Bar Harbor/Acadia Recommendations

[mussels]

This was news to me, but…
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There is no one winner as it varies over the course of the year. The further north you go, the greater the length of your day in the summer, and shorter in the winter.

USA TODAY

Possibly the best reason to visit Acadia is the sight of sunrise from Cadillac Mountain.

www.usatoday.com

 

[eastmill]

A swim at Sand Beach,if you dare.

 

[husky429]

Hike the Beehive. Hang out at Sand Beach and walk the paths at Great Head. Visit Thunder Hole and Otter Point. Swim at Echo Lake Beach.

Beehive is definitely on the list. I'm assuming that isn't dog friendly?

 

[cthog]

Hadley's point. A little beach where you can have a few beers (a fire too if you want) and watch the sunset over the water.

 

[pj]

Beehive is definitely on the list. I'm assuming that isn't dog friendly?

Unfortunately Beehive is closed to pets, Visiting With Pets - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service).

 

[husky429]

Unfortunately Beehive is closed to pets, Visiting With Pets - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service).

Yeah my dogs are 80 and 110lbs. They can't exactly be carried up the rungs anyways. They'll stay home for that one.

 

[Jorgensen]

You get a great view of Jordan Pond from the North and South Bubbles - did both off the Jordan Pond trail. Moderate intensity. Would recommend!

 

[Fishy]

A swim at Sand Beach,if you dare.

No, you will die.

 

[Brownie]

I had a really good time biking at the Schoodic Peninsula and then grabbing good bar food with locals at The Pickled Wrinkle. All in Winter Harbor. Havana is supposed to be a great farm to table restaurant in Bar Harbor. I haven’t been but I know the farmers who they get their stuff from and it’s the highest of quality.

Pickled Wrinkle is bomb. Typically, good beer and always good food.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

She's been in court for days "representing the stupidest man I've ever met" so I think a brewery may hit the spot. Thanks.

Syracuse or BC fan?

 

[Sibeerian]

Beehive and Precipice both have the rung experience. Lots of fun if you don’t scare easy. Loved the lobster rolls at the Side Street Cafe. Atlantic Brewing Co tasting room is fun. Bubbles is another fun hike. Biking is definitely a must.

 

[EastConn'er]

If you enjoy old cars (like early 1900's) Seal Cove Auto Museum is great in Bass Harbor/Tremont. And Lobster Boat tours out of Serah Williams Harbor are fun, unique & educational. They give out historical info of the island and the Rockefeller's "summer home"...

 

[Halloween]

Acadia:
Cadillac Mountain at night to see stars and Milky Way bring flashlight or fully charged phone
Sand Beach
Thunder Hole
Drive park loop road
Walk around Jordan pond
Get Popover at Jordan pond
Bass Head Lighthouse

Bar Harbor Restaurants:
Havana make reservations well in advance. Mojito and paella were really good
Side Street Cafe
West Street cafe
Atlantic Brewery for beer
Ben and bill’s chocolate emporium for desert

Bar Harbor Misc:
Walk to bar island over land bridge at low tide
Windjammer sunset cruise
Walk shore path

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Hike the Beehive. Hang out at Sand Beach and walk the paths at Great Head. Visit Thunder Hole and Otter Point. Swim at Echo Lake Beach.

I visited Bar Harbor and Cadillac and Acadia 36 years with an old girl friend, and the one vivid memory I still have of the trip (including the girlfriend) is Sand Beach. I’ve been on great beaches all over the world and Sand Beach is right near the top if not at the top. Ice cold water though, but on a hot day it’s welcome. It’s a small beach but it’s a marvel at how the shape of the fairly level cove and the stream, managed to funnel the sand up onto the beach over the eons.

 

[husky429]

Syracuse or BC fan?

North Carolina guy. Either Puke or UNC, I would assume.

 

[TGW93]

If getting there is half the fun:

• Take exit 5A off of I-295 and visit Bissell Brewery.
• Take exit 20 off of I-295 and visit Maine Beer Company (it's right off the exit, down route 1) and then go to LL Bean/Freeport
• Take exit 113 and go to Acadia via Rt. 3. Stop at the Cushnoc Brewery Annex (on your right as you leave Augusta) and Lake St. George Brewing. John's Ice Cream - which is a little before Lake St. George Brewing (by an Irving gas station) is great too.
• When you reach Belfast, visit Reny's - it's a Maine Adventure - for any last second items you may need (it's a place like Ocean State Job Lot but "nicer" - btw - the Ocean State Job Lot is basically across the street near Hanaford's).
• Downtown Belfast is a lot like other Maine coastal towns, but much less crowded than Bar Harbor.

A tip for when you are driving home. If you have EasyPass (or even if you do not), stay in the right most lane in New Hampshire if traffic is heavy. It moves much more freely when traffic is heavy because everyone is jockeying for position to get through the "express" toll. However, there's usually at least one dedicated EasyPass lane at the toll plaza that you can use and only a handful of cars paying tolls.

 

[HooperScooper]

You get a great view of Jordan Pond from the North and South Bubbles - did both off the Jordan Pond trail. Moderate intensity. Would recommend!

One of the "10 Views in America You Can't Miss" according to this article. And the dogs can come with you.

Jordan Pond Path Trail

The Jordan Pond Path Trail in Acadia National Forest provides a beautiful and calming view of mountains and water. The hiking trail to reach this scenery is a 3.4-mile loop that’s best to take between April and October (the trail is dog-friendly and great for kids as well). Jordan Pond can make a fun family adventure next time you’re craving some scenery in the great outdoors.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

www.thediscoverer.com

 

[Dove]

A swim at Sand Beach,if you dare.

I'm up here now and reading this thread. Was at Sandy Beach yesterday when this lil guy flopped up from the sea.

 

[87Xfer]

View attachment 89608
I'm up here now and reading this thread. Was at Sandy Beach yesterday when this lil guy flopped up from the sea.

Cool! Check out Lompoc Cafe in Bar Harbor if you get a chance. Used to be one of my favorite places to grab drinks and a decent meal. And Reel Pizza's a cool place to catch a movie - you sit on real furniture and can have pizza and beer while watching. They were the first place I was aware of that did this 20+ years ago.

 

[Waquoit]

They were the first place I was aware of that did this 20+ years ago.

Anyone else out there remember Poor Richard's?

 

[Dove]

Cool! Check out Lompoc Cafe in Bar Harbor if you get a chance. Used to be one of my favorite places to grab drinks and a decent meal. And Reel Pizza's a cool place to catch a movie - you sit on real furniture and can have pizza and beer while watching. They were the first place I was aware of that did this 20+ years ago.

We avoided Bar Harbor pretty much. Had brews at Fogtown and had a lunch at Geddy's By The Sea.