Mount Desert Island
Mount Desert Island is home to spectacular Acadia National Park, and for many visitors, the two places are one and the same. Yet the park’s holdings are only part of the appeal of this popular island, which is connected to the mainland by a short causeway. Besides the parklands, there are scenic harborside villages and remote backcountry roads aplenty, lovely B&Bs and fine restaurants, oversize 19th-century summer “cottages,” and the historic tourist town of Bar Harbor.
It’s not hard to understand why Acadia is one of the crown jewels of the U.S. national park system. (It draws the second-most visitors annually of any national park.) The landscape here is a rich tapestry of rugged cliffs, pounding ocean surf, fishing and leisure boats lolling in harbors, and quiet forest paths. If you look at a map, you’ll see that the island is nearly split in two by a great tidal inlet, Somes Sound (see “Fjord Tough,” p. 186); most of the park’s land is on the eastern side of the island, though there are some vast holdings in the west, too. To help orient you, I’ve placed a color map of Mount Desert Island inside the front cover of this guidebook.
On the much-more-developed eastern side of the island, Bar Harbor is Mount Desert Island’s center of commerce and entertainment, a once-charming resort now in danger of being swallowed up by T-shirt and trinket shops. It has by far the best selection of lodging, meals, supplies, and services on the isle. (If you want to shop, fine-dine, or go out at night, you pretty much have to stay here.)
Otherwise, if quiet is what you’re seeking, consider bunking elsewhere on the island. The western side has a quieter, more settled air and teems with more wildlife than tourists; here, the villages are mostly filled with fishermen and second-homers rather than actual commerce.
The island isn’t huge—it’s only about 15 miles from the causeway to the southernmost tip at Bass Harbor Head—yet you can do an awful lot of adventuring in such a compact space and see many different kinds of towns and landscapes. The best plan is to take it slowly, exploring if possible by foot, bicycle, canoe, and/or kayak, giving yourself a week to do it. You’ll be glad you did.
Acadia’s terrain, like so much of the rest of northern New England, was shaped by the cutting action of the last great glaciers moving into and then out of the region about 18,000 years ago. A mile-high ice sheet rumbled slowly over the land, scouring valleys into deep U shapes, rounding many once-jagged peaks, and depositing boulders at odd places in the landscape—including the famous 10-foot-tall Bubble Rock, which appears perched precariously on the side of South Bubble Mountain.
In the 1840s, Hudson River School painter Thomas Cole brought his sketchbooks and easels to remote Mount Desert Island, which was then home to a small number of fishermen and boat builders. His stunning renditions of the coast were displayed in New York City, triggering a tourism boom as urbanites flocked to the island to “rusticate.” By 1872, national magazines were touting Eden (Bar Harbor’s name until 1919) as a desirable summer getaway. It attracted the attention of wealthy industrialists, and soon became the de rigueur summer home of Carnegies, Rockefellers, Astors, and Vanderbilts, who built massive “cottages” with dozens of rooms.
By the early 1900s, the island’s popularity and growing development began to concern its most ardent supporters. Boston textile heir George Dorr and Harvard president Charles Eliot, aided by the largesse of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (see box p. 197), began acquiring and protecting large tracts of the island for the public to enjoy. These parcels were eventually donated to the U.S. government, and in 1919, the land was originally designated as Lafayette National Park—the first national park east of the Mississippi—named after the French general who assisted colonists in the American Revolution.
Renamed “Acadia National Park” in 1929, the park has now grown to encompass nearly half the island, its holdings scattered piecemeal. It is a fine, even world-class, destination for those who like coastal vacations salted with adventure. Try to allow 3 or 4 days, at a minimum, for visiting the park. If you’re passing through just briefly, try to work in at least two of the big three activities (hiking, biking, driving) I’ve described below.
And when you set out to explore the park, bring a picnic. (See “Packing a Picnic,” p. 191), for there are just about no food services whatsoever within the park.
See It, Say It |
There is some debate about how to correctly pronounce the island to which I’m referring throughout this chapter. The name is of French origin; technically, it should be Mount days-airt, but nobody says it that way anymore. Most locals say “Mount Des-sert,” like what you have after dinner, which is pretty close to the French way of saying things. (Notice the accent on the last syllable.) However, plenty of tourists, transplants, and locals also say Dez-ert (like the Sahara), and that’s not wrong. After all, that’s how it’s spelled. As for me, I go with Des-sert.
arriving
Acadia National Park is near Ellsworth, reached via Route 3. Normally travelers take U.S. Route 1 to Ellsworth from southern Maine, but you can avoid coastal congestion by taking the Maine Turnpike to Bangor, then picking up I-395 to Route 1A and continuing south into Ellsworth. Though this is longer in terms of miles, it’s a quicker route in summer.
From Ellsworth, bear right onto Route 3 (U.S. Route 1 doesn’t go onto the island) and continue about 15 minutes to the island causeway in Trenton. Cross the bridge and you’re on the island. Consult a map carefully to determine which route to take from here; there are three possible choices, all leading to very different destinations: routes 3 and 233 go to Bar Harbor, Route 198 goes to Northeast Harbor, and Route 102 leads to Southwest harbor.
Year-round, there are several flights daily from Boston (and, seasonally, Newark) on small planes to the Hancock County-Bar Harbor airport (airport code BHB; www.bhbairport.com) in Trenton, just across the causeway from Mount Desert Island. Contact Cape Air (www.capeair.com; 
800/227-3247) or PenAir (www.penair.com; 800/448-4226) for Boston flights, or Elite Airways (www.eliteairways.net; 877/393-2510) for Newark.
From the airport, call a taxi, rent a car, or—best of all—ride the free shuttle bus (see p. 188) to downtown Bar Harbor from late June through mid-October.
Visitor Centers & Information
Acadia staffs two visitor centers. The Thompson Island Information Center ( 207/288-3411) on Route 3 is the first you’ll pass as you enter Mount Desert Island. This center is maintained by the local chambers of commerce, but park personnel are often on hand to answer inquiries. Open daily at 8:30am mid-May through mid-October, it’s a good first stop for general lodging and restaurant information.
If you’re interested primarily in information about the park itself, continue on Route 3 to the National Park Service’s Hulls Cove Visitor Center, about 71⁄2 miles beyond Thompson Island. This attractive, stone-walled center has professionally prepared park-service displays, such as a large relief map of the island, natural history exhibits, and a short introductory film. You can also request free brochures about hiking trails and the carriage roads, or purchase postcards and more detailed guidebooks. The center is open daily from mid-April through the end of October.
Fjord Tough? |
Mount Desert Island is divided deeply right down the middle into two lobes (almost like a brain) by Somes Sound, a tidal inlet that’s often called the Lower 48’s only true fjord—that is, a valley carved out by a glacier and then subsequently filled in with rising ocean water. As many a Mainer will tell you, however, the feature is more properly classified as a fjard, a close hydrogeological cousin, which is less steep and shallower, the result of a flooded glacial lowland but not a truly scoured glacial trough. You’ll find that many around MDI leave the finer distinctions to the geologists (and the Scandinavians, who take this stuff quite seriously) and simply refer to Somes Sound as a fjord. Whatever vowel you prefer, it’s no less dramatic to gaze upon.
Information is also available year-round, by phone or in person, at the park headquarters ( 207/288-3338), on Route 233 between Bar Harbor and Somesville, open daily (except closed weekends in summer). You can also make inquiries online at www.nps.gov/acad.
Entry Points & Fees
Entrance fees to the park are collected at several gates and points from May through October; the rest of the year, entrance is free—one of this nation’s great outdoor bargains either way. A 1-week pass, which includes unlimited trips on the Park Loop Road (closed in winter), costs $25 per car from May through early October; there’s no additional charge per passenger once you’ve bought the pass. Hikers, cyclists, and anyone else traveling without a vehicle (that is, motorcyclists or boaters) must pay a $12-per-person fee.
You can enter the park at several points in the interwoven network of park and town roads—a glance at a park map, available free at the visitor center, will make these access points self-evident. The main point of entry to Park Loop Road, the park’s most popular scenic byway, is near the official park visitor center at Hulls Cove (on Route 3 just north of Bar Harbor); the entry fee is collected at a tollbooth on the loop road, a half-mile north of Sand Beach.
Getting Around
A free summer shuttle bus service 
known as the Island Explorer (www.exploreacadia.com) was inaugurated in 1999 as part of an effort to reduce the number of cars on the island’s roads. It’s working; the propane-powered buses—equipped with racks for bikes—serve multiple routes covering nearly the entire island, and will stop anywhere you request outside the village centers, including trailheads, ferries, small villages, and campgrounds. (Bring a book, though; there are lots of stops.)
All routes begin or end at the central Village Green in Bar Harbor, but you can hop onto the bus almost anywhere else—a handy way to avoid parking hassles in town. Route no. 3, which runs from Bar Harbor along much of the Park Loop, offers easy free access to some of the park’s best hiking trails.
The buses operate from late June through mid-October; ask for a schedule at island information centers, in shops, or at any hotel or campground.
Guided Tours
Acadia National Park Tours (www.acadiatours.com; 207/288-0300) offers 21⁄2-hour park tours from mid-May through October, departing twice daily (10am and 2pm) from downtown Bar Harbor. The bus tour includes three stops (Sieur De Monts Springs, Thunder Hole, and Cadillac Mountain) and imparts plenty of park trivia, courtesy of the driver. This is an easy way for first-time visitors to get a quick introduction to the park before setting out on their own side trips. Tickets are available at Testa’s Restaurant (at 53 Main St.) in Bar Harbor; the cost is $30 for adults, $17.50 for children 12 and under.
Ranger Programs
Frequent ranger programs are offered throughout the year at Acadia. These include talks at campground amphitheaters and tours of various island locales and attractions. Examples include an Otter Point nature hike, walks across the carriage roads’ stone bridges, cruises on Frenchman Bay (rangers provide commentary on many trips), and discussions of the changes in Acadia’s landscape—there was even a small earthquake here in October 2006, causing rock slides that still keep a few trails closed. Ask for a schedule of park events and more information at any visitor center or campground.
Cost-Effective Acadia |
No daily pass to Acadia is available, so if you’ll be here more than 2 weeks, purchase a $50 annual Acadia pass for your car instead of several $25 weekly passes. Or, if you really travel a lot, consider buying an $80 “America the Beautiful” national parks pass—it gets you and your vehicle and your passengers into nearly all properties managed by the National Park Service for an entire calendar year.
Early fall is the best time to miss the mobs yet still enjoy the weather here. If you come midsummer, try to venture out in early morning or early evening to the most popular spots, such as Thunder Hole or the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Setting off into the woods at every opportunity is also a good strategy. Probably four out of every five visitors restrict their tours to the loop road and a handful of other major attractions, leaving most of the gorgeous trail system to the more adventurous.
The best guarantee of solitude is to head to the most remote outposts managed by Acadia, such as Isle au Haut and Schoodic Peninsula, across the bay to the east. Ask for more information about these areas at the visitor centers (see p. 175 and 231).
when to go
While spring is forgettable in Acadia—often intensely foggy or rainy—summer is the peak tourist season. The weather in July and August is perfect for just about any outdoor activity. Most days are warm (in the 70s or 80s/low to mid-20s Celsius), with afternoons frequently cooler than mornings owing to the sea breezes. Light fogs occasionally roll in from the southeast on a hot day, which gives a magical quality to the landscape. Sunny days are the norm, but come prepared for rain; this is the Atlantic Coast, after all. Once or twice each summer, a heat wave somehow settles onto the island, producing temperatures in the 90s (30s Celsius), dense haze, and stifling humidity, but this rarely lasts more than a few days. August in Acadia is when both heat and traffic peaks—traffic jams on the Park Loop Road and at the top of Cadillac are, sadly, the norm, and Bar Harbor is a zoo. If you can come earlier in the summer or hold off until September, consider it.
Soon enough (sometimes even during late August), a brisk north wind will blow in from the Canadian Arctic, forcing visitors into sweaters at night. You’ll smell the approach of autumn, with winter not far behind. Fall here is wonderful. Between Labor Day and the foliage season in early October, days are often warm and clear, nights have a crisp tang, and you can avoid the congestion, crowds, and pesky insects of summer. It’s not that the park is empty in September; bus tours seem to proliferate at this time, and it’s when the cruise ship season kicks into high gear in Bar Harbor. Not to worry: Both the cruise and tour bus crowds tend to stick to the pavement—hikers and bikers need only get a minute or two off the road to find relative solitude on the trails and carriage roads.
Winter is an increasingly popular time to travel to Acadia, especially among those who enjoy cross-country skiing the carriage roads. Be aware, though, that snow along the coast is inconsistent, and services—including most restaurants and many inns—are often closed down outright in winter. Expect to stay in either a really cheap motel or an expensive resort, and to often eat what locals do: pizza, burgers, and sandwiches.
Camping In & Near the Park
National Park Service Campgrounds
The National Park Service maintains four campgrounds within Acadia National Park—two on MDI; another, quite new campground on the Schoodic Peninsula, to the north (see p. 240 in chapter 9); and one on Isle au Haut (see p. 178 in chapter 7).
