Things To Do
Visit Acadia National Park
Please y'all, if you do nothing else, please visit the park for even a short walk or drive. It is seriously so stunning and we think you'll fall in love with it just like we did. These are our favorite trails: Beehive Trail- 1.4 miles Moderate/Hard. I would not recommend this for folks who are scared of heights or cliffs, or those who have bad knees. Also this trail is dangerously slippery with rainy weather. But man is it super cool! Great Head Trail - 1.6 miles Easy/Moderate Ocean Path- 4 miles Easy. You can start or stop this trail at any point. Along this path is Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs (a favorite) and Sand Beach. The Bubbles- 1.5 miles from the small parking area or 4.5 miles from Jordan Pond House and making a big loop. Moderate. Beech Mountain (where we are saying our private vows) and Lookout Tower- 1.2 miles Moderate Ship Harbor Trail- 1.4 miles Easy Hunter's Beach and Cliff Trail- 1.2 miles Easy The Island Explorer bus can take you to spots around the park for free.
Eat at Jordan Pond House
Okay so this is technically in the national park but no hiking is required for this stop! This is the place that made popovers famous. The restaurant serves a wide array of dishes and meals, from fresh lobster to popover ice cream sundaes overlooking the lake, this combination of both culinary and scenic delights is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Definitely try something with blueberry; Maine is known for them. Also there's a good gift shop- everyone loves a gift shop! Sometimes there can be a long wait for the restaurant so it's best to make a reservation in advance. Jordan Pond House is a stop on the Island Explorer bus for easy visiting.
Go Shopping in Bar Harbor
Whether you are looking for souvenirs, want some good food, or are just window shopping, Bar Harbor is a great place to spend the afternoon wandering with a good view.
Walk the Land Bridge to Bar Island
This is a cool thing to do in town! For 1.5 hours before and after low tide, a rock/sand bar is exposed connecting the town of Bar Harbor and Bar Island. The bar provide opportunities for investigating small tide pools and see the town from a different view. Once on the island, the Bar Island Trail gradually ascends through the forest on an old road to various open sections with views of Bar Harbor and Frenchman Bay. The walk is 1.9 miles round trip (gravel bar and trail) but it's only about 30 minutes if you turn around right before the island. Wear good walking shoes. Be cautious and aware of the tides, as the bar is otherwise covered by the ocean. If you walk over to the island and lose track of time, it is 9 hours until the bar emerges again to safely walk across. Check the link below for the tide times to make sure you can walk across in enough time.
Get a Fresh Lobster Roll
We had a great one at Thurston's Lobster Pound in Bernard after visiting the Bass Harbor Lighthouse. Charlotte's Legendary Lobster Pound looked great too. But, you'd probably get a good one at any "lobster pound" as they are all fresh! If you get a roll at a sit-down restaurant though, you'll likely overpay.
Visit a Lighthouse
There is only one lighthouse on Mount Desert Island: Bass Harbor Head Light. Located at the southwestern reach of Acadia National Park in Bass Harbor, the light guards the southern entrance of Blue Hill Bay and warns against Bass Harbor Bar. The lighthouse is still operational. To view the lighthouse up close there is very little walking involved from the parking lot. But to see the iconic view of the lighthouse next to the cliffs and the waves below, you'll have to take a bunch of stairs. There are only a few parking spaces it's best to go in the morning or expect to wait for a spot.
Explore other cute fishing towns on mount desert island
Even just driving around the island can be so fun! Stop in some of the smaller towns (often just a block or two) and see the beautiful old New England architecture and charm. Some good ones to check out are Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Manset and Bernard. The furthest one is a maximum 45 minutes away.