Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is a village on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County in the Down East area of Maine. It is a useful base for those visiting Acadia National Park.

Understand

Get in

View of Bar Harbor from Cadilac Mountain.

By car

• 30 min from the city of Ellsworth via Route 3.
• 45 min - 1 hour from Bangor, Maine, depending on traffic. Take I-395 and Route 1A to Ellsworth. From Ellsworth continue on Route 3 to Bar Harbor.
• 3½ hours from Portland, Maine. Take I-95 to exit 182, I-395 and follow the directions from Bangor. Alternatively, take I-95 to Route 3, exit 113, just north of Augusta, and follow Route 3 east to Belfast, and then to Ellsworth and Bar Harbor.
• 5 hours from Boston, Massachusetts
• 7 hours from Burlington, Vermont. Take I-89 South to Montpelier, get on Route 2 West and follow until Newport, Maine. Get on I-95 North and take exit 185 to the "Acadia Region". Follow the signs along Route 1 to Bar Harbor.
• 7 hours from Quebec, Canada

By plane

The 🌍 Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (BHB ^IATA) isin Trenton on the outskirts of Ellsworth, on the mainland adjacent to Mount Desert Island. There is scheduled air service to Boston, and seasonal flights to Newark that go on to Vero Beach. During the summer there is free bus service between the airport and Bar Harbor, which takes about 45 minutes, depending on the traffic. Taxi service and rental cars are also available.

Get around

Depending on the time of year you find yourself in town, and your intended goals, your visit may necessitate different modes of transportation. With many of the nearly 3 million annual visitors arriving in the summer months, getting around town by motor vehicle is a bad idea. Bar Harbor is much, much quieter between October and April.

Use the Island Explorer buses to get around the island. They are sponsored by L.L. Bean and an eco-friendly option.

Driving a large truck or SUV is ill-advised, as parking in Bar Harbor is not suited to such vehicles. On the bright side, bringing less stuff requires befriending of locals, improvisation, and overall a more fun Maine experience.

The central area of Bar Harbor is quite small and easily explored by foot. This includes the shopping and eating establishments on Main St. and Cottage St., and the activities at the town pier.

Bicycles can be rented in town and may be put on the front of the buses.

See

• 🌍 Bar Harbor Historical Society, 33 Ledgelawn Ave, ☎ [phone], [phone]. June–Oct: M-Sa 1-4PM, open by appointment in the winter. Closed Sundays and holidays. Free. 
• 🌍 Abbe Museum, 26 Mount Desert St, ☎ [phone]. Open to school groups and programs by appointment in the winter, shop and galleries open for the public May 25. Devoted to the Native American tribes of Maine. The Abbe museum offers plenty of activities for adults and children. A good rainy day activity. The new Abbe museum is much larger and offers plenty of activities for both adults and children. A good rainy day activity.  
• The Abbe Museum:Original, ☎ [phone]. Located at Sieur De Mont, this one-room museum is the original MDI Native American museum. A bit pricey, but lots of information. 
• 🌍 Village Green (intersection of Mt. Desert Street and Main Street). The well-groomed park is a great place to take a break from walking, shopping, etc. Toss a frisbee, enjoy your ice cream, read a book, or just take a nap. The gazebo hosts the town band every Monday and Thursday night. On summer nights, there are often concerts on the bandstand. Street performers will often roam the sidewalks, and there's free Wifi! Just create an account name and sign on. 
• 🌍 Sieur de Monts Spring Nature Center. Home to the Wild Gardens of Acadia. 
• The Bar Harbor Whale Museum. Located on West Street facing the harbor. Open daily from 10AM to 8PM. Admission by donation. The museum is devoted to whales and other sea creatures. There are many real skeletons (from stranded marine mammals) on display including a 28-foot long juvenile humpback whale. Other exhibits include climate change, bioacoustics, marine adaptations, and a brief history of whaling. Great for kids and adults. Great souvenirs and presents to be found in the gift shop. 
• 🌍 Dorr Museum of Natural History (on the College of the Atlantic campus), ☎ [phone]. Dedicated to the natural history of the North East. Exhibits vary from year to year, and are designed by College of the Atlantic students. There is always a touch-tank filled with sea creatures, and plenty of taxidermied animals to examine. Child friendly. 

Do

Frenchman's Bay lighthouse.

In general, Bar Harbor is more interesting from 9PM-5AM during the summertime, when the crowds are thinner and the air cooler, although the Police Department never sleeps.

