Meadow
Pros: very accessible for all age groups, expansive area, beautiful field backdrop
Cons: very small parking area, but parking along roadside is permitted
Perfect for: engagements & couples
Morning/Afternoon/Evening
Schooner Head
Pros: very accessible for all age groups, expansive area, beautiful rocky ledges with ocean backdrop, plenty of parking, not crowded, gets sunrise
Cons: slight uphill walk headed back to the parking lot, high cliffs/ledges
Perfect for: engagements & couples