"Bar Harbor" Bar Harbor by goodfish

I'm including this page mostly to direct information seekers to my Acadia National Park pages. As Bar Harbor is right on the park border, I had a hard time trying to separate the two so decided to put all the tips in one place. Besides, Acadia and all of its magnificent scenery should be the #1 reason to visit Bar Harbor in the first place!

This is a small tourist town that swells to many times its size during the summer. Hoardes of visitors arrive by car, bus and cruise ship during peak season to enjoy the scenery, tours, shopping, excellent restaurants and accomodations that Bar Harbor and the surrounding Mount Desert Island area have to offer.

Hotel rooms are at a premium during the summer so it's almost mandatory to have reservations if going during this time - at least if you want to stay at a particular place. This is an expensive destination but a tight budget can be managed with a little pre-planning and research. Here are some tips:

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

1. Go in the spring or fall. Fall is especially lovely with the trees turning colors and the summers crowds mostly gone. Most Bar Harbor stores and restaurants stay open through Columbus Day weekend and hotel rates fall with the leaves so you'll have more affordable choices. We were there in late September and the weather was perfect: warm days and comfortably crisp nights. You might want reservations for "Leaf-peeping Week" when colors are at their peak.

2. Take advantage of Early Bird Specials: many restaurants have reduced meal offerings before 6:00 PM. You'll also get better tables with nicer views at water-side venues as it'll still be light outside.

3. Rent a cabin or condo with a kitchen and bring/buy groceries for some eat-in meals, or pick up some items for an easy breakfast in your hotel room.

4. Picnic! There are several places in town to pick up inexpensive sandwiches and supplies for an outdoor feast and many drop-dead gorgeous places at which to enjoy it! The lawn at Jordan Pond House (Acadia) is one of the best: great view! If you're hiking the park, there's nothing better than a backpacked lunch at the summit of one of the mountains (my favorite!). Wherever you go, just be sure to stay within marked public areas, pack up your trash, and don't feed the critters.

Bar Harbor

5. The entrance fee to Acadia is a mere $20 or less per vehicle and good for a whole week. You can't find a better bargain than that!!

6. Windowshop in Bar Harbor but save your $$ for sightseeing, meals and sampling the local ales (Yessiree, I sampled many!!!) As with any tourist town, the offerings can be overpriced, mass-produced or just plain tacky. If wanting a token of your trip, stick with local flavors like blueberry preserves or a little something from the Acadia Park giftshop.

7. Absolutely, have a lobster! If possible, pick one of the lobster pounds outside of Bar Harbor and make a fabulous pile-of-napkins mess at a picnic table beside the water. They aren't exactly cheap but tons of fun. No kidding, you have to have a fresh "bug" right out of the ocean to say you've been to Maine!

All-in-all, a lively, fun town in which to make camp at if coming to visit Acadia and the Mount Desert Isle villages so check out those Acadia National Park pages for more info.

• Pros:Right next to Acadia NP, lots of restaurants, accommodations and activites, beautiful harbor
• Cons:Very crowded in summer, on the expensive side
• In a nutshell:Loved it - can't wait to go back.