Bar Harbor & Acadia from Washington, DC, 23 – 25 Oct: £1,289 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Nonstop DCA to Bangor in 1h 59m, leaving Friday at 1:59 PM
- $642 per person, $14 under the typical $656 fare
- Breakfast included at Belle Isle Motel, rated 7.5 from 602 reviews
The catch: The season ends at month's end, foliage peaks in mid-October, Saturday has a 39% chance of showers, and a checked bag is about $160 for two.
Worth it if you like cool hiking weather and quiet trails; skip it if you're after peak foliage or warm days.
Worth it if you want Acadia at the very end of its season: $1,710 for two, all in. That's the flights at $1,284 plus 2 nights at Belle Isle Motel at $426, taxes and fees included, but not a checked bag, any resort fee or spending money. You fly Friday, Oct 23 and come home Sunday, Oct 25, 2026, nonstop on American (operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle) from DCA to Bangor in 1h 59m.
The total, before you go
£1,289 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £968 |
| Belle Isle Motel, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £321 |
| The total, before you go | £1,289 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £121 |
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £30 each way per bag on American, £121 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£484 per person, return
£968 for two, taxes and fees included · American. Operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle · nonstop · 1h 59m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 1:59 PM – Fri, Oct 23, 3:58 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| American. Operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle | £484 | nonstop | 1h 59m |
| American. Operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle | £484 | nonstop | 1h 59m |
| B6 + G4 | £486 | 2 stops | 44h 2m |
Prices checked 12 Oct 2026, 04:01 GMT-4. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
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Why now
At $642 per person, the nonstop fare is $14 under the typical $656 on this route, about 2% lower, and it's the lowest in 30 days of our checks. That puts the whole weekend at $1,710 for two, all in, with the flights and the hotel. The tradeoff is timing. Fall foliage peaks in mid-October and Acadia's season ends at month's end, so this is the last stretch of the season, not the peak. The forecast shows highs of 49–56°F and lows down to 33°F, with clouds Friday and Sunday and a 39% chance of showers Saturday. That still works for the Park Loop Road and a lobster dinner. It's less ideal for a long day on the Beehive Trail if the rock is wet. Leave at 1:59 PM Friday and you're in Bangor by 3:58 PM.
The kind of trip this is
A nature-and-food long weekend: granite summits and rocky shoreline by day, lobster and popovers in the evening. It suits couples or a pair of friends who like to layer up and walk and don't need nightlife. The pace is easy, with one early alarm if you want sunrise on Cadillac Mountain. Two nights is short, so pick a few highlights instead of trying to see the whole park.
Weather in Bar Harbor & Acadia, 23 – 25 Oct
Highs 49–56°F, a small chance of rain
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 23 Oct | 56 °F | 49 °F | 13% |
| Sat 24 Oct | 55 °F | 38 °F | 39% |
| Sun 25 Oct | 49 °F | 33 °F | 34% |
Where to stay in Bar Harbor & Acadia
Belle Isle Motel is the best value and the hotel in our total: $426 for 2 nights ($213 a night) for a King Room with breakfast, rated 7.5 from 602 reviews. Heads-up: it doesn't offer free cancellation. Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Conference Center is the top rated, at 9.3 from 842 reviews, with an Atlantic View room with two queen beds at $985 for the stay ($493 a night), room only, with free cancellation. Acadia Pines Motel is the budget pick at $415 ($208 a night), rated 6.9 from 337 reviews, room only, with free cancellation. All three are listed in Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor village puts you steps from the Shore Path, the Island Explorer buses, the inns and the lobster restaurants. Bar Harbor outskirts (Route 3) has oceanfront motels at lower rates.
Belle Isle Motel
£321 for 2 nights, two guests · £161 a night
See roomsAtlantic Oceanside Hotel & Conference Center
£742 for 2 nights, two guests · £372 a night
See roomsAcadia Pines Motel
£313 for 2 nights, two guests · £157 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Bar Harbor & Acadia for these dates
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Where in Bar Harbor & Acadia
- Bar Harbor village: Inns and lobster restaurants steps from the Shore Path and Island Explorer buses.
- Bar Harbor outskirts (Route 3): Oceanfront motels and resorts with lower rates.
- Southwest Harbor: The quiet side of Mount Desert Island with working harbours.
- Northeast Harbor: Upscale yachting village near the Asticou gardens.
What to do in Bar Harbor & Acadia
- Drive the Park Loop Road past Thunder Hole, a good plan for showery Saturday
- Watch the first sunrise in America from Cadillac Mountain; lows dip to 33°F, so bring layers
- Eat popovers at the Jordan Pond House
- Bike the carriage roads around Eagle Lake
- Climb the iron rungs of the Beehive Trail, saved for a dry stretch
- Eat a lobster dinner on the harbor in Bar Harbor
Also worth it
- Drive or bike the Park Loop Road past Thunder Hole
Tours and tickets in Bar Harbor & Acadia
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Washington, DC | Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Bar Harbor & Acadia | Bangor International (BGR), Hancock County-Bar Harbor (BHB), Portland International Jetport (PWM) |
| Flight time | 1h 59m nonstop |
| Distance | 592 miles each way |
| Time difference | same time zone |
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
What 2 nights in Bar Harbor & Acadia costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £968 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Belle Isle Motel) | £321 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,681 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Washington, DC to Bar Harbor & Acadia
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £484 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £484 (12 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £494 |
| Price checks | 10 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Bar Harbor & Acadia.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- Fall foliage peaks in mid-October and the season ends at month's end
- No passport needed, you'll pay in US dollars, and Maine is on the same time as DC.
- The flight lands at Bangor International (BGR), not in Bar Harbor. Hancock County-Bar Harbor (BHB) is also listed for the area.
- A checked bag is about $160 for two and is not in the $1,710 total.
- Belle Isle Motel is not free to cancel. The other two hotels are.
- Prices were all-in, taxes and fees included, when we checked, and they can change.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
For travelers who want a quiet weekend in the park, yes. The nonstop is 1h 59m and the fare is $14 under the typical $656. If you're set on peak color or dry trails, maybe not, because foliage peaks in mid-October and Saturday shows a 39% chance of showers.
How much is the whole trip for two?
It's $1,710, all in: $1,284 for the flights and $426 for 2 nights at Belle Isle Motel. A checked bag (about $160 for two) and spending money aren't included. With a $520 spending budget, our estimate for the weekend is $2,230.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip in US dollars, and there's no time difference from Washington, DC.
What's the weather like?
Expect cool weather. Highs are 56°F Friday, 55°F Saturday and 49°F Sunday, with lows down to 33°F. Friday and Sunday look overcast, and Saturday has a 39% chance of showers. Pack layers and a rain shell.
Is 2 nights enough?
It's enough for a focused weekend. You land at 3:58 PM Friday, so you have Saturday for the Park Loop Road, Jordan Pond House and a lobster dinner, and Sunday morning for Cadillac Mountain or the carriage roads.
Will the fall color still be out?
Our season notes say foliage peaks in mid-October and the season ends at month's end. Oct 23–25 comes after the peak, near the close of the season.
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Bar Harbor & Acadia in pictures
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
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- Photo: James Mirakian / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Blue Arauz / Pexels, Pexels License