This spot was in the absolute middle of nowhere. If you are like us and staying in Bar Harbor, it…read morewas a long drive on one-lane roads with huge potholes to get here. We were in town during the off-season early May before everything tends to open back up about mid-month. So, nothing to eat and nothing to do. Town was deserted. The lighthouse is pretty - but it's not a hike to it, more of a short walk and rock scrabbling to get the instaworthy shot everyone wants. Small parking lot which I can see as a major problem during summer... we had no issues on May 2nd. There are a couple nearby hikes that can be found 2 minutes drive - with super small parking areas.

Great views particularly at sunset...but the small parking lot, which accommodates about 20…read morevehicles, can get full. During our visit, about 40 minutes before sunset mid-week in late August, we, along with about 4 other cars, patiently waited along Lighthouse Road while cars left in order to take their spots. It must have been good timing as about 5 cars left within about 10 minutes. The path from the west of the parking lot, takes you down directly to the lighthouse. The path to the east of the parking lot is very popular as you can take some stairs down to the rocky area which gives you some great views of the lighthouse set to the backdrop of the rising or setting sun. Note that the west path is fairly easy to navigate, but the east path has stairs. You then have to climb onto (some uneven) rocks in order to get a clear view of the lighthouse. This may be difficult for mobility-impaired individuals or those with strollers. Note that during our visit here we did NOT have to show any park pass to enter and park in this area.

Located inside Acadia National Park. It has a parking lot across the street for you to park and…read morewalk over. I liked that there are steps at various levels, so you can get a range of different views of the rocks and water. Plus it's a great place to get your steps in (if thats important to ya). I really enjoyed this spot on our way out leaving the park. Beautiful scenery to enjoy nature. One could spend a few minutes here or a couple of hours here taking it all in. It was not high or low tide, so I did not get to here the "thunder" but still really cool to look at. According to the internet: "Thunder Hole is a popular inlet known for the loud thunder like boom and spray created when the waves crash into a narrow sea cave. The sound and spray are most dramatic 1 to 2 hours before high tide, but it also interesting at low tide for a closer look at the cliffs." While it was cloudy and chilly on my visit, I still had a great time with my group. Enjoy!

This may have been our favorite place to visit in Bar Harbor. Loved exploring the rocks, the sounds…read moreof the waves, and the scenic view. Hike wasn't bad, was able to park along the road and walk along the way on a paved pathway. On a beautiful sunny summer day, the sound of the waves and smell of the salty ocean was perfect.

There is a special place in my heart for graveyards. I have always found them so calm and peaceful…read more I find the older ones to be especially beautiful, with grave markers of stone or marble, and inscriptions so poetic they continue to pull on the heartstrings decades later. Established in 1790, this is the final resting place of many citizens of Eden, now known as Bar Harbor. It was overcast on the day I chose to visit, and a cool breeze ruffled my hair as I read the names of the long departed. I wondered what these souls were like when they were alive, and if they enjoyed Mount Desert Island. The tombstones are preserved as best as possible despite aging and the elements. I don't wish to attract disrespectful attention to this hallowed place. But, if you're like me and can truly appreciate a historical site such as this, I suggest calling upon this holy place of rest.

This part of Acadia National Park. The view is breathtaking, ocean by mountains, rocks. Do I dare…read moreventure out on the uneven rock steps to see a closer view? I did not. You take a chance if you do so if you're in shape and brave you still must be very careful. There is a small parking lot so that's why I took the Island shuttle you get from the visitor center. They are organized, air conditioned and numbered so take that instead of driving in. It is beautiful and your not here very long unless you want to stand or sit on the rocks you were brave to try.

Gorgeous views of the water…read more We did the Ocean Path Trail from Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs, and unless you have plenty of time and are just looking for a nice relaxing walk on the side of the road, I'd recommend parking in the closest lot to the cliffs and just doing the trail from there. This portion is more of a hike with some minor inclines and rocky paths. We came while it was raining and foggy, so the views were nice but limited, and there was no wildlife out whatsoever. However, I can only imagine how beautiful it would have been in the sun with good weather. Definitely be careful here when it's wet as the rocks are smoother and can get pretty slippery. Good stop worthy of the views.

I don't Harbor any ill feelings towards those that try to destroy me. It's stupid how happy I am…read moreand I'm just amazed at how much potentially productive time some people are willing to put into trying to mess up other people's productions. But like Coldplay said, if somebody made it, someone will mess it up. This is easily one of the most beautiful places in the USA. It's basically Bar Harbor... you know how Maine is, using different names for all of their different little towns within towns, but this is known to most people as a part of the spectacularly gorgeous England-esque Bar Harbor area. There's not many places I'd rather be in the summer. But in the winter, no chance. I'm amazed that people live here amongst the deathly cold Arctic winds on the freezing cold ice-storm-laden Maine coast in winter, but they do, and some of them even love the winters here. Me, I'll keep visiting in summer.

This place was AWESOME. It's a small store but they have utilized every single inch with a great…read morecurated arrangement of books, art supplies, and toys/puzzles/games. There are areas that are sorted by global region and then by prehistoric periods. They have interactive exhibits for kids (or adults) throughout all 3 floors of the store. 7-year-old would have been wild for this store and even as an adult saw so many cool books that I wanted. I managed to escape with only having purchased 2 books and a journal. The salesperson was very friendly and available if help was needed. Great selection of books, would much rather support an independent bookstore like this than a big box store or online retailer. Great value for being able to look through such a cool collection of books related to all things nature and science!

This was incredible!! It's a book store but also has a bunch of art installations and interactive…read moreexhibits. My kids LOVED it! So much to do and learn. They said it was their highlight from our trip to Maine!

This museum is remarkable, all because of Steve Haynes. He has an extensive workshop and also…read moreoffers tours for whoever shows up at no cost (donations accepted). We got a private 1 hour tour of his historical collection of memorobilia *and* we got to actually split some granite ourselves. Very interactive, and we got some polished stones to take home. This tour was absolutely the highlight of my 4 year old son's trip (mine also). There is a whole setup for school groups, so there is a lot here for kids to see and do. We so enjoyed talking with Steve, he answered all our questions. His extensive collection of photos and his knowledge of the history of Maine's granite industry is fascinating. This is a *must do* for anyone nearby, and be sure to leave a generous donation.

Incredible! One of our favorite things that we did on our whole Acadia trip and we only decided…read moreto go there because we were doing the Junior Park Ranger program and needed to visit a museum, go on a boat ride, etc. I was expecting it to be a 2/10 max but it was for sure a 10/10. When you pull up, you will also have low expectations, but do not let that fool you: this place is a gem! The guide, Steve is brilliant, friendly, entertaining, and you will find yourself becoming as fascinated by granite as he is. He also has a multitude of other rock samples in his three room museum including a real megalodon tooth! You will not be disappointed by this stop. There is a donation box instead of tickets and we found ourselves digging into our car cash stash to give more than the money we had in our wallet. It's just that good.

Nice little museum with a knowledgeable local resident serving as docent. Hitty's Cafe in the same…read morespace is fantastic. Best tuna sandwich ever!