Cadillac Mountain is the highest point of land inside Acadia National Park measuring a quarter of a mile, 1530 ft., at peak elevation. The highest point of land on the eastern seaboard, Cadillac Mountain also marks the spot as the first place to see the sunrise in the contiguous United States. We are able to drive to Cadillac summit which has spectacular views of the tiny village of Bar Harbor, the Porcupine islands, cruise ships out in Frenchman's bay and the Atlantic Ocean for miles in most directions. The summit has a great granite & cement path that takes about 15 or 20 minutes to circle for those who want a little stretch or walk.
Sand beach is a stop where you can go down to the beach for pictures. One of the best places during the excursion to get right up next to the Atlantic Ocean. I would suggest about 10 or 15 minutes to enjoy this stop, take a short walk and have some pictures.
Thunder Hole is one of the most popular ocean-side attractions inside Acadia National Park. It is a significant formation of granite shoreline sculpted by the Atlantic Ocean's pounding waves and Mother Nature since the last Ice Age. At a few hours before the high tide, you have the best chance of hearing the thunderous sound of the ocean pounding into Thunder Hole's cave. It is named "Thunder Cave" on some old maps. If you get too close you can get drenched. You will feel the granite shake underneath your feet if the wave is big enough. The granite has a beautiful salmon-pink color all along the shoreline nearby, and at Thunder Hole in particular. During stormier days, Acadia National Park's rangers will restrict or shut down access to this attraction.
The 27 mile Park Loop road is the major sight seeing drive inside Acadia National Park. At the average speed limit, it is possible to drive its entirety in just about one hour. Most groups like to stop multiple times. When we visit places along the way, you will have a bit of time to get out and take pictures and walk about to explore. Those who prefer less walking are able to see most of Acadia National Park's highlights right from the comfort of their seat.
Acadia National Park's loop road takes us over and around Otter Point. Otter Point is the highest cliff face on the entire seaboard of the contiguous United States. A beautiful granite sided two level road was constructed for the best vistas right from the vehicle. The ringing buoy nearby is a charming sound to most visitors.
Little Hunter's Beach is a classic example of a cobblestone beach. Cobblestone beaches are more common in this area and are not so well protected like most sandy beaches. On a cobblestone beach, the loose sand and other smaller objects are washed out to sea, smoothing bigger rocks, or cobblestones, which remain on the beach during a never-ending "sanding" process. You can listen for the unique sound of cobblestones clicking together as the waves go in and out. Being so close to the Bay of Fundy, home to the most extreme tide shifts in the world, gives the Maine coast big tide changes from low to high, twice a day. Most coves are not protected from the open ocean and the loose sand gets dragged out with every tide, smoothing and leaving behind the bigger rocks too heavy to dislodge.
Sieur de Monts Spring is a natural spring in Acadia. George Dorr, Acadia National Park's first superintendent and founding father, deemed the spring, "The Sweet Waters of Acadia." The Wildwood gardens are popular for a walk if you have enough time. Acadia National Park's Nature center is located here and usually has a Ranger to speak with for questions. The Abbe Museum has a small facility on the grounds open during the summer season. It has artifacts and history of the indigenous tribes of the area.
During your tour you will see examples of the Carriage Road system inside Acadia National Park. Constructed and designed by John Rockefeller Jr. during the development of the park, it runs for about 50 miles around the lakes, ponds and mountains of Acadia. A drive by the Wildwood Stables lets us admire some of the horses going on, or coming back from a pleasurable trot on the Carriage Road system.
Jordan Pond is a fresh water pond along Acadia National Park's loop road. Simply driving along the road affords beautiful views of Jordan Pond as we pass through the valley of several interior mountains here. Jordan Pond is home to the only restaurant inside Acadia National Park. The Jordan Pond House restaurant is famous for serving Tea & Popovers pond-side to its diners. The biggest gift shop of Acadia National Park is located here. Carriage roads and hiking trails exist along Jordan Pond's banks.
Eagle Lake is a fresh water lake situated at the base of Cadillac mountain and several others and is easily visible from Acadia National Park's loop road. You also have the opportunity for great views at a pull over spot about a third of the way up Cadillac Mountain summit road. John Rockefeller Jr. made sure his famous Carriage Roads made its way around Eagle Lake below. A six mile Carriage Road loop goes around the lake and connects to the rest of Acadia National Park's Carriage Road system.
Acadia National Park surrounds the village of Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor is a quaint New England fishing port and a sea food lover's paradise. Lobster doesn't get any fresher or more succulent than from these very icy Atlantic Ocean waters. Bar Harbor is visible from many different points as you move along during your excursion. The best view is from the summit of Cadillac Mountain one quarter of a mile above Bar Harbor. We drive through most of the village pointing out historical interests.
