Another factor to consider in planning the timing of a trip to Acadia are the tides. Consult a Bar Harbor tide chart to get the days in July where the tide is at a level you like at sunrise. Low tide will have a lot of exposed rocks, high tide will have waves crashing into rocks, etc. I actually prefer mid-tide or higher tide, low tide can expose too much sometimes. Tides in Maine are extreme, and can affect the character of a location. The ebook by Colleen Sperry discusses which tides are best at each location.
Your options are certainly limitless and so are the variables you must consider. The time of year is a major factor you need to address and might help you eliminate some of the destinations. The summer is very popular for travel and you will find many of the popular venues are jammed pact with tourists. Also, summer eliminates most of the spring flowers and is not giving you fall color. Temperature can also be a deal breaker-think Death Valley.
I would consider Yellowstone and the Olympic Peninsula as my favorite as well as Glacier NP. I have been to all of these in the early summer and it work out. However, you need do look for places to stay Now …Good luck and have fun!
Shooting with others is cool but solo photo trips is what I most look forward to. Since it sounds like maybe you’ve not done many solo photo trips - my opinion would be to not avoid a locale just because of its busy season. You need to get out and starting shooting and learning the particulars of whichever area you choose. In my experience it takes a few visits to really get to the heart of the area, understand the light/direction, pace of the crowds, wildlife etc. Plus, sometimes you just need to “scratch that itch” on a destination that has overtaken your thoughts…happens to me daily 
I’m in Midwest so I visit GSMNP a few times a year, in fact just got back, and while there are throngs of people in some spots…in other’s I had complete solitude. You can find it. Which speaks to the heart of your question…the planning. The internet is your friend and here are just my personal preferences:
- AllTrails - find trails, read descriptions, get reports and see casual snapshots of the areas. If you subscribe you’ll have trail map and GPS tracking on your phone as you move locales.
- Google Maps - print hard copies and have them with me. Attempt to pinpoint where you will shoot and what direction it will be facing (easier said than done until you are live on site).
- Forums - like this one! But usually can find other details on TripAdvisor and some regional hiking site or similar.
- The Dyrt - if looking to camp
- Reservations.gov - if looking to camp
- Outdoorsy or RV share if needing to rent campervan or SUV w rooftop tent
- Whatever weather app you choose - conditions and sunrise/sunset times
You’ve already gotten a ton of great advice…the above are my personal preferences but good luck and have fun!
Hi David! You, my friend, are going to have a great time!
The Southern Oregon coast is beautiful but it’s far from everything, FYI. Budget some extra time in.
When I plan a trip I make it a point to write down when the golden hour starts, when the sunsets, and when the moon or milky way rises if I shot that. Nothing sucks than arriving AT sunset and missing the shot. I also priority my route based on what location I want to be at during the golden hour. This way you don’t go blank when time is tight.
Second thing I do is take meals or ready to eat dinners with me and eat on the road or at the right location. Unlike your family vacation, you don’t want to drive into town for dinner and then drive back out for a golden hour shoot. You’ll miss it every time.
Finally, sleep in your vehicle. Sunset and sunrise is super late/early in the PNW in the Summer. Make little sense to rent a hotel room that you might only spend a few hours in!
That’s typically how I go about my photography adventures.
Also coffee. My Jetboil and I are bffs.
Michael
1 Like
So, I’ve settled on Acadia! I have been doing some planning for the last few weeks. I may update here after with some lessons learned. Booking so late created some issues as I literally had one hotel to choose from within an hour…not great lol. @Michael_Torkildsen Meals is something I’ve been thinking about. I’m not sure if I will eat really late or just bring some things with me. I’ve read about people taking multiple gallons of water in their cars, that is a good idea and something I hadn’t really thought of but makes sense. I need to start prepping a packing list and a list of things to get when I arrive. I’ve charted out some locations and prioritized them. I’m willing to go back to the same location multiple times if the conditions don’t pan out the first time. I also plan to use daytime to scout locations and make sure I have spots “saved” to return to later.
@JohnCRudySearcher I used to live in Lebanon down near you! I have the AllTrails app, never used it trying to sort out what I would use it for. I have Gaia GPS to save locations to, I also have them on my Apple Maps to navigate from one spot to the next. Printing is a good idea. I also bought a hard copy of a map and I’ve been marking it up with some places I want to make sure I get to. Being on site is going to be key, I will use the PhotoPills app when I get there to try to visualize some of these things.
Thanks for your suggestions!
2 Likes
The best way to take quality images during a trip is to develop an intimate relationship with the subject. That means picking a spot and staying with it round the clock and watching it through all the changes it goes through. In terns of planning it means renting and living out of a vehicle at the location. As pointed out about the break in concentration that occurs by going to restaurants, the same occurs by driving back and forth to the hotel. Even better would be to camp and have it surround you continuously but that’s just too much at a more advanced age. In about 6 weeks I will be renting an SUV fro Anchorage in which I will be sleeping and cooking on location. This is a system that works for me and I frankly can’t imagine doing it any other way. It’s my belief that an image taken in this manner is signiticantly different enough that a viewer can tell the difference.
1 Like
I can relate to the need to basically live out of a vehicle to be at good locations when good light coincides with mealtimes (which is always). And restaurants can often be crowded with slow service and virus-laden. I always remember an article I read years ago about survival supplies for airplane trips to remote locations and the author said, truly in all seriousness, that kibbles provided good survival nourishment at a low cost for weight and bulk. I keep meaning to try that when traveling with my husband.
1 Like
Don’t plan trips to the seacoast during tropical storms 
When looking for guides, check with local museums, universities with biological department that leans toward field studies, local Audubon/botanical/insect/etc. societies. These groups include people who know the little known gems in a region. Travel Businesses know the places to shop, eat, and see the stuff others want to see. Naturalists will find the perfect place for fresh photography.
Some thoughts from my return…as Ed mentioned, the weather was not ideal for what I was hoping for. I do think I was able to snag a handful of keepers though. This is more to help me process, feel free to look the other way.
-
It’s a give and take between planning too many locations and not planning enough, something I have to continue to feel out. To go along with this, knowing when the best light has passed and moving along, or when the best light is yet to come and you need to stick around. This is something I believe comes with numerous return trips to the same locations.
-
Having time to explore is a necessity. Unless there is a clear iconic shot, it takes time to search out the right compositions, even if it is a well known spot.
-
Return to the same places multiple times at different times of the day.
-
Ask for help, look for people who have been there and can provide suggestions. Knowing the right times to be in specific locations is important. Some things you can tell from your own research but other times you need the boots on the ground knowledge.
-
Be prepared to take a lot of bad pictures (again, this is more for me
). -
Meet new people. One of my favorite experiences was talking to two sets of random strangers in a bar after a sunset shoot.
1 Like