CRUISE DESTINATION:
Attractions and Places of Interest |
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Bar Harbor's attractions start at the harbor. You can take a
cruise around Frenchman Bay on the 151 foot schooner The Margaret Todd. Whale watching is another popular activity that is offered from boats that dock in the harbor. Another popular boat tour takes visitors by boat to the numerous lighthouses on the islands surrounding Bar Harbor. (see separate article) There are also firms offering kayaking tours and instruction. |
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For those who would rather stay ashore, you do not have to leave the village of Bar Harbor to enjoy the area's scenic
beauty. Walking east from the Town Pier past Agamont Park, you come to the Shore Path. (See separate feature). Following along the sea wall for about a half mile, the path takes you by some of Bar Harbor's remaining mansions. However, the real attraction is on the other side of the path where it follows the rocky shoreline of Frenchman Bay. Trees and wild flowers punctuate the scene. At its far end, the path cuts inland and connects to the local streets. As a result, one can walk along the path and then loop back to the pier through Bar Harbor's business district. |
The business district still looks like a New England town. However, it has become more tourist oriented over the years. It has numerous shops cafes and restaurants with those catering to the tourist trade primarily along Main Street.
Popular with cruise passengers are the galleries, antique stores and arts and crafts stores specializing in works unique to New England. Jewelry stores offer Maine’s own gemstone tourmaline. |
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In the center of the business district is the Village Green. A Victorian-style village park, the Green has a bandstand that is the site of bi-weekly concerts in the summer.
The park is used for seasonal celebrations, art shows and cultural events. It is also a nice place to sit and people watch. The Island Explorer buses leave from the Village Green and there is also an office where you can purchase park passes for Accadia National Park. |
Bordering the business district are a number of historic buildings.
Not far from the Village Green are two of Bar Harbor's historic churches. The Congregational Church reflects the traditional architectural style of New England churches. St, Saviour's Episcopal Parish has ten stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Begun in 1895, it is the oldest public building on Mount Desert Island. The Village Burying Ground was established before 1790. |
Congregational Church
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Bar Harbor has a number of small museums. The Abbe
Museum is dedicated to the history and cultures of Maine’s Native people, the Wabanaki. The Bar Harbor Historical Society, has exhibits about the town's past in its headquarters building. The George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History investigates, interprets and displays the natural world of Maine. All exhibits are designed and produced by students at College of the Atlantic, which is based in Bar Harbor. |
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The Acadia National Park includes some 49,000 acres
and covers nearly half of Mount Desert Island. It attracts more than two million visitors a year. Included amongst the park's attractions are: Cadillac Mountain, the highest peak on the East Coast; the Sand Beach, which is not actually sand but rather pulverized shells; the Thunder Hole, where the surf races into a naturally carved inlet and explodes high into the air with a tremendous roar. In addition to hiking and biking trails, the park includes 45 miles of crushed stone carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and donated to the park. Cars are forbidden but you can still explore these roads by horse and carriage. |
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Cruise destination travel guide - - Bar Harbor - - Maine, USA - - Attractions