7 Surprising Day Trips From Bar Harbor: Uncover The Magic

Looking for day trips from Bar Harbor?

You’ve landed at the right blog, if you’re looking for 7+ surprising day trips from Bar Harbor! My family of five visited in 2021 in our skoolie RV and spent a week exploring Bar Harbor, Maine and the other nooks and crannies of Mount Desert Island. 

By the end of reading this blog, you should come away with a few ideas on how to plan your own visit. It can definitely be overwhelming to plan a trip to a place you’ve never visited, which is why I’m here to give my tips and recommendations.

Table of Contents

Editor’s Picks for Best Day Trips from Bar Harbor

If you don’t want to read the entire blog, then I’ll share my top picks quickly. I love a good day with good food, which is why guided tours with picnics are my top picks. If you love the land, then a tour of Acadia National Park will win your heart. If you are craving a sailing experience, then a 2-hour sailing charter around the island can’t be beat!

About Bar Harbor

Located just off the coast of Maine, Bar Harbor is this quintessential New England fishing village on Mount Desert Island. It has exploded in popularity because of its striking landscape, sea ports, celebrity summer destination, and location to Acadia National Park. 

In fact, Acadia National Park boasts about receiving over 4 million visitors annually, which means it’s about the same for Bar Harbor. 

Free Shuttle Service with the Island Explorer

One of the best things about Mount Desert Island is the free shuttle called the Island Explorer, available to visitors from May through October. This was an initiative by the local council to cut down on vehicle traffic around the island, and it’s been a huge success. The shuttles run frequently and even pop off the island to Trenton and the local Bar Harbor Airport. Remember to tip your driver.

Island Explore Routes

7 Surprising Day Trips from Bar Harbor

Below are the day trips from Bar Harbor that are totally worth participating in. 

1. Acadia National Park Guided Tour with Lobster Roll

Editor’s Pick

Acadia National Park is the “crown jewel of the North Atlantic Coast” according to the National Parks, and it’s rightly named so in my opinion. You can’t come to Bar Harbor without a visit to Acadia National Park and this tour really packs in a full day of guided travel, including pick up and drop off in Bar Harbor…. And it includes a lobster roll.

Yes, you’ll also visit some of the best viewpoints like Sieur de Monts Spring, Thunder Hole, and Otter Cliff, but it’s a lobster roll that wins me over every time.

2. Acadia National Park Self-Guided Audio Tour: Ocean Path 

Skoolie-Friendly

If you want an affordable alternative to the more expensive tour with guide and transport, then this audio tour along Acadia National Park’s ocean trails is a great option.

Simply download the app and broadcast the history through your car’s bluetooth speakers or your ear buds. In addition to the audio, you’ll get a 15-page travel guide and tour map to help you on your way to destinations like Monument Cove and the tide pools. 

A pro tip is to download all of the audio over WiFi, so you don’t need to use data while on the tour.

3. Culinary Walking Tour

If you know you’re going to be walking around Bar Harbor and exploring the food scene, why don’t you do it with a local who knows all the best joints, like a good downtown bar, and will give a local history tour along the way? 

In this 3-hour guided tour, you’ll sample your way around local hot spots and even end at an ice cream parlor. Honestly, I’m already drooling.

4. Two-hour Sailing Charter

Editor’s Pick

Why not get off Mount Desert Island and onto the water with a sailing charter. Explore the ocean outside of Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and the Schoodic Peninsula for a few hours with a licensed captain and crew. 

You can expect to see plenty of sealife like dolphins, seals, and falcons, and a picnic on-board is included in the price. The sunset tour offers live music as well, which could make for a romantic evening.

5. Ghost Tour

If you’re a fan of the paranormal and spooky stories, then you may love this guided walking tour that starts in Bar Harbor after the sun goes down.

This 1.5 hour tour takes you through the town’s scary past to present day, shining light on some haunted buildings and cemeteries along the way.

This would be a great trip during the Halloween season, and for kids above 10 years old.

6. Professional Photoshoot

One of my favorite ways to remember a vacation is through the photos; however, as a mom, I often find many of my kids but few of dad and (especially) mom.

Scheduling a professional photoshoot in Bar Harbor is a way to immortalize a wonderful trip against a striking landscape and fishing village.

7. Guided E-bike Tour

Traveling around Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park by bicycle is a popular pastime. This e-bike tour combines the best of both worlds with local guide and a lower intensity workout.

The support of the bike’s power makes this activity more manageable for those that may not have the highest fitness ability, but want to explore Mount Desert Island faster than on foot.

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FAQs for Day Trips from Bar Harbor

Is Bar Harbor Maine worth visiting?

Yes, Bar Harbor, Maine is worth visiting. It absolutely is better than the hype, based on personal experience. I visited with my family and we spent 3 days exploring Bar Harbor.

The downtown area was walkable, even for young kids, and there were plenty of things to explore and places to eat. You’ve got to try the popovers with blueberry jam and maple butter when you visit!

How many days do you need in Bar Harbor?

From personal experience, I think two days in Bar Harbor is all you need to explore the small fishing village. The downtown area isn’t very large, making it a great walking destination. I recommend exploring the town in two parts: on day one, visit the wharf where the cruise ships come in and the shops on that end. The next day, explore the rest of downtown. 

After you’ve explored Bar Harbor, make sure to hop on the free Island Explorer shuttle to visit Acadia National Park.

What is the best month to visit Bar Harbor?

