Bar Harbor, Acadia, & Portland, Maine in the Summer
Portland Head Lighthouse. Click on my photos to pin on Pinterest!
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This blog will be all about my time in Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and Portland, Maine in the summer! I’ll go over what we all did and what I’d recommend for your trip to Maine.
Getting to Maine
Our summer trip started in Portland, Maine. We booked our vacation for the last week of August, hoping for a little less crowds. We decided to fly into Portland, because flights were cheaper than flying closer to Bar Harbor and we also wanted to see a bit of Portland on our trip. We rented a car from the airport and did a little sightseeing in Portland before heading north to Bar Harbor.
Portland
I’d love to spend more time in Portland. We only made a few stops when we landed and right before heading back home. I recommend flying into Portland so you get to experience a bit of this cute city. It would be fun to spend a night and see more, but if you’re looking to head to Acadia right away, the drive is definitely doable. The travel time to Bar Harbor is about 3 hours. Below are some of the highlights from our time in Portland.
Portland Head Lighthouse and Museum
After landing in Portland, we grabbed some food and stopped at Portland Head Lighthouse and Museum. This is the iconic lighthouse in Portland, Maine and I’m glad we made the stop. The views were beautiful right off the coast. However, the weather was pretty rainy, so we didn’t stay long before heading to Bar Harbor.
Soleil
Find the sweetest Maine treasures at this cute little shop in Portland. Soleil is located in the Historic Arts District and is the perfect spot to grab a souvenir from your travels. They also have an Incardi, a local Portland printmaker, Mini Print Vending Machine that sells unique art prints for $1. How fun!
International Cryptozoology Museum
When we were looking to kill some time before our flight back home, we checked out Portland’s International Cryptozoology Museum. This was such a funny stop and we figured going into it, but we were just looking for something fun to do before leaving Maine. If you’re into Big Foot or anything mythological creatures, give this museum a shot! It may be silly, but it was fun!
Where to Stay
We stayed in a vacation rental a bit outside of downtown Bar Harbor in a town called Trenton. This allowed us to save some money. We were most excited to spend our time hiking in Acadia National Park, which was just a short 5 minute drive away. Check out some more affordable vacation homes near Trenton here.
Our view along the Ocean Path Trail, Acadia National Park
Ross and I at the summit of the Beehive Loop Trail in Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is large, so you’ll want to spend a few days exploring the different hiking trails and scenic areas. Going the last week of August, the weather was hot and there were still plenty of people on the trails. The breeze from the ocean felt so good and the views were unbeatable. Here’s a list of everything we enjoyed in Acadia National Park.
Ocean Path Trail
We started one day in Acadia by hiking the Ocean Path Trail, a very easy trail, to get to Beehive Loop Trail, which was much more intense. Ocean Path Trail was paved and was more of a walk than a hike. It travels along the ocean and the views are very pretty.
Beehive Loop
Beehive Loop Trail was my favorite hike that I did in Acadia. The views were beautiful and it was rewarding making it to the top. If you’re afraid of heights, you might want to skip this trail. The trail is pretty vertical and there was even a park ranger at the bottom warning hikers who are afraid of heights. My family loved the adventure!
Beehive Loop Trail views
Hiking Tip: We almost always hike with CamelBaks to ensure we drink plenty of water and bring snacks along the way. Honey Stingers Organic Energy Chews and Waffles are our favs!
Sand Beach
After the Beehive Loop hike, we were all pretty tired. We decided to check out Sand Beach, which was right below us. It was such a perfect place to rest and cool down from our hike. The ocean was chilly, but felt good on our feet. We relaxed there for awhile before heading back for the evening.
Ross and I at Sand Beach, Acadia National Park
Thunder Hole
Before leaving the park, we decided to check out the Thunder Hole, because that was also nearby. I recommend checking this out! It was pretty cool watching the giant waves crash, and if you go during high tide, you’ll definitely get a show.
Thunder Hole
Jordan Pond Path
Some more hikes I recommend are Jordan Pond Path and South Bubble Mountain. We spent another day hiking these trails. Jordan Pond Path is a very easy trail that takes you around Jordan Pond. This path is mostly shaded and level. There are some cool bridges, rock formations, and great views of Jordan Pond and the Bubbles.
South Bubble Mountain
South Bubble Mountain hike was much harder. We took the challenging way up unknowingly, and it was vertical the whole way to the top. We found out there’s a much easier path and took that on the way down. It was quite the experience, but really fun and rewarding making it to the top! AllTrails is helpful when planning out your hike. On the top of South Bubble Mountain, you’ll also find Bubble Rock, sometimes called Balanced Rock. It’s a pretty cool giant rock that looks like it could fall at any moment, so make sure to take a look while you’re up there before it’s gone.
Ross and I at the summit of South Bubble Mountain, Acadia National Park
Jordan Pond House
We ended our day by checking out the gift shops and drinking lots of water! Many people recommend getting food, especially popovers, at Jordan Pond House. We tried, but weren’t able to get a reservation. It’s very popular, so keep this in mind if you’d like to eat here.