Both of the campgrounds on Mount Desert Island are extremely popular; during July and August, expect both of them to fill up by early to midmorning. The more popular of the two is Blackwoods ( 207/288-3274), on the island’s eastern side, with about 300 sites. To get there, follow Route 3 about 5 miles south out of Bar Harbor; the Island Explorer bus (see p. 218) stops here as well. Bikers and pedestrians have easy access to the loop road from the campground via a short trail. This campground has no public showers or electrical hookups, but an enterprising business just outside the campground entrance provides clean showers for a modest fee. Camping fees at Blackwoods are $30 per night from May through October, $15 per site in April and November.
The Seawall 
( 207/244-3600) campground is located over on the quieter, western half of the island, near the tiny fishing village of Bass Harbor (one of the Island Explorer shuttle bus lines also stops here). Seawall has about 215 sites, and it’s a good base for cyclists or those wishing to explore several short coastal hikes within easy striking distance. However, it’s quite a ways from Bar Harbor and Sand Beach on the other side of the island. Also, many of the sites involve a walk of a few dozen to a few hundred yards from where your car’s parked; wheelbarrows are available to tote your stuff, but for families, it might not be the best choice. The campground is open mid-May through September. Camping fees at Seawall are $22 to $30 per night, depending on whether you want to drive directly to your site, or can pack a tent in for a distance of up to 300 yards. There are also no electrical or water hookups here.
Advance reservations can be made for either campground by calling 877/444-6777 between 10am and midnight (only until 10pm in winter), or by using the reservations system online at www.recreation.gov. An Acadia pass (see box, p. 188) is also required for campground entry.
Regulations |
The usual national park rules apply. Guns may not be used in the park; if you have a gun, it must be “cased, broken down, or otherwise packaged against use.” Fires and camping are allowed only at designated areas. Pets must be on leashes at all times. Seat belts must be worn in the national park (this is a federal law). Don’t remove anything from the park, either man-made or natural; this includes cobblestones from the shore.
Before you set out to explore, pack a lunch and keep it handy. Once you get inside it, the park has very few places (other than the Jordan Pond House, see p. 192) to stop for lunch or snacks. Having drinks and snacks at hand will prevent you from having to backtrack into Bar Harbor or elsewhere to fend off starvation midday. The more food you bring, the more your options for a day expand, so hit up one of the charming general stores in any of the island’s villages first and stock up on sandwiches, sweets, camera batteries, and hydration.
Acadia National Park is full of wonderful picnic spots. Sand Beach is gloriously scenic (bring a blanket, plus a sweater for sea winds). A hike up any of the smaller mountains such as Day Mountain or Flying Mountain is rewarded with ocean views and cooling winds (or, in fall, a blaze of colors). If you’re too tired to hike, truck over to Jordan Pond or to The Bubbles for good views, or check out tiny Suminsby Park off the scenic Sargent Drive, on the eastern shore of the sound—it’s an often-overlooked picnic spot that gets you right down to the water’s edge.
Other campgrounds
So what if the Park Service campgrounds are full? Private campgrounds handle the overflow. The region from Ellsworth south boasts a dozen-plus private campgrounds with more than 1,200 campsites, and each offer varying amenities. The Thompson Island Information Center ( 207/288-3411), open 8:30am to 5:30pm daily from mid-May through mid-October, posts up-to-the-minute information on which campgrounds still have vacancies; it’s a good first stop for those arriving without camping reservations.
Two private campgrounds stand above the rest. Bar Harbor Campground, Route 3, Salisbury Cove (www.thebarharborcampground.com; 207/288-5185), on the main route between the causeway and Bar Harbor, does not take advance reservations. Still, you can often find a good selection of sites if you walk in before noon, even during peak season. Some of its 300 sites are set in piney woods; others are on an open hillside edged with blueberry barrens. The wooded sites are quite private. There’s a pool for campers and uncommonly clean bathhouses, and campers always get to pick their own sites rather than be arbitrarily assigned one. Rates range from around $30 for a basic, no-services site to around $45 for those with hookups. Open Memorial Day through Columbus Day weekend—no credit cards accepted, but there’s an ATM onsite.
Then, at the head of Somes Sound is Mount Desert Campground , Route 198 ( 207/244-3710), which is my favorite private facility on the island and is one that’s especially well suited for campers—only those RVs 20 feet long or shorter are allowed. This heavily wooded campground has many lovely sites, including some walk-in sites right at the water’s edge. The rate ranges from $43 to $69 per night in high season, $33 to $45 per site in the off season. It’s open from mid-June to about mid-September. (Do not confuse with the similar-named Mount Desert Narrows Campground, a bigger, more commercial campground that’s much more RV-oriented. That one is located right at the end of the bridge after you arrive on the island.)
The secret to the Jordan Pond House (www.acadiajordanpondhouse.com; 207/276-3316)? Location, location, location. Located right in the park, on the Park Loop Road near Seal Harbor, the restaurant traces its roots from 1847, when a farm was established on this picturesque property at the southern tip of Jordan Pond looking north toward The Bubbles, a picturesque (some might say suggestive) pair of glacially sculpted mounds. In 1979, the original structure and its birch-bark dining room were destroyed by fire. A more modern, two-level dining room was built in its place—less charm, but it still has one of the island’s best dining locations, on a nice lawn spread out before the pond. The main gustatory attraction here are the light, eggy pastries called popovers—afternoon tea with popovers and jam ($11) is a hallowed tradition here, though you can (and should) get them anytime. The lobster stew is expensive but very good. Dinners (reservations recommended) include classic entrees like New York strip steak, steamed lobster, pasta, and lobster stew. Entrees run around $14–$27 at lunch, $21–$33 at dinner. It’s open mid-May to late October, daily from 11am to 9pm.
Another option is Lamoine State Park ( 207/667-4778), which faces Mount Desert from the mainland across the cold waters of northernmost Frenchman Bay. This is an exceptionally pleasant, quiet park with private sites, a shower house, and a small beach about a half-hour’s drive from the action at Bar Harbor. The campground has been belatedly discovered by travelers in recent years, but you can still get a site without a reservation if you arrive early. It’s open from mid-May to mid-October, and sites cost $30 per night for nonresidents of Maine.
Should all these options be full, don’t despair: You can find a room, especially in Bar Harbor, which is teeming with motels and inns. The rest of the island also has a good, if scattered, selection of places to spend the night. See the “Where to Stay” sections for Bar Harbor and the rest of Mount Desert Island later in this chapter on p. 208 and p. 221. Still desperate? Head off-island to Trenton (a clutch of motels along Route 3) and then Ellsworth.
Driving the Park Loop Road
The 20-mile Park Loop Road is to Acadia what Half Dome is to Yosemite—the park’s premier attraction, and a magnet for the largest crowds. This remarkable roadway starts near the Hulls Cove Visitor Center and follows the high ridges above Bar Harbor before dropping down along the rocky coast. Here, spires of spruce and fir cap dark granite ledges, making a sharp contrast with the white surf and steel-blue sea. After following the picturesque coast and touching on several coves, the road loops back inland along Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake, with a detour to the summit of the island’s highest peak, Cadillac Mountain.
From about 10am until 4pm in July and especially August, anticipate big crowds along the loop road, at least on days when the sun is shining. Parking lots sometimes fill up and close their gates at some of the most popular destinations, including Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and the Cadillac Mountain summit, so try to visit these spots early or late in a day. Alternatively, make the best of cloudy or drizzly days by letting the weather work to your advantage; you’ll sometimes discover that you have the place nearly to yourself.
Ideally, visitors should try to make two circuits of the loop road. The first time, get the lay of the land. On the second-time circuit (one pass gets you all-day access), plan to stop frequently and poke around on foot, setting off on trails or scrambling along the coastline and taking photos. (Scenic pull-offs are strategically staggered at intervals.) The two-lane road is one-way along some of its coastal sections; in these cases, the right-hand lane is set aside for parking, so you can stop wherever you’d like, admire the vistas from the shoulder, and click away.
From the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, the Park Loop initially runs atop:
1Paradise Hill
Our tour starts with sweeping views eastward over Frenchman Bay. You’ll see the town of Bar Harbor far below, and just beyond it the Porcupines, a cluster of islands that look like, well, porcupines. Sort of.
Following the Park Loop Road clockwise, you’ll dip into a wooded valley and come to:
2Sieur de Monts Spring
Here you’ll find a rather uninteresting natural spring, unnaturally encased, along with a botanical garden with some 300 species showcased in 12 habitats. The original Abbe Museum ( 207/288-3519) is here, featuring a small but select collection of Native American artifacts. It’s open daily from late May to September, 10am to 4pm; admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children ages 6 to 15. (A larger and more modern branch of the museum in Bar Harbor features more and better-curated displays; a ticket here gets you a discount there. See p. 218 in “Exploring Bar Harbor” for details.)
The Tarn is the main reason to stop here; a few hundred yards south of the springs via a footpath, it’s a slightly medieval-looking and forsaken pond sandwiched between steep hills. Departing from the south end of the Tarn is the fine Dorr Mountain Ladder Trail (see “Hiking in the Park,” p. 196).
Continue the clockwise trip on the loop road; views eastward over the bay soon resume, almost uninterrupted, until you get to:
The park’s most dramatic hiking track, the Precipice Trail 
ascends sheer rock faces on the eastern side of Champlain Mountain. It’s only about half a mile to the summit, but it’s nevertheless a rigorous climb that involves scrambling up iron rungs and ladders in exposed places (those with a fear of heights and those under 5 feet tall should avoid this trail). The trail is often closed midsummer to protect nesting peregrine falcons; at these times rangers are often on hand at the trail-head parking lot to suggest alternative hikes.
Between the Precipice Trail and Sand Beach is a tollbooth where visitors have to pay the park entrance fee.
Picturesquely set between the arms of a rocky cove is:
4Sand Beach
Sand Beach is virtually the only sand beach on the island, although actually swimming in these cold waters (about 50°F/10°C) is best enjoyed only on extremely hot days or by those with hardy constitutions. When it’s sunny out, the sandy strand is crowded midday with picnickers, tanners, tide pool explorers, and book readers.
Two good hikes begin near this beach, too. The Beehive Trail overlooks Sand Beach (see “Hiking in the Park,” p. 196); it starts from a trail head across the loop road. From the east end of Sand Beach, look for the start of the Great Head Trail, a loop of about 2 miles that follows on the bluff overlooking the beach, then circles back along the shimmering bay before cutting through the woods back to Sand Beach.
About a mile south of Sand Beach is:
5Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole 
is a shallow ocean-side cave into which the ocean surges, compresses, and bursts out violently like a thick cannon shot of foam. (A roadside walking trail allows you to leave your car parked at the Sand Beach lot and hike to this point.)
If the sea is quiet—as it sometimes is on midsummer days—don’t bother visiting this attraction; there’ll be nothing to see. But on days when the seas are rough, and big swells are rolling in all the way from the Bay of Fundy, this is a must-see, three-star attraction; you can feel the ocean’s power and force. The best viewing time is 3 hours before high tide; check tide tables, available at local hotels, restaurants, and info kiosks, to figure out when that is.
Just before the road curves around Otter Point, you’ll be driving atop:
6Otter Cliffs
This set of 100-foot-high precipices is capped with dense stands of spruce trees. From the top, look for spouting whales in summer. In early fall, raftlike flocks of eider ducks can sometimes be seen floating just offshore. A footpath traces the edge of the crags.
At Seal Harbor, the loop road veers north and inland back toward Bar Harbor. On the route is:
It’s only 1,500 or so feet high, but Cadillac Mountain feels much grander because its views seem to stretch forever—relatively speaking, that is. This is the best place on the island to get an overview of things: the fractured geology of mountains and islands, the almost Arctic-like vegetation, the subtle color changes of fall, the sea fogs (and cruise ships and ferries) rolling in like clockwork in summer. Yes, you can drive to the top (see below) and walk a .5-mile path to the summit, and that’s fine if you have limited time or mobility issues. But experienced hikers can also enjoy two trails snaking up its flanks. The 4.5-mile North Ridge Trail is shorter, easier (but not easy), more open, and more ocean-scenic; it departs from a parking lot on the Park Loop Road. The 7-plus-mile South Ridge Trail, beginning near Blackwoods Campground (see “Camping in & Near the Park” p. 190), is better left to expert hikers: it’s a bit hairy in spots, but the payoff includes some great views on the long, exposed ridgewalk along the way. Beginners, those in questionable physical condition, or those who think mountains can be hiked in heels/flip-flops should not tackle either one of these hikes.
7Jordan Pond
Jordan Pond is a small but beautiful body of water encased by gentle, forested hills. A 3-mile hiking loop follows the pond’s shoreline (see “Hiking in the Park,” p. 196), and a network of splendid carriage roads converges at the pond. After a hike or mountain-bike excursion, spend some time at a table on the lawn of the Jordan Pond House restaurant (see box on p. 192).
Shortly before the loop road ends, you’ll pass the entrance to:
8Cadillac Mountain
Reach this mountain by car, ascending an early carriage road. At 1,528 feet, it’s the highest peak touching the Atlantic Ocean between Canada and Brazil. During much of the year, it’s also the first place on U.S. soil touched by the rays of sunrise. But because this is the only mountaintop in the park accessible by car (and also because it’s the island’s highest point), the parking lot at the summit often gets jammed.
