Despite having done some research in advance, I had not been aware of this particular opportunity…read more There are many small islands in the region, but this one is notable for having a gravel walkway that sits above the tide for only a few hours a day. An appropriately timed hike yields an array of fantastic views that beggar belief. And this is despite the fact that walking to the end of the trail on the island from downtown, Bar Harbor takes maybe half an hour. Signage warns people not to get trapped on the island when the tide rises as getting a boat is expensive. I could imagine that if the weather is rough one could get into a bit of trouble here, but as long as you're smart about it, this is a fantastic place to visit.

Bar Island is a tidal island connected to Bar Harbor by a gravel and sand bar that is exposed at…read morelow tide and submerged at high tide. So interesting to be able to cross from Bar Harbor by foot and then hike to the top of the island for a view of historic Bar Harbor. The city of Gouldsboro still maintains jurisdiction over the island based on its 1798 articles of incorporation. Many families have tried to build a bridge to the island from Bar Harbor, however John D. Rockefeller, Jr. purchased the half of the island that has the sandbar which stopped the bridge from being constructed. Today, the island is part of Acadia National Park. If you visit, mind the times for the tides. People have been stranded and apparently cars have been washed away back in the days when they parked on the sandbar. Once high tide comes in, you will need to wait approximately nine hours for low tide or pay a hefty fine for being stranded on Bar Island. A unique experience in Acadia National Park.

I'm no stranger to parks and beautiful natural places, but Acadia is like a dreamscape. There's…read morestunning ocean views from crumbling gorgeous cliff sides. There are lakes, streams, ponds, scenic lighthouses, boats, bikes, trails, gardens, crazy hikes with vertical iron rungs, rolling forest hikes, lighthouses, and more! The main issue you'll run into is crowds.. lots of people want to come here, especially in July and August. Best thing to do, go in as early as possible, do some things, take a break, go back again after 3. If you're early, you can get a parking spot then work from there. If you are flexible on time, take advantage of the shuttles, but be warned, they may be full, and they don't run every 10-15 minutes, so plan accordingly. I would be in the park by 7, have plans maybe on a tour in Bar Harbor late morning or early afternoon, then head back after 4, and I got to all the must-do's, ie hiked the Beehive, the Bubbles, Cadillac Mountain sunrise and sunset (reserve this early as spots sell out, I booked mine 3 months in advance the minute they released and they were sold out shortly later, especially sunrise tickets), Jordan Pond and popovers, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, as well as some boat tours in the area, including very successful whale and puffin watching. For more hints and tips, I watched some YouTube videos, there's great info out there, especially the videos from Ash, a former park ranger, who has loads of helpful tips to get around and not spend your trip sitting in traffic or waiting in a parking spot.

Did we go in a wrong entrance or something?!…read more I was underwhelmed for sure. We walked a few trails and took some photos but ??? Im very glad we hit Cadillac Mountain - that's where it's at!!!

A lovely walk along Bar Harbor, we didn't do the whole thing I'm not sure how long it goes for…read more However it was interactive with different signs along the way telling you history about the spot or the viewpoint. Easy too, pretty flat so accessible, although some rocks/pebbles. Bring a little sweater at night it gets cool, and perfect to see the sunset. Some parts don't have a railing so just be careful.

The compromise that seems to have been made involves a set of private properties that go near to…read morethe shore, but then a path that is open to the public right on the shoreline. It is a narrow space but plenty wide enough to walk in two directions. The views are majestic, so thankfully people that didn't invest in waterfront property have access to them. The length of the path is modest and it adjoins other parklands, and there is no reason not to stop by when in town.

I was a bit confused and thought that Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain were one in the…read moresame when reserving our time?! Ugh ... Once we were situated, we drove up the winding mountain to breathtaking views - large rocks and lakes! We saw some pretty wildflowers and birds as well. Was it worth the almost three hour drive? I don't know but we'll most likely never be here again so ... I'm glad that we experienced God's beauty in gorgeous Maine together :) We hiked a bit and even climbed some big rocks. Life is short - book the trip and buy the shoes !!!

Gorgeous views! It's worth paying the extra fee to get up on Cadillac Mountain. If you can snag the…read moremorning sunrise, DO IT, because this is the highest point on the eastern seaboard - Cadillac Mountain sees the first sunrise of the day. It's amazing.

Fantastic service! I highly recommend National Park Sea Kayak Tours. Our guide, Fletcher, took us…read moreon the 4:30 Sunset trip. Unfortunately, there was no sunset, but this may have enhanced our wildlife viewing. We saw dozens of seal, a bald eagle, two deer, and myriad species of birds. Customers meet at their conveniently located Bar Harbor shop, where final payment is made ($55/person during peak season). There, basic safety is explained before outfitting everyone with spray skirts, gloves, life jackets etc. My fiancé and I had limited experience with kayaking before the trip. Fletcher gave us the confidence to relax and enjoy the scenery. This company exclusively operates trips on the west side of Acadia. This is great - it is far more remote and boat traffic is very limited.

