Lonely PlanetAug 20
11 things to do in Bar Harbor, Maine, and the best way to do them
Experience the best of Bar Harbor, Maine – gateway to Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain – with these top things to do.
a Bar Harbor summertime institution
21 things in this story
- Acadia National ParkNature reservemountain hikes, wooded carriage roads, wave-battered shores
- Cadillac MountainSightsummit offers magnificent views over Frenchman Bay
- John D Rockefeller JrPlacegifted Acadia with 45 miles of carriage roads
- Eagle LakeSighta lovely spot reached by carriage roads
- Jordan PondTrailglassy waters reflect Penobscot Mountain
- Acadia Ebike AdventurePlacerental place for bikes near Hull's Cove
- Jordan Pond HouseRestaurantafternoon tea tradition since the late 1800s
- Island ExplorerPlacefree bus service from Hulls Cove
- Carriage Road Carry-out CounterRestaurantwell-suited for cyclists and strollers
- Cafe This WayRestaurantserves fluffy pancakes with Maine blueberries
- Abbe MuseumMuseumcontains artifacts related to Maine's Native American heritage
- Acadia Country StoreMarketstocks T-shirts, mugs, tea towels, maple syrup, jams
- Sea BagsPlacesells bags from repurposed sailcloth
- Sherman'sPlacestate's oldest bookshop, sells regional authors
- Mount Desert Island Ice CreamIce cream shopa Bar Harbor summertime institution
- Wonderland TrailTrailreaches coastline with tide pools and critters
- Bar IslandSightwalkable at low tide, offers views of seabed
- NOAA's Tide AlertPlaceapp for checking tides
- Thirsty WhaleBarserves unfussy seafood classics, draws locals and tourists
- North Ridge TrailTrail4.2-mile round-trip route up Cadillac Mountain
- Elsewhere
- Thurston'sRestaurantBernard, United Statescasual dockside lobster pound overlooking Bass Harbor