This tour was excellent, Woody was very knowledgeable. He provided us with water and snacks. Picked us up on time and brought us to all the good stops. Stopped whenever we wanted to get pictures. I would highly recommend this tour.
Tour with Woody was outstanding. Able to stop when we wanted. He had great information about the area and was very fun and energetic. Wholeheartedly would recommend him and would definitely go on a tour with him again.
Woody was phenomenal. He met us at our hotel and his vehicle was very clean and a newer model. He took us into the park and went into details about the trails, weather, history, etc. We could not have asked for a better guide Many many thanks to Woody!!!!!!
Woody is so friendly and knowledgeable! Highly recommend! He was on time, had snacks, local knowledge, car was comfy! Tailors your experience to your needs! Book it now!
Woody basically saved our day in Bar Harbor. We had significant delays leaving the ship but Woody was very accommodating and flexible. It was a rainy, windy day at Acadia Park but Woody’s enthusiasm and descriptions of the geography and history made our tour memorable. I highly recommend this tour.
What an absolutely fantastic experience! Woody was phenomenal! He was a wealth of knowledge, full of energy, and gave us plenty of stories and information we’ll remember long after our trip. This tour was the perfect way to experience Acadia National Park, especially for those of us who wanted to scout out locations to return to for more in-depth hiking and exploring. Woody knew exactly where to take us and even customized the order of our stops based on what would make for the best experience that day. And don’t think you’re just sitting in a vehicle for three hours! We had plenty of opportunities to get out, walk around, explore, and take in the incredible scenery. Nothing felt rushed, and Woody was wonderful about taking pictures so we could all be in them. The snacks and bottled water were a thoughtful bonus, but Woody himself really made the experience. His enthusiasm was contagious, his knowledge was impressive, and we had an absolute blast! Whether it’s your first visit to Acadia or you’re looking to discover places to explore further, I can’t recommend this tour enough. If you have the opportunity to tour with Woody, take it!
Skip the cruise line tours and crowds. Book with Woody. Excellent tour. Excellent knowledge. Fun time.
Woody was a fantastic tour guide today. There were 6 of us in our group and each one of us had a great time. Woody certainly knows Acadia and was informative and funny at the same time. We had a tight time frame and he was right on schedule every step of the way. Do not book the big group tours and take a private tour, it's more fun and in most cases cheaper. Thanks again Woody!!
This trip was the highlight of our days in Acadia!! It was worth every penny! Book it without hesitation! Woody is a great guy! He’s VERY knowledgeable and he planned out the perfect tour!! Woody took care of booking the required paperwork for Cadillac too. It was great to not have to worry about parking if the lot was full. We could jump out and start looking at things while Woody handled the parking. Very thankful for Woody and this tour!!
Woody was the absolute BEST!!! Book this tour today without any hesitation!! We met Woody at the visitors parking lot and we we’re off on some of the best 3 hours of our entire trip!! Woody was so knowledgeable and helpful!! He has a well laid out tour route and took care of booking the required Cadillac paperwork. Woody is so friendly, kind and accommodating!! Five stars!!
Woody was great! He picked us up earlier than scheduled from a restaurant we happened to be having lunch. Entertaining and informative with some out of the way stops. 5 out of 5 happy adults on this tour.
Woody was fabulous!! He was very hospitable and knowledgable of the Bar Harbor area!! He picked us up where we were shopping and then dropped us off when we were ready! We would definitely choose him again!
Woody is the best tour guide that I have experienced. He's very knowledgeable about Bar Harbor and it's surroundings. Even has a Youtube channel (AcadiaWoody). Check it out!!! Give great advice on where to eat, lodging, and other activities to do in the area that are not on the tour. Highly recommend Woody!!!
GREAT experience! Woody is such an accommodating tour guide and so knowledgeable about Bar Harbor and Acadia. He definitely wanted to tailor the experience to what we wanted. Woody is fantastic and we highly recommend him if you are interested in getting a great, easy way to see the area.
Woody was very informative and knowledgeable. The combination of history and local lore was very entertaining. Would recommend his services to anyone
Woody was amazing! He was so knowledgeable & shared so much information with us. The sites of Acadia & Cadillac Loop were so beautiful! Highly recommend this tour to see the sites in comfort.
Gregarious tour guide, very knowledgeable about history of the area, gentle soul who takes his time to insure everyone is accommodated.