This tour exceeded our expectations by far. The scenery was spectacular and our tour guide Scott…read morewas very knowledgeable and professional. From the moment we checked in, you could tell we were in good hands. Solid equipment and kayaks, safety conscious, and very informative. The wildlife was amazing with spotting a of bald eagle, porpoises, and sea lions. We took the morning tour which allowed us to ride the tide both ways. Kudos for a well run, professional business.

Very nice narrative of the area, history and some "fun facts". It was neat to see Acadia from the…read morewater after visiting from land the day before.

Rich took our family on a full day tour of Bar Harbor/Acadia. The kids are ages 7 and 9 and he…read moreadjusted the content of the tour based on the likes and dislikes of my kids that I described to him over the phone prior to arriving. We started the morning on 1+ hour hike through a spruce forest to arrive at the edge of a cove. Seals were in the water and birds in the distance. We literally didn't see a single other person on the hike which is incredible given that it was high season (August). It was a testament to Rich's knowledge of the island. We did visit Sieur de Monts Spring and did a flat loop walk on the long boardwalk trail which was also fairly deserted given its proximity to the tour buses pouring tourists out in front of the nature museum there. Lastly, we made a visit to a tidal pool where we spent a solid 2 hours in the water looking under every rock for starfish, crabs, sea anemones, sea urchins and snails galore. Rich knew each species and explained the good and the bad (green crabs -- invasive, not good; Jonah crabs - native, good) Rich did all of the driving and it made for a relaxing exposure to Bar Harbor/Acadia that we would've never been able to do as quickly on our own. Well worth the money.

This was such a wonderful experience for me!! Being new to yoga, it was an inspiring session with a…read moremost beautiful outdoor classroom(Acadia National Park). For locals who need a break from a hectic work summer to vacationers who want a relaxing and or challenging yoga class, this is for everyone! My favorite part was the fact that we were doing yoga on top of a mountain, with a breath taking view of coastal Maine at sunset. Literally standing on rocks. Very friendly staff(instructors), and such a great way to start my week. I would recommend this to all levels of yogis, even if you are new to yoga, like i, you could benefit from the breathing and scenery! include this in your summer stay on MDI, seriously people, don't miss this gem!

Yoga in Acadia at Sand Beach was a highlight of our family trip for me. To be in that gorgeous…read morespace, breathing with gentle yoga postures & movement was uplifting and beautiful. Thank you!

Easy reservation. Easy online waiver process. Links to all the "required" videos to watch…read more Excellent in-store briefings. Bikes performed flawlessly. HIGHLY recommend the fat tire bikes over the others; more stable on the loose gravel roads. Plenty of juice. We did the around the mountain, tri-lakes loop with an extra lap around Eagle Lake and still had a quarter tank.

We had a wonderful trip and saw porpoises, seals, bald eagles, loons. Our guide, Casey, was very…read moreknowledgeable on the history of the area and the ecology and gave our group of 11 a great tour!

We stayed at Tide Watch Cabins for our anniversary and had a great time. The cabin space is perfect…read morefor a couple and a dog. The view is spectacular, and we had a great time watching the tide come in and go out. They also put flowers in the room for our anniversary! The restaurant next door (same owners) brought us food on the patio outside the cabin, so we were able to have a private little dinner. The cabins are very close to the Hull's Cove Entrance of Acadia and about five minutes drive to downtown Bar Harbor, but still nice and quiet. Definitely a place to return to!

Stayed for a short visit to Bar Harbor/Acadia recently. The cabins are small but cute. We stayed…read morewith our pup and there was plenty of room for the three of us. Rooms were clean and had everything needed (microwave, mini fridge, toaster, coffeemaker with thier own coffee blend). They all have water views and a small, covered, outdoor sitting area (with 2 chairs and table for our cabin). The thing I most appreciated was the staff ... service was outstanding. Everyone was very friendly and as helpful as could be. We really enjoyed our stay! BTW, the attached restaurant is very good too!

Shaun is a business owner that gets it. His insight and service is top tier. A true professional to…read morethis area and industry. We rented two tandem kayaks for our family vacation from him and couldn't be any more satisfied with the equipment and service we received. Take a look at his website and you can see the dedication he has put in to mastering this area to be able to help guide people to having a great experience. Next time we visit this area we will 100% be calling Shaun for equipment!

Very pleased with the service and equipment we received from Kayak1. My wife called numerous…read moreplaces and struck out. They all had rentals but you had to use them at their "lake." Kayak1 delivered to our doorstep. Because we prepaid via PayPal, we did not have to be at our rental when the kayaks showed up. We got a text saying everything was delivered. Included the kayaks, life vests, paddles, and dry bags. The equipment was great quality and even had metal rudders which we were not expecting. The six of us had no real issues in getting around and probably the biggest problem was getting them back up to dry land and they are heavy! Overall, we had a good time using the kayaks and the customer service was top of the line. We would recommend if you're in the area. $130 per tandem kayak for two days. $20 delivery charge. $410 total.