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
Cons: none!
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, families, small elopements
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
Otter Cliffs
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
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
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!
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
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
* I do not typically recommend these locations due to the extremely unpredictable parking situations! The most likely time you can get a parking spot is at sunrise, but that is still very risky! If your heart is set on photographing at these locations, then my recommendation is to have a family member drop you off (including me!) and drive around while we take photos and then pick us up after! I have also randomly gone and have only had to wait a short time for a parking spot, so I would recommend being in one car (I’ll usually drive!) so that we can stay together and only need 1 parking spot versus multiple. When we choose to do this, it’s more of a “let’s see if we can get a parking spot” and we may only hang around for a little bit before moving on to another location :)
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
* I do not typically recommend these locations due to the extremely unpredictable parking situations! The most likely time you can get a parking spot is at sunrise, but that is still very risky! If your heart is set on photographing at these locations, then my recommendation is to have a family member drop you off (including me!) and drive around while we take photos and then pick us up after! I have also randomly gone and have only had to wait a short time for a parking spot, so I would recommend being in one car (I’ll usually drive!) so that we can stay together and only need 1 parking spot versus multiple. When we choose to do this, it’s more of a “let’s see if we can get a parking spot” and we may only hang around for a little bit before moving on to another location :)
Downtown Bar Harbor
Pros: very accessible, family friendly, great views of the ocean, access to the beach/waterfront area, beautiful sunset in the evening, close to all the restaurants, shops, and hotels,
Cons: often difficult to find a parking spot if you aren’t staying at one of the hotels in the area, very busy, limited access to the beach area during high-tide
Perfect for: engagements, proposals, couples, families (especially big families!)