Bar Harbor, ME

Travel Guide

Photo provided by Maine Office of Tourism.
Photo provided by Maine Office of Tourism.
Photo provided by Maine Office of Tourism.
Photo provided by Maine Office of Tourism.
Bar Harbor featuring a city
Salty sea air, rugged granite cliffs and sandy beaches welcome visitors to this island refuge on the northeastern U.S. coast.

Mount Desert Island is home to the town of Bar Harbor as well as Cadillac Mountain and Acadia National Park. The area has long been a summer getaway for well-to-do Americans, including J. P. Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, John Astor and William Howard Taft. Take a short self-guided walking tour to see mansions and hotels built for these celebrities.

Industry giant John D. Rockefeller donated lands for development of the national park in the early 1900s and built 50 miles (80 kilometers) of carriage paths with cut stone guard rails. Hike or bike these trails that were set up with reasonable grade to accommodate horse carriage travel.

Inside the park, Cadillac Mountain, at 1,528 feet (470 meters) tall, is the highest point along the North American coastline. It’s also one of the places in the U.S. where the sunrise is first visible. Join other early risers to drive or hike to the top of the mountain to see and photograph the sun rising over the Atlantic Ocean. Park rangers frequently give sunset talks atop the mountain, highlighting local geography, flora and fauna and overhead constellations.

The rugged granite of Mount Desert Island is ideal for rock climbing the cliffs can also be treacherous. Hire an accredited guide from a local mountain climbing organization to ensure safety. You’ll learn how to tie knots, belay and find footing and handholds. Or, go on a guided sea kayaking or canoeing trip in the ocean waters around the island.

Sign up for a whale-watching excursion you’re likely to see whales breaching and clearing their blowholes and you may see porpoise, sharks, dolphins, tuna and puffins.

The town of Bar Harbor has numerous art galleries, souvenir shops and dining areas. See lobster farming at the Mount Desert Oceanarium and Lobster Hatchery and local history at the Abbe Museum. Or, visit the free Sieur de Monts Spring and Nature Center to learn about the plants and animals in the park. In summer, enjoy classical and jazz music festivals.

Car parking in Bar Harbor is generally plentiful and free. Sites and activities have fees.

Where to stay in Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor showing landscape views, a bay or harbor and wildflowers

Downtown Bar Harbor

If you're spending some time in Downtown Bar Harbor, Village Green and Criterion Theater are top sights worth seeing.

Downtown Bar Harbor
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Hulls Cove

Waterfront views, bars, and parks highlight some of the notable features of Hulls Cove. Make a stop by Acadia National Park while you're exploring.

Hulls Cove
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Stone Haven

While Stone Haven might not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Acadia National Park's Visitors Center and Bubble Rock.

Stone Haven
Seasider Motel
Seasider Motel
2.5 out of 5
40 Kebo Street, Bar Harbor, ME
The price is ¥38,862 per night from Jul 9 to Jul 10
¥38,862
¥42,360 total
Jul 9 - Jul 10
includes taxes & fees
Book a stay at this golf hotel in Bar Harbor. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and cable TV channels. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (625 reviews)
"The snacks and bfast items were a nice touch"

Reviewed on Jul 5, 2025

Seasider Motel
Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor - Acadia Natl Park by IHG
Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor - Acadia Natl Park by IHG
3 out of 5
123 Eden St, Bar Harbor, ME
The price is ¥51,865 per night from Jul 8 to Jul 9
¥51,865
¥60,470 total
Jul 8 - Jul 9
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly hotel in Bar Harbor. Enjoy free parking, 3 restaurants, and a marina. Our guests praise the pool and the helpful staff ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,004 reviews)
"It's being newly-renovated, so everything sounds new & wonderful. Great interior design too."

Reviewed on Jul 3, 2025

Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor - Acadia Natl Park by IHG
Anchorage Motel
Anchorage Motel
2.5 out of 5
51 Mount Desert St, Bar Harbor, ME
The price is ¥53,309 per night from Jul 26 to Jul 27
¥53,309
¥58,107 total
Jul 26 - Jul 27
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this motel in Bar Harbor. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the convenient parking in ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (1,003 reviews)
"Great location and the BEST coffee!"

Reviewed on Jul 3, 2025

Anchorage Motel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Hinckleys Dreamwood Cottages
Hinckleys Dreamwood Cottages
3 out of 5
318 Maine 3, Bar Harbor, ME
Stay at this 3-star cottage in Bar Harbor. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and daily housekeeping. Popular attractions Acadia National Park's Visitors Center ...
7/10 Good! (59 reviews)
"Loved the cabin just hoped for better water pressure in the shower."

Reviewed on Jul 4, 2025

Hinckleys Dreamwood Cottages
Hanscom's Motel and Cottages
Hanscom's Motel and Cottages
3 out of 5
273 ME-3, Bar Harbor, ME
Stay at this 3-star cottage in Bar Harbor. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a garden. Popular attractions Acadia National Park's Visitors Center and Bar Harbor ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (254 reviews)
"Perfect location and it’s pet friendly"

Reviewed on Jun 28, 2025

Hanscom's Motel and Cottages
Bar Harbor Condos
Bar Harbor Condos
2.5 out of 5
7 Brewer Ave, Bar Harbor, ME
Stay at this aparthotel in Bar Harbor. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor Whale Watching ...
Bar Harbor Condos
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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Cities near Bar Harbor