Boat tours

• Acadia Sailing Company, ☎ [phone]. Offers a two- or three-hour sail with a native captain on a 25-foot Crosby Catboat built in 1915. 6 passenger maximum & nice dogs sail free. Trips depart from the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Conference Center dock (119 Eden St) daily. 
• 🌍 The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co., 1 West St. Cruise Frenchman's Bay and get up close and personal with whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea birds and more. 
• 🌍 Diver Ed's Dive-In Theater, 146 Gilbert Farm Rd, ☎ +1 207 288-DIVE (3483). Dive-In Theater is a family-friendly 2-hour interactive marine life boat cruise. 
• 🌍 Lulu Lobster Boat Ride, 55 West St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. The only lobster boat and seal watch tour in Bar Harbor hosted on a traditional Downeast-style lobster boat. After fourteen successful seasons delighting passengers in the Hancock area and Bar Harbor, Lulu sails out of downtown Bar Harbor. The Harborside Hotel & Marina is Lulu's base of operations. Lulu takes you on a two-hour tour offering the most exclusive, personal and unique cruise in Bar Harbor. 
• 🌍 Schooner Margaret Todd, 27 Main St, ☎ [phone]. A 151-foot, four-masted schooner. Sails at 10AM (morning sail), 2PM (afternoon sail), and 6:30PM (sunset sail). Adult: $37.50, seniors 65+: $35.00, children 6-11: $27.50, toddlers 2-5: $5.00, infants under 2: free. 
• Sea Princess Scenic Nature Cruises, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. A Maine Coast tradition since 1968. Take a scenic nature cruise from Northeast Harbor (20 minute drive from Bar Harbor). View Bear Island Lighthouse, Osprey, Eagles, Harbor Porpoise, Harbor Seals, visit the Cranberry Islands and the Islesford Historical Museum, and cruise into majestic Somes Sound Fjord. 

Paddling

• Aquaterra Adventures, 1 West St, ☎ [phone]. They offer several types of tours and instruction led by the best licensed Maine guides. They provide you with all of the equipment that you will need on the trip and have their own dock located right behind the shop so there is no need to shuttle anywhere or lug equipment. 
• Coastal Kayaking Tours, toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• National Park Sea Kayak Tours, 39 Cottage St, toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Reservations are suggested for these ecological tours, which cruise the quieter western side of Mount Desert Island. 

Hiking

There are numerous trails around Bar Harbor, and even more in the surrounding areas of Mount Desert Island. When planning a hike, avoid driving and use the free Island Explorer buses. These stop at most trail heads, and afford an ideal means of taking hikes from one point to another without spotting cars. Bring and drink at least one liter of water per person and use sun protection. The nearby mountains and shoreline afford little protection from the sun. Dress in layers. Even on the hottest summer days, the mountains and shoreline can be windy and cool. Stay on the 160 km/100 miles of trails and 80km/50 miles of carriage roads.

The following is a list of walks and hikes around the village of Bar Harbor.

• North Ridge Trail. This trail ascends the 1530 foot Cadillac Mtn. 
• South Ridge Trail. This trail ascends the 1530 foot Cadillac Mtn. 
• Dorr Mtn.. 1,270 ft. 
• Bear Brook Trail. This trail ascends the 1058-foot Champlain Mtn. 
• The Precipice Trail. This trail ascends the 1058-foot Champlain Mtn. It is one of the most difficult hikes on the island, iron rungs and ladders help you make the steep ascent. This trail is closed at times due to nesting peregrine falcons, which can be viewed from the parking area. 
• The Beehive. 540 ft. A short but steep hike up this mountain rewards you with some great views of Sand Beach, Great Head, Frenchman's Bay, and Champlain Mtn. 
• Gorham Mtn.. 525 ft. 
• The Shorepath. A relaxing stroll along the oceanfront, beginning at the town pier. 
• Ocean Trail. An easy walk along the dramatic, rocky coastline Maine is known for. See Sand Beach, Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs. 
• Bar Island. This trail is accessible only at low tide. 
• Carraige Roads. Accessible by Eagle Lake. 
• Great Head Trail. 

Other activities

• Acadia Air Tours. Offers scenic flights with both gliders and old-fashioned biplanes that allow you to see Acadia National Park from a unique perspective. 
• 🌍 Kebo Valley Golf Course, 136 Eagle Lake Rd (Eagle Lake Road), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Challenge yourself at the 8th oldest golf course in America. 6,131 yards, par 70. 
• Mount Desert Oceanarium and Lobster Hatchery, 3829 Route 3, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf, 368 State Highway 3, ☎ [phone]. Open mid-April through October, 11AM-9PM every day. Two 18-hole courses, Original and Blackbeard's Challenge. Ice cream window right across the street to celebrate. Both courses $7.50 for adults, $6.50 for children. 36-hole adventure: $12/adults, $11/children.. 
• 🌍 Reel Pizza Cinerama, 33 Kennebec Pl, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Take your pick of comfy seating and gourmet pizzas, beer and wine, in front of one of two screens. Tickets $6 for adults and children. Disability accommodations. 