Biking the Carriage Roads
The 57 miles of carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (see box p. 197) are among the park’s most extraordinary, somewhat hidden treasures. Though built for horse and carriage, they are ideal for cruising by mountain bike and offer some of the most scenic, relaxing biking found anywhere in the United States. No cars are permitted on these grass and gravel lanes; bikers and walkers have them all to themselves. Park your car near Jordan Pond (see above) then plumb the tree-shrouded lanes that lace the area, taking time to admire the stonework on the uncommonly fine bridges. Afterward, stop for tea and popovers at the Jordan Pond House (see box p. 192), which has been a popular island destination for over a century, although it’s unlikely as much Lycra was in evidence 100 years ago.
The carriage roads were maintained by Rockefeller until his death in 1960, after which they became shaggy and overgrown. A major restoration effort was launched in 1990, and today the roads are superbly restored and maintained. With their wide hard-packed surfaces, gentle grades, and extensive directional signs, they make for very smooth biking. Note that bikes are also allowed on the island’s free Island Explorer shuttle buses (see “Getting Around,” p. 188).
A useful map of the roads is available free at visitor centers; more detailed guides may be purchased at area bookshops but aren’t necessary. Where carriage roads cross private land (generally between Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor), they’re closed to mountain bikes, which are also banned from hiking trails.
Mountain bikes can be rented along Cottage Street in Bar Harbor, with rates generally in the neighborhood of $25 for a full day or $15 for a half-day (which is 4 hours in the bike-rental universe). High-performance and tandem bikes cost a bit more than that, children’s bikes a bit less. Most bike shops include locks and helmets as basic equipment, but ask what’s included before you rent. Also ask about closing times, since you’ll be able to get in a couple of extra hours with a late-closing shop. The Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop, 141 Cottage Street (www.barharborbike.com; 207/288-3886), gets many people’s vote for the most convenient and friendliest. You could also try Acadia Bike & Canoe, 48 Cottage Street (www.acadiabike.com; 800/526-8615).
Hiking in the Park
Hiking is the quintessential Acadia experience, and it should be experienced by everyone at least once. The park has 120 miles of hiking trails in all, plus 57 miles of carriage roads, which are great for easier walking. Some traverse the sides or faces of low “mountains” (which would be called hills anywhere else), and almost all summits have superb views of the Atlantic. Many of these pathways were crafted by stonemasons or others with aesthetic intent, so the routes aren’t always the most direct—but they’re often incredibly scenic, taking advantage of natural fractures in the rocks, picturesque ledges, and sudden, sweeping vistas.
The Hulls Cove Visitor Center has a brief chart summarizing area hikes; combined with the park map, this is all you need to find one of the well-maintained, well-marked trails and start exploring. Cobble together different loop hikes to make your trips more varied, and be sure to coordinate your hiking with the weather; if it’s damp or foggy, you’ll stay drier and warmer strolling the carriage roads. If it’s clear and dry, head for the highest peaks (Cadillac, The Bubbles) with the best views.
One of the best trails is the Dorr Ladder Trail , which departs from Route 3 near the Tarn (see p. 193) just south of the Sieur de Monts entrance to the Loop Road. This trail begins with a series of massive stone steps ascending along the base of a vast slab of granite and then passes through crevasses (not for the wide of girth) and up ladders affixed to the granite. The views east and south are superb.
John D. Rockefeller, Jr., alone purchased and donated some 11,000 acres of Acadia National Park—about one-third of the entire park’s area—and he was almost singularly responsible for its extraordinary carriage roads.
It happened this way. Around 1905, a dispute erupted over whether to allow noisy new motorcars onto the island. Islanders wanted these new conveniences, but Rockefeller (whose fortune had been made in the oil industry) strenuously objected, preferring the tranquility of a car-free island for his summer vacations. The multimillionaire went down to defeat on the issue, though, and the island was opened to cars in 1913; in response, Rockefeller set about building an elaborate 57-mile system of private carriage roads on his holdings in the park, complete with a dozen gracefully handcrafted stone bridges.
These roads—open today to pedestrians, bicyclists, horses, and carriages, but no automobiles—are concentrated most densely around Jordan Pond; they also wind through wooded valleys and ascend some of the park’s most scenic peaks.
An easy lowland hike is around Jordan Pond (see p. 195) with the northward leg along the pond’s east shore on a hiking trail and the return via carriage road. It’s mostly level, with the total loop measuring just more than 3 miles. At the north end of Jordan Pond, consider heading up the prominent, oddly symmetrical mounds called The Bubbles . These detours shouldn’t take much more than 20 minutes each; look for signs off the Jordan Pond Shore Trail.
On the western side of the island, an ascent of Acadia Mountain and return takes about 11⁄2 hours, but hikers should schedule in some time for lingering while they enjoy the view of Somes Sound and the smaller islands off Mount Desert’s southern shores. This 2.5-mile loop hike begins off Route 102 at a trail head 3 miles south of Somesville. Head eastward through rolling mixed forest, then begin an ascent over ledgey terrain. Be sure to visit both the east and west peaks (the east peak has the better views), and look for hidden clearings in the summit forest that open up to unexpected vistas.
Other Sports & Outdoor Activities
Carriage Rides Several types of carriage rides are offered by the park concessionaire Wildwood Stables (www.acadiahorses.com; 877/276-3622), about a half-mile south of the Jordan Pond House (see box p. 192). The tours depart daily in season and take in sweeping ocean views from a local mountaintop, ramble over the Rockefeller bridges, or drop by the Jordan Pond House for (optional) tea and popovers (extra charge). There’s a special carriage designed for passengers with disabilities, and you can even charter your own carriage for a private group. Reservations are recommended; figure to pay about $20–$36 per adult, or about $12–$14 per child, for a tour.
ROCK CLIMBING Many of the ocean-side rock faces attract experienced rock climbers, as much for the beauty of the climbing areas as the challenge of the climbs and the high-grade quality of the rock. For novices or experienced climbers, Acadia Mountain Guides (www.acadiamountainguides.com; 888/232-9559 or 207/288-8186) offers rock-climbing lessons and guide services, ranging from a half-day introduction to rock climbing to intensive workshops on self-rescue and instruction on how to lead climbs. The Bar Harbor branch (the other’s in Orono) is located at 228 Main Street.
Skiing Cross-country skiers have a glorious mix of terrain to choose from, especially within Acadia National Park, where skiing is allowed for free on park grounds throughout the winter. Volunteers groom more than 30 miles of Acadia’s carriage roads—which were designed for maximum scenic potential, but also to be gradual enough not to tax horses pulling huge carriages, making them ideal for Nordic skiing. I’d go so far as to say it’s among the best cross-country ski destinations in the country. Visit the Facebook page or Twitter feed of Friends of Acadia (www.facebook.com/FriendsofAcadia; www.twitter.com/FriendsofAcadia) for grooming updates in winter. For more about cross-country ski areas in Maine, visit the Nordic skiing website of the trade association Ski Maine (www.skimaine.com).
A Nature Guide to Acadia National Park
The human history of Acadia National Park is usually thought of as beginning in the early 20th century, when preservationists banded together with wealthy philanthropists to set aside and create the park we know today. In fact, its clock winds much farther back than that—beginning thousands of years ago, when local Native American tribes fished its shores and hunted its hills. But even that is just a flake off the deep, deep time that has been required to create Acadia. The rocks upon which you climb, sun yourself, and picnic are old—staggeringly old.
Before arriving, then, one would do well to acquaint oneself with the natural history of the place. Armed with a respect and appreciation for the landscape before you, you just might treat it a bit more reverently while you’re here and help ensure it remains for future generations to behold for many years.
The Landscape
The beginnings of Acadia National Park as we see it today are perhaps a half billion years old. At that time, deep wells of liquid rock known as magma were moving upward, exploding in underground volcanoes, then hardening—still underground, mind you—into granitelike rocks. Later, as natural forces such as wind and water wore away the upper layers of rock above these rocks, the rocks began to be exposed. Their journey was only beginning, however; soon enough (geologically speaking, that is), what is now eastern North America and most of Europe began to shove up against each other, slowly but inexorably. This “collision” (which was more like an extremely slow-motion car wreck), heated, squeezed, transformed, and thrust up the rocks that now form the backbone of Mount Desert Island.
Now in place, the rocks were once again changed by everything around them. Ice ages came and went, but the rocks remained; the successive waves of great glaciation and retreat scratched up the rocks like old vinyl records, and the thick tongues of pressing ice cut deep notches out of the rock. Near Somesville it nearly divided the island in two, creating the only natural fjord in the United States; farther “inland,” the slowly flowing ice pushed forward and scooped out several more narrow, parallel valleys that would later be filled by rainwater to form Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake. Huge boulders were swept up and deposited by the ice in odd places, such as the tops of mountains (Bubble Rock is one).
When the glaciers finally retreated for the last time, tens of thousands of years ago, the water melting from the huge ice sheet covering North America swelled the level of the Atlantic high enough to submerge formerly free-flowing river valleys and give Mount Desert Island the distinctive, knuckled-fist shape we know it for today.
Onto the bones of this landscape came plants and then animals. After each ice age, conifers such as spruce and fir trees—alongside countless grasses and weeds—began to reform, decompose, and form soils. It was tough work: Acadia is a rocky, acidic place. Yet they persevered, and soon the spruces, firs, and hemlocks formed an impenetrable thicket covering the bedrock. Land animals came here, too, some of them now extinct from the island—the caribou, elk, eastern timber wolf, and sea mink among those extirpated by human presence. Many others survived, however, and there’s plenty of wildlife here today; while the lynx and eastern cougar may no longer roam the woods, hills, and fields of Acadia, plenty of other creatures do.
Acadia’s unique position—it is very near the warm Gulf Stream, yet possesses very cold waters; it is not far from the high, shallow undersea plateau known as Georges Bank—has also brought an astonishing variety of marine life to its doorstep. Migrating whales make for a wonderful spectacle twice each year (and whale-watching tours out of Bar Harbor bring the lives of whales closer to the visitor). Seabirds make similar passages, lighting upon the rocks and lakes of the park coming and going. And the waters teem—though not as they once did—with fish large and small, lobsters, crabs, dolphins, and a great deal more (each creature with its particular habits, habitats, diets, life cycles, and seasonal migration patterns).
Rising from the Ashes |
The park, though it appears to be fixed in time now, is actually in constant flux. Islanders got a lesson in nature’s restorative powers in 1947, when a huge forest fire swept across the park and island, devastating most of it. In the ashes soon grew not more spruces and firs, but rather an entire new set of flowers, weeds, and trees better adapted to grow in bright, sunny, nutrient-poor meadows. Fireweeds, wildflowers, aspens, birch, oak, pine, and maple trees began to slowly fill in the denuded landscape and today help create the mixture of plants (and the fall foliage, and the deer, mice, and other animals that favor this mixture) in the park today. The spruces and firs may eventually take over again—but it will take generations to happen.
This is to say almost nothing of Acadia’s tide pools, in that precarious zone where land and rock meet crashing ocean; a closer look at these pools reveals an ever-changing world of seaweed, snails, barnacles, darting water bugs, clams, shellfish, mud-burrowing worms, and other creatures. Interestingly, the type of life you’ll find changes in well-marked “bands” as you get closer to water; rocks that are always submerged contain one mixture of seaweeds and marine organism, rocks that are exposed and then resubmerged each day by the tides contain another. Mostly dry surfaces of the shore rocks contain yet another mixture of living things. It’s fascinating to note how each particular organism has found its niche, maintained it, and continues to live hardily and well—within its particular band. Move it up or down a foot, and it would perish.
The Flora
Balsam Fir The best-smelling tree in the park must be the mighty balsam fir, whose tips are harvested elsewhere to fabricate aromatic Christmas-tree wreaths. It’s sometimes hard to tell a fir from a spruce or hemlock, though the balsam’s flat, paddlelike needles (white underneath) are nearly unique—only a hemlock’s are similar. Pull one off the twig to be sure; a fir’s needle comes off clean, a hemlock’s ragged. Still not sure you’ve got a fir tree on your hands? The long, glossy, almost purplish cones are absolutely distinctive.
Balsam Fir
Red, White, and Pitch Pine The pines grow in Acadia’s sandy soils and normally like some sunlight. White pine is the familiar “King’s pine” prevalent throughout Maine; its trunk was prized for the masts of British ships of war, and countless huge pines were floated down Maine rivers by logger men. Sadly, very few virgin pine trees remain in Maine today. The white pine’s extremely long, strong needles come five to a bunch. The red pine, not so common, can be distinguished by its pairs of needles and pitchy trunk. The presence of a pitch pine indicates poor, acidic soils—this is one of the first trees to successfully rush in and take root in the wake of a fire. It can grow in the oddest places—along a cliff, on a lip of crumbling stone, in waste soil. The shorter, scrubby clumps of needles (arranged three to a group) don’t look attractive but belie the tree’s toughness.
White Pine
Red and Sugar Maple These two maple trees look vaguely alike when turning color in fall, but they’re actually quite different—from the shapes of their leaves to the habitats they prefer. Red maples have skinny, gray trunks and like a swampy or wet area; often, several of the slim trunks grow together into a clump, and in fall the red maples’ pointy leaves turn a brilliant scarlet color almost at once. Sugar maples, on the other hand, are stout-trunked trees with lovely, substantial leaves (marked with distinctive U-shaped notches), which autumn slowly changes to red and flame-orange. Sugar maples grow in or at the edges of mixed forests, often in combination with birch trees, oak trees, beech trees, hemlocks, and the like. Their sap, of course, can be collected and boiled down to make delicious maple syrup.
