What should you do on your trip to Bar Harbor? This list is achievable and fun for a week on Mount Desert Island, and we do everything, every year! Nevertheless, it never gets old! It’s part of what is special about Maine: everything stays exactly the same year after year. Here is the Ultimate Top 10 List for Bar Harbor, Maine!
- Updated: 27 Sept 2024
Acadia National Park
Odds are you are coming because of this beautiful natural treasure, so go see it! Conveniently, buses leave from the village green to take you around the Park Loop Trail, or you can drive yourself. In order to cover more ground, you can bring a bike on the bus, but there is limited storage. Also, don’t forget to tell the driver that you have a bike when you get off, or you will watch your bike continue without you.
Follow the Park Loop Trail and see Thunder Hole – it’s best an hour before high tide. Take the restricted areas seriously; unexpectedly, large waves have washed tourists off the rocks. Enjoy the stunning views from the overlooks and take it all in. See some of the Rockefeller Bridges. Ride your bike on ‘Around the Mountain’ or around Eagle Lake. Trail maps are available everywhere.
Take a Carriage Ride
This is a touristy thing, but it’s part of the moment. The rides leave from Wildwood Stables and are about an hour. Additionally, you get a little history lesson and photo ops. However, if you want to skip it, you will probably run into a carriage on the trails and be allowed to pet one of the horses. In fact, the most likely place to find a carriage is on a hike from Jordan Pond House towards the Cobblestone Bridge. Trail Maps are available in the Gift Shop.
Watch the Sunrise
If you are on top of Cadillac Mountain at 4:15 am in June and see the sun before anyone else in the country; I mean, other than the hundreds of other people who wake up to do the same, especially on weekends. However, if you are not a morning person, you can see the sunset from the Blue Hill Overlook just before you get to the Cadillac Mountain Parking lot.
Due to the overcrowding, Acadia has gone to a reservation system, like many other national parks. This means you need to plan ahead and make a reservation for sunrise and/or sunset, hire a taxi, or hike up. It’s still very crowded.
Get on the Water
It can get warm in the summer, and the best way to beat the heat is to get near the water, which is always cooler. My favorite way to get on the water is to take a water taxi or mailboat to the Cranberry Islands. You can catch the boat at the Northeast Harbor Dock, which has one and two island options. If you go on the mail boat, you can take bikes, which makes getting around easier. The islands have sandwich shops, art galleries, and a boat-building school. There is a restaurant at Islesford Dock.
Additionally, there are boat tours out of Bar Harbor, which will take you whale watching, or you can see the puffins or go on a lighthouse tour. There are kiosks near the harbor, or you can book online. Boating is absolutely one of the most fun items on Bar Harbor’s Top 10 Things to Do.
Take a Hike
There are trails for every interest. You can go 150 yards to a scenic overlook or hike up Cadillac Mountain. The carriage trails are great for walking and biking. I have maps, and it’s part of the evening routine to drink wine and make ambitious plans for the next day. An easy one is to hike up Bubble Mountain and try to push the stone off – kids of all ages love it.
Visit a Lighthouse
Bass Harbor Lighthouse is one you will recognize! It is very popular at sunset, and there is always a crowd. The drive to Bass Harbor takes you over the Somesville Bridge, another popular photo destination.
Eat a Lobster
My favorite lobster pound is Thurston’s in Bernard, looking over Bass Harbor, but there are others to choose from. Abel’s is closer to Bar Harbor and overlooks Somes Sound for a beautiful sunset view. I prefer lobster in a casual, picnic-like setting, not a white-table-cloth restaurant.
Popovers!
The traditional popover location is Jordan Pond House in the park and Bar Harbor’s Top 10 Things to Do List would not be complete without a stop here! They are served with strawberry or blueberry jam (you can ask for both) and lemonade. The lemonade is unsweetened, and sugar water is served on the side. On the other hand, you can dip your popover in lobster stew if you prefer a savory option. Or, if you can still eat more, for dessert with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Unfortunately, the problem with Jordan Pond House is the crowds and the parking, so check out the Asticou Inn Restaurant, which provides all the same dishes overlooking Northeast Harbor. [Currently, the Asticou is closed for renovations but is expected to reopen in 2026]
Visit the Land Bridge
Bar Harbor has a land bridge to drive to Bar Island at low tide. This option is only available at low tide, so you need to pay attention. You don’t want to be on the island or the land bridge when the tide comes in. Check the tide charts!! (there’s an app for that!)
Buy a Cool-as-a-Moose Shirt
The shop is on Main St. in Bar Harbor and is full of many things you had no idea you needed. We also stop by the Rock Shop and Sherman’s Book Store.
There you have it: Bar Harbor’s Top 10 Things to Do! So, go at your own pace and check all the boxes. You will have a fabulous time Down East.
Share this post
- Pin it !
Most Recent Posts
