Planning an accessible trip to Maine? I recently visited Maine for the first time with my wife, and we traded our usual tropical beach vacation for rugged coastlines, wildlife tours, charming towns and the natural beauty of Acadia National Park. Maine did not disappoint in many ways.
However, this accessible Maine travel guide also covers the parts of the trip that were disappointing for wheelchair users, scooter users and travelers with mobility limitations. From Acadia’s scenic drives to Bar Harbor’s uneven sidewalks, here’s what was accessible, what was not and what I wish I had known before visiting.

Acadia National Park Accessibility

First, if you’re planning a visit to Maine, without a doubt, get a rental car as many of the areas you’ll want to see require 1-2 hours trips to see. For us, one of the anticipated highlights was a trip to Acadia National Park.
Just how accessible is Acadia? Well that depends on what you want to see and do. Obviously there are rigorous and rocky hiking trails that would be challenging or impossible for many with disabilities. However, there are plenty of paved, roadways that you can stay in your car and see all the sites. Acadia is known for great hikes, but that aside, the scenery is breathtaking and is easily accessible from a car or if you’re just traveling in a wheelchair or scooter (like me).
Roads aren’t so congested that you can’t just pull over and take in a wonderous landscape, which we did several times.
Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the U.S. Atlantic Coast and is a great place take in the sunrise. However the sun rises very early (like around 4:30 a.m.) so if you like to sleep in (like me), maybe skip this.
Another tip to avoid any crowds but still take in the breathtaking beauty of Acadia is the Schoodic Peninsula. This is a drivable loop located across from Frenchman Bay with plenty of places to pull off and take in the scenery of the rocky shoreline.

Maine Offshore Excursion: Accessible Boat Tour Experience

We love wildlife, which was a huge part of the appeal of Maine. One such opportunity we chose was a boat excursion touring many of the Atlantic lighthouses and an opportunity to see puffins and seals.
We chose Acadia Boat Tours for a 3 ½ hour cruise. When it comes to accommodating my disability and mobility limitations this tour group was incredible. There is a bit of a walk from the parking lot, down some steps and a steeper slope to get to the dock where the boat is. They provided my wife and I a golf cart ride right up to the dock. Then it was simply an easy step up onto the boat and into our seats. I did ask if they could accommodate people who are permanently in wheelchairs and they said they absolutely could and do. So there should be little worry about missing out on this hidden gem.
AbleTravels Tip: If taking this excursion, pack layers. Regardless of the time of the year, this can be a bit chilly or in our case, downright cold. However, seeing the puffins in flight and the seals on Egg Island with their newborn pups made it all worth it.
Huge shout out to this business for being incredibly accommodating and providing me with a lifelong memory.

Bar Harbor, Maine Accessibility: Where It Falls Short

One of the most charming areas in the southern part of Maine is Bar Harbor. It rests at the bottom of Acadia and is known for its rich history, and is a hub for shopping, dining and adventure. You can spend all day in Bar Harbor easily with all that it offers.
However, as you can see in this video I did, Bar Harbor has several areas it needs to improve when it comes to accessibility.
There are so many quaint and adorable gift shops, but sadly many have curbs or steps to access them. Additionally, there are cobblestone sidewalks, making wheelchair and scooter users uneasy and uncomfortable. Smaller sidewalks can get cramped with people, but that’s more of a nuisance.
I noticed a crosswalk that had a ramp on one side but led to a curb on the other side, which would’ve led to a wheelchair user being stuck in the street. While there are parking lots, they are more on the outskirts and would require longer walking to get to the heart of Bar Harbor. There are street spots if you can find them, but if you need to unload a wheelchair, the parallel parking option might leave you without that option.
I made the most of my time in Bar Harbor, but I for sure was disappointed at how many things were far below ADA standards. You will find this in older areas like this.
This is where this history that is part of the area’s charm also becomes a liability when it comes to accessibility.