Red Maple
Lowbush Blueberry The lowbush blueberry, with its shrubby, tealike leaves and hardy, thick twigging, lies low to exposed rocks on sunny hillsides or sometimes crops up in shady woods; most of the year, it’s inconspicuous as anything, trailing harmlessly underfoot. Come late summer, however, it’s suddenly the island’s most popular plant—among bears as well as humans. The wild blueberries ripen slowly in the sun (look behind and beneath the leaves for the best bunches), and make for fine eating, pancake baking, and jam.
Mammals
Land Mammals
Beaver Reintroduced to Acadia in the 1920s (it had earlier nearly gone extinct from brisk world trade in beaver pelts), the beaver’s lodge-building, stick-chewing, and hibernating habits are well known. You’ll find it in streams, lakes, and ponds around Mount Desert Island.
Beaver
Black Bear Black bears do appear in Acadia, though in small numbers (still, you may want to keep a cover on that campfire food). The bears are mostly—emphasis on mostly—plant-eaters and docile. Though they’ll eat just about anything, black bears prefer easily reached foods on the woodland floor such as berries, mushrooms, and nuts. They need them for a long winter hibernation that averages 6 months.
Black Bear
Moose Nothing says Maine like a moose. The huge, skinny-legged, vegetarian moose is only sporadically seen on Mount Desert Island—it is an island, after all—but you may well run into one in the Schoodic Peninsula unit of the park (see Chapter 9, p. 240). For the most part, the moose far prefers the deep woods, lakes, ponds, and uninhabited areas of Maine’s Great North Woods (see p. 33).
Moose
Marine Mammals
Finback Whale A seasonal visitor to Maine’s waters twice a year when migrating between polar and equatorial waters, the finback is one of the biggest whales, and also one of the most collegial. It often travels in pairs or groups of a half-dozen or more (most whales are relatively solitary), though it does not travel close to shore or in shallow waters; you’ll need a whale-watch boat to spot it. Find it by its rather triangular head and a fin that sweeps backward (like a dolphin’s) rather than standing straight up like many other whales’.
Finback Whale
Humpback Whale Though this whale’s Latin name roughly translates as “large-winged New England resident,” the gentle, gigantic humpback actually isn’t so often seen off the coast of Acadia. (That’s mostly because they were easy targets in the heyday of whaling.) But if you do see it, you’ll know it: It’s huge, dark black, blows tremendous amounts of water when surfacing, and does some amazingly playful acrobatics above water. The males also sing haunting songs, sometimes for as long as 2 days at a time. The world population has shown signs of a rebound since protections went into place in the 1960s; there are maybe 12,000 individuals in the North Atlantic.
Minke Whale The smallest (and most human-friendly) of the whales, the minke swims off Acadia’s coast, usually moving in groups of two or three whales—but much larger groups collect in feeding areas and seasons. It has a unique habit of approaching and congregating around boats and ships, making this a whale you’re quite likely to see while on a whale-watching tour. The minke is dark gray on top; the throat has grooves; and each black flipper fin is marked with a conspicuous white band.
Minke Whale
North atlantic Right Whale If you see a North Atlantic right whale, you’ve really seen something: It’s the most endangered of all the living whales—there are probably only a few hundred left—yet one has occasionally been seen off the coast of Acadia. Experts predict it will become extinct within a few more human generations, if not sooner. Huge and active as the humpback, the right is known for doing headstands (so to speak) underwater, poking its tail fins above. It can be spotted by its light color—often blue, brown, or even off-white—and the whitish calcium growths that often appear on its head.
Northern Right Whale
Pilot Whale A small whale, the pilot is very rarely seen off Acadia, and very poorly understood. Its habits, world population, and diet are nearly unknown. It is known to congregate in large groups, sometimes consisting of up to several hundred, and even to swim with other species of whale at sea. Nearly unique among the whales that pass Maine, it has teeth, and the roundish fin is swept back like a dolphin’s or shark’s. Sightings are possible and should be cherished.
Pilot Whale
Harbor Seal Related to sea lions, the whiskered harbor seal is best seen by using one of the charter boat services that leaves from Bar Harbor and other local harbors. You can also sometimes see it basking in the sun or on the rocks of an offshore island. You’ll easily recognize it: The seal’s flippers have five claws, almost like a human hand; its neck is stocky and strong (as are its teeth); and then there are those whiskers and that fur.
Birds
Waterfowl
Ducks Between one and two dozen species of ducks and ducklike geese, brant, and teal seasonally visit the lakes, ponds, and tidal coves of Acadia every year, including—though hardly limited to—the red-breasted merganser, common eider, and the bufflehead. Mergansers, characterized by very white sides and very red bills (males) or reddish crests (females), occur year-round in the park but are more common in winter months. So is the eider, which inhabits offshore islands and coastal waters rather than Mount Desert Island’s freshwater lakes; Maine is actually the southernmost tip of its breeding range—in winter, it forms huge rafts of birds. Males are marked with a sharp black-and-white pattern. The chubby, squat bufflehead is also distinctively black and white, with a glossy green-and-purple head; it is entirely absent from the park in summer, but passes through in spring and fall, sometimes lingering for the winter. It flies much more quickly than one might imagine from its appearance.
Common Eider
Red-Breasted Merganser
Great Blue Heron Everyone recognizes a great blue at once by its prehistoric flapping wings, comb of feathers, and spindly legs. These magnificent hunters wade tidal rivers, fishing with lightning strikes beneath the surface, from May through around October. The smaller, stealthier green heron occurs less commonly, and occasional sightings of black-crowned and yellow-crowned night herons have also been recorded within the park’s boundaries.
Great Blue Heron
Loons Two species of loon visit the island’s lakes and tidal inlets, fishing for dinner. The red-throated loon, grayish with a red neck, is mostly a spring visitor and barely present at all in the heat of summer. The common loon is indeed more common—it can be distinguished by a black band around the neck, as well as black-and-white stripes and dots—and can be found in Acadia year-round, though it’s most easily spotted in late spring and late fall. It gives the distinctive mournful, almost laughing cry for which the birds are famous. Both have been decimated by human environmental changes such as oil spills, acid rain, and airborne mercury.
Red-Throated Loon
Common Loon
Plovers Plovers inhabit and breed in Acadia’s muddy tidal flats, and their habitat is understandably precarious; a single human step could crush an entire generation of eggs. Only two species of plover visit the park, and they’re here in significant numbers for only a relatively short time. The black-bellied plover—marked with a snowy black-and-white pattern—arrives in May, breeds in August and September, and is gone by Thanksgiving. The semipalmated plover, with its quite different brownish body and white breast, has a similar life cycle.
Black-Bellied Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Seagulls No bird is so closely associated with Maine as the seagull. But, in fact, there’s more than one kind of gull here; three or four distinct gulls are commonly found here year-round, a few more visit seasonally, and a few more pop up occasionally. Most common is the grayish herring gull, which is also the gull least afraid of humans. It’s found in prevalence every month of the year. The aggressive great black-backed gull is similarly common, and is nearly all white (except for that black back and wings); it will even eat the eggs of another gull, but in general avoids humans. Less common are the glaucous, ring-billed gull, and even the laughing and Bonaparte’s gulls (in summer only), not to mention the related black-legged kittiwake. Each has a distinctive look; consult a bird guide if you’re interested in telling them apart.
Bonaparte’s Gull
Black-Backed Gull
Storm Petrels The tiny storm petrel is a fascinating creature. These plucky little birds fly astonishing distances in winter, eating insects on the wing, only to return to Acadia each spring like clockwork, usually in May. They spend an amazing 4 months in the nest incubating, hatching, and tending to their single, white eggs. Wilson’s storm petrel is here for a shorter time than the Leach’s storm petrel, which restricts its visits and nests solely to offshore rocks and islands. Both breed in the height of summer, then pack up and head south again by fall.
Wilson’s Storm Petrel
Land Birds
Bald Eagle Yes, they’re here—year-round—and even breed in Acadia, though they’re difficult to find and hardly conspicuous. (Their endangered status means you shouldn’t really try to seek them out.) The bald eagle’s black body, white head, and yellow bill make it almost impossible to confuse with any other bird. It was nearly wiped out by the 1970s, mainly due to environmental poisons such as DDT-based pesticides, which caused female eagles to lay eggs that were too weak to sustain growing baby chicks. However, the bird has made an impressive comeback.
Bald Eagle
Common Raven The park holds jays and crows aplenty, but the raven is a breed apart—tougher, more reclusive, more ragged, more interesting. Look (or listen) for it on cliff tops, mountains, and in deep woods.
Songbirds There are literally dozens of species of songbirds coming to roost in Acadia’s open fields, forests, and dead snags—even in the rafters and bird boxes of houses. They are not so common on this rocky, shady island as in Maine’s suburbia (Greater Portland, for instance) or in the farmlands of central and western Maine, but they are here. One thing is for certain: Songbirds love human company, thus look for them near the settled areas. The park hosts perhaps 15 or more distinct types of chirpy little warblers, each with unique and often liquid songs; a half-dozen thrushes occurring in significant numbers; winter wrens, swallows, sparrows, vireos, finches, creepers, and thrashers; the whimsical black-capped chickadee; and occasional (and lovely) sightings of bluebirds, cardinals, and tanagers, among many other species.
Eastern Bluebird
Common Raven
Black-Capped Chickadee
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor provides most of the meals and beds to travelers coming to Mount Desert Island, and it has done so since the grand resort era of the late 19th century, when wealthy vacationers first discovered this region. Sprawling hotels and boardinghouses once cluttered the shores and hillsides here, as a newly affluent middle class arrived in droves by steamboat and rail car. The tourist business continued to boom through the early 1900s, then all but collapsed when the Depression and the growing popularity of car travel doomed the era of steamship travel and extended vacations. Bar Harbor was dealt another blow in 1947, when an accidental fire spread rapidly and leveled many of the opulent cottages (see box p. 199). Some 17,000 acres burned in all, though downtown Bar Harbor and some in-town mansions on the oceanfront were spared.
In the last few decades, however, Bar Harbor has bounced back, revived and rediscovered by visitors and entrepreneurs alike. Some see the place as a tacky place of T-shirt vendors, ice-cream cones, and souvenir shops, plus crowds spilling off the sidewalks into the street and appalling traffic. That is all true. Yet the town’s history, distinguished architecture, tight-knit community of year-rounders, and beautiful location on Frenchman Bay still make it a desirable base for exploring the island—and it has by far the island’s best selection of lodging, meals, supplies, and services. (If you want to shop, fine-dine, or go out at night, you pretty much have to stay here.) Otherwise, if quiet is what you’re seeking, consider bunking elsewhere on the island (see p. 221 below).
Essentials
arriving
Bar Harbor is on Route 3, about 10 miles southeast of the causeway leading onto Mount Desert Island. For plane and bus access, see p. 186.
Visitor Information
The Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce (www.barharborinfo.com; 800/345-4617) stockpiles a huge arsenal of information about local attractions, both at its offices on 2 Cottage Street (downtown, 2 blocks from the pier) and in a welcome center on Route 3 in Trenton, just before the causeway onto the island. Write, call, or e-mail in advance for a directory of area lodging and attractions. The chamber’s website is full of information and helpful links, too.
Where to Stay in Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is the bedroom community for Mount Desert Island, with hundreds of hotel, motel, and inn rooms. They’re invariably filled during the busy days of summer, and even the most basic of rooms can be quite expensive in July and August. It’s essential to reserve as early in advance as possible. Even the Airbnb rentals fill up well ahead of time—there are a ton of these, but MDI-dwellers know what their outbuilding/spare room is worth, so you’ll find few steals.
Bar Harbor can be an expensive town, but family-owned motels have provided simple, no-frills, cheaper alternatives for decades—some rooms still remain under $100 in peak season, which is amazing. Most are on the north end of town, along or near Route 3, and almost all are open seasonally, from May through September or October. Choices in this price range include the conveniently located Villager Motel, 207 Main Street (www.barharborvillager.com; 888/383-3211 or 207/288-3211) and the Highbrook Motel, 94 Eden Street (www.highbrookmotel.com; 800/338-9688 or 207/288-3591). About 4 miles west of Bar Harbor on Route 3 is Hanscom’s Motel and Cottages (www.hanscomsmotel.com; 207/288-3744), an old-fashioned motor court with a dozen units (some of them with two bedrooms) that have been well maintained. Its rates range from $92 to $110 in summer, and go as low as $64 per night in the off season.
Expensive
Balance Rock Inn Tucked down a quiet side alley just off Bar Harbor’s main drag, the Balance Rock (built in 1903 for a Scottish railroad magnate) reaches for and achieves a gracefully upscale Long Island beach house feel. The entrance alone is nearly worth the steep rack rates: You enter a sitting room, which looks out onto the sort of azure outdoor swimming pool you’d expect to find in a Tuscan villa, and just beyond looms the Atlantic. Rooms are as elegant as any on the island, with a variety of layouts, some with sea views; some have whirlpools and saunas, while the penthouse suite adds a full kitchen. The comfortable king-size beds are adjustable using controls and have been fitted with feather beds and quality linens. A poolside bar, piano room, gracious staff, and fragrant flowers lining the driveway complete the romance of the experience.
