Fall Foliage Itinerary Questions – Acadia National Park Tips

Greetings TRAVEL lovers! Fall Foliage is a BIG part of my travels, my thoughts and my Bookshelves to be honest!

Today my blog is an actual Question although a tad altered to try and protect the Writer.

NOTE: the question focuses in one part in particular- Acadia National Park and tomorrow I may cover WHY NOT drive from Boston to Bar Harbor in ONE DAY – please read on and thank you for supporting Jeff Foliage!

 Question taken from TripAdvisor—(seems the Forums are full of people who really want help but also could be great clients)

Question:—“My ________and I are planning a New England Fall Foliage Tour in the first two weeks of October. Fall Foliage is our #1 Goal we also like ____________ Below is our First Draft—and want input”

Day 1—Any City to Boston

Day 2-3: Boston

Day 4-6 Bar Harbor ME –“1 day to travel SLOWLY from Boston to Acadia and 2 to explore park”

Day 7-NH

Day 8 Lincoln NH

Day 9 etc…

Anwers:

The timing is GREAT—as far as choosing the First Two Weeks of October – you should have wonderful colors, and plenty of what we go to New England for!

Two days in Boston without a CAR is wonderful and if you can shift your dates so you are not staying on a weekend in Boston even better. Hotels are running 200-300 per night so it is staying about equal in price to what I have seen in the past.

Day 4 is where I would really focus. From Boston to Bar Harbor Maine is 280 miles and even on the 95 the fast route for part of it you are looking at 5 hours per Mapquest. How early do you plan to leave? Sunset in Bar Harbor Maine on Oct 1 is 6:30pm – how much can you see after that? So how can you attempt a “leisurely drive” from Boston to BarHarbor? When planning a good rule of thumb is to pop in some additional time for Bathroom stops, gasoline, coffee and even a meal stop- even if you were to add 10-15 minutes at each of those you can see that you need to plan additional time. Boston up to Bar Harbor Maine takes you past so many amazing places too many to even number here. Even if you were to do a few quick stops- Camden for lunch, or a few of the Lobster shacks on the way you would want to get an early start out of Boston to avoid traffic, and maximize your daylight.

Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park–

 Suggestions: Reserve your spot for Sunrise on Cadillac Mountain– it is by reservation only at this time and parking is limited. Even spots after Sunrise I am seeing the reservation system in effect. Consider all the ways you wish to experience the park- any of the trails you want to plan how long, how far and be properly dressed, in Autumn it can quickly go from drizzle, to full on pouring to dropping cold temps. Consider picking up a copy of the Photographers Guide to Acadia by Colleen Miniuk- you can go to her website cms-photo.com  for a really complete guide to times of day, seasons and more. She has been an Artist in Residence and very much knows her material!

Driving the Loop: Very much Suggest this- allow plenty of time to stop, get out of the car and walk to the viewpoint, maybe take a short breather even just sitting and listening the Environment around you- the trees, the sounds the longer you sit this space reveals its hidden beauty.

The Famed Lighthouse: Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse- the edge of the overlook gets you close for those mobility challenged. But going down the steps to the rocks where the iconic photos are taken from can get crowded with photographers carrying tripods and packs, and kids skipping ahead. Take your time- be aware of the tides. I have seen photographers go quite a way down onto the rocks and then the waves start to wash over closer to Sunset and water and digital cameras do not mix. Plan to be at the Lighthouse early to secure a spot- and yes that can mean sitting/standing waiting but so worth it to hold your location. Focus on the lighthouse and staying solid- people will try to get close to you and it can become quite crowded. To get different angles you must be willing to stretch yourself physically but be aware of the dangers of the sea here.

Jordan Pond-

The loop around the “Pond” is about 3.5 miles – I rounded up depending how far from your car you parked. The path is a mix of dirt and forest floor and it some of its edges the water does lap at the edge creating a muddy path so proper footwear would be suggested.  Carry water/snacks with you, and watch your feet so you don’t trip over tree roots. Stop and just again be in the moment—being in nature should be just that being in nature.

The Carriage Roads– 45 miles of Car-Free routes perfect for a bike rental, a carriage ride or horseback! Check your options for all from local guides, and rentals. Look for the Stone Bridges, these are beautiful and historic and offer some unique photos that not everyone may have.

Thunder Hole:  If it is late in the day or inclement weather this can be an impressive experience for your senses—the “thunder” hence the name is the sound of crashing waves going into a rock pocket and producing the sound. If the water is calm however you won’t get the sight or the sound that is created.

Another Popular parking spot and one where you might want to have good walking shoes to get down to the overlook. Popular with photographers this spot can be crowded.

Last thoughts—Day 7 will be another LONG Road day- be sure and check a map- there are few Interstates that go East/West in New England and the roads you want to travel will be slower. Speeds of 25 in a small town school zone, up to maybe 45 still in some areas, during Fall you have school buses out, farm equipment and just locals trying to go about their day, please be mindful of this.

So YES- plan your trip to NEW ENGLAND- give it some thought- ask questions on travel forums and seek out experienced travelers like Jeff Foliage- excellent website and you can always check in with me for personalized itinerary guidance including where to find a room!

Sources to check out=

Colleen Miniuk – Acadia Book

Acadia National Park website

Photo sites for inspiration like Instagram and Flickr

Ebay for other books no longer in print or to pay less for popular guides that are published often.

Have a great MONDAY!

April