Bar Harbor Cruises

Overview

Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island and is the gateway to Acadia National Park in Maine, known for its coastal beauty, sleepy little coastal village atmosphere, and lobster. Summer vacationers have come to the Bar Harbor since the 1800’s when adventurers started to notice the natural beauty of the area. It became a place for powerful American families to build grand summer cottages, from the Pulitzers to the Vanderbilts, from the Rockefellers to the Fords. Today, it is a diverse place with the lobstering, fishing, and tourism communities, along with those who are part of the educational institutions and top scientific organizations, as well as a business entrepreneurs. There’s something for everyone in Bar Harbor, from an active downtown area full of shops and restaurants, to a plethora of outdoor activities. 

Things to Do

Iconic Neighborhoods

• Seal Harbor- This area is the summer haunt of the rich and famous. Observe many of the large mansions in the coastal areas arranged for excellent ocean views where many yachts and sailing boats anchor. Visitors will find great seafood, excellent views, several entrances and walkways to Acadia National Park, as well as a less crowded beach.
• Downtown Bar Harbor- Downtown Bar Harbor- Part of “Down East” Maine, Bar Harbor is the center of activity and a place for tourists looking for shops, restaurants, eateries, hotels, and small B&Bs, along with great views of the seaside and is right next to Acadia National Park. Go see the Wild Gardens of Acadia, Abbe Museum, and Agamont Park, or walk the Shore Path to Bar Island at low tide and book a whale watching tour.

Hotels

Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor- Acadia Natl Park
Address: 123 Eden St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Phone: (207) 288-9723
1.2 miles from Town Pier tender

Acadia Inn
Address: 98 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Phone: (207) 288-3500
1.5 miles from Town Pier tender

Activities

• Head to the Wild Gardens of Acadia in Acadia National Park for some nature-centered site seeing. Sit on a bench for some quiet contemplation and take in the gardens where over 300 native species are labeled. Then head to the hiking trails nearby where visitors will pass by the Nature Center and the Sieur de Monts Spring House and eventually reach the Abbe Museum- the first of two museum locations and houses over 50,000 Native American artifacts from the area. Also available are small airplane tours with views of Bar Harbor, lighthouses, park, and Cadillac Mountain from the air.
• Known for fresh seafood caught right in the harbor, many places serve up shrimp, scallops, crab, haddock, flounder, clams, and oysters from sea-to-table. Local seafood cookout are common and are a fun and delicious way to get immersed in the seaside culture. Bar Harbor is also full of breweries, pubs, and taverns, most within easy walking distance. Spend time visiting with locals at any locations or book a foodie tour to take in all that Bar Harbor has to offer!

Family Friendly

• Take the family on a tour to the Mount Desert Oceanarium for an education on Maine lobsters. Visitors will learn about the biology and dangers facing lobsters today through presentations, and the means by which they devised getting baby lobsters to the ocean floor in safety. End the tour with a walk through the Lobster Museum where kids will love the interactive exhibits.
• For a more hands on experience, go whale watching. Visitors to Bar Harbor can see humpback, fin, minke, and right whales as they breach the waters of the gulf. Frenchman Bay offers these whales good waters for the summer where they feed and tend their young before swimming south for the winter. Book a tour to the whale feeding grounds to watch them as they play in the water, plus see many puffins, dolphins, and seals too.

Driving Directions

Town Pier 
Corner Of West Street & Main Street In Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

Cruise Parking:
Limited parking available in private lots.

Directions From Bangor International Airport (BGR) to Bar Harbor Town Pier:

• Head east toward Caruso Dr
• Turn right onto Caruso Dr
• Turn left onto ME-3 E
• Slight left to stay on ME-3 E- go 9.8 miles
• Turn left onto West St
• Town Pier will be on the corner of West St. and Main St.

Map