21 Albert Meadow. www.balancerockinn.com. 
800/753-0494 or 207/288-2610. 27 units. July–early Sept $275–$625 double, $575–$725 suite; mid-May–June and mid-Sept–late Oct $195–$545 double, $365–$635 suite. Rates include full breakfast. Closed mid-Oct–early May. Some rooms accommodate pets ($40 per pet per night). Children 10 years and older welcome. Packages available. Amenities: Restaurant; poolside bar; fitness room; fire pit; heated outdoor pool; fitness center; free Wi-Fi.
Bar Harbor Hotel—Bluenose Inn This resort-style complex—situated in two buildings—offers stunning views of the surrounding terrain. Facilities here are modern: Expect spacious carpeted rooms with huge bathrooms, small refrigerators, and balconies, as well as a good fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, and an adjacent hilltop dining room with a bang-up view of town and Frenchman Bay. The two buildings are slightly different in character, but in either case upper-floor rooms with sea views are worth the extra cost, especially if the weather is good. The style is Euro-countryside lavish, with floral bedspreads and upholstery, cabriole-leg chairs, and the like. Staff is professional and friendly.
90 Eden St. www.barharborhotel.com. 800/445-4077 or 207/288-3348. 98 units. Mid-June–mid-Oct $159–$459 double; spring and late fall $119–$329 double. Packages available. Closed Nov–Apr. Amenities: Restaurant; fitness center; Jacuzzi; indoor pool; outdoor pool; spa; free Wi-Fi.
The Bar Harbor Inn The Bar Harbor Inn, just off Agamont Park, nicely mixes traditional style with contemporary touches. On shady grounds just a moment’s stroll from Bar Harbor’s downtown, this property offers both convenience and charm. The shingled main inn, which dates from the turn of the 19th century, has a settled, old-money feel with its semicircular dining room and a buttoned-down lobby. Guest rooms, located in the main building and two outbuildings, are much more contemporary: Units in the Oceanfront Lodge and main inn both offer spectacular bay views, and many have private balconies. The third wing, the Newport Building, lacks views and its furnishings are a little dated, but you can save a little on rates here. Guests have access to a spa with Vichy showers, aromatherapy, heated-stone treatments, and facial treatments, while the somewhat formal Reading Room dining room serves resort meals with the best dining-room views in town.
1 Newport Dr. www.barharborinn.com. 800/248-3351 or 207/288-3351. 153 units. Mid-May–mid-Oct $255–$399 double; mid-Mar–mid-May and mid-Oct–Nov $119–$399 double. Rates include continental breakfast. 2-night minimum stay mid-June–Aug weekends. Packages available. Closed Dec–mid-Mar. Amenities: Dining room; lounge; fitness room; Jacuzzi; heated outdoor pool; room service; spa; free Wi-Fi.
Bass Cottage Inn This tucked-away inn gets very high marks for friendliness, service, and proximity to the water. Rooms are decked out in cast-iron beds, silk canopies, love seats, armoires, writing desks, and the like. The gentle color schemes range from ivory to sky blue to taupe, reflecting the soft light of the island, and many are decorated with nautical prints; several have Jacuzzis and/or views, as well (and the entire-top-floor suite has both). This is just a 2-minute walk from downtown, yet breakfast feasts are worthy of a gourmet restaurant: They might serve cornmeal griddle cakes with blueberries, a lobster omelet, French toast with vanilla sauce, cranberry-walnut French toast, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, or huevos rancheros. Innkeepers Teri and Jeff Anderholm are unfailingly helpful and generous with extra flourishes such as a piano, a DVD library for anytime use, and a 24-hour guest pantry stocked with snacks. Very nice place.
14 The Field. www.basscottage.com. 866/782-9224 or 207/288-1234. 10 units. Mid-June–early Nov $260–$400 double and suite; Mid-May–mid-June and mid-Oct–late Oct $220–$350. Rates include full breakfast. 2-night stay minimum, 3-day minimum stay holiday weekends. Closed Nov–mid-May. Children age 12 and over welcome. Packages available. Amenities: Wine service; free Wi-Fi.
West Street Hotel Opened in 2012, the West Street already feels as if it’s always loomed over the water on the northern edge of town. Maybe that’s because it’s so conspicuous, its pale multicolored facade stretching the better part of a block. The theme is nautical luxe, the rooms are fairly snug, but well appointed with mahogany furnishings and leather chairs. The real genius of the place is that every room has a small private balcony with a view of the harbor—it’s a terrific thing to wake up to, and you’ll feel well above the bustle of the Bar Harbor street. (This is even more true when you’re splashing in the rooftop pool.) Guests have access to amenities just down the road at the Bar Harbor Club sister property—another pool, tennis courts, a fitness center, and spa.
50 West St. www.theweststreethotel.com. 877/905-4498 or 207/288-0825. 85 units. July–mid-Oct $339–$449 double, $559–$959 suite; mid-May–June and mid-Sept–late Oct $259–$399 double, $419–$635 suite. 2-night minimum stay July–Aug weekends. Closed Nov–early May. Packages available. Amenities: Two pools (one rooftop); restaurants; bar; tennis courts; marina; a fitness center; spa; free Wi-Fi.
Moderate
Acadia Hotel The simple, comfy Acadia Hotel is nicely situated overlooking Bar Harbor’s village green, easily accessible to in-town activities and the free shuttle buses running around the island. A handsome and none-too-large home dating from the late 19th century, the hotel gave most of its rooms the remod treatment in 2014, and the place feels fresh, with patterned upholstery, flat-screens and refrigerators in every room, new paint jobs, and a stylish new suite with a picture window looking out at Cadillac Mountain. Some rooms are slightly underground, a few steps down, but they get plenty of light. Debuting in 2017 is a new lobby and 8 more guest rooms in a brand-new building next door (still a hole in the ground when I visited). The rates have inched up from a few years back, but all things considered this is still arguably the best value in a pricey town (particularly in winter, as it’s the rare MDI hotel open year-round).
20 Mt. Desert St. www.acadiahotel.com. 888/876-2463 or 207/288-5721. 16 units. June–Labor Day $209–$349 double, $409–$429 suite; May and Columbus Day–Nov $119–$219 double, $309–$369 suite; Dec–Apr $99–$149 double, $179–$249 suite. Packages available. Amenities: Free bikes; outdoor hot tub; free Wi-Fi.
Bar Harbor Grand Hotel Filling a gap between quaint (often expensive) inns and B&Bs and the island’s family-owned motels, hotels, and cottages, this large hotel’s blocky, two-tower design faithfully copies the style of the Rodick House, a now-defunct 19th-century hotel in Bar Harbor that could once boast of being Maine’s largest hotel. The Grand, however, offers bigger rooms and bathrooms and, of course, all-modern fixtures. Rooms and suites are decked out in the same floral bedspreads and curtains you’d expect in any upscale business hotel, but the access to downtown Bar Harbor and the nearby ocean are big pluses. Amenities include a guest laundry, gift shop, a heated outdoor pool; not surprisingly, they’re booking some tour groups in here. Expect efficiency and comfort, rather than local character.
269 Main St. www.barharborgrand.com. 888/766-2529 or 207/288-5226. 71 units. June–mid-Oct $165–$245 double; Apr–May and mid-Oct–mid-Nov $99–$155 double. Rates include continental breakfast. Packages available. Closed late Nov–Mar. Amenities: Fitness room; Jacuzzi; laundry; heated outdoor pool, free Wi-Fi.
Black Friar Inn The seasonal Black Friar, tucked on a Bar Harbor side street overlooking a parking lot, is a yellow-shingled home with quirky pediments and an eccentric air. A former owner “collected” interiors and installed them throughout the home, including a replica of a pub in London with elaborate carved-wood paneling (it’s now a common room); stamped-tin walls (look in the breakfast room); and a doctor’s office (now one of the guest rooms). Rooms are carpeted and furnished in a mix of antiques; most are smallish, though the big suite features nice paneling, a sofa, wingback chair, private porch, and gas fireplace. Other rooms sport such touches as rose-tinted stained-glass windows, brass beds, and a sort of mini spiral staircase. The least expensive units are the two garret rooms on the third floor. The inn, which is also home to a small restaurant and pub, generally asks a 2-night minimum stay.
10 Summer St. www.blackfriarinn.com. 207/288-5081. 6 units. July–mid-Oct $150–$195 double; May–June $70–$130 double. Rates include full breakfast. 2-night minimum required July–Oct. Closed late Oct–Apr. Children 12 and older welcome. Amenities: Restaurant; pub; free Wi-Fi..
Maples Inn A modest home tucked away on a side street in a row of Bar Harbor B&Bs, the Maples is an easy walk downtown to a movie or dinner. The current innkeepers, who took over the place in 2015, are an outdoorsy young couple, and the inn tends to attract other adventuresome types; find them swapping stories about their day’s exploits on the handsome front porch or lingering over breakfast to compare notes about hiking trails. Rooms are small to medium-size, but you’re not likely to feel cramped—they have private bathrooms, wicker furniture, pencil poster beds, and handsome antique wooden writing desks. The two-room White Birch has a fireplace, a lacy canopy bed with a down comforter, and a bright blue-and-white decor; Red Oak has a private deck with rocking chairs. Gourmet breakfasts are served in a sunny dining room or taken on the porch; Chef Matt is big on local ingredients, even smoking his own trout.
16 Roberts Ave. www.maplesinn.com. 207/288-3443. 6 units. Mid-June–mid-Oct $159–$229 double and suite; May–mid-June and mid-Oct–late Oct $119–$189 double and suite. Rates include full breakfast. 2-night minimum stay in summer, 3-night minimum on holiday weekends. Closed Nov–Apr. Not appropriate for children under 12. Amenities: Afternoon snacks, free Wi-Fi.
Primrose Inn This handsome Victorian stick–style inn, originally built in 1878, is one of the most notable properties on the “mansion row” along Mount Desert Street. Its distinctive architecture has been preserved, and was perhaps even enhanced during a 1987 addition of rooms, private bathrooms, and balconies. This inn is comfortable, furnished with “functional antiques” and modern reproductions; many of the spacious rooms have a floral theme, thick carpets, marble vanities, canopy beds, sitting or reading rooms, and handsome day beds, wingback chairs or other furniture. (Two newer “premium” rooms also have private entrances and are stocked with king beds, gas fireplaces, and such other amenities as a porch or whirlpool tub.) Breakfasts of eggs Florentine, Belgian waffles, blueberry pancakes, and the like are a hit (and there’s a fridge full of free soft drinks whenever you’re parched).
73 Mount Desert St. www.primroseinn.com. 877/846-3424 or 207/288-4031. 13 units. Mid-June–Labor Day $208–$304 double; mid-May–early June and Sept–Oct $155–$250 double. Rates include full breakfast and afternoon tea. 2-night minimum stay summer and fall. Closed late Oct–mid-May. Amenities: Library, free Wi-Fi.
Inexpensive
Aysgarth Station One of the better B&B values around Bar Harbor, little Aysgarth Station has a British countryside theme, a nod to the Yorkshire roots of proprietress Jane Holland, who runs the place with her partner, Steve Cornell, and cooks outstanding breakfasts big on farmers market ingredients. The snug living room is a cozy spot to curl up on cooler evenings (and in winter, when the B&B stays open), maybe with Jane and Steve’s enormous, friendly cat. Don’t worry, he (the cat) isn’t allowed up into the rooms, which are mostly cozy and tastefully appointed with antique furnishings. Skipton has a regal feel, with heavy drapes, an iron-framed bed, and a Jacuzzi tub. Treefalls, on the top floor, has another Jacuzzi, an inset gas fireplace, a sitting area, and a snug sun deck with views of the MDI hills. There’s nothing terribly opulent about Aysgarth, but the price is right and Steve and Jane take care of their guests.
20 Roberts Ave. www.aysgarth.com. 207/288-9655. 6 units. June–Oct $125–$175 double; Dec–May $85–$105. Closed Nov. Rates include full breakfast. Not recommended for children 14 and under. Amenities: Free Wi-Fi.
The Colony Owned by the same family since 1950, Colony is a throwback motor court consisting of a handful of motel rooms plus a battery of housekeeping cottages arrayed in an oval around a longish green. It’s best appreciated by those with a taste for retro motels; others might decide to look for something fancier. But the price is low, and 2016 saw a round of thorough renovations. Rest assured, the rooms are still furnished in a simple grandma’s house style that won’t win any awards for decor—and the plumbing may rattle a bit—but most every room and cabin is fresh and clean, with flatscreen TVs in each. There are two classes of motel room, the difference being better views and bigger beds (queens and kings instead of paired doubles). The complex is just across Route 3 from a cobblestone beach; it’s about a 10-minute drive into Bar Harbor. Coolest thing about that beach? Every Saturday afternoon, The Colony pays a kilted bagpiper to stand on the rocky shoreline and blast a few tunes.
20 Rte. 3, Hulls Cove. www.colonyathullscove.com. 207/288-3383. 55 units. $75–$135 cottage. Closed Nov–Apr. Some cottages accommodate pets. Amenities: Heated outdoor pool.
Where to Eat in Bar Harbor
In addition to the selections listed below, you can get good local pizza at Rosalie’s on Cottage Street (www.rosaliespizza.com; 207/288-5666); eat upstairs or down, or take out a pie to go. There’s also a solid natural foods market, A&B Naturals ( 207/288-8480; www.aandbnaturals.com) at 101 Cottage Street, which has prepared foods and a good little café inside.