Buy

Gear

• 🌍 Acadia Bike, 48 Cottage St, toll-free: [phone]. 
• 🌍 Cadillac Mountain Sports, 26 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. Includes a Patagonia, Nike and North Face shop in adjacent buildings. 

Art

• 🌍 Argosy Gallery, 110 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Island Artisans, 99 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 

Other shops

• 🌍 Bark Harbor, 200 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Pet supply store. 
• 🌍 Cool as a Moose, 118 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Gift shop. 
• 🌍 Eden Rising, 39 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. Gift shop. 
• 🌍 Sherman's Books and Stationary, 56 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Open year round. For books and postcards. 
• Village Emporium, 14 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. Offers gifts, clothing, toys, jewelry, and outerwear. 

Eat

Those seeking real adventure on a budget in Bar Harbor may find the bar and restaurant prices cost-prohibitive, but the Hannaford Supermarket on Cottage Street offers no end of inexpensive food and drink including liquor.

This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal for one, including soft drink:
Budget	Under $10
Mid-range	$10 - $20
Splurge	Over $20

Budget

• 🌍 Ben & Bills Chocolate Emporium, 66 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Ben & Bills may have long lines in the summer. Known for their lobster ice cream and hand-made chocolate. 
• 🌍 CJ's Big Dipper, 150 Main St, ☎ [phone]. The big dipper refers to CJ's "Magic Wand," which he dips in each batch of ice cream. 
• 🌍 Jordan's Restaurant, 80 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. Breakfast served all day. 
• 🌍 Mount Desert Island Ice Cream, 7 Firefly Ln, ☎ [phone]. Serves homemade ice cream. 
• 🌍 Rosalie's Pizza, 46 Cottage St. For some of the best pizza in town. A seat upstairs at the windows gives a nice view down to Cottage St. 

Mid-range

• 🌍 Cafe This Way, 14 Mount Desert St, ☎ [phone]. Known locally for a great place for a Sunday hangover brunch. 
• 🌍 Downeast Deli, 65 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 EPI's Pizza, 8 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. Pizza, subs, calzones, soups sandwiches and salads. Two arcade games and a pinball machine in the back. A busy place in the summer, but the wait in line is worth it. 
• 🌍 Galyn's Restaurant and Galley Lounge, 17 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Daily Mar-Nov: 11:30AM-2:30PM, 4-10PM. Head to the Galley Lounge for happy hour 4-6PM each afternoon. Reservations are accepted. 
• 🌍 Geddy's, 19 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Serving lunch and dinner seven days a week, all year-round. Burgers, steaks, grilled chicken, seafood, and gourmet pizza all provided by cisco systems. Have fun pointing out all of the fake Mount Desert Island memorabilia on the walls while you enjoy the great food and service. 
• 🌍 Gringo's, 30 Rodick St, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Mama DiMatteo's, 34 Kennebec Pl, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Poor Boy's Gourmet Restaurant, 300 Main St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Route 66 Restaurant, 21 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Town Hill Bistro, 1317 state highway 102, ☎ [phone]. 

Splurge

• 🌍 Havana, 318 Main St, ☎ [phone]. American fine dining with a Latin flair. 
• 🌍 Mache Bistro, 321 Main St, ☎ [phone]. French food with a local flair from acclaimed chef Kyle Yarborough, formerly of Havana. An intimate setting and perfect portions make this a must-do on any Bar Harbor trip. Open year round. 
• 🌍 Michelle's Fine Dining, 194 Main St, ☎ [phone]. 

Drink

Bars

• 🌍 Atlantic Brewing Company, 15 Knox Rd, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Bar Harbor Brewing Company, 8 Mount Desert St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Carmen Verandah's, 119 Main St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Fish House Grill, 1 West St, e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Little Anthony's Sports Bar and Pizzaria, 131 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Lompoc Cafe and Brew Pub, 36 Rodick St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 The Thirsty Whale Tavern, 40 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. Open year round. 

Coffee

• 🌍 Morning Glory Bakery, 39 Rodick St, ☎ [phone]. Open year round. Free wireless internet. Coffee, Pastries, Quiches, Sandwiches and Soups. Eat in or take out. 
• 🌍 Opera House Internet Cafe, 27 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. Open May–October. Offering fee based internet access (wired and wireless), coffee & pastry, come in and to online or simply hang out and play Scrabble, chess, checkers or many other games. 
• 🌍 Trailhead Cafe, 37 Cottage St, ☎ [phone]. 

Sleep

Room rates in Bar Harbor vary drastically with time of year and also with category of accommodation.

