Acadia's Mount Desert Loop Driving Tour
$14.99
Acadia's Mount Desert Loop Driving Tour
Looking for the quiet side of Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island?
This self-guided GPS audio driving tour loops around the island's western half—Somesville, Pretty Marsh, Bass Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and Seal Harbor—the side most visitors driving Park Loop Road never see.
Starting and ending at the Village Green in Bar Harbor, you'll hear the real stories behind this island: the con man whose fake noble title gave his name to both a mountain and a car company, the Rockefeller heir who spent decades building 57 miles of carriage roads specifically to keep automobiles off his island, and the single October night in 1947 when a fire changed every inch of this landscape for good.
Along the way you'll discover:
- Cadillac Mountain and the Rockefeller carriage roads
- Somesville Museum and Gardens
- Seal Cove Auto Museum and Seal Cove Pond
- Bass Harbor Head Light Station
- Southwest Harbor and the Wendell Gilley Museum
- The Maine Granite Industry Historical Society Museum
- Thuya Garden and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden
- The Jackson Laboratory
$14.99
What will you see? Here are the tour highlights
- Cadillac Mountain & the Carriage Roads
Learn how John D. Rockefeller Jr. spent decades and a personal fortune building 57 miles of car-free carriage roads across the island—and why the mountain isn't named for the car company you're thinking of, but the other way around.
- Somesville Museum and Gardens
Mount Desert Island's oldest settlement, with historic buildings and gardens tracing the island's earliest days.
- Seal Cove Auto Museum and Seal Cove Pond
Vintage automobiles paired with the real story of the October 1947 fire that reshaped this entire island in a single night.
- Bass Harbor Head Light Station
One of Maine's most photographed lighthouses, perched on the rocky edge of the island's quiet side.
- Southwest Harbor & the Wendell Gilley Museum
A working harbor town home to a museum honoring a master bird carver's decades of work.
- Maine Granite Industry Historical Society Museum
The real story of the quarrymen who earned two dollars for a ten-hour workday cutting the stone that built cities up and down the East Coast.
- Thuya Garden & Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden
Two of the island's most beautiful formal gardens, tucked away from the main tourist crowds.
- The Jackson Laboratory
A world-renowned genetics research institution with deep roots in this island's history.
FAQ's
- How long does the Mount Desert Loop driving tour take?
The full loop takes 3 to 5 hours with stops, depending on how many trails and museums you explore along the way.
- Does the tour work without cell service?
Yes. Download the tour before you go, and it runs completely offline using your phone's GPS.
- Can I pause the tour or explore at my own pace?
Yes. This is a fully self-guided tour—pause anytime to hike, visit a museum, or take photos, and press play when you're ready to continue.
- Do I need a park entrance pass?
Yes, a valid Acadia National Park entrance pass is required for much of the route. Passes are paid to the National Park Service, not WalknTours.
- Is this the same as the Park Loop Road tour with Sand Beach and Thunder Hole?
No. This tour covers the quieter western side of Mount Desert Island—Somesville, Pretty Marsh, Bass Harbor, and Southwest Harbor—rather than the busier eastern Park Loop Road.
- Are there admission fees at any of the stops?
A few. The Seal Cove Auto Museum and Wendell Gilley Museum each charge around $10 for adults. Many stops, like Somesville and Thuya Garden, are free.
- Is this tour appropriate for kids?
Yes, this is a family-friendly nature and history tour suitable for all ages.
- Where does the tour start and end?
At the Village Green in Bar Harbor, looping around the western half of Mount Desert Island and back.
- Does the tour include hiking trails?
Yes, including stops at Acadia Mountain Trailhead, Ship Harbor Trail, and Canon Brook Trailhead for those who want to get out and hike.
- What's the story behind the Great Fire of 1947?
A single fire that started in October 1947 burned across much of Mount Desert Island, reshaping the landscape you see today. The full story is woven throughout the tour.