Stewman's Lobster Pound in Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor
We loved hanging out around downtown Bar Harbor. It’s very touristy, but fun to check out all the shops and get some delicious food! There’s so many shops and restaurants to choose from downtown. One of my favorite shops was In the Woods. We bought a cute baby loon carved from wood and I just love it!
Where to Eat
There are so many delicious spots to eat around Bar Harbor. Below is a list of my recommendations. You’ll find fresh sea food, pastries, and even some bbq!
The Stadium
If you’re looking for a sweet treat, I highly recommend getting giant chocolate chip cookies and popovers with blueberry jam at The Stadium. We grabbed these to-go and ate by the water at Agamont Park.
My giant chocolate chip cookie from The Stadium, Bar Harbor
We strolled along the water and watched the fog roll in. There are a lot of beautiful photo spots right in downtown Bar Harbor.
Stewman’s Lobster Pound
To end the evening, we ate dinner at Stewman’s Lobster Pound. We needed to try our first lobster roll! It was absolutely delicious :) We tried various lobster rolls while on our trip, and the lobster rolls from Stewman’s was our favorite. If you’re in downtown Bar Harbor, Stewman’s is a great place to eat right on the water.
Stewman’s Lobster Pound lobster roll, Bar Harbor
Having fun at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, Bar Harbor
Mainely Meat Barbeque At Atlantic Brewing Company
Other restaurants we loved were Mainely Meat Barbeque At Atlantic Brewing Company and the Happy Clam Shack.
We went to the Mainely Meat Barbeque At Atlantic Brewing Company that is outside of downtown Bar Harbor. They had outdoor seating, live music, and the food was amazing! We ordered BBQ and blueberry sangria. It was one of our favorite meals during our vacation.
Ross and I at the Happy Clam Shack, Bar Harbor
The Happy Clam Shack
The Happy Clam Shack was the cutest spot! It’s a super simple shack, but they have amazing food. We bought a whole homemade blueberry pie and it was incredible. We also got to see a super rare blue lobster! It’s so rare, they released it back into the ocean. They told us that blue lobsters are an estimated occurrence of one in two million in the ocean. It was really cool to witness!
A rare blue lobster at the Happy Clam Shack
Boat buoys decorated the exterior of the Happy Clam Shack
Other Adventures Around Bar Harbor
Make sure to check out all the other cool spots around Bar Harbor on your visit. There are hiking trails all over, scenic mountaintops, and some beautiful lighthouses to explore!
Bar Island Trail
We went to downtown Bar Harbor quite often. One day we walked the Bar Island Trail, a trail that’s only open during low tide that connects Bar Harbor to Bar Island. It was cool seeing the exposed ocean floor! The island was small and had a pretty view of Bar Harbor. There were lots of monarch butterflies and overall, it was a relaxing, easy hike. Just make sure you make it back across before the tide rolls in. You don’t want to get stuck on the island lol.
Bass Harbor Lighthouse
There was no shortage of beautiful photography spots around Bar Harbor. I always love watching the sunset, and one of the prettiest spots to see the sunset was at Bass Harbor Lighthouse. This spot was just a short drive from Bar Harbor. Make sure to arrive early, because the parking lot is pretty small. We sat on the rocks talking to other travelers waiting for this beautiful moment. Seals played in the ocean while we captured this stunning sunset.
Sunset at Bass Harbor Lighthouse
Moon over the ocean at Bass Harbor Lighthouse
Cadillac Mountain
A really cool experience that I highly recommend is watching the sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain. It’s absolutely amazing! If you’re planning to do this, make sure you get a vehicle reservation beforehand. We applied for a ticket 2 days in advance and we were able to get one! Request your ticket here. We woke up very early, around 4am to get to the top of the mountain in time to watch the full sunrise. It was a magical experience! Cadillac Mountain is one of the first places in the continental U.S. that sees the sunrise and it’s the first place to see the sunrise from October 7-March 6.
Sunrise over the ocean on top of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park
We drove up the mountain, but some people choose to hike! It’s pretty crazy hiking in the dark, but could be a cool experience.
Ross and I enjoying the sunrise on top of Cadillac Moutain
I love wearing these gold seashell earrings in the summertime. Grab them for your coastal vacation!
Sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain
After we watched the sunrise, we came back down the mountain just in time to grab breakfast. We ate at Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast, which had all the traditional breakfast essentials.
Rest a Bit from Hiking
Other fun activities we did while in Bar Harbor was mini golf at Pirate’s Cove and visited the Great Harbor Maritime Museum. We always like to check out the museums while somewhere new to learn a little about the history of each area.
On our last day, we drove back to Portland and stopped at the L.L.Bean Flagship Store in Freeport. It was huge! We wandered around the whole campus and got ice cream while we shopped. This is also where you can see the giant L.L.Bean Boot lol. If you’re a fan of L.L.Bean, this is a great stop close to Portland.
Overall Thoughts on Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and Portland
Overall, our experience in Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and Portland, Maine was wonderful! I definitely recommend you check it out if you’re looking for a vacation full of nature. It’s a great family friendly vacation spot with a little bit of everything for everyone.
Camera used to document my travels: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV 35mm lens and iPhone 10
