Beaches, beaches, beaches. People can be really picky about how they like their beaches. Some prefer the ocean while others enjoy being lakeside; sandy beaches are a must for most while others don’t mind the rocky beaches that Maine is known for. So for today, I’m going to give you a little of everything!
TOP 3 BEACHES FOR MOUNT DESERT ISLAND
- Echo Lake. Echo Lake is located just south of Somesville, north of Southwest Harbor on route 102 and is part of Acadia National Park. On the Western (left) side of the lake you will see the dramatic cliffs of Beech Mountain and hikers making their way on the trails up there.
- It has ample parking and the Island Explorer makes a stop here. Changing rooms, bathrooms, and foot washing stations are plentiful. No dogs allowed from May 15-September 15.
- The water is exceptionally clear (and can be sometimes cold) and has coarse sand that makes for good moat, dam, river building. Small sunfish make an appearance as do tadpoles in early summer. While not a favorite of my child, trying to catch the tadpoles seems to provide countless fun for kiddos. There is also a Loon Nesting Area that is roped off and, if you are lucky enough, you might spot the baby chick.
- Seal Harbor Beach. Seal Harbor Beach is located in the village of Seal Harbor and across from the Stanley Brook entrance of Acadia National Park. There is a parking lot off of Route 3 and beach access is directly across the road. The Island Explorer makes a stop here too. Close to the parking lot are bathrooms and no dogs are allowed on the beach.
- This beach is a FAVORITE of our family. It is a large sandy and pebble ocean beach with great views of harbor and boats. The sand is perfect for making sand castles. The waves are very calm and a diving platform is accessible during high tides. Additionally, the Stanley Brook feeds into the ocean here and kids have a lot of fun trying to dam up the Brook or sending their various toy boats down the streams.
- *Be sure to not confuse this with Seal Cove Beach which is on a different part of the Island.
- Back Beach. Back Beach is located off Laupus Point Road in Bernard on the Western side of the Island. There are no signs but it’s about ½ mile down the road and will be on your left hand side. You will see a turnaround and a small driveway. I recommend parking in the turnaround and walking in. There is usually a port-a-potty and dogs are allowed on the beach. The grassy areas are off limits/private residences.
- This ocean beach is a mixture of rocks, pebbles and sand and is our favorite place to head to during LOW tide. There are a ton of tide pools and I love combing the beach for sea glass.
And…we are a little partial to this beach. For 5 years, we spent a week at this beach. When you turn around and look at the private residences, we rented the small cottage on the right hand side. With the grass area, shady trees, direct beach access, and beautiful sunrises, it was the PERFECT spot to hang with a baby and toddler.
One notable beach missing from the list is…Sand Beach.
Sand Beach is an iconic part of the park and is worth a visit but it’s just not one of my favorites. The waves can be really intense, the water can get deep really quickly, and parking can be a NIGHTMARE. If wanting to check it out, be smart and head there in the early morning hours or choose early evening hours (for a picnic dinner, perhaps!) and have a back up plan!
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