Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:Acadia National Park, Maine
Sand Beach in Maine's Acadia National Park proves that good things really do come in small packages. Short but sweet, Sand Beach is a 290-yard stretch of unique coastline. Millennia of rugged, surf-eroded rock, tumbled shells, and the crushed skeletons of sea urchins, mussels and crabs create a unique conglomerate sand, giving the beach its seemingly redundant name. Wedged between two mountainous granite walls and flanked by the rocky shores of Mount Desert Island, Sand Beach is one of the highlights of Acadia National Park. Foxes, coyote, bobcats, black bears, and moose, frolic in the forests just a short hike away from the shore. A short stroll along Sand Beach's dramatic shoreline and you will whisper thanks to the Rockefeller family who took it upon themselves to preserve this beloved park. Spend the day fishing, sea kayaking, sunbathing, or hiking and you will agree with the New England masses, that 'little' Sand Beach is a giant in outdoor recreation.
At Sand Beach, swimming is for daredevils. Salty water (nearly one half cup of salt per gallon of ocean water) and 55-degree summer water temperatures make for a vigorous dip. But despite the frigid temperatures, many tourists take on the chill with gusto. Others claim that the land is best enjoyed from the vantage point of the seafarer. In recent years Mount Desert Island has become one of the most popular destinations on the East Coast for sea kayaking and canoeing. Bring your own gear or get set up for guided paddling tours at one of the outfitters in Bar Harbor.
Bar Harbor charter companies offer many cruises around the Acadia National Park coastline. Peer out at Sand Beach from the hull of a lobster fishing boat or a four-masted boat, the choice is yours. Sink your bait from the seashore - fishing is excellent along the coast of Maine and Sand Beach is no exception. Mackerel, blue fish and striped bass are common catches, even for beginners, and you can side step the bureaucracy if you stick to saltwater. A fishing license is not required to fish in the ocean.
To get to Sand Beach, take Acadia National Park's Park Loop Road or hop on the Island Explorer Shuttle Bus that stops at the beach about every half hour during the day in late spring and summer. While small, Sand Beach offers lifeguards, Memorial Day through Labor Day, and you will find changing rooms and bathrooms near the parking area. Pristine and rugged, Sand Beach is not a run-of-the-mill strip of sand.