Hotels

• 🌍 The Acadia Hotel, 20 Mount Desert St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. $59 early May; $149 August. 
• 🌍 Acadia Inn, 98 Eden St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. $69 early May; $179 August. 
• 🌍 Atlantic Eyrie Lodge, 6 Norman Rd, ☎ [phone], toll-free: +1-800-HABA-VUE (4222-883), e-mail: [e-mail]. Cheapest rooms are on 1st and 2nd floors, more expensive for corner rooms (two big windows), rooms on upper floors, and those with kitchens. $62 mid-May to mid-June; $202 July and August. 
• 🌍 Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Conference Center, 119 Eden St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open year-round. All rooms ocean view. Room categories from least expensive: Oceanview, kitchenette, deluxe, superior. $92 Jan-mid May; $203 July - Labor Day. 
• 🌍 Bar Harbor Grand Hotel, 269 Main St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open Apr 14 - Nov 11. $75 mid-April - mid-May; $195 July and August. 
• 🌍 Bar Harbor Inn, 1 Newport Dr, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open Mar 24 - Nov 26. There are two restaurants at the Inn, the Reading Room Restaurant and the Terrace Grille. $79 Apr - Jun; $369 Jul and Aug. 
• 🌍 Bar Harbor Motel, 100 Eden St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Open May 11 - Oct 21. $60 May; $128 July and August. 
• 🌍 Bar Harbor Regency, 123 Eden St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: +1-800-23-HOTEL (46835). 
• 🌍 Bayview Hotel, 111 Eden St, toll-free: [phone]. 
• 🌍 Edgewater Motel and Cottages, 137 Old Bar Harbor Rd, toll-free: [phone]. Cottages, suites and motel rooms all overlooking the ocean. 
• Hampton By Hilton Bar Harbor, 12 Norman Rd, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone] (HAMPTON). Newest hotel in Bar Harbor as of 2018, ocean and mountain views, indoor and outdoor pools, free hot breakfast. (updated May 2018)
• 🌍 Harborside Hotel and Marina, 55 West St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• 🌍 Highbrook Motel, 94 Eden St, toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Robbins Motel, 396 State Highway 3, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. All rooms one low price for one or two people. May–June $32; July–August $58; September–October $42. 
• 🌍 Quimby House Inn, 109 Cottage St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 

Bed & breakfasts and guest houses

• 🌍 Acacia House Inn, 6 High St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-out: 11AM. Charming home with nine guestrooms run by the former owners of the Morning Glory Bakery. Breakfast is included in the price and is made from locally sourced ingredients and prepared to order. Open year round. 
• 🌍 Balance Rock Inn Bed and Breakfast, 21 Albert Meadow, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Heathwood Inn, 6 Long and Winding Rd, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Inn at Bay Ledge Bed & Breakfast, 150 Sand Point Rd (turn left on Sand Point Road (you will see the Bay Ledge sign) and continue 3 miles), ☎ [phone]. Atop an 80 foot cliff, amidst towering pines and overlooking Frenchman Bay, sits the Inn at Bay Ledge. The Inn at Bay Ledge has twelve units: eight rooms in the main lodge; three hillside cottages; and a private summer cottage on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The Inn at Bay Ledge is locally referred to as the Eden of New England. $165-475. 
• 🌍 Manor House Inn, 106 West St, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 
• 🌍 Moseley Cottage, 12 Atlantic Ave, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• 🌍 Ullikana Bed and Breakfast, 16 The Field, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 

Camping

• 🌍 Bar Harbor Campground, 409 Maine 3, ☎ [phone]. 
• 🌍 Blackwoods Campground, State Route 3, ☎ [phone]. Year round operation by National Park Service, 306 sites, no hookups. $20. 
• 🌍 Hadley's Point Campground, 33 Hadley Point Rd, ☎ [phone]. Grassy and wooded sites with hookups, pool, hot showers, etc. 
• 🌍 Mt Desert Narrows RV Resort & Campground, 1219 State Hwy 3, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 

Stay safe

• While Maine has relatively low crime rates compared to the rest of the United States, Bar Harbor is rather different during tourist season. Locking of one's car is advised, although car theft is almost unheard of.
• It is unsafe to venture out onto Maine's coastal waters without having the necessary equipment and experience. This is true of kayaking, canoeing, sailing or any other kind of boating. The water is cold and hypothermia can set in in a short amount of time. Dense fog often rolls in very quickly as well as the occasional storm. If you are determined to go out on your own, to do so without every single passenger wearing a PFD, or without having a compass and knowing how to use it, or without understanding how to navigate safely around other boats and water hazards is not only foolish but could result in serious fines from the Coast Guard or a Marine Patrol officer. There are numerous companies on Mount Desert Island and else where that offer guided sea kayak, sailing, and power boat tours.

Go next

• Acadia National Park
• Blue Hill
• Ellsworth

Routes through Bar Harbor

Ellsworth ← Trenton ←	W  E	→ END
END ←	N  S	→ Southwest Harbor → Tremont
END ←	N  S	→ Northeast Harbor → END