Lobsters & Lighthouses: Two Days in Bar Harbor, Maine
The Boston, Lobster, Lighthouse tour took us to spend our last Two Days in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Acadia National Park. We headed out of Portland early with a box of donuts from Holy Donut. We had planned to drive the coastal highway and see some of the small towns along the way but decided since our time was short to take I-95 instead. It’s about a three-hour drive between Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine on the interstate. If you want to take the coastal route for a more scenic drive (US-1), this could take up to five hours depending on how often you stop and traffic.
Day One:
Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park
Your first stop upon your arrival to Mount Desert Island should be the Hulls Cove Visitor Center, just north of Bar Harbor, Maine. Stop here to pay your entrance fee and get your pass for Acadia National Park. The cost for a private vehicle will cost $30 and is good for seven days. They can be purchased online or in person at the Hull’s Cove Visitor’s Center. I Definitely recommend buying ahead of time and also securing your reservation time for Cadillac Mountain! Hours are usually 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. We didn’t have much time to visit the park today but it was a good time for us to get a lay of the land and drive a short distance on the Park Loop Road.
Park Loop Road is the 27-mile paved road that goes through the entire park with gorgeous overlooks throughout. Bring your camera and stop as many times as you want during your drive because, believe me, you are going to want to take in the views and get some pictures. The beauty of Acadia is absolutely overwhelming. We will return tomorrow and spend more time at the park. For now, it was time to get checked into our hotel and grab some lunch.
Bar Harbor Inn & Spa
If you want to stay in one of the classic Bar Harbor inns, you can’t beat the Bar Harbor Inn & Spa. Its location is on the harbor in the heart of Bar Harbor overlooking Frenchman Bay. The inn is beautifully landscaped and everything is within easy walking distance. If it has availability, everything will literally be on your doorstep. This is where we first tried to make reservations but were told that there is a three-night minimum.
Atlantic Oceanside
We ended up staying at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel which is situated on 12 acres of oceanfront property, just one mile from Acadia National Park and the shops and restaurants of historic downtown Bar Harbor, Maine. We had a stunning balcony ocean view and waterfront access to gorgeous Frenchman Bay.
Side Street Cafe
By 2 PM, we were hungry, so we went back into town for lunch at Side Street Cafe. This restaurant is tucked away from the main areas of downtown Bar Harbor just slightly hidden on Rodick Street. The Side Street Cafe is where I may have had my best lobster roll with a cup of New England Clam Chowder. There is nothing quite like a Maine lobster. I think they just taste better here. Brenda had their award-winning mac and cheese. Grab a seat on the deck outside and enjoy a cocktail while you wait for your food! There is both outdoor and indoor seating available.
Downtown Bar Harbor
After lunch or before dinner is a good time to explore some of the shops downtown. Bar Harbor is just a fun place to walk around and browse the window displays. You will see fun stores like Cool as a Moose, In the Woods, and a pet shop called Bark Harbor. It is a great chance to stroll around downtown and window shop for souvenirs or walk along the waterfront to watch the boats at work.
La Bella Vita Ristorante
For our first dinner in Bar Harbor, we popped in several places some of which were no longer taking guests because they were filled. We were about to give up when we walked into La Bella Vita Ristorante at the Harborside Hotel. We were seated right away at a table by the window. Wow! Don’t know how we accomplished that. Instead of seafood, we ordered the Porcelli Trio pizza which is baked in a brick oven. It hit the spot on a cool Bar Harbor night.
Stewman’s Lobster Pound
Another option for dinner if you prefer seafood is Stewman’s Lobster Pound, just next door to La Bella Vita. You can sit on the outdoor patio, right on the water overlooking the harbor, and watch the lobster boats pull in.
Day Two:
Jordan’s Breakfast
What better way to start the day at Acadia National Park than by enjoying some fresh Maine blueberry pancakes from Jordan’s Restaurant. Brenda ordered an omelet with a blueberry muffin. By the way, there is a rule in Bar Harbor that you must have blueberry something while visiting.
Park Loop Road – Acadia National Park
After a hearty breakfast, we made our way to Acadia National Park and found the Park Loop Road. The 27-mile Park Loop Road connects the mountains, forest, lakes, and coastline of Acadia National Park and provides visitors with outstanding views. It is the primary road used for navigating through the park. The road is a one-way road in most spots and two-way in some places, so make sure to watch for oncoming traffic.
Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain are some of the highlights of the Park Loop Road. The coastal views near Sand Beach are outstanding.
Trails and parking areas along the road allow visitors to linger and explore the Park. Pull off at any of the numerous observation points along the road to soak it all in. You will pass under several Carriage Roads that were built by John Rockefeller Jr. back in the early 20th century. These roads were originally constructed to travel by horse-drawn carriage through the park.
Sand Beach
Sand Beach is nestled in a small inlet between the granite mountains and rocky shores of Mount Desert Island. Most of the sand is crushed up shells. Sand Beach is a popular, beach known for being calm, quiet, and relaxing.
Since we were on vacation, a little relaxation by the ocean is just what the doctor ordered. Although most of the coastline on the island is rocky cliff faces, Sand Beach is an exception. Even though I come from a state where folks swim in the ocean in October, the water here was too cold for this Florida boy to swim in. The ocean temperature here rarely exceeds 55 degrees even in the summer.
Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is a natural inlet carved out of rocks, where you can watch waves come crashing into the cove. At the end of this inlet, down low, is a small cavern where, when the rush of the wave arrives, air and water are forced out like a clap of distant thunder. Water may spout as high as 40 feet with a thunderous roar! When we visited it was pretty calm and disappointing. It sounded more like a gurgle instead of thunder. Because it’s all about the tide, it’s important to time your visit accordingly. The best time to visit Thunder Hole is about 2 hours before high tide. This is when the waves are crashing in, making the roar and big splashes most likely.
The Ocean Path
The Ocean Path Trail is a 1.5-mile walk along Park Loop Road and offers spectacular views. You can start at Sand Beach and walk past Otter Point. It’s one of the most popular coastal trails in Acadia National Park and is good for families or folks like us that just don’t need to be out there climbing vertically anymore.
From the cliffs, you can capture some incredible photographs of the granite rocks rising above the water.
Otter Point
Nope, you won’t find any sea otters sunning on the rocks as they do out on the Pacific Coast, but what you will find are some amazing views of the eastern coastline.
Jordan Pond House
According to locals, the Jordan Pond House Restaurant has been serving up quality food for over a century. It’s the only full-service restaurant inside Acadia National Park, and the building in which it resides was once a farmhouse built in the early 1800s. This charming and historic restaurant sits next to a picturesque pond and serves lunch and dinner. The Jordan Pond House has a famous tradition of serving tea & popovers outside on the lawn overlooking Jordan Pond and the Bubble Mountains that began in the late 1800s and continues to this day.
Jordan Pond is one of the park’s most pristine lakes. It is 150 ft deep and spans 187 acres, making it the deepest and second largest lake at Acadia. Jordan Pond is Seal Harbor’s drinking water supply. Swimming and boats with motors above 10 horsepower are prohibited.
Cadillac Mountain
At 1,530 feet, the tallest mountain in Acadia National Park and the eastern coast of the United States is Cadillac Mountain. From the summit, you get breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, Bar Harbor, Frenchman Bay, and the beautiful Porcupine Islands. Sun Worshipers flock to Cadillac Mountain every morning to view the sunrise that is during some months, the first place to see the sun in the USA. If you are planning a trip to the area, you will find it one of the most popular things to do. In fact, so many folks do it that driving to the summit now requires a reservation during the season. We missed the sunrise, but we did drive to the top the day after reservations were no longer needed and they were right. It is beautiful!
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
One of the most photographed lighthouses along the New England coast, Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse stands proudly above the rocky Maine coastline. It’s located on the southwest side of Mount Desert Island and is surrounded by tall pines, teetering on the edge of a steep cliff overlooking the sea. This charming lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and was first built in 1858.
Due to its popularity, finding parking at the lighthouse can be difficult, especially around sunset. We had to wait in line to park. As one car left, one car took the spot. This could be a problem if you want to be there at sunset and the parking lot is full. So get there early. There’s a panoramic vista point, as well as sets of stairs that will take you down near the water (this is where the lighthouse is most often photographed from.) Be sure to wear sturdy footwear if you climb over the rocks.
Agamont Park
Agamont Park is a public park by Frenchman Bay. Stroll around the brick walkways or take a seat on the many benches or the perfectly manicured lawn. It’s a great place to sit a spell with a cup of coffee or an ice cream cone. Watch the fishing boats come in and out of the harbor. When we were there a bagpipe player was playing Amazing Grace at sunset.
Meet me at Geddy’s (Dinner)
Geddy’s offers a true taste of New England coastal cuisine in downtown Bar Harbor, Maine – overlooking the waterfront! The menu features the best lobster roll in Bar Harbor (don’t they all say that?) and, of course, yummy New England clam chowder to warm you up on those brisk fall days. If you are tired of lobster, Geddy’s offers seafood, steaks, pizza, and other options. The environment at Geddy’s is lively, fun, and colorful. Make your reservations online. They book early and only take so many walk-ins.
Galyn’s
If you are looking for something a little fancier, check out Galyn’s next door. Galyn’s is a family-run restaurant offering fresh seafood and hand-cut steaks.
Galyn’s
Day Three:
Shore Path
The Shore Path in Bar Harbor, Maine will give you great views of the coast and islands in the bay. It’s an easy little stroll along the water. The harbor view is beautiful and a very relaxing way to start the day. Bar Harbor’s shore path begins at Agamont Park and continues 1.5 miles around the edge of Bar Harbor. Since the Cadillac Mountain summit road was closed for the sunrise (too many people), I took my camera to the shore path to welcome my last day in Bar Harbor.
After sunrise and checking out, we drove back from Bar Harbor, Maine to Portland, Maine to catch a flight home. One thing we did discover on the Boston, Lobster, Lighthouse Tour is that there is nothing more spectacular than the fall season in New England. During the fall the air is crisp, folks decorate with pumpkins and hay bales, and the leaves are turning vibrant colors. I probably spent too many meals warming up to bowls of New England clam chowder and trying to determine who has the best lobster roll. For our trip, it was the perfect time of year to visit.
You can catch up on the first two stops of our Boston, Lobster, Lighthouse tour below:
