Bottom Line: A guilded age mansion that gives a glimpse into the history of Bar Harbor and the…read moreearly 1900s. La Rochelle is a large, historical home overlooking Frenchman Bay. While it was once the 41-room summer cottage for the Bowdoin family today it serves as the headquarters of the the Bar Harbor Historical Society. The mansion is also a wedding venue. If, when visiting La Rochelle you are hoping to feel like you are stepping into a time machine to 1903, you'll need a lot of imagination. The mansion has been the home to various families and it has served several purposes since it was the Bowdoin's summer cottage. So, the physical structure is original but very little else is. Also, a lot of the rooms are closed and serve as private offices or storage for the Bar Harbor Historical Society. But, as a bonus, there is a lot of Bar Harbor history and artifacts displayed throughout. What I found most interesting about La Rochelle was the Flower Room including the placement of it. I can recall visiting mansions with a designated area of the kitchen or butler's pantry for assembling flower arrangements but I can't recall one that had a dedicated Flower Room. I also thought it was interesting that the Flower Room was placed adjacent to the main foyer instead of closer to where the servants would be working. La Rochelle is a wonderful piece of Bar Harbor and American history and I am grateful that the Bar Harbor Historical Society was able to purchase La Rochelle to preserve it for future generations. I also appreciate the very kind volunteers that work at the mansion. La Rochelle is am impressive site from West Street but it looks even more impressive from water, or so I imagine. We did not get to see the house from that view but based on pictures, you can really see the elevation of the home and the many chimneys. Before leaving La Rochelle we visited the gift shop which is full of pretty things. I was eyeing up some puzzles but due to very limited space in my suitcase I just purchased a few greeting cards. Overall we had a nice visit to La Rochelle and we were glad to support the Bar Harbor Historical Society.

Lots of interesting information. It's a self guide tour. Plenty of time to walk around. Beautiful…read moreinterior. Was having a great time till we went into the gift shop and the first 3 sentences from the gift shop cashier was political. Such a bumer to end on a sour note. The subject was illegal immigrants.....I'm Hispanic.

I really appreciated that this company has a guarantee.And they stand behind it.If you do not see a…read moresignificant number of whales on your watch, they give you a voucher that is good for another whale watch or another excursion , and you have three years to use it. The staff is very, very helpful and friendly and kind.And they work hard to make you comfortable. There are multiple warnings about seasickness,And if you decide when you get to the boat that you are feeling sick or you hear the announcement that the seas are rough , they will give you a refund or a voucher , your choice. The naturalist on board gives significant information and points of interest for all the different wildlife that you see , birds , porpoises , whales , seals , anything that comes up , they know a good amount of information and they relay it over a loudspeaker system. The pap a system could be louder and upgraded , but it is manageable. The cabin of the boat is very comfortable with large, comfortable chairs and tables.There is a deck with a galley where they serve drinks and snacks. They also sell hats and gloves if you're cold and drammine , if you feel sick. The admonition to dress really warm is for real , for real. It was about seventy degrees at the dock , but it was about forty degrees out in the middle of the ocean. We really did need winter gear to be comfortable outside on the deck. We found that as we get cold , we would add another layer and that worked really well. The deck has seating all around and safe rails.So you can stand against the rails , the boat speeds along , so you can get to a whale quickly , and then it slows down to a stop when there is a sighting of any kind of significant wildlife. When I felt sick after a good hour of a bumpy rough sea, which we were warned about , they immediately brought me ginger ale and a seasick bag. Unfortunately , on this trip , we only saw the back of a humpback whale , and then we saw a deceased whale. They took many photos and alerted researchers to come and find it so that it could be determined or studied how it might have passed away. They are very responsible and responsive to the safety and health of the sea life. Upon arriving back at the dock we were immediately emailed vouchers that we can take three years to use. That in and of itself is a guarantee to me that they care about their customers and want their patrons to have a lovely, well watching excursion.