If you’re craving something sweet, head over to Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium, 66 Main Street (www.benandbills.com; 800/806-3281 or 207/288-3281), for a big ice-cream cone. In the evenings, you may have to join a line spilling out the door. Visitors are often tempted to try the place’s novelty ice cream, lobster ice cream. Like butter? Then be bold and give it a shot.
Or if you enjoy experimenting with other ice cream flavors, Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream , 7 Firefly Lane (www.mdiic.com; 207/460-5515), right beside the tourist office, is the place for you. It gives all the appearances of being just another ho-hum scoop shop of the vanilla-chocolate-strawberry ilk, but there’s little conventional about a place featuring gourmet concoctions spiked with tarragon, chili, and wasabi, among other flavors. (President Barack Obama sampled a coconut cone during a surprise 2010 visit.) There’s another branch at 325 Main Street (and, for your trip home, one on Exchange Street in Portland). Both locations serve coffee, tea, and yerba maté, as well.
Expensive
Havana LATINO/FUSION Havana excited foodies all over Maine when it opened in 1999 in what was then a town of fried fish and baked haddock. The spare decor in an old storefront is as classy as anything you’ll find in Boston, and the menu can hold its own against the big city, too—I’ve had a meal at Havana that I sometimes pause and reflect on, years later. Chef/owner Michael Boland’s menu is inspired by Latino fare, which he melds nicely with New American ideas. Appetizers are deceptively simple: appetizers of crab cakes with avocado mayo and corn salsa, duck empanadas, mussels with chorizo and sofrito. Entrees could include choices as adventurous as a lobster poached in butter served with a saffrony potato empanada; paella made with local lobsters and mussels; breast of duck with a blueberry glaze; chiles rellenos stuffed with amazing barbecue pork; or lamb shanks braised with chile and pineapple. Then desserts skew simple again (see the pattern?): apple empanadas, caramel and cream, churros with caraway chocolate ice cream. The Obamas dined here the last time they swung through Bar Harbor; I bet the President and First Lady stop to think about their meal from time to time, too.
318 Main St., Bar Harbor. www.havanamaine.com. 207/288-2822. Main courses $21–$35. Daily 5–10pm. Winter/spring hours generally Tues–Sat 4:30–9:30pm. Some brief seasonal closures—call ahead. Reservations recommended.
Mache Bistro NEW AMERICAN An old Bar Harbor standby that found its way into new digs in 2014, little Mâche Bistro has developed a devoted local following The old space was ticky-tack enough that it gave the place a sort of cult appeal, masking the kitchen’s sophistication; the new one is sophisticated without being any less welcoming. Like its neighbor, McKay’s, a couple blocks away (see below), the new Mâche is a former residential home, and the handsome bar and copper and dark wood finishes don’t make the place any less approachable than when it had plywood floors. Chef Kyle Yarborough’s menu changes monthly; small plates could include crispy pork belly with fig pancetta, stuffed peppers with lobster goat cheese, or a wine-poached pear with Maytag blue cheese. Main courses, which have a little Southern flair, run to smoked duck confit, slow-roasted pork with chorizo and vegetables, grilled hanger steak with a blue cheese butter, or scallops with charred onion and caper relish.
321 Main St., Bar Harbor. www.machebistro.com. 207/288-0447. Small plates $13–$15; main courses $18–$32. Tues–Sun 5:30–9pm. Closed late Oct–early May. Reservations recommended.
McKay’s Public House CLASSIC AMERICAN If there were no other reason to like McKay’s, the fact that it’s open year-round would speak well for it. But there are plenty of other reasons, beginning with the fact that it’s true to its name—this is a genuine public gathering place, and one of those spots in Bar Harbor where the line between locals and tourists pretty well dissolves. Part of that homey feel might come from the fact that it’s literally an old Victorian home, with the fireplaces and wainscotting and shady porch that some family likely enjoyed back in the day. The atmosphere is somewhere between drinks-after-work and date night, the menu full of upscale pub food like a terrific lamb burger and steak frites, along with nicely trimmed rib-eyes and chops and some standby pastas. Get there early to snag a table on the beautifully landscaped patio—good Main Street people-watching from out there.
231 Main St., Bar Harbor. www.mckayspublichouse.com. 207/288-2002. Main courses $13–$30. Daily 4:30–9:30pm. Closed Nov. Reservations recommended during peak season.
Moderate
Cafe This Way ECLECTIC Cafe This Way is the kind of place where they know how to do wonderful Asian and Mediterranean things with simple ingredients. It has the feel of a hip coffeehouse, yet it’s much more airy and creative than that. Bookshelves line one wall, and there’s a small bar tucked into a nook; oddly, they serve breakfast and dinner but no lunch. Breakfasts are excellent though mildly sinful—it’s more like brunch. Go for the burritos, corned beef hash with eggs, a build-your-own benedict, or the calorific Café Monte Cristo: a French toast sandwich stuffed with fried eggs, ham, and cheddar cheese served with fries and syrup. Yikes. Dinners are equally appetizing, with tasty starters that might run to fingerling poutine with tomato-chile jam, grilled chunks of Cyprus cheese, or lobster spring rolls. The main-course offerings of the night could include anything from lobster cooked in sherry cream or stewed in spinach and Gruyere cheese to sea scallops in vinaigrette; grilled lamb and steaks; coconut Thai mussels; or tikka masala with local veggies. There’s always a tasty vegetarian option, as well. Talk about eclectic.
141⁄2 Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor. www.cafethisway.com. 207/288-4483. Breakfast items $8–$12, dinner entrees $19–$29. Mid-Apr–Oct, Mon–Sat 7–11:30am; Sun 8am–1pm; dinner daily 5:30–9:30pm. Dinner reservations recommended.
Galyn’s SEAFOOD Normally I avoid midpriced bistros in tourist towns, because they’re generally all pretty similar and almost never as special as their precious signs proclaim. But charming, unassuming Galyn’s is the exception; Galyn’s gets it right. From perfectly blackened and grilled Cajun shrimp, hand-cut steaks, and daily fish specials to seafood stews and penne tossed with oil, garlic, bits of feta, and all the right vegetables, everything’s on point here. Finish with real Indian pudding (worth trying, and very hard to find, despite being a classic New England heritage dish) or the cappuccino sundae served in a cappuccino glass, which packs two helpful shots of espresso to fuel your sightseeing. There are nice dining rooms both upstairs and down, with art on the walls, but try to snag one of the tables out on the little street-side deck if you can: All face Agamont Park and stunning bay views beyond.
17 Main St., Bar Harbor. www.galynsbarharbor.com. 207/288-9706. Lunch entrees $9–$19, dinner $12–$35. Daily 11:30am–10pm. Closed Dec–March. Reservations recommended.
Lompoc Café AMERICAN/ECLECTIC The Lompoc Cafe has a well-worn, neighborhood-bar feel to it—waiters and other workers from around Bar Harbor congregate here after-hours. The cafe consists of three sections: the original bar, a tidy beer garden just outside (try your hand at bocce), and a small and open barnlike structure at the garden’s edge to handle the overflow. Most of the beers are local (ask for a sample before ordering a full glass of blueberry ale). Bar menus are normally yawn-inducing, but this one has some surprises—terrific mussels in broth, respectable shrimp and grits, a pho-like Vietnamese noodle bowl. There’s also quite a little wine list, and some house cocktails like the lemony “Blonde with an Attitude.” The outdoor tables are fun, and live music acts often play here.
36 Rodick St., Bar Harbor. www.lompoccafe.com. 207/288-9392. Sandwiches and entrees $11–$21. Daily 11:30am–1am. Closed late Oct–mid-May. No reservations.
Packing a picnic in Bar Harbor
Even in downtown Bar Harbor, you can have a nice picnic experience simply by settling onto a bench on the Village Green—that’s the green, rectangular space tucked behind and between Mount Desert and Kennebec streets. People-watching abounds, and art shows and festivals sometimes come to the green. Closer to the water, at the tip of the land (at the end of West and Main streets), the pocket Agamont Park is superlative for its picnic spot and a view of boats and islands. There’s also the quiet campus of earthy College of the Atlantic, back on Route 3; they surely won’t mind if you plunk down a basket and graze. The great natural-foods store A&B Naturals, at 100 Cottage Street (www.aandbnaturals.com; 
207/288-8480), is your best bet for prepared foods, drinks, and healthy snacks. It’s open Mondays through Saturdays from 8:30 to 7pm, Sundays 10am–6pm.
Inexpensive
Jordan’s Restaurant DINER This unpretentious breakfast-and-lunch joint has been dishing up filling fare since 1976, and offers a glimpse of the old Bar Harbor. It’s a popular haunt of local working folks and retirees, but staff are also friendly to tourists. Diners can settle into a pine booth or at a laminated table and order off the placemat menu, choosing from basic fare such as grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato or slim burgers. The soups and chowders are all homemade, and there are some crab dishes (the only lobster’s in an omelette, on a salad, or on a roll—no shore dinner here). But breakfast is the star, with a broad selection of three-egg omelets, muffins, and pancakes made with plenty of those great wild Maine blueberries (best when they’re in season). With its atmosphere of “seniors at coffee klatch” and its rock-bottom prices, this is not a gourmet experience, but fans of big breakfasts, Americana-style cuisine, and classic diners will enjoy it.
80 Cottage St., Bar Harbor. 207/288-3586. Breakfast and lunch items $5–$13. Daily 5am–2pm. Closed late Nov–Mar.
Mainely Meat BARBECUE/BREWPUB West of Bar Harbor proper, in the village of Town Hill, Mainely Meat is a rough-and-tumble little barbecue shack that happens to be wedded to the taproom of Atlantic Brewing Company, one of the state’s oldest craft brewers. Pitmaster Paul Douglas smokes up pork, chicken, ribs, and more over various Maine hardwoods in an old water tank repurposed as a smoker. You know you’re at a good barbecue spot when you can get an appetizer of ribs before your entrée plate full of more meat. Needless to say, there’s craft beer on draft (and Atlantic brews good sodas, too, for teetotalers). The dining room’s all done up in biker paraphernalia, although most of the seating is outside, through a set of big bay doors that give the whole place an open-air feel.
15 Knox Rd., Town Hill. www.atlanticbrewing.com/mainly-meat-bbq.com. 207/288-9200. Sandwiches & BBQ plates $8–$20. Daily 11:30am–8pm. Closed mid-Oct–mid-May.
If parking spaces are scarce downtown, head to the end of Albert Meadow (a side street across from the Village Green). At the end of the road is a small waterfront park with free parking, great views of the bay, and foot access to Shore Path. It’s not well marked or publicized, so you can often find a place to park when much of the rest of town is filled up.
Exploring Bar Harbor
The best water views in town are from the foot of Main Street at grassy Agamont Park , which overlooks the town pier and Frenchman Bay. From here, stroll past The Bar Harbor Inn on the Shore Path , a wide, winding trail that follows the shoreline for half a mile along a public right of way. The pathway also passes in front of many elegant summer homes (some converted into inns), offering a superb vantage point from which to view the area’s architecture.
Don’t forget to spend an hour or two in the central Village Green , either. Bar Harbor’s central park—it’s at the junction of Main Street and Mount Desert Street—is a wonderful place to while away an hour or two. You might see anything from protests to marriage proposals to acoustic songwriters to kids goofing off after school, plus summer tourists snapping photos and licking ice cream cones. There’s sometimes music in the bandstand, and this is the pickup point for the free Island Explorer buses that crisscross the entire island.
One of downtown’s less obvious attractions is the Criterion Theatre, 35 Cottage Street (www.criteriontheatre.org; 207/288-3441), a movie house built in 1932 in a classic Art Deco style; so far it has avoided the degradation of multiplexification. The 900-seat theater shows first-run movies in summer and is worth the price of admission for the fantastic, if somewhat faded, interiors. As once was the case at most movie palaces, it still costs extra to sit in the more exclusive loges upstairs. Check the website or the marquee for occasional live concerts, theater, and dance events, too.
Abbe Museum MUSEUM Opened in 2001 as an in-town extension of the smaller, simpler museum at the Sieur de Monts spring in the national park (see p. 193), the Abbe Museum showcases a top-rate collection of Native American artifacts. It’s Maine’s only Smithsonian affiliate and one of the best museums in the state. A new core exhibit in 2016 shows off the museum’s collection of Wabanaki artifacts and contemporary art, organized around a sculpted, two-story ash tree; it incorporates interactive elements of oral history and storytelling. Temporary exhibits might focus on anything from (impressive) Wabanaki basketmaking to student art from Maine’s tribes.
26 Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor. www.abbemuseum.org. 207/288-3519. $8 adults, $4 children 6–15, children under 6 free. May–Oct daily 10am–5pm; rest of year Thurs–Sat 10am–5pm.
Bar Harbor Historical Society MUSEUM Around the corner from the Abbe Museum (see above), the society moved into this handsome 1918 former convent in 1997, where it showcases artifacts of life in the old days—dishware and photos from those grand old hotels that once dotted the town, exhibits on the noted landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, and so forth. Scrapbooks document the devastating 1947 fire, too.
