WHY GO: There’s a reason why I’ve waited till now to add Bar Harbor ME to my Getaway Mavens posts. It’s so, so, touristy, especially in summer. The town really didn’t need me to boost tourism. (This Getaway Maven is more interested in championing the smaller, lesser known locales).
Re: Bar Harbor/Acadia NP, I believed that everyone in New England (and around the world) plan to come here: all at the same time. In July/August, the streets get busy, the restaurants fill up, and Acadia’s most famous spots feel downright overcrowded.
The workaround? Get out early, explore Acadia’s quieter corners, or visit in shoulder season. Because yes, Bar Harbor is touristy—but there’s a reason everyone wants to be here.
Below, find our recommendations – both widely and lesser known spots and things to do in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. They may not be obscure, “hidden” or quirky, but if you’ve never been here before, you gotta go…..
Best Things to Do in Bar Harbor ME and Acadia National Park
HIKE: Acadia National Park
Hiking in Acadia National Park is where “taking a walk” can quickly turn into scrambling over granite, climbing iron rungs, or stopping every few minutes because both the exertion AND the view are breathtaking. With more than 150 miles of trails, Acadia has something for everyone—from easy seaside strolls and shady woodland paths to heart-pumping climbs up Cadillac, Champlain, and Beehive mountains.
The payoff is almost always spectacular: rocky coastlines, spruce-covered islands, sparkling ponds, and sweeping views that seem to change around every bend. Just wear decent shoes – and if doing aggresive hikes, rugged hiking boots – bring water, and don’t underestimate a trail because it looks short on the map. Acadia can be considerably more challenging than its mileage suggests.
DO: Five Must-Do Hikes and Stops in Acadia NP
Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is Acadia’s natural sound-and-spray machine, where waves rush into a sea-carved cavern and—if the timing is right—explode with a thunderous boom. The name comes from the deep rumble created as air gets compressed inside the cavern before the wave crashes in. It’s dramatic, cool (in a couple of ways) and very Acadia.
Hike The 3.3 Mile Jordan Pond Loop
The 3.3-mile Jordan Pond Loop is a gorgeous ramble around one of Acadia’s prettiest ponds, with the Bubbles rising dramatically behind the water. But don’t be fooled by the mileage: narrow boardwalks and a boulder scramble along parts of the trail can be challenging for some walkers. Be aware, although the trail is marked as “easy,” the nearly mile-long two-plank-wide boardwalk and about 1/4 mile rocky area renders the Loop moderate for less experienced hikers.
Enjoy The Famous Popovers at Jordan Pond House
If you don’t have time for a full meal at the Jordan Pond House Restaurant, and want to partake in the cherished Victorian-era ritual of eating a fresh-baked steamy popover while overlooking some of Acadia’s gorgeous vistas, stand on line at Jordan Pond’s outdoor Popover pop-up stand for a quick fix. (They only sell popovers and lemonade outside of the restaurant). Nibbling on these baked treats while taking in the iconic Bubble Mountains feels like you’ve stepped straight into a vintage postcard.
Cadillac Mountain Summit
If you’re in good shape, hike the “easier” 7.1 mile roundtrip Southridge Trail, or the “harder” 4.4 roundtip Northridge Trail from the bottom to the top of Cadillac Mountain – or simply drive up and hope for a parking place.
At 1,530 feet, Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard. From the top, Frenchman Bay, the Porcupine Islands, and the rocky Maine coastline stretch out in every direction. It’s especially famous for sunrise.
Watch The Sun Rise From atop Cadillac Mountain
Witness the very first rays of daylight striking the easternmost edge of the United States. As the sky shifts from deep indigo to fiery rose, you’ll get a bird’s-eye panorama of Frenchmen Bay dotted with spruce-topped islands. Be sure to reserve a vehicle timed-entry pass online in advance, bundle up in layers—even in August— and enjoy Mother Nature’s morning marvel while perched on this ancient granite ledge.
TOUR: Bike the Scenic Carriage Roads In Acadia National Park With A Guide
One of the most intimate ways to experience Acadia National Park, and escape the motor traffic, is to join a twenty two mile, 4 1/2 -hour guided tour of the Park’s Carriage Road on an e-bike through Island Time Tours. Glide through quiet, sun-dappled pine forests on the 45-mile network of broken-stone carriage paths that feature magnificent hand-hewn granite bridges, sweeping ocean vistas, and tranquil alpine ponds.
You’ll stop to admire the intricate stonework of historic arched bridges spanning rushing mountain streams, and, among many other things, learn about the family of beavers who are industriously changing the landscape on at least one of the larger ponds.
