Bar Harbor

Category:Has custom banner

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 44.449722-68.3616671 Hancock County-Bar Harbor AirportCategory:Has map markers (BHB IATA) is in 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.

By bus

By ferry

  • Bay FerriesCategory:Has map markers, toll-free: +1-877-762-7245. departs Bar Harbor 3:00PM EDT, departs Yarmouth 9:30AM ADT. Seasonal car and passenger ferry, 3.5-hour crossing between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Frequency: daily July–Aug 2023, 5 times/week (no Tu, We) Sept–Oct 9, 2023. International travel documents are required: see Bay Ferries web site for details. US$115/person + US$199/auto (one way, high season). 

Get around

'"`UNIQ--maplink-00000012-QINU`"'
Map of Bar Harbor

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 you don't have to worry about parking.

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

  • 44.38525-68.20791 Bar Harbor Historical SocietyCategory:Has map markers, 127 West Street, ☏ +1 207 288-0000. mid-June to Oct: M-Sa 1-4PM, open by appointment in the winter. Closed holidays. Listed on the National Register of Historic places, the museum exhibits memorabilia, maps, antique clothing and pictures. free. OSM directions (updated Aug 2019)
  • 44.385833-68.2094442 Abbe MuseumCategory:Has map markers, 26 Mount Desert St, ☏ +1 207 288-3519. May-Oct: 10AM-5PM, Nov-Apr: Th-Sa 10-16. Devoted to the Native American tribes of Maine. The new Abbe museum is much larger and offers plenty of activities for both adults and children. A good rainy day activity. Open to school groups and programs by appointment in the winter. $8/adult, $7/senior, $4/youth, children under 10 free. Abbe Museum on Wikipedia Abbe Museum (Q20858269) on Wikidata OSM directions (updated Aug 2019)
  • Category:See listing with no coordinatesThe Abbe Museum:OriginalCategory:Has map markers, ☏ +1 207 288-3519. Located at Sieur De Mont, this one-room museum is the original MDI Native American museum. A bit pricey, but lots of information. 
  • 44.38768-68.205183 Village GreenCategory:Has map markers (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. OSM directions 
  • 44.36211-68.207884 Sieur de Monts Spring Nature CenterCategory:Has map markers. Home to the Wild Gardens of Acadia. OSM directions 
  • Category:See listing with no coordinatesThe Bar Harbor Whale MuseumCategory:Has map markers (West St facing the harbor). 10AM-8PM. 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. by donation. 
  • 44.3948-68.22245 Dorr Museum of Natural HistoryCategory:Has map markers (on the College of the Atlantic campus), ☏ +1 207 288 5015. 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. OSM directions 

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

Paddling

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.

Other activities

Buy

Gear

Art

Other shops

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:
BudgetUnder $10
Mid-range$10 - $20
SplurgeOver $20

Budget

Mid-range

Splurge

Drink

Bars

Coffee

Sleep

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

Hotels

Bed & breakfasts and guest houses

Camping

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

Routes through Bar Harbor
Ellsworth ← Trenton ←  W  E  → END
END ←  N  S  → Southwest Harbor → Tremont
END ←  N  S  → Northeast Harbor → END
Category:Has routebox


Category:Has Geo parameter Category:Mount Desert IslandCategory:All destination articles
This city travel guide to Bar Harbor is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
Category:Usable citiesCategory:Usable articlesCategory:City articles
Category:All destination articles Category:Articles with dead external links Category:Buy listing with no coordinates Category:City articles Category:Do listing with no coordinates Category:Eat listing with no coordinates Category:Has Geo parameter Category:Has custom banner Category:Has map markers Category:Has mapframe Category:Has routebox Category:Mount Desert Island Category:Pages using the Kartographer extension Category:See listing with no coordinates Category:Sleep listing with no coordinates Category:Usable articles Category:Usable cities