33 Ledgelawn Ave., Bar Harbor. www.barharborhistorical.org. 207/288-0000 or 288-3807. Admission free. Mid-June–Oct Mon–Fri 1–4pm. Off-season, entrance by appointment only.
George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History MUSEUM At the northern edge of town on Route 3, this museum is on the campus of the College of the Atlantic (www.coa.edu; 207/288-5015), a school founded in 1969 with a strong emphasis on environmental education. The museum occupies the national park’s original HQ (who knew?), and features exhibits that focus on interactions among island residents, from the two-legged to the four-legged, finny, and furry. Check the museum’s summer program: in summer, you just might stumble across a nature walk, art project, or scavenger hunt. At the very least, swing by to see the 13-foot, 1,800-pound skull of a fin whale that sits outside, a campus landmark.
105 Eden St., Bar Harbor. www.coa.edu/dorr-museum. 207/288-5395. Admission by donation. Mid-June–Thanksgiving, Tues–Sat 10am–5pm; rest of year, open by appointment only.
On the Water
Bar Harbor is a base for several ocean endeavors, including whale-watching tours. Operators offer excursions in search of humpbacks, finbacks, minkes, and the infrequently seen endangered right whale. The best in the area is the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company (www.barharborwhales.com; 888/942-5374 or 207/288-2386), which operates off the municipal pier at 1 West Street in downtown Bar Harbor, next to Agamont Park. Tours are on a fast, twin-hulled three-level excursion boat that can hold 200 passengers in two heated cabins. The tours run 3 hours or more. There are also puffin- and whale-watching tours; a scenic lighthouse excursion; a shorter (2-hour) nature cruise, in search of seals and birds of prey; and more. Tickets cost $32 to $64 per adult, $18 to $33 per child age 6 to 14. There’s free on-site parking and a money-back guarantee that you’ll see whales—how can you go wrong? The daily tours begin each season in late May and run through late October.
Golf There are several good golf courses on Mount Desert Island. The Kebo Valley Golf Club (www.kebovalleyclub.com; 207/288-3000) at 136 Eagle Lake Road in Bar Harbor (a short walk or drive from downtown) is one of the oldest in America, open in some form or another since 1888; it’s a beauty. (Golf Digest awarded it four stars.) Greens fees run from $49 to $99 per person for 18 holes (they’re highest in summer), and it can get very busy on peak summer weekends—try to reserve well ahead.
Sea Kayaking Sea kayaking has boomed around Mount Desert Island during the past decade. Experienced kayakers arrive in droves with their own boats. Novices sign up for guided tours that are offered by several outfitters. Many new paddlers have found their inaugural experiences gratifying; others have complained that the quantity of paddlers on quick tours in peak season makes the experience a little too much like a cattle drive to truly enjoy. A variety of options can be found on the island, ranging from a 21⁄2-hour harbor tour to a 7-hour excursion; plenty of outfitters in Bar Harbor and the other towns offer guided excursions. Check out Coastal Kayaking Tours, 48 Cottage Street (www.acadiafun.com; 800/526-8615 or 207/288-9605) or National Park Sea Kayak Tours, 39 Cottage Street (www.acadiakayak.com; 800/347-0940). Rates range from $50 to $60 per person for a 2- to 3-hour harbor, sunset, or half-day tour, up to perhaps $80 for a full-day excursion. Aquaterra Adventures, 1 West Street, Bar Harbor (www.aquaterra-adventures.com; 877/386-4124 or 207/288-0007) offers both guided tours and sea-kayak rentals; with unpredictable weather and squirrelly tides, however, kayakers are advised to have some prior experience before attempting to set out on their own.
Bar Harbor Shopping
Bar Harbor is full of boutiques and souvenir shops along two intersecting commercial streets, Main Street and Cottage Street. Most sell the usual tourist tack, but look a little harder and you can find some original items for sale at places like these.
Bar Harbor Hemporium The Hemporium is dedicated to promoting products made from hemp such as paper, clothing, and more. Surprisingly, there’s some interesting stuff here. 116 Main St., Bar Harbor. www.barharborhemp.com. 207/288-3014.
Cadillac Mountain Sports Sleeping bags, backpacks, outdoor clothing, and hiking boots are found at this shop, which caters to the ragged-wool and fleece set. There’s a good selection of hiking and travel guides to the island, too. 26 Cottage St., Bar Harbor. www.cadillacsports.com. 207/288-4532.
Island Artisans This is the place to browse for products made by local craftspeople, such as tiles, sweetgrass baskets, pottery, jewelry, and soaps. 99 Main St., Bar Harbor. www.islandartisans.com. 207/288-4214.
Sherman’s Books & Stationery The original location of Maine’s beloved book chain. Wide selection of new and used books, plus Maine calendars, gifty and writerly things, and some tchotchkes. Occasional cool author events. 25 Federal St., Bar Harbor. www.shermans.com. 207/288-3161.
Elsewhere on Mount Desert Island
You’ll find plenty to explore outside of Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. Quiet fishing villages, deep woodlands, and unexpected ocean views are among the jewels you can turn up once you get beyond Bar Harbor town limits.
Essentials
Getting Around
The eastern half of the island is best navigated using Route 3, which forms a rough loop from Bar Harbor through Seal Harbor and past Northeast Harbor, then runs up along the eastern shore of Somes Sound. Route 102 and Route 102A provide access to the island’s western half. Without a car, use the free Island Explorer shuttle (see p. 188).
Visitor Information
The Thompson Island Information Center, on the right as you are about to cross onto the island, is your single best info source. It’s open daily from mid-May through mid-October. Acadia National Park information is available daily, year-round, at the park headquarters ( 207/288-3338) on Route 233 between Bar Harbor and Somesville. Locally, the Southwest Harbor-Tremont Chamber of Commerce (www.acadiachamber.com; 800/423-9264 or 207/244-9264), and the Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce (www.mountdesertchamber.org; 207/276-5040), can also help you.
Where to Stay Around Mount Desert Island
Acadia Yurts You’re not going to find a quieter stretch of what MDIers call “the quiet side.” And you won’t find more idiosyncratic accommodations than the six giant round tents on this 5-acre stretch of woods. They’re fitted with queen beds, full kitchens, showers, air conditioning—all the comforts of home. They’re also as light and open as can be (what with the built-in skylight), and plenty sturdy (the walls are wooden; only the ceiling is fabric). A community barn and a seasonal spa yurtlet make for gathering spaces, as do the firepits outside each yurt. They’re spaced out enough that you can maintain privacy, but as all rentals are weekly, you’re likely to make friends. The proprietors are a 30-something couple with deep MDI roots. One of their sweet touches: All the artwork was made by students from Mount Desert Island High School.
200 Seal Cove Rd., Southwest Harbor. www.acadiayurts.com. 800/307-5335 or 207/244-5335. 6 units. Late June–early Sept $1050 per week. Mid-Apr–mid-June and mid-Sept–Nov $750–$950 per week. Rates include full breakfast. Pets welcome ($100 weekly fee). Amenities: Yoga and spa tent; library; grills; fire pits; free Wi-Fi.
Asticou Inn The once-grand Asticou Inn, which dates from 1883, occupies a prime location at the head of Northeast Harbor. It was once one of those “must-see” hotels on the island, but then slid slowly into a state of neglect. New ownership in 2010 really turned the place around; since 2015, when the company that formerly ran the park’s beloved Jordan Pond House (see p. 192) started managing the inn and its restaurant, reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. The rooms are furnished in a simple summer-home style; some have claw-foot tubs, others have fireplaces or kitchenettes, but none have phones or TVs. (Also, importantly, less than half have ocean views.) There are four outbuildings scattered about the property, containing 17 cottagelike units, and these might be my first choice: they’re more secluded, a bit more luxurious. Dinner in the airy, wooden-floored main dining room focuses on seafood—and now they also have the popovers that attract park visitors to Jordan Pond House. It’s good to see the Asticou reclaiming its former glory, because this part of the island is magical.
15 Peabody Dr., Northeast Harbor. www.asticou.com. 207/276-3344. 48 units. Main inn July–Aug $190–$350 double; May–June and Sept–Oct $130–$250 double; “cottage” units July–Aug $270–$390, May–June and Sept–Oct $195–$330. Rates include continental breakfast. Closed late Oct–mid-May. Some rooms accommodate pets. Amenities: Dining room; outdoor pool; concierge; room service; tennis court; free Wi-Fi.
The Claremont Early prints of the venerable Claremont show an austere, four-story wooden building overlooking Somes Sound from a grassy rise; it hasn’t changed much since. The place offers classic New England grace. (It’s somehow appropriate that one of New England’s largest croquet tournaments is held here each August.) Common areas are pleasantly appointed in country style—the library with its fireplace is popular. Most guest rooms are bright and airy, outfitted in antiques, old furniture, and modern bathrooms. There’s also a set of 14 cottages of varied vintages and styles in the woods and on the water, all with fireplaces and kitchenettes; they sleep from 2 to 7 people each. Aim for the four Wentworth cottages, all renovated in the last few years into clean, contemporary studios with woodstoves or inset gas fireplaces and lovely porch views of the sound. The dining room, Xanthus , offers fabulous views and a menu of lobster, crab cakes, fish, scallops, pork, and steaks.
22 Claremont Rd., Southwest Harbor. (From Southwest Harbor center, follow Clark Point Rd. to Claremont Rd. and turn left.) www.theclaremonthotel.com. 800/244-5036. 44 units. July–Aug $312–$444 double and cottage; late May–June and Sept–mid-Oct $150–$312 double and cottage. Hotel room rates include breakfast (not cottages). Packages available. 3-night minimum in cottages. Closed mid-Oct–late May. Amenities: Dining room; lounge; babysitting; free bikes; library; croquet; rowboats; tennis court; free Wi-Fi.
Inn at Southwest There’s a late-19th-century feel to this mansard-roofed Victorian home, which thankfully stays spare rather than frilly. All guest rooms, named for Maine lighthouses, are outfitted simply in contemporary and antique furniture; all have ceiling fans and down comforters. Among the most pleasant rooms is Blue Hill Bay on the third floor, with its yellow-and-blue color scheme, big bathroom, sturdy oak bed and bureau, and glimpses of the harbor. The Winter Harbor has a pencil-poster canopy bed, French doors, and a gas-log fireplace. The snug Owls Head room has a cool headboard made from a sturdy old door. Breakfasts give you good incentive to rise early: entrees could include Belgian waffles with raspberry sauce, poached pears, or blueberry French toast.
371 Main St., Southwest Harbor. www.innatsouthwest.com. 207/244-3835. 7 units. $110–$225 double. Rates include full breakfast. Closed Nov–mid-May. Amenities: Fire pit; free Wi-Fi.
Kingsleigh Inn In a 1904 Queen Anne–style home on Southwest Harbor’s bustling Main Street, the Kingsleigh has long been a reliable place to bunk down in the area. Its living room features a wood-burning fireplace and fine art, while sitting and breakfast rooms offer further refuge. All units are outfitted with thoughtful touches like sound machines (to drown out the ambient “noise”), fresh flowers, wine glasses, heated bathroom floors, and thick robes. Flowery prints and wallpapers bedeck the rooms, most of which are small to moderate size, though a few have private decks. The huge third-floor penthouse suite—by far the most expensive room here—has a fireplace, a king-size bed, the inn’s only TV (with VCR and DVD players), and outstanding views (plus a telescope to see them better with). Three-course breakfasts are genuinely artistic—expect choices like asparagus frittata, local-spinach eggs Florentine, raspberry-stuffed French toast—always preceded by a shot of an esoteric juice (watermelon? celery, anyone?) and followed by dessert, believe it or not.
373 Main St., Southwest Harbor. www.kingsleighinn.com. 207/244-5302. 8 units. $145–$205 double; $255–$315 suite. Rates include full breakfast. 2-night minimum stay. Closed Nov–Mar. Children over 12 welcome. Amenities: Wine service; library; free Wi-Fi.
Seawall Motel At this family-run motel, the rooms are simple, spare, and fairly dated, but the location, just across the street from the water at the Seawall entrance to Acadia, is hard to beat. This is the closest you’ll come to feeling like you’ve gotten away from it all, short of sleeping in a tent. Ask for a room on the second floor, which offers better views of the water. The staff here is exceptional—be sure to get their input if you’re planning to explore Mount Desert Island beyond the park, as they’ve got fantastic suggestions for hikes and nature walks.
566 Seawall Rd., Southwest Harbor. www.seawallmotel.com. 800/248-9250 or 207/244-3020. 20 units. Late June–Labor Day $125; mid Sept–early June $70–$90. Rates include continental breakfast. Amenities: Coin-op laundry; free Wi-Fi.
Where to Eat Around Mount Desert Island
Twenty years ago, there were virtually no serious dining options anywhere on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island. Things have definitely changed. In addition to the choices listed below, you can find plenty of good restaurants in Southwest Harbor and several in Northeast Harbor. There are even decent options in tiny, one-dock fishing villages such as Manset and Bernard. Or just pack a picnic at either of the excellent local markets in Southwest Harbor and Northeast Harbor.