TOUR: Take a 2 1/2 Hour Tour on Oli’s Trolley
If you’re short on time – or aren’t quite up to hiking – a 2 1/2 hour tour of Bar Harbor and Acadia on Oli’s Trolley will provide you with a taste of this magnificent National Park. Learn about its origins (all land in Acadia National Park was donated), the John D. Rockefeller connection (Rockefeller, a skilled horseman, wanted to travel on motor-free byways via horse and carriage into the heart of Mount Desert Island. From 1913 to 1940, he oversaw, and even participated in, the construction of 45 miles of these roads), and hear quippy stories about the area.
Oli’s Trolley stops in three places (with 15 minutes to explore in each). 1) the top of Cadillac Mountain, 2) Thunder Hole, and 3) Jordan Pond. If you have time after the tour – you’ll definitely want to return to all three to explore further. And/or, reserve a spot to watch the sunrise from the summit of Cadillac Mountain (see above).
DO: Stroll Across the Bar Island Land Bridge
How’d you like walking on the bottom of the ocean floor to an uninhabited island? You can! At low tide, the receding waters of Frenchman Bay reveal a wide, gravelly sandbar connecting downtown Bar Harbor to Bar Island: the so called Bar Island Land Bridge. You have a roughly two-hour window to cross over on foot, hunt for sea glass, build unique rock cairns, and hike the short trail through birch groves for a picture-perfect look back at the harbor skyline. Keep an eye on your watch, though; if you linger too long, you’ll be swimming back, paying a pretty penny for a pick-up, or waiting six hours for the tide to recede again.
WALK: Bar Harbor Shore Path
The Shore Path is Bar Harbor’s front-row seat to Frenchman Bay—a 1.5-mile round trip stroll past rocky coves, island views, mansions, and the delightfully precarious Balance Rock, a glacial boulder perched on the shore. Dating to the 1880s, the Shore Path is an easy, classic way to take in Bar Harbor’s waterfront.
DO: Take a Classic Windjammer Sunset Cruise on Frenchman Bay
Boarding a ship like the Margaret Todd from the town pier offers a salt-in-your-hair maritime adventure that gets you out on the water at the perfect time. As the canvas sails billow, you’ll glide past historic summer cottages, towering sea cliffs, and harbor islands at the Golden Hour. It’s a serene way to take in the dramatic coastal topography that makes this corner of New England so legendary.
DO: Kayak in Bar Harbor/Mt Desert Island
If you’d rather be master of your own vessel, but still want to get out on the water, consider a single or tandem guided kayaking tour. Several outfitters in Bar Harbor offer these tours including Maine State Sea Kayak, Acadia Bike and Coastal Kayaking Tours, and Acadia Sea Kayaking Adventures (which launches 20 minutes drive out of Bar Harbor), to name just a few.
DO: Escape to the Wild Shoreline of Schoodic Peninsula
Leave the bustling crowds of Mount Desert Island behind and discover the rugged, untamed side of Acadia. Located across Frenchman Bay on the mainland, the Schoodic Peninsula offers towering sea cliffs, pounding surf, and pristine pine groves where you can truly hear the call of the coast. It’s so impressive, we gave it a longer shrift in this Schoodic Peninsula post.
Where to Eat in Bar Harbor ME
You can’t walk two paces in Bar Harbor without passing a lobster roll joint – or steamed lobster spot, so far be it for us to make “best of” recommendations. But, here are a few ideas:
Grab a traditional butter-drenched lobster roll on the patio at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, cool off with a scoop of quirky Maine-lobster ice cream at Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium, and finish the evening sipping a local blueberry ale at Atlantic Brewing Company. (No, Atlantic Brewing Co. does not make a “lobster ale,” but Oxbow Brewing Co. in Newcastle ME does. With actual lobsters!)
Where to Stay in Bar Harbor ME
STAY/LUX: Bar Harbor Inn and Spa
You’ll pay a pretty penny to stay at the Bar Harbor Inn and Spa – a waterfront full-service hotel. But if you care to indulge there’s no better perch from which to watch all the goings on along the Shore Path, the downtown Agamont Park (the large, sloping grassy lawn directly on the waterfront overlooking the town pier and Frenchman Bay), and the harbor itself.
STAY/HIP: Pathmark Hotel
The 45-room Pathmaker Hotel is both hip and really friendly. Comfy, airy rooms are classically Ethan-Allan. And, miracles of miracles, parking is free and so are hot, cooked to order menu-item breakfasts each morning, rendering this trendy in-town hotel a great bargain.Tucked on Cottage Street, just a couple of blocks from the waterfront and the sandbar to Bar Island, it puts shops, restaurants, and the action of downtown right outside the door.
