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Before you go
Your trip to Bar Harbor.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Bar Harbor – Maine
How to get there
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Hancock County–Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) Trenton · 16 km
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Bangor International Airport (BGR) Bangor · 75 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Trenton Airport (BHB) is about 16 km away, on the other side of the island bridge. From Bangor Airport it’s roughly 75 km via Route 1A. In summer, the Island Explorer buses connect the Trenton visitor center, the Village Green, and the park.
How many days
Two days are the minimum for the village and the park. Three or four let you climb Cadillac without rush, hike around Jordan Pond, visit Bass Harbor Light, and take a boat tour.
When to go
From June to September, with days between 18 °C and 26 °C and the park bus operating; July and August are the busiest months. In October the leaves change color and visitor numbers drop after the mid-month holiday. From November to April many shops and hotels close and parts of the park are inaccessible by car.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
In summer you can manage without a car: the center is walkable and the Island Explorer reaches the park and island villages. A car helps for Bass Harbor Light at times when the bus doesn’t run and is required to drive to Cadillac. Outside the season, rent a car. Drive on the right.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Bar Harbor
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Morning
Park Loop Road and Sand Beach
Enter the park at the Hulls Cove visitor center and follow Park Loop Road to Sand Beach. Walk the Ocean Path to Thunder Hole.
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Afternoon
Jordan Pond and Cadillac
Walk around Jordan Pond with views of the Bubbles, then drive to the top of Cadillac if you reserve vehicle access beforehand.
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Evening
Bar Harbor town center
Return to the village for dinner and finish with a walk along the Shore Path by the bay.
2 days in Bar Harbor
Day 1
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Morning
East side of the park
Park Loop Road with stops at Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, and Otter Cliff.
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Afternoon
Jordan Pond and carriage roads
Walk around Jordan Pond and ride a section of the carriage roads, on foot or by a bike rented in the village.
Day 2
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Morning
Bar Island and Abbe Museum
At low tide, walk across the sandbar to Bar Island; then visit the Abbe Museum in town. Check the tide table first.
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Afternoon
Bass Harbor Head Light
Cross the island to the west side, pass Southwest Harbor, and reach Bass Harbor Head Light in the late afternoon.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
Can you walk from Bar Harbor to Acadia National Park?
The town is near trails and carriage roads that enter the park, but the Park Loop Road destinations are several miles away. In summer the Island Explorer runs that route from the Village Green.
How do you get to Bar Island on foot?
Via the sandbar that appears at low tide at the end of Bridge Street. The crossing is possible for only about an hour and a half before and after low tide; check the tide table and leave plenty of time to return, because the tide covers the path.
Is Bar Harbor open in winter?
The village has year‑round residents, but many hotels, restaurants, and shops close between November and April, and the Park Loop Road is closed to cars during that period.
How far is Bar Harbor from Bangor?
About 75 km via Route 1A, which takes roughly an hour by car outside of summer traffic times.