We recently participated in the 3-hour driving experience with Woody at Acadia Cadillac tour, and it was outstanding. Woody was an excellent host from start to finish. His knowledge, professionalism, and passion for the area made the experience both enjoyable and informative. He took the time to share interesting facts, answer questions, and ensure everyone felt comfortable throughout the drive. His friendly personality and expertise created a welcoming atmosphere that made the experience memorable. I highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a scenic and educational driving experience. Woody's knowledge and hospitality truly made it a five-star experience. Thank you, Woody, for a fantastic tour!
This trip was extremely informative and hit the highlights of the area. It was a comfortable ride with very minimal concern for extreme activity level. Woody picked us up at our hotel and gave us a nice tour of downtown Bar Harbor, pointing out historical and cultural features of the town. He then drove us into Acadia National Park where we traveled up to the top of Cadillac Mountain. The views were spectacular and he continued to point out other islands and mountains in the surrounding area. We also saw Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Wildwood Stables, and Jordan Pond, and Jordan Pond House. He also pointed out the Precipice Trailhead and The Beehive, as well as many of the more popular hiking locations that people visit. Throughout the entire trip Woody explained in detail the history of how Acadia National Park came into existence and the importance of those involved in making it possible. As a former high school history teacher I appreciated his thorough knowledge and his little stories that he told us. Water and snacks were provided. This was a great way to be able to see Acadia with limited time in the area. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and we highly recommend this tour!
Woody (aka “Harry”) was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and extremely accommodating. He didn’t even mind our granddaughters getting sand in his van. This was a great overview of Acadia and helped us decide where to go spend more time. Thank you Woody!
We had an amazing experience and tour. We got to see everything and more and learned the history of the island.
There were 7 of us on this tour ranging in age from 12 to 85. Woody provided a tour that kept everyone in our family engaged and happy. There were enough stops to let the kids explore, and the grandparents loved all of the history about the park. He even had a great selection of snacks for us to munch on. Highly recommend this tour!
We enjoyed a wonderful introduction to Acadia National Park with Woody. It was meaningful to learn about the Park’s history, experience highlights such as Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach, and Thunder Hole. We appreciate Woody’s sense of humor and his ability to individualize the tour to our interests.
Woody was an incredible tour guide during our trip to Acadia National Park! His friendliness made us feel welcome right from the start. He was flexible with our itinerary, adjusting the schedule to fit our pace and interests. On top of that, his deep knowledge of both Acadia's natural beauty and Bar Harbor's history added so much depth to everything we saw. We highly recommend booking a tour with Woody!
We had a really great tour of the park with Woody recently. We had two small kids in the group too which he made sure they were doing ok and pace worked for them. We enjoyed the additional history he provided and enjoyed seeing the major sites without having to worry about parking and navigation. He also had water and snacks which were appreciated and nice touch. We would definitely recommend a tour with him for a personalized experience when visiting Acadia!
Woody was fantastic. So knowledgeable and engaging. Tailored the experience to fix our needs. One of the best we’ve had!
We enjoyed our afternoon with Woody. He is delightful! He is from the area and is very knowledgeable about where to stop, sharing wonderful stories with a terrific sense of humor.
Woody was not only informative about the history and natural science of Acadia, but he was enormously entertaining with anectdotes of local figures, personal stiries and off beat humor. It was a fun day!
Woody was amazing. Foggy day so he offered to delay our trip by an hour for better sites and he had so much information to share!! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a private tour of Acadia.
Must do tour whether you are only in Bar Harbor for a short period of time or longer, we highly recommend doing a private tour with Woody. He showed us everything that was outlined & then some. If we had asked him to go do something first or to spend longer at a sight he was very flexible & just wants to please you. We learned so much from him about the Bar Harbor & surrounding area. There was nothing we asked him that he couldn’t answer. In fact, more than once we’d see something that no one commented about but he somehow picked up on these random things we noticed while touring. He’s very observant & without specifically saying a couple people couldn’t walk a lot, he kept a look out for them or that I liked to take a lot of pictures. Yes a private tour is more expensive than a small group tour but it was the best use of money to see all the sites. 3 - 3 1/2 hours was the perfect length Woody is very intelligent & thoughtful. One of our favorite tours. Very happy with our decision (4 people) to tour with Woody today!
Woody is a terrific guide, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the park and its history. Very accommodating and well organized, Highly recommend booking this trip.
We had an amazing experience on our private tour of Acadia National Park! Our guide was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable, which made the entire day feel relaxed and enjoyable. They took us to all the best spots—places we never would have found on our own—and shared so much interesting information about the park’s history, wildlife, and scenery along the way. The tour felt personalized to what we wanted to see, and we never felt rushed. Every stop was more beautiful than the last, I highly recommend booking!
