Bar Harbor, Maine

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In 2017, my family went up to Bar Harbor, Maine for the first time. Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island surrounded by Frenchman Bay. We had such a wonderful time and often talked about returning. We finally went back there 5 years later! The first trip was during Memorial Day weekend and the recent trip was at end of September.

Here are some suggestions of what to do in Bar Harbor, ME:


Acadia National Park

This is the main attraction in Bar Harbor. There is so many recommendations that I have for Acadia National Park alone… the blog can be read here.

Downtown Bar Harbor / Agamont Park

A short drive from Acadia National Park is the main street where all the shops, restaurants, breweries and more are located. It’s fun to stroll around the town, pop in the shops and enjoy the waterfront views from Agamont Park. There are several parking lots around the town to make parking a little easier.

Visit the shops

There are plenty of shops to check out. I’ll share a few of my favorites.

  • Acadia Park Company — So many comfy sweatshirts or hats to choose from!

  • Cool as a Moose — Another apparel store with many choices!

  • Bar Harbor Tea Company — The tea from here is delicious! The wild Maine blueberry green tea is one of my favorites.

  • The Maine Store — It’s a tradition to pick up an ornament from every trip, so both times we visited Bar Harbor… we found one here. I also love how they have many local artisans, so you will find unique items in this shop.

  • The Acadia Country Store — I love the ‘general stores’ type and this was the spot! This is where you can find some of those Blueberry soda (we’re obsessed!) to take home.

Dog Friendly

I have to mention that Bar Harbor is INCREDIBLY dog friendly. We were able to take our pup literally everywhere! It’s one of the best vacation destinations we’ve been to with our pup, never having to worry about where we can go. Many restaurants had outdoor space. Don’t forget to visit Bark Harbor, the pet store. Pick up a fun souvenir for your pet here!

Books

  • Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shops — The oldest bookstore in Maine is located in downtown Bar Harbor. It’s a well organized shop with categorized books. I always have to visit the bookstores in every town!

  • Jesup Memorial Library — It is a stunning library! It’s not far from the town green. I was blown away by the beauty of the interiors. I wanted to sit there and just read a good book, but I had arrived there 15 minutes before their closing time. It’s worth to pop in and appreciate the beauty of this library!

  • Seal Harbor Library — We stumbled onto this library by accident. This library comes with a waterfront view! It was amazing.

Eat/Drink

  • Side Street Cafe — We found this restaurant during our first trip because it had an outdoor space where our pup is allowed. This is my favorite restaurant in Bar Harbor. I was so happy when we returned to Bar Harbor for the second time to find that this restaurant also had amazing gluten free options. We ended up eating there exclusively! The servers also were top notch with friendly customer service.

  • Stewman’s Lobster Pound — During our first to Bar Harbor, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset dinner on the outdoor patio overlooking the water. The food also were very delicious!

  • Acadia Perk — If you know me, I’m a Friends fan! The logo was similar to Central Perk’s logo (see photo). This is a good spot for coffee or pastries!

Where to stay

The first time we visited Bar Harbor, we stayed at Belle Isle Motel. The recent trip was with our camper so we stayed at a campground. Both sites were within 15-20 minutes drive to Bar Harbor, 10-15 minutes to Acadia National Park.

  • Belle Isle Motel — Dog friendly. The place was very clean and affordable. Located at 910 ME-3 Bar Harbor, ME 04609.

  • Hadley’s Point Campground — Dog friendly. The campground was beautifully maintained. Friendly staff. 33 Hadley’s Point Rd, Bar Harbor, ME 04609



I love visiting Maine, especially Bar Harbor where it just takes my breath away! It’s so gorgeous there and it does the soul good. I look forward to our next reunion, Bar Harbor!