Southwest Harbor’s Common Good Soup Kitchen & Café (www.commongoodsoupkitchen.org; 207/266-2733) at 19 Clark’s Point Road (next to the post office), is arguably the best spot to get MDI’s signature pastry, the light and buttery popover. From June to Columbus Day, stop by between 7:30 and 11:30am, help yourself to all the coffee, oatmeal, and terrific popovers (with locally made jam) that you care to eat. Grab a seat on the patio, enjoy the live music, then leave whatever sort of donation you’d like on the way out—it all goes to fund a soup kitchen in the winter. Also in Southwest Harbor, Quietside, 360 Main St. ( 207/244-9444), serves inexpensive club sandwiches and ice-cream cones. The Little Notch Bakery and Cafe, 340 Main Street (www.littlenotch.wixsite.com/my-cafe; 207/244-3357) makes great pizzas with its own dough, plus gourmet sandwiches in the vein of grilled chicken in focaccia with onions and aioli, prosciutto with Asiago and roasted peppers on an onion roll, and grilled flank steak on a baguette. It gets crowded and convivial on summer weekend evenings. Eat-A-Pita, 326 Main Street (www.eatapitasouthwestharbor.com; 207/244-4344), serves pitas, salads, and egg dishes. Sips, 4 Clark Point Road (www.sipsmdi.com; 207/244-4550) is a wine bar that also happens to have great breakfast crepes, sandwiches, and comfort food-y dinners (great meatloaf).
In Northeast Harbor, don’t overlook the informal Docksider Restaurant, hidden a block off the main commercial drag at 14 Sea Street ( 207/276-3965). The crab rolls and lobster rolls are outstanding, made simply and perfectly. The small restaurant also features a host of other fare, including lobster dinners, sandwiches, chowder, fried seafood, and grilled salmon.
Beal’s Lobster Pound SEAFOOD Some says Beal’s is among the best lobster shacks in Maine, and it’s certainly got the right atmosphere: Creaky picnic tables sit on a plain concrete pier overlooking a working-class harbor, right next to a Coast Guard base. (Don’t wear a jacket and tie.) You go inside to pick out lobster from a tank, pay by the pound, choose some side dishes (corn on the cob, slaw, steamed clams), then pop coins into a soda machine outside while you wait for your number to be called. The food will arrive on Styrofoam and paper plates, as it should. There’s also a takeout window across the deck serving fries, fried clams, and fried fish (sensing a theme?), plus ice cream.
182 Clark Point Rd., Southwest Harbor. www.bealslobster.com. 207/244-3202. Lobsters market priced. Summer daily 11am–8pm; after Labor Day 9am–5pm. Closed Columbus Day–Memorial Day.
The best lobster restaurants are those right on the water, where there’s no pretension or frills. The ingredients for a proper feed at a local lobster pound are a pot of boiling water, a tank of lobsters, some well-worn picnic tables, a good view, and a six-pack of Maine beer. Some of the best are concentrated on Mount Desert Island, including the famous Beal’s Lobster Pier (see p. 224) in Southwest Harbor, one of the oldest pounds in the area. Thurston’s Lobster Pound (see p. 226) in tiny Bernard (across the water from Bass Harbor) is atmospheric enough to have been used as a backdrop for the Stephen King miniseries Storm of the Century; it’s a fine place to linger toward dusk, with great water views from the upstairs level. Abel’s Lobster Pound ( 207/276-5827) on Route 198, 5 miles north of Northeast Harbor, overlooks the deep blue waters of Somes Sound; eat at picnic tables under the pines or indoors at the restaurant. It’s quite a bit pricier than other lobster restaurants at first glance, but they don’t charge for the extras that many other lobster joints do—and some visitors claim that lobsters here are more succulent. Then there’s Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound 
(www.trentonbridgelobster.com; 207/667-2977) on Route 3 in Trenton (on the mainland) just before the bridge across to the Island, a personal favorite of mine where the lobsters are boiled in seawater. It’s salty and unpretentious as all get-out. A container of their smoky lobster stew and a slice of homemade blueberry pie make for ideal takeout.
The Burning Tree SEAFOOD Located on a busy straightaway of Route 3 between Bar Harbor and Otter Creek, The Burning Tree is an easy restaurant to blow right past; that would be a mistake. This low-key and surprisingly elegant place serves some of the best and freshest seafood dinners on the island, with New American twists. Some of the produce and herbs comes from the restaurant’s own gardens, while the rest of the ingredients are bought locally whenever possible. Everything’s prepared with imagination and skill—expect unusual preparations like a New Orleans–style lobster, lobster fritters (great idea), sage and almond flounder, and Swiss chard leaves stuffed with scallop mousse, plus old standards like grilled salmon and halibut (served with inventive and tasty sauces). Don’t miss the house cocktails, which use local fruits and berries when possible.
69 Otter Creek Dr., Otter Creek. 207/288-9331. Entrees $19–$26. Mid-June–Columbus Day Wed–Mon 5–10pm. Closed Columbus Day–mid-May. Reservations recommended.
Coda NEW AMERICAN/TAPAS Southwest Harbor’s newest restaurant was built from the ground up in 2015 and has an idiosyncratic mission: to be the live-music mecca of this town of 1,800 people, in addition to serving farm-to-table shareable plates. So the few tables and long bar in the rustic, barnlike room are oriented towards a small stage (there’s a great patio, too). The music skews rootsy and globally influenced, and so does the menu. You might share a spaetzle and cheese, braised beef cheeks with bourbon jelly, or an inspired pairing of lobster and grits. Chef Carter Light takes the DIY ethos seriously: smokes his own sausages, makes head cheese from the head of a locally reared pig, that sort of thing. Somebody behind the bar takes the whiskey list seriously. All in all, a fun and tasty hangout that wouldn’t feel out of place in some western mountain town.
18 Village Green Way, Southwest Harbor. www.codasouthwestharbor.com. 207/244-8133. Small plates $7–$16. Tues–Sat 5–9pm; Sun 6–9:30pm. Closed late Oct–late May. Reservations recommended weekends.
Red Sky NEW AMERICAN Red Sky has anchored the fine-dining scene on “the quiet side” for well over a decade now. Meals take New England ingredients to creative heights, using French and other Continental techniques and accents. Begin with intriguing starters such as organic chicken liver pâté, baked oysters stuffed with crab and bacon, duck-pork sausage, or a crispy, layered polenta. Salads here are excellent; main courses could include a coriander-crusted piece of seared tuna, a chicken raised down the road and served with cranberry sauce, a round of grilled lamb bathed in Dijon mustard, citrusy scallops over Basmati rice, a pan-roasted breast of duck with a wine sauce, or maple-glazed baby back ribs. Finish with a house standard: toasted gingerbread with caramel sauce and brandied whipped cream, or else one of the sorbets or ice creams.
14 Clark Point Rd., Southwest Harbor. www.redskyrestaurant.com. 207/244-0476. Entrees $22–$33. July–Sept Thurs–Sun 5:30–9:30pm; rest of year closed Sun. Closed Dec–mid-Feb.
Thurston’s Lobster Pound SEAFOOD Right off the end of a dock (the same place where they load the lobsters), Thurston’s possesses all three key requirements of a great Maine lobster shack: a great view of Bass Harbor and its fishing boats; tasty lobster and side dishes at reasonable prices; and an unpretentious vibe blended with a dash of friendly sass. It’s like a place out of the movies. The lobsters come quickly, their claws precracked for easier access; corn on the cob is perfectly cooked; scallop chowder, crunchy crab cakes, and bags of steamed mussels and clams all provide toothsome sides; and the “plain dinner” option ($5 extra) finishes with a wonderfully eggy cinnamon-blueberry cake. Start with the bubbly and unexpectedly yummy lobster-and-cream-cheese dip. There are two decks, upstairs and down; a convivial atmosphere pervades at both. This place is a true Maine classic, one of my favorite lobster shacks in the whole state.
9 Thurston Rd. (at the docks), Bernard. 207/244-7600. Lobsters market price. Memorial Day–Columbus Day daily 11am–8:00pm.
XYZ MEXICAN This place is a true “foodie find.” You’d be forgiven for doubting the authenticity of the Mexican food served in this shacklike bungalow a stone’s throw from the crashing north Atlantic off Seawall Lane—yet it serves very authentic Mexican cuisine. Owners Janet Strong and Bob Hoyt are well-traveled in the Mexican states of Xalapa, Yucatán, and Zacatecas (thus the restaurant’s acronym). No burritos here; this is campesino chow, a bit elevated. Expect lots of pork and chicken dishes and mole sauces, with a pile of local lettuce and corn tortillas on the side. The sopa de aguacate, chilled avocado soup with just a hint of tequila and chiles, is a must as an appetizer. Reservations are a must, too, as the place only seats a few dozen.
411 Main St., Southwest Harbor. www.xyzmaine.com. 207/244-5221. Entrees $26. Mon–Sat 5:30–9pm. Closed Columbus Day–late June. Late season hours can be unpredictable (call ahead). Reservations recommended.
Exploring Around Mount Desert Island
Down one peninsula of the eastern lobe of the island is the staid, prosperous village of Northeast Harbor , long a favorite retreat of well-heeled folks. You can see shingled palaces poking out from the forest and shore, but the village itself (which consists of just one short main street and a marina) is also worth investigating for its art galleries, restaurants, and general store. One of the best, least-publicized places for enjoying views of the harbor is from the understated, wonderful Asticou Terraces (www.gardenpreserve.org; 207/276-3727.). Finding the parking lot can be tricky: Head a half-mile east (toward Seal Harbor) on Route 3 from the junction with Route 198, and look for the small gravel lot on the water side of the road with a sign reading asticou terraces. Park here, cross the road on foot, and set off up a magnificent path of local stone that ascends the sheer hillside, with expanding views of the harbor and the town.
Continue on the trail at the top of the hillside, and you’ll soon arrive at Curtis’s cabin (open to the public daily in summer), behind which lies the formal Thuya Garden , which is as manicured as the terraces are natural. This wonderfully maintained garden, designed by noted landscape architect Charles K. Savage (he summered here) in what was once an apple orchard, attracts flower enthusiasts, students of landscape architecture, and local folks looking for a quiet place to rest. The lawns lead to a pavilion and reflecting pool; the gates were hand-carved of cedar. It’s well worth the trip.
Finally, don’t miss the wonderful azalea garden 100 yards down Route 3 (toward Somesville). Run by the same organization as Thuya Garden and the Asticou Terraces, it’s a groomed, Japanese-style wonder of water and plant life—one of my favorite places on the island to wander without getting a cardio workout. There’s no admission charge to any of these three lovely stops, but donations are requested—drop a few bucks in. There’s limited free parking in a lot at both the terraces and the azalea garden.
When leaving Northeast Harbor, think about a quick detour out to Sargent Drive. This one-way route runs through Acadia National Park along the shore of Somes Sound, affording superb views of the glacially carved inlet. On the far side of Somes Sound, there’s good hiking (see p. 196) and the towns of Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor, both home to fishermen and boat-builders. Though the character of these towns is changing, they’re still far more humble than Northeast and Seal harbors.
From Northeast Harbor, visitors can depart on a seaward trip to the beguilingly remote Cranberry Islands . You have a couple of options: Either travel with a national park guide to Baker Island, the most distant of this small cluster of low islands, and explore the natural terrain; or hop one of the ferries to either Great or Little Cranberry Island and explore on your own. On Little Cranberry there’s a small historical museum run by the National Park Service that’s worth a few minutes. Both islands feature a sense of being well away from it all, but neither offers much in the way of shelter or tourist amenities; travelers should head out prepared for the possibility of shifting weather. Beal & Bunker ( 207/244-3575) runs mail boats to the islands from Northeast Harbor, while Cranberry Cove Boating Co. (www.downeastwindjammer.com; 207/244-5882 or 207/460-1981) runs a regular ferry schedule from Southwest Harbor and Manset. Figure on $25 to $32 round-trip per adult, $15–$20 for children. Be sure to check boat schedules carefully before setting off to the Cranberries to ensure that you don’t miss the last ferries back to Mount Desert; there are very limited accommodations out here.
In Southwest Harbor look for the intriguing Wendell Gilley Museum of Bird Carving (www.wendellgilleymuseum.org; 207/244-7555), on Route 102 just north of town. Housed in a new building constructed specifically to display the woodcarvings, the museum contains the masterwork of Wendell Gilley, a plumber who took up carving birds as a hobby in 1930. His creations, ranging from regal bald eagles to delicate chickadees, are startlingly lifelike and beautiful. The museum offers woodcarving classes for those inspired by the displays, and a gift shop sells fine woodcarvings. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm June to October, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm in late May, November, and December. The museum is closed January to April, when it offers craft workshops. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children 5 to 12—but free Saturday mornings in July and August, and all day on Wendell Gilley’s birthday (Aug 21).
Sports & Outdoor Activities
Canoeing Mount Desert’s ponds offer scenic if limited canoeing; most have public boat access. Canoe rentals are available at the north end of Long Pond (the largest pond on the island, at 3 miles long) in Somesville from National Park Canoe & Kayak Rental (www.nationalparkcanoerental.com; 207/244-5854). The cost is about $37 for 3 hours, $22 if you go out for sunset, or $61 for the whole day.
Golf The Northeast Harbor Golf Club (www.nehgc.com; 207/276-5335) is an attractive choice for golfers. Greens fees range from $45 to $85 per person for 18 holes; to find the course, drive all the way through the small downtown, then turn right on Manchester Drive, which takes you to the course. Alternately, a few miles north of town as you come south on Route 3/198, exit right onto Sargent Drive and continue 1/2 miles to the course.