Woody is the best guide ever- so funny, knowledgeable and willing to follow your lead- do more walking if you’d like. He and his tour are what we will remember about Bar Harbor.
Woody did a great job showing us the special areas of Acadia National Park and towns on Mount Desert Island. He was knowledgeable on the history of the area and was very pleasant and personable. He was helpful in all respects to those with physical limitations.
The tour was great. Woody provided history while stopping to take group photos in great places. Highly recommend.
We took a 3 hour tour with Woody. We have had a lot of tours all over the place and there isn’t a more passionate and knowledgable tour guide. Willing to accommodate everyone. Had great snacks and some waters for us. He is from the area and his heart is in his work. You won’t regret touring with Woody!
Woody is an awesome guide! We learned a ton about the history and Woody made sure we saw everything. I can't imagine there is a better tour guide out there. Woody gave us great insight and is clearly a well loved and respected local too. He adjusted the tour to suit all of our needs and was very accommodating to us in regards to our comfort, our timeline, and our interests. We ran the MDI marathon the next day and the information Woody provided made the run even better since we then knew the stories about many of the places we were running. Woody and his tour were, as we all agreed, a major highlight of our trip with seven friends to the island.
Our 2 days touring with Woody far exceeded our expectations! His enthusiasm and energy was contagious and his knowledge of all things Arcadia made for a fun and informative adventure. We had one day of dicey weather and Woody happily adjusted our itinerary to make the most of opportunities for brief hikes and stops outdoors when the weather cleared. I’d heartily recommend Woody for a fantastic Arcadia experience!
This trip was absolutely amazing!! Our tour guide Woody was extremely knowledgeable and took us to all the best places we could see in Acadia !! Even when the weather was a little iffy we still had a great time!!
From the beginning until the end, Woody exceeded every expectation. We had 7 family members ranging in age from 9 through 83. He had so much patience in accommodating the needs of such a diverse age group. Woody is very knowledgeable and you can feel the passion that he has for the area. He made every turn on the tour seem like a postcard come to life. We left with full hearts, tired legs and memories that will last forever! Our experience would not have been the same without Woody. His knowledge, kindness and passion for Acadia made every moment unforgettable. If you are visiting Acadia, do yourself a flavor and ask for Woody. You will not be disappointed!
Well worth the money for a private tour! Woody was knowledgeable, courteous, and flexible! Also gave us some great recommendations. Would book him again in a heartbeat!
Woody was friendly, punctual and a great guide to the area. We only had one day in the park and with Woody’s tour we got a great overview. Can’t wait to come back and see more!
Rainy weather didn't affect the quality of the tour. Changed a few things but still got to see a lot and got a lot of great information on the park and town
It was a great tour! Woody is very knowledgeable and fun! We had a great time riding around and showing us the area. He has water and snacks!
Acadia is crowded most of the time. Driving the park in your car and trying to find parking at the places in the park you want to stop at is very difficult! Relax and hire Woody! Woody will stop and let your party out and wait for you or circle around until you are ready to leave. Dont spend money to travel to this beautiful park and not see all you want to see. In addition Woody is a wealth of information. Woody’s tour is worth every penny. We had 3 couples in his van and it was very comfortable. Appreciated the water and snacks too!
I learned a lot about Acadia National Park during the tour. Woody is knowledgeable in its history and various areas of interest. Woody is also very personable and friendly.
We came off the Norwegian Cruise Line and booked "Woody" for our Bar Harbor Maine tour and we are so glad we did. What a wonderful experience! Woody is energetic, experienced, wealth of knowledge of the area being a lifelong resident. Funny, accommodating and knows where to go and when to go to areas of interest. It was like being with a friend showing us around and sharing history of the area and personal stories of interest. Great bonus was he had drinks and snacks for us along the way and he had a new very comfortable SUV that easily fit our group of six. He was one of five that we had over the week and different destinations and by far he sets the bar, not only for this trip but others we have been on. Great time, experience and value! Cheers to Woody!!!
Woody picked us up in Bar Harbor in a mini van, fully stocked with drinks and snacks, which was perfect for our group of six! He was very knowledgeable and passionate about the area and we really learned a lot. Given our time constraints since we were on a cruise ship, this was the ideal way to make the most of our limited time. We did the main loop around Acadia National Park, stopping at various points along the way and Cadillac Mountain. The vistas were absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. Our kids said this was their favorite place of the whole trip! Highly recommended, much better than those large cruise ship excursions.
Very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly! Had a good time. Weather was great. Had good snacks and drinks!
Well-informed, definitely recommend Woody's tour! We had a wonderful time with Woody. He made sure we saw all the top sights and gave us pertinent background info. This tour was the highlight of our trip to Bar Harbor!
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