2 Days in Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park

For our 25th wedding anniversary, my husband and I decided to plan a coastal tour of Maine so that we could see more than one area. We knew we wanted to stretch from Bar Harbor in north Maine to Kennebunkport in south Maine. Where to start? We started with 2 days in Bar Harbor/Acadia Park.

You can fly directly into Bar Harbor but we found the flights to be dramatically less expensive via Portland. Our visit also fell during the less crowded/less expensive “off-season” of mid-May. The scenic mountain drive from Portland to Bar Harbor is about 3 hours.

Bar Harbor is one of four towns on Mount Desert Island. We chose to stay at the lovely mountainside Hampton Inn in Bar Harbor. You can easily experience all of the major sites of the Bar Harbor area in 2 days. Below is what we did and how we would recommend planning your itinerary!

Day 1

We knew we wanted to spend a whole day in Acadia Park & another day seeing the rest of the Desert Island. Our agenda for the first day was to drive through the park en route to the rest of the island. Plus we were able to find some other spots in the park we wanted to add to our must-do in Acadia on Day 2.

Acadia National Park

The highlight of the Bar Harbor/island area is Acadia National Park. The park has over 120 miles of trails to hike, beaches, fishing lakes, ponds, carriage roads (constructed by John D. Rockefeller) & more.

We first headed to Park Loop Road to meander through the Acadia Park loop. You could easily spend days just at Acadia, depending on your interests.

Address: Park Loop Road, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Admission: $30 for 7 day entrance pass to the park

Somesville

After circling Acadia Park via Park Loop Road, we exited the Acadia Park area on Rt 3. We then surveyed the rest of Mount Desert Island via Rt 102. The first village we passed on Rt 102 was Somesville, the oldest village on the island. This beauty of a bridge was right on the side of the road. Little did we know, The Somesville bridge is considered one of the most photographed bridges in Maine.

Address: Rt 102, south of the Rt 3 / 233 intersection, Somesville, ME (free roadside stop)

Lunch at Beal’s Lobster Pier

If Bar Harbor & Acadia Park are at “2:00” on a clock, Southwest Harbor is at “6:00.” This was a great stopping point for lunch as we traversed the island on Rt 102. Lunch HAD to include lobster rolls so we chose Beal’s Lobster Pier, right next to the U.S. Coast Guard.

We shared a classic lobster roll (touch of mayo) and a garlic lover’s lobster roll (warmed in Beal’s “garlic buttah“). Hands down, the garlic lover roll was our favorite lobster roll during our week-long Coastal Maine vacation. Paired with a shared, fresh bowl of clam chowder, it was a filling meal.

Address: 182 Clark Point Rd, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

7 miles past our lunch spot in Southwest Harbor was the iconic Bass Harbor Lighthouse in the village of Tremont. Built in 1858, this beauty sits atop a sea cliff with rocky paths all around. It’s a quintessential New England experience. No wonder it is part of the National Registry of Historic Places.

Address: off of 102A in Tremont, ME
Admission: Free to see the grounds, outside of lighthouse (no entry)

Dinner at Side Street Cafe

After circling the island and heading back towards our hotel for a quick shower, we passed several villages, ponds and lobster fishermen/women. From our hotel, we drove 2 miles into the quaint, historical downtown Bar Harbor. Side Street Cafe was our choice for dinner. A Northern Cuban (hot traditional Cuban sandwich, but on a soft pretzel bun) & a yummy burger were shared for dinner. Both were delicious! The live music was an extra bonus.

Address: 49 Rodick St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Day 2

Acadia National Park (again)

The second day, after breakfast, we stopped by Jordan’s for a packed picnic lunch to bring with us to the park. Since we used day 1 to find our favorite spots, we were off to enjoy the great Maine outdoors. The landscape is so varied; from rugged rocky faces, soft beach sand with gentle ocean waves, and roadside babbling brooks, to still mountain lakes.

Some of our must-see spots in the park were Sand Beach, Otter Cliff, Thunder Hole, and the rocky cliffs.

We opted to walk along part of Ocean Path from Sand Beach to Otter Cliff. Lunch was on that path, overlooking “Thunder Hole,” a natural geyser. Thunder Hole didn’t choose to rumble on that day, but it was still relaxing to be by the water and mountains.

Bar Harbor Shopping, Then Dinner at West Street Cafe

A nap was a welcomed break that afternoon before heading into downtown in early evening. Historic Downtown Bar Harbor is like a New England Hallmark movie by the water. Clean streets and mom & pop stores blanket the area. No wonder this is a frequent port-of-call on New England cruise ships! The quaint shops were still open, so we perused them for a while before dinner. West Street Cafe was our favorite restaurant in downtown Bar Harbor-excellent seafood with a nautical vibe.

Address: 76 West St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Walk Along the Sandbar (hence the name “Bar Harbor”)

Since the Sandbar is located across from the downtown area, this was the perfect stop after dinner on our last night. For 3 hours during low tide (1.5 hours before and after the exact low tide time), a gravel sandbar is exposed, connecting the town of Bar Harbor and the tidal island of uninhabited Bar Island.

Walking across the sandbar towards Bar Island

Every evening, you can walk ON the harbor “floor.” It is about a 2 mile round trip walk to Bar Island, but a lovely once- in-a-lifetime experience! The view walking back toward downtown Bar Harbor is exquisite.

Address: intersection of West Street & Bridge Street, Bar Harbor, ME

Sunset at Cadillac Mountain

A Bar Harbor stay is not complete without a sunset view atop Cadillac Mountain. So for our final night, we did just that! Standing at 1530 ft, Cadillac is the tallest of the island’s 20 mountains. Small groups of friends and family gather on the rocky areas atop the mountain to take in the sunset. Quiet, still and memorable, is how I would describe sunset at the highest point on the Atlantic seaboard. Cadillac Mountain was definitely a highlight of our trip! This was a great way to end our vacation.

Address: Cadillac Summit Rd, Acadia National Park, ME

Overall…

Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island is a place we hope to return to because there was so much more to do than we did in our 2 days. But, I also feel like we got a great overview of the area.

Your travel style may mean spending both days in Acadia Park and just seeing Bar Harbor during mealtimes. Or you may prefer just hiking one day and fishing the next. That’s ok, too! I think the Bar Harbor area is a great vacation spot to enjoy beaches, mountains, Maine culture, history and breathtaking views, situated in a laid-back atmosphere. You, too, can experience a great overview in just 2 days in Bar Harbor/Acadia Park!