Photo: NPS Photo by Kent Miller — Public domainOur recommendation
Visit Acadia in May
May offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. For comparison, August is the most crowded month (~2.5× the average month) and February is the quietest.
Annual visits
4.1M
2025
Busiest month
Aug
2.5× avg
Quietest month
Feb
0.0× avg
10-yr trend
rising
+21.3%
More photos of Acadia
Photos courtesy of the National Park Service (public domain).
How crowded is Acadia by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 33°F / 15°F | 9.0 h |
| February | Very quiet | 44 Poor | 35°F / 18°F | 10.2 h |
| March | Very quiet | 46 Fair | 42°F / 25°F | 11.6 h |
| April | Very quiet | 56 Fair | 53°F / 35°F | 13.2 h |
| May★ best | Average | 63 Good | 65°F / 45°F | 14.6 h |
| June | Very busy | 61 Good | 74°F / 54°F | 15.3 h |
| July | Very busy | 53 Fair | 79°F / 60°F | 15.0 h |
| August | Very busy | 50 Fair | 78°F / 60°F | 13.9 h |
| September | Very busy | 48 Fair | 71°F / 53°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Very busy | 36 Poor | 59°F / 43°F | 10.7 h |
| November | Very quiet | 45 Fair | 48°F / 33°F | 9.3 h |
| December | Very quiet | 41 Poor | 38°F / 22°F | 8.7 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00170100, ~2.5 mi away).
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About visiting Acadia
Acadia National Park is a National Park in ME and one of the busier parks in the system, drawing about 4.1 million recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 21.3%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: August is the busiest month at about 2.5× the park's average month, while February is the calmest at roughly 0.0× — a 25-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 56% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 70°F in July down to about 24°F in January, with the wettest stretch in October. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is May: best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the August rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.7 hours in midwinter to 15.3 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $35, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. At 4 million visits a year, it's one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. Visitors enjoy 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads.
Weather & conditions
Located on Mount Desert Island in Maine, Acadia experiences all four seasons. Summer temperatures range from 45-90F (7-30C). Fall temperatures range from 30-70F (-1-21C). Typically the first frost is in mid-October and first snowfall begins in November and can continue through April with an average accumulation of 73 inches (185 cm). Winter temperatures range from 14-35F (-10 - 2C). Spring temperatures range from 30-70F (-1-21C).
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Acadia
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Acadia National Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. May is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Acadia
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Getting there — nearest airports
Updated July 2026The closest airport to Acadia National Park is Bar Harbor Airport (BHB), about 10 mi (20 min drive) away. For the most flight options, most visitors fly into Bangor International Airport (BGR), about 1 hr 23 min away.
| Airport | Distance | Drive time | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Harbor Airport (BHB)Closest | 10 mi | 20 min | Cape Air |
| Bangor International Airport (BGR)Best for flights | 49 mi | 1 hr 23 min | Allegiant Air, Delta, Silk Avia |
| Portland International Jetport (PWM) | 159 mi | 3 hr 30 min | Air Canada, Delta, Fly Lili, Silk Avia, United Airlines, jetBlue |
| Manchester Boston Regional Airport (MHT) | 253 mi | 5 hr 19 min | Delta, Silk Avia, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines |
| Logan International Airport (BOS) | 261 mi | 5 hr 30 min | Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France, AirConnect, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines |
Which airport should you choose?
- Shortest drive: Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) — about 20 min from the park.
- Most flights / best value: Bangor International Airport (BGR) — the largest hub near Acadia, about 1 hr 23 min away.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $35, typically valid for several days.
Frequently Asked Questions
May offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight at Acadia National Park. The park is busiest in August (about 2.5× the average month) and quietest in February.
August is the busiest month at Acadia National Park, running roughly 2.5 times the park's average monthly visitation.
February is the quietest month at Acadia National Park, at about 0.0× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Acadia National Park recorded about 4,079,318 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+21.3%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Acadia National Park averages about 70°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) is the closest airport to Acadia National Park, about 10 mi (20 min drive) away.
Bangor International Airport (BGR) is the nearest major airport, about 49 mi (1 hr 23 min drive) away, with the most flight options of any airport near Acadia.
There is no airport inside Acadia National Park. Fly into Bangor International Airport (BGR) and drive the rest of the way — about 1 hr 23 min.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Beach water quality near Acadia
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Sand Beach water qualityGrade B · 6 mi · ME
- Hadley Point water qualityGrade C · 4 mi · ME
- Hulls Cove water qualityGrade D · 0 mi · ME
- Town Beach water qualityGrade D · 3 mi · ME
- Seal Harbor water qualityGrade D · 8 mi · ME
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.