Great Things to Do in Acadia/Bar Harbor/Down East

Acadia/Bar Harbor/Down East region showcases the stunning beauty of Maine’s rocky coasts and forested peaks

The Down East region of Maine, including Acadia and the town of Bar Harbor, extends from Penobscot Bay to New Brunswick, Canada. The picture postcard images of coastal Maine beauty are alive and vibrant here: rocky coastlines, lighthouses on distant promontories, marinas packed with fishing boats. For outdoor beauty, the jewel of the region is Acadia National Park, which is located mostly on islands, primarily Mount Desert Island. Visitors come to Acadia to hike its granite peaks, to bicycle along historic carriage roads built for wealthy Victorians, and to enjoy the magnificent scenery. Major attractions of Acadia National Park are Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain on the East Coast and the first spot in the United States to see the sun rise; the 27-mile Park Loop Road system with outstanding views of ocean shoreline, coastal forests, and mountain silhouettes; and the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Other natural beauties of the region include Cobscook and Passamaquoddy bays. Popular activities are whale watching and sea kayaking.

The town of Bar Harbor, on Mount Desert Island, was a leading summer resort in the 19th century. The town had its own Millionaires’ Row, a line of spectacular summer estates built for families like the Rockefellers, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Astors and Morgans. Some of the mansions now operate as inns. High-speed ferries transport travelers from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada. The Bar Harbor area has many family activities, including a nature camp, an oceanarium, a zoo, and a lumberjack show. The expanded Abbe Museum showcases the Wabenaki Indians. Shopping in Bar Harbor is exquisite, with high-quality boutiques and galleries. The towns of Down East Maine present a wealth of lodgings of all kinds, from cozy to elegant, and dining and shopping are among the best to be found anywhere in New England.

Great Things to Do in Acadia/Bar Harbor/Down East