Located on the north side of Mount Desert Island, just a few minutes drive from Bar Harbor, is the Mount Desert Oceanarium. Even better, if you have two adults on the ride (sadly, we had one parent stuck at work all day), you can split them up and share the burden-literally! It might have worked better to have the younger one in a child seat, and the older one in the trailer. I had two toddlers (3.5 and 1.5 years old) sharing a seat, and had to endure a lot of bickering and squirming from the trailer. You never really know how heavy your kids are until you’re hauling them up that hill! I walked a good portion of the trip to the carriage trails, but I did manage it with enough juice left over for a good morning ride. Access to the carriage trails is within riding distance from Bar Harbor (where most bike rental shops, including Acadia Bike, are located), but it’s about two miles and a lot of it is uphill. To save you from some of the pitfalls that I encountered, I’ll include a few helpful carriage trail tips if you’re riding with or pulling young kids. If you’re visiting during peak seasons-summer and fall-they recommend that you contact them before you travel to reserve your bikes, especially if you plan to rent specialized equipment, like a child’s trailer or tagalong. The folks at Acadia Bike were friendly and helpful, and had me set up and ready to ride in just a few minutes. I rented a bike at Acadia Bike Rentals and took Homer (3.5) and Greta (1.5) out for a ride around Eagle Lake. Perhaps the best way to see the park with young kids is via bike. Bar Harbor has everything you’ll need-outdoor stores, restaurants, and an ice cream parlor on almost every block! Below, get the nitty-gritty on navigating the carriage trails, plus two other great things to do with young kids in Acadia National Park: The lovely town of Bar Harbor is located just a mile or so from the park. A beautiful beach with great spots for checking out tide pools, kids may even want to take a dip…although the water is almost always freezing! After a day in the park, you shouldn’t miss Sand Beach (Park Loop Road). These carriage trails are perhaps what Acadia is best known for (in addition to lobster, blueberries, and the rugged Maine coast, of course!) and are perfect for an easy Acadia hike or bike excursion.
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