From April 15 to November 30 (depending on weather), visitors can drive the 20-mile Park Loop Road and 3.5-mile spur road to Cadillac Mountain to view dazzling scenery and enjoy an occasional stop to stroll down a path or to read a wayside information sign. During the winter a two-mile section of the Park Loop Road along Ocean Drive remains open to automobiles. Access to this motor road is via Schooner Head Road, two miles south of downtown Bar Harbor. The road to Cadillac Mountain is closed to automobiles during the winter.

The Island Explorer fare-free shuttle operates late June to Columbus Day. The shuttle stops at many hotels and campgrounds, linking visitors to destinations across Mount Desert Island and parts of Acadia National Park. Visitors are required to purchase a park entrance pass, which helps support the Island Explorer fare-free system.