We did not plan this trip around peak fall foliage in Acadia National Park. We booked it, we hoped, and then we showed up and I genuinely could not believe what we were looking at. The whole state felt like it had been lit on fire in the best way possible — oranges and reds and golds layered across every hillside, every trail, every quiet stretch of coastline. It was one of those trips that reminded me that some of the best things in life aren’t carefully orchestrated. They’re just given to you, and you get to receive them with open hands.

This is the full story of our October trip to Acadia National Park — from the sleepless night before our 7am flight all the way to potato donuts on the drive home. I hope it inspires you to go.

Before We Even Left: No Sleep, No Problem

We did not sleep before this trip. We had an early morning flight out of RDU to Boston, and somewhere between packing camera gear and pre-trip excitement, and a new feature for flockpocket, sleep just didn’t happen. We landed, grabbed a rental car, and headed north into Maine on pure adrenaline and bad airport coffee.

Was it the most well-rested start to a trip? Absolutely not.

Day 1: Portland, Maine — Portland Head Light & Rocky Coastline

Our first stop before making our way up to Acadia was Portland, Maine — and I’m so glad we built this in. We had time to explore around Portland Head Light, one of the most iconic lighthouses on the entire East Coast.

It was also freezing. The coldest day of the whole trip by a long stretch. That Maine coastal wind in October is absolutely relentless. Gloomy light, and the rocky shoreline completely captivated us both. The rocks had this incredible texture — almost like wood grain. As a photographer, I kept stopping just to stare at the details. There was so much visual richness.

Portland Head Light has stood in Cape Elizabeth, Maine since 1791, and it has that rare quality of making you feel wonderfully small — like you’re standing somewhere that has seen a very long story unfold. We spent time exploring, wandering, and quietly scouting, and I filed away every corner of it in my mind.

Because the very next morning, we were back before sunrise — this time with a couple.

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Day 2: A Sunrise Engagement Session & the Long Drive North

We were up well before dawn for a sunrise engagement session at Portland Head Light, and I have to tell you — photographing on the Maine coast in October at sunrise is something I will never forget. The lighthouse glowing in the early morning light, the waves crashing over the rocks, the cold air making everything feel alive and sharp. It was one of those sessions where I kept thinking, I cannot believe I get to do this. You can see the full gallery from that morning here. (coming soon!)

After we wrapped and said our goodbyes, we pointed the car north toward Acadia National Park.

We took Route 1 during peak fall foliage all the way up to Acadia. It felt unreal. Every coastal town we passed through felt like a painting. We made a brief stop at a scenic old graveyard.

Our first real stop in a small Maine town was Ogunquit — is where I had my very first lobster roll. We shared lobster bisque and a lobster roll at a little lunch spot, and I have to say: entirely worth the hype. The bisque was rich and warm and perfect for a cold afternoon, and the lobster roll was fresh and simple in the best possible way. Maine, you had me.

Arriving in Acadia

We arrived at Acadia in the late afternoon and took our first walk along the Jesup Trail — a beautiful boardwalk path that winds through the woods with fall color overhead at every turn. It was the perfect, gentle introduction to the park. The canopy above us was full patchwork orange and gold, and the boardwalk made it feel like walking through somewhere truly enchanted.

Day 3: Carriage Roads, Eagle Lake & the Bubbles at Sunset

This was my favorite day of the whole trip.

We rented electric bikes — highly recommend, especially if you want to cover real ground — and set out on Acadia’s historic carriage roads. A little history worth knowing: these 45 miles of crushed-stone roads were funded and personally designed by John D. Rockefeller Jr., beginning in 1913. Rockefeller wanted a way for people to experience the park’s beauty by horse-drawn carriage, free from motor vehicles, so he spent nearly three decades building a road system that followed the natural contours of the landscape — winding through forests, along ridgelines, and past some of the most beautiful water views in the Northeast. The result includes 17 stunning hand-built stone bridges, most of which Rockefeller personally financed. They’re finished with native stone to give them a rustic, timeless quality, and they are genuinely gorgeous.

We looped around Witch Hole Pond first, then made our way around Eagle and Jordan Lake. The water was so still it mirrored the fall colors on the surrounding hillsides, and the whole scene felt almost impossibly beautiful. And then — completely out of nowhere — we spotted two bald eagles bathing in Eagle Lake. I cannot make this up. Two bald eagles, right there, totally unbothered. I stood on the bank with my camera trying very hard not to scare them away.

