5 Best Things to Do in Bar Harbor, Maine
Only have a day or two? From whale watches to coastal strolls, here are five of the very best things to do in Bar Harbor, Maine.
By Yankee Staff|Jul 06 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanIf you’re traveling to Maine, odds are good you’re planning to check out Acadia National Park, the 49,000-acre swath of coastal wilderness that ranks among the most popular national parks in the U.S. And if you’re checking out Acadia, odds are equally good that you’ll find yourself in Bar Harbor. Today the bustling hub of Acadia as well as Maine’s busiest cruise port, Bar Harbor has a long history of welcoming visitors. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a ritzy summer retreat for Carnegies and Rockefellers and attracted presidents including William Howard Taft (who rhapsodized that the town’s air was like “champagne in a Prohibition state”). More recently, President Barack Obama and his family made it home base for their Acadia vacation in 2010.
Bar Harbor still retains some of its Gilded Age feel — its graceful village green, for instance, includes a 17th-century Italian fountain and an ornate 1896 town clock. And that historic character combined with classic coastal beauty and modern shopping and dining scenes makes for a perennially appealing destination. You could easily spend a week or more exploring this bustling little town and its environs, but if you have just a day or two, here are the five best things to do in Bar Harbor, Maine.
5 Best Things to Do in Bar Harbor, Maine
On-the-Water Expeditions
Summer is peak season for whale watching in the Gulf of Maine, and for more than 25 years Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. has been providing a front-row seat to all the aquatic action. In addition to its whale watches — where you might spy humpbacks, finbacks, minkes, and right whales — the company also offers puffin and lighthouse cruises. For something a little closer to shore, Diver Ed’s Dive-In Theater has been a family favorite since 2000, with passengers on the Starfish Enterprise watching “Diver Ed” Monat explore the depths to select lobsters, sea cucumbers, starfish, and other critters to bring aboard for everyone to examine before he returns them to their watery home.
Oceanside Walks
An easy one-mile walking path that’s been in existence for over 100 years, the Shore Path hugs Frenchman Bay in downtown Bar Harbor and offers tranquil seaside views as well as a peek at a few of the finer inns and residences in town. Another recommended stroll is the land bridge out to Bar Harbor’s namesake, Bar Island, about two miles out and back (note: the land bridge is accessible only around low tide, so keep an eye on the time). And since the small, uninhabited island is part of Acadia National Park, if you plan to stay and explore it you will need to have already purchased your park pass.
Abbe Museum
Rooted in collections that comprise more than 70,000 objects, this outstanding museum of Maine’s native peoples, the Wabanaki Nations, brings together archaeological finds with oral histories, personal knowledge, and cultural and artistic traditions. The tales of confrontation, adaptation, and survival paint a picture of a resilient, living culture.
Local Flavors
From upscale bistros to homey cafés, downtown Bar Harbor has no shortage of places to get a meal. For one-off treats that capture local flavor, though, we recommend craft brews, lobster, and ice cream. Specifically: Launched in 1991 as Acadia Brewing, Atlantic Brewing Co. has a lineup of locally inspired quaffs that span Blueberry Ale to Cadillac Mountain Stout, which you can sample at the farm headquarters or at its downtown taproom. Lobster lovers are spoiled for choice in this seaside town, but Rose Eden Lobster, the seafood shack at the Rose Eden Cottages, stands out for its classic lobster dinners and homemade blueberry pie. And for dessert: You can’t go wrong at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream (we love the Blueberry Sour Cream Strudel), while Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium is famous for having invented lobster ice cream.
Acadia National Park
No writeup of Bar Harbor would be complete without a nod to this superstar next door (and actually, some 10,000 acres of Acadia National Park are within Bar Harbor’s boundary lines!). Established as Sieur de Monts National Monument in July 1916, the first national park in the East represents a treasure trove of forests and mountains, meadows and wetlands, lakes and coastal habitats. Accessible by parkway and crisscrossed by 45 miles of landscaped carriage roads, hiking trails, and footpaths, the park is a magnet for more than 2 million visitors each year. Have your own list of the very best things to do in Bar Harbor, Maine? Leave your picks in the comments below!
This post was first published in 2020 and has been updated.
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About 20 years ago, my husband and I along with his boss and his wife went to Bar Harbor for a conference at the College of the Atlantic. It was mid June but it was foggy and cold the whole time we were there. Loved the town but never saw much of the water for the thick fog. We bought a pack of postcards and noticed once we were home, how we missed out on seeing the beautiful mountains in the water and all the lovely ships docked in town. We have got to plan a trip back sometime when its clear. I am originally from Cape Cod but my husband and friends are all from the south.
It used to be a great place to visit. The recent advent of the big cruise ships and the stream of buses to service the tourists of these cruise ships has made downtown Bar Harbor a place to avoid rather than visit. Acadia National Park is a great take, but the town of Bar Harbor no longer is.
I agree!
So sad to hear .????
I agree also, spent summer camping for years, not anywhere near the same. Been back a few times, wish I could do it, so heavily advertised, no more hidden, quiet spots, all spots are marked, plenty of people. I’m sure this has greatly helped the economy, but not for me anymore. SAD
Clam chowder at Testa’s. Primo!
Geddy’s should be a must stop along with Bar Harbor Inn
Jordan Pond for their famous popovers!!
Popovers and home made strawberry jam and tea.
My Grandparents had a summer home in Prospect Harbor. We visited
almost each summer with Bar Harbor being one of our stops. At night
we would watch for the Bluenose out of Bar Harbor, carrying
people to who knows where. After living in Texas for 14 yrs. I
Really miss New England!!
The essence of Bar Harbor area is stopping at the Jordan Pond House and having a lunch with popovers! The delight of out summer is going there then walking around Jordan Pond which has crystal clear waters and celebrating summer in Maine.
You hit it on the head my favorite for 40 years.
I love reading about all these lovely places to visit but it would be nice to get a list of places in NE that accommodates people with disabilities, especially those who can’t walk far or who are in wheelchairs.
My husband and I visited Acadia National Park the week after Christmas ( I grew up in NE, my husband in WI ) We currently reside in NYC ( we work in the arts ) and I return to my beloved NE every chance I get! Of course, Bar Harbor was mostly closed and quiet but the surrounding area was open to hiking, and cycling weather permitting. We discovered the carriage roads that pepper the mountains in the area and were delighted to find almost no one on them! The weather was mild, no ice or snow on the carriage roads, allowing us two days of cycling in a beautiful pristine car free paradise. There were also hiking trails at various levels of difficulty that we experienced. Maybe the best time to visit Bar Harbor is off season; perhaps late Spring/ early Fall to avoid the summer crowds. We’ll be back!
I have traveled to Bar Harbor off and on since 1986 and as recently as this month. Over the years as more and more people have ‘discovered’ it, it has become increasingly crowded, even after Labor Day and more ‘commercialized’ and ‘touristy’. A testament to this is the new arrangement for visiting the summit of Cadillac Mountain. The introduction of cruise ship visitors has greatly compounded the ‘crowd problem’. What used to be a quiet little town is now a town with mobs of people, vehicular traffic that can make getting around a challenge and prices that are stratospheric. The landscape and geography remain utterly beautiful though, so I will likely continue to visit as long as I am able. And, the lobster is pretty darn good too!