The topic of the best month to visit Bar Harbor is highly debated by locals and tourists alike. In my humble opinion, the best month to visit is in the fall (aka. Autumn for the British English readers). The temperatures cool off. The blueberry season winds down. You really get a sense that winter is coming and Mount Desert Island is going into hibernation mode, but not before the forests come alive with vivid color everywhere you look: red, yellow, brown! As someone who visited from Tampa, Florida, fall is the most beautiful season to visit Bar Harbor, Maine. 

I would venture to say the next best season is spring, when the opposite happens. Trees and shrubs awaken with little buds then leaves and flowers. Birds begin chirping more and the increase in daylight hours is noticeable.

Let me know which season is your favorite when visiting Bar Harbor. 

Is Bar Harbor a walkable town?

The town of Bar Harbor is made up of several blocks of old buildings centered on a lovely port where the ships come in to dock. When I visited with my husband and three young children, we were easily able to spend several afternoons exploring the downtown area on foot. There are a number of lovely cafes and restaurants, gift shops with local, handmade items, art galleries, and kitzchy antique stores. 

Between the waterfront and the city is a nice park with fountain and public restrooms, which gives young visitors plenty of space to run wild. 

Is Bar Harbor, Maine expensive?

Mount Desert Island is a popular island to visit in Maine by tourists and celebrities alike, reportedly bringing in over 4 million visitors each year to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.

As often comes with high demand, there are high housing and accommodation costs in Bar Harbor. 

Restaurant prices are slightly higher than one would expect on the mainland, but our family personally didn’t find grocery shopping to be exorbitant. 

Gift shop prices felt about the same as we would expect in other parts of Maine.

What’s the weather like in Bar Harbor?

Bar Harbor, Maine, USA is located on the northern coast, quite close to the Canadian border. As such, you will experience four seasons: spring, summer, fall (or autumn), and winter. Though the proximity of Bar Harbor to the water moderates the climate, the temperatures vary a lot from season to season. 

• Spring temperatures (March to May) range between -4 to 19 Fahrenheit. 
• Summer temperatures (June to August) range between 11 to 27 Fahrenheit. 
• Fall or autumn temperatures (September to November) range between 0 to 20 Fahrenheit. 
• Winter temperatures (December to February) range between -11 to 2 Fahrenheit. 

Are there a lot of bugs in Bar Harbor?

In the warmer months, you’re going to run into your fair share of mosquitos, especially if it’s been a rainy season. Within the city, you’re not likely to come into contact with ticks; however, dress properly and use a chemical-free bug repellant spray if you’re planning on hiking around Mt Desert Island during your visit to Bar Harbor. 

Is Bar Harbor, Maine in Acadia National Park?

No – Bar Harbor, Maine is located on the northeast portion of Mount Desert Island, an island located in the Atlantic Ocean off the mainland. Acadia National Park is located further south on the island, and is not located in Bar Harbor.

Bar Harbor Travel Guide

Can you drink the water in Bar Harbor, Maine campgrounds?

No — You’ll want to buy a filtered water bottle, which cleans your drinking water before ingestion so you don’t get an upset belly from the water in Bar Harbor, Maine. Many of these campgrounds get their drinking water supply from well water, and every RV campground varies on how often their well is treated for bacteria and parasites. I personally use this Brita Insulated Metal Bottle with Straw and Filter.

Do I need a travel insurance to travel to Maine?

YES — Travel insurance takes stress of your shoulders before and during trip to Bar Harbor, Maine. You’re covered with short-term health insurance in event an emergency happens.

A basic travel insurance policy with Travel Insurance Master costs between $5-10 USD per day.

Do you need a car in Bar Harbor, Maine?

You’ll need a car to get to Mount Desert Island, but once on the island you can use the free shuttle called the Island Explorer to get around.

If you’ve booked a stay in the heart of Bar Harbor, and don’t plan on leaving the village, then you won’t need a car since everything else is reachable by foot. 

Do Uber or Taxi services run in Bar Harbor, ME?

Yes – Car share services like Uber and Lyft are available in Bar Harbor, Maine. You’ll just need to download the respective apps to see who is available to pick you up.

There are a few taxi services available like Bar Harbor Coastal Cab & Tours and Y&P Taxi Services.

What’s the best way to book my Bar Harbor, Maine accommodations?

To book a hotel in Bar Harbor, Maine, visit a booking website to get the best rates and real time visibility of what rooms are available. Honestly, it’s a lot more efficient then price shopping multiple hotels by calling them individually.

Need additional information on Bar Harbor, Maine?

The official Bar Harbor website provides a lot of great information, like using the town’s visitor-guiding wayfinding signs. If there was anything not covered in this article, I’m sure you’ll find it on their site.

Conclusion to the Day Trips from Bar Harbor

It comes as no surprise that there are so many fun day trips from Bar Harbor, Maine. This town is definitely worth the hype and so are the tours from it. These trips range in price (economical to high), physical ability, and guided versus self-guided.

If you love being in nature and experiencing unique places like whale-watching, hiking to Cadillac Mountain and Jordan’s Pond, and chowing down on lobster roll while visiting a museum, then you’ll love a trip to Bar Harbor, Maine.

Have you visited Bar Harbor before and taken any tours during your vacation? Leave a comment with your favorite place. I would love to feature it in this blog.

If you liked this blog, then check out these others:

• Best RV campgrounds in Bar Harbor, Maine
• RV Travel to the Florida Keys
• Best RV campgrounds in Helen, Georgia

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