We had lunch at Jordan Pond House for popovers — a tradition at Acadia since 1895, when the first popovers and tea were served at this spot by Nellie McIntire. Sitting on the lawn with a warm popover and a view of Jordan Pond and the Bubbles rising behind it is one of those simple, perfect experiences that stays with you.

Tip:

Jordan Pond house takes a limited number of reservations so you have to wait if you want to eat at the restaurants. BUT if you head around to the back patio there is a popover station where you can buy just popovers and tea and eat outside. Totally recommend.

Every stone bridge we passed through on the carriage roads was its own little moment of delight. We planned to rent the bikes for a half day. We did not return them on time. Zero regrets.

Not entirely sure we had the energy we decided to hiked North and South Bubbles and stayed until sunset. Please, if you do this hike, do the North Bubble add-on. It’s a short detour and the views looking out over Eagle Lake in the evening light are absolutely worth every extra step. We sat up there and watched the sky change colors over the mountains.

Day 4: Cadillac Mountain, the Beehive & the Park Loop Road

We had morning tickets for Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard and one of the first places in the country to catch the sunrise. We arrived around 8am and watched the clouds rolling in around us as we drove up. We didn’t get the sweeping panoramic view I’d imagined — but there was something so dramatic and atmospheric about sitting up there in the clouds. It felt like its own kind of beautiful, and I’m so glad we went.

From Cadillac, we headed to the Beehive Trail — and I’ll be completely honest with you, I was not fully prepared for what the Beehive actually is. It’s a short but intense hike with iron rungs driven directly into the granite cliff face. It’s essentially a ladder climb up the side of a mountain. I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t nervous. At one point near the top, I looked down, realized there were people below me waiting on the rungs, and understood very clearly that there was no turning back. With a 20-pound camera bag on my back, all I could think was: please do not tip over. I did not tip over. We made it to the top, and the views were absolutely worth every heart-pounding moment. If you can do it — do it. Just maybe leave the heavy camera bag at the trailhead. Learn from me on that one.

With the rest of the afternoon we made our way around the Park Loop Road through some of Acadia’s most beloved coastal spots. We grabbed coffee, visited Sand Beach — one of the only sandy beaches in the park, tucked between dramatic pink granite headlands — and explored the tide pools along the shore.

My favorite unexpected stop of the entire trip was Hunters Beach, which was not even on my itinerary. I stumbled across it and stood there for a long time just listening. The sound of the Atlantic rolling over smooth, rounded pebbles is something I genuinely cannot describe in words — it’s layered and rhythmic and almost musical. And the colors of the stones themselves — soft pinks, warm grays, creamy whites — were completely unlike anything I expected to find on a Maine shoreline.

Where We Stayed: The Lucerne Inn

For our Acadia nights, we stayed at The Lucerne Inn in Dedham, Maine — a beautiful, historic inn with so much charm and character. The inn itself is truly lovely. One honest note: if you’re spending most of your time in the park and in Bar Harbor, factor in the drive. I wished we had been a little closer to the action, but the inn is a gem and I’d still recommend it for the experience, wonderful dinner, the atmosphere.. and lets be real, the price!

Day 5: The Drive Home — Wicked Whoopies & Potato Donuts

Our last morning was a little bittersweet. I had been eyeing a gorgeous foggy forest hike, but flight anxiety won out — we had to get back to Boston and I just couldn’t risk cutting it close. So we had a lovely breakfast at the inn and hit the road.

But Maine wasn’t quite done with us. We made two important stops on the way south:

Wicked Whoopies did not disappoint — get the classic chocolate. Potato donuts are everything people say they are. Get two.

We made it back to Boston with time to wander through a park and duck into the Boston Public Library before our flight home to North Carolina.

A Few Final Thoughts

Maine in October is a gift. I can’t say it more simply than that. The fall foliage, the coastline, the carriage roads, the cold air, and the quiet.

If you’re a couple dreaming of an engagement session or elopement somewhere truly special, Maine belongs on your list. I would love nothing more than to photograph you in a place like this. Reach out here — let’s make it happen.

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Have questions about visiting Acadia in October? If you want to see the engagement session we photographed at Portland Head Light on this trip, that full gallery is right here.