Here are a few tips to get you started. 1. Get there early…read morefor parking (in yellow) pic incl. Pay at the meter for 5 hours which is about the length of the Whale watch trip and back, costs $20 bucks. There are other parking areas available. 2. Clothing, Long pants, with long sleeves shirt windbreaker jacket maybe even a hat, Sunglasses. Pack shorts to change into upon return temperatures will be warmer. *Trip out to sea is windy and chilly. Point here is to feel comfortable. 3. You can pack your own lunch and bring a backpack. There is a Galley on board the ship for food purchases. 4. Bring a camera (i brought my Insta 360 5X camera and a 3 foot selfie stick) and Cellphone and be ready to take pictures. *I have Boost Mobile and I did get cell service out there. *All in all be expected to pay a little over $100.00 per person for slightly over 5 hours ride. Two boats can go out at the same time depending on the crowds. Lines will be long and they will take your picture before you board, (A novelty idea by them to get you to buy a photo of yourselves after debarking). We opted out politely. *Note: We went to the top floor which was all seats. Expect to be chilly. Standing by the rails on top minimal room. Downstairs more room but more crowded, an enclosed area, 3 co-ed bathrooms and Galley. *Final thoughts: Having a physical crew member narrative at top on the microphone was actually a good way to pass the time and learn a few things about what we would encounter. We have a whales "Tale" to speak of when we get back home. The Review Guru* Long Island NY

What a unique and special experience! The historical society is a Gilded Age "cottage" open to the…read morepublic. Huge, stunning home committed to sharing the history of Mount Desert Island. So many artifacts from across MDI's history. Don't miss the map room! Even the most savvy historian is sure to learn something. Considering how professionally it is laid out and curated, it's shocking they've only been open 3 years. The staff was welcoming and informative, and I can't wait to bring my family on our next visit to the island.

Clearly the word knows that Bar Harbor is a special place! Tourists swarm here from all over the…read morecountry every year. As a born and raised Mainah I do love visiting Bar Harbor too. It has that coastal charm and more seafood and ice cream shops than you can count. Thankfully when my wife and I visit we have family that live within walking distance of downtown so we can enjoy it with minimal complaints. We do love visiting before the craziness of summer happens or end of the tourist season in fall to have a little less crowding. Due to the nature of being a tourist town a lot of businesses are seasonal. I would be leaving out a huge part of Bar Harbor if I didn't mention Acadia National Park! A truly magical place to enjoy nature, an absolute must visit. Some of the areas like Cadillac Mountain may require some more planning with a reservation but book that in advance. Like any tourist town you'll find plenty of gift shops and touristy restaurants. Lots of seafood based as you'd expect but plenty of other varieties too. A downtown worth exploring and you can even visit the original Sherman's Books location as the oldest Maine Bookstore! A special town worth visiting with a coastal charm and beautiful beaches, hiking trails, and nature views!

On the outskirts of Acadia National Park it's a perfect home base. Plenty of touristy places…read moredowntown. A few decent Irish pubs but amazing oysters at The Barnacle with great Maine beers. Wonderful views of the ocean and coast. The best lobster shacks were on the outskirts of town. Loved our stay , but too many dam people downtown. 4.5 Stars

Meh. Not worth the $10…read more It's small and underwhelming. I guess I guess I gave it an extra star on account of the fact that it's cool they support the local native Americans. But to go just for that isn't the best idea. They need to put more on display for the price. It should be two dollars to get in. That's all.

This is more history than museum to me. Native made tools and canoes and clothing…read more Many baskets. And a chronology Of the mistreatment of the five original tribes here in Maine. Actually still fighting for rights over a local River. The white man just takes and takes. I found it to be hard to stay long. There is a Military and Senior discount available.

such a beautiful Gazabo... it's near or inside Agamont park and it has historical significance…read more kudos to bar harbor town to keep it intact through out these years. when you are exploring bar harbor town, you cant miss this amazing Gazebo... one can show his/her creativity by taking such beautiful pictures with this.

I saw it on the map so we walked to it. The tide was in so you couldn't see it "balancing" but…read morestill really cool. Along the shore path and you can see it from the sidewalk without having to walk down.

How that rock has stayed balanced like that all these years is beyond me but it's a cool site to…read moresee! The entire walk along the ocean "museum in the streets" path is beautiful and relaxing

It was a cute experience. If you're looking for one of those recliner seat places this isn't it…read more It's more old school authentic, a vibe I feel that places are really missing these days. Show your tickets, order your food and take your seats. Straightforward. Theres also a nice area outside for sitting with umbrellas if you want to come early and eat outside, with a view of the park. Our movie was a little lame but hey we picked it, dang. It is a relatively small theater so definitely order your tickets early. We did maybe 3 days beforehand and there were lots of seating options.

In a world of disappearing arts venues, here's another place to support! Excellent independent film…read moreofferings, good pizza, friendly staff... we have an obligation to keep these civic arts venues going! Go see a film!!