from
WorldWeb.com Travel Guide
Considered the gateway to Acadia
National Park, Bar
Harbor has long been recognized as an escape to wild, rugged and
beautiful Maine. While
the Park is a must-see attraction, Bar Harbor and its surrounding areas
have much to offer. Bar Harbor is the quintessential coastal Maine village,
complete with sailing
charters, fishing, lobster
bakes, incredible scenery and, of course, Maine hospitality.
ORIENTATION
Bar Harbor lies on the eastern side of Mount Desert Island. The island
lies just off the central coast of Maine, joined to the mainland by a
short bridge that spans Mount Desert Island Narrows. Maine, the easternmost
state in the United States of
America, is adjacent to the State of New
Hampshire and shares a border with the provinces of Quebec
and New Brunswick
in Canada, the U.S.A.'s
northern neighbor.
HISTORY
Prior to the arrival of Europeans in North America, Native Americans
called the Bar Harbor area home for approximately 6000 years.
In 1604, Frenchman Samuel Champlain led an expedition to the island.
Seeing that the summits of the mountains were barren, Champlain named
the area Isles des Monts Deserts, or Mount Desert Island in English, making
the area part of New France.
When the conflict between France
and England over
North America ended, Mount Desert Island was a contested territory for
a time. Then, with the Revolutionary War, the island changed hands again,
this time to the United States of America.
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| Thunder
Hole Point in Acadia National Park |
|
In 1796, the town of Eden was incorporated. A tiny fishing and farming
village governed by Massachusetts, the town was quiet, offering a
livelihood to its inhabitants and an absence of major development due
to its remote locale. Frederic Church, Thomas Cole and other painters
from the Hudson River Valley School of Painting, changed the area forever.
The paintings that these artists produced of Mount Desert Island and Eden
found their way into the salons of fashionable east coast homes. As well,
the paintings inspired the wealthy to visit the remarkable landscapes
of Mount Desert Island for themselves. Early visitors earned the nickname
of the Rusticators, since the only accommodation was in the rustic homes
of locals.
As the popularity of the area grew, entrepreneurs constructed hotels
to accommodate the on-coming throngs, some capable of accommodating up
to 400 guests. The Agamont House was Bar Harbor's first purpose-built
hotel, constructed in 1855. And as further hotels were constructed, so
too were summer cottages for some of America's wealthiest and most prominent
citizens. The Gilded Age, as this time has become known, brought names
such as Proctor, Vanderbilt and Pulitzer to vacation on idyllic Mount
Desert Island. The island became more accessible when steamship service
from Boston was introduced in the 1880s. Instead of following a difficult
land route, vacationers could travel in style. A timely arrival was a
necessity as many of the hotel rooms in Eden were booked up to two years
in advance.
In the early 20th century, Mount Desert Island saw a few changes. Between
1906 and 1916, the U.S. Government began naming important antiquities
and landmarks throughout the country. In 1916, in Eden's backyard, Sieur
de Monts National Monument was named. In 1918, Eden was renamed Bar Harbor,
after the long sand and gravel bar that extended across the harbor, a
name that locals had been using for over 100 years. Sieur de Monts National
Monument was designated Lafayette National Park in 1919, eventually renamed
in 1929 as Acadia National Park.
Fire swept across the park and Bar Harbor in 1947, burning thousands
of acres of land, numerous homes and summer cottages, and all of the town's
most famous hotels. The fire marked the end of Bar Harbor's golden age.
The next era started with the construction of new hotels and inns and
with the recovery of Acadia National Park. With this recovery, Bar Harbor
has grown to its present day status—a summer vacation hot spot.
| |
|
Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
10°F
(-12 °C) |
32°F
(0 °C) |
150
mm |
| Feb |
14°F
(-10 °C) |
34°F
(1 °C) |
114
mm |
| Mar
|
22°F
(-6 °C) |
42°F
(6 °C) |
137
mm |
| Apr |
32°F
(0 °C) |
53°F
(12 °C) |
124
mm |
| May
|
42°F
(6 °C) |
65°F
(18 °C) |
114
mm |
| Jun
|
51°F
(11 °C) |
74°F
(23 °C) |
104
mm |
| Jul |
57°F
(14 °C) |
80°F
(27 °C) |
86
mm |
|
Aug |
56°F
(13 °C) |
78°F
(26 °C) |
74
mm |
|
Sep |
48°F
(9 °C) |
69°F
(21 °C) |
112
mm |
|
Oct |
38°F
(3 °C) |
58°F
(14 °C) |
124
mm |
|
Nov |
29°F
(-2 °C) |
47°F
(8 °C) |
163
mm |
|
Dec |
17°F
(-8 °C) |
37°F
(3 °C) |
147
mm |
|
| |
Bar
Harbor Climate Norms |
CLIMATE
Bar Harbor experiences four distinct seasons: spring, summer, fall and
winter.
Spring is marked by high precipitation and mild temperatures that encourage
wildflower blooms and the return of seasonal birds.
The busiest visitor season, summer, sees warm temperatures, regularly
in the high-70s to mid-80s (25°C to 30°C).
With fall (September-October) comes one of the most beautiful times to
be in Maine. Bar Harbor is no exception. With the change in temperatures,
the foliage changes from a myriad of greens to spectacular reds, oranges
and yellows.
And, with the arrival of low temperatures and snow, it is no surprise
that the winter months of December through February are the slower months
for visitors to Bar Harbor. But, temperatures usually hover around the
freezing mark, making it still possible to explore.
TRANSPORTATION
It is far easier to reach Bar Harbor today than it was in the 1800s.
Located in Trenton,
halfway between Bar Harbor and Ellsworth,
Hancock
County Airport operates regular flights to Logan
Airport in Boston,
Massachusetts.
Augusta
State Airport, approximately 100 miles (160 km) away, and Bangor
International Airport, approximately 50 miles (80 km) away, service
a wider range of locations. At all of these airports, rental
cars from major International companies are available.
Bar Harbor can also be reached by the water. Seasonally, The
Cat runs ferry
service between Bar Harbor and Yarmouth,
Nova Scotia,
Canada. For visitors interested in boating to Bar Harbor, numerous marinas
with rental docks are offered in the area, some with access to hotel facilities.
As well, over 70 cruise ships stop at Bar Harbor each year.
 |
| Acadia
National Park on Schoodic Peninsula |
|
When in Bar Harbor, visitors can easily walk through the town and hike
through Acadia National Park. Or, a number of companies offer bicycle
rentals, allowing guests to go a little farther afield.
Finally, Island
Explorer links visitors to numerous destinations on Mount Desert
Island. This free service (provided with park entrance fees) transports
guests and locals alike on a variety of routes to Acadia National Park
and other island centers. This system is also available on the Schoodic
Peninsula, across Frenchman Bay, near Winter
Harbor and Birch Harbor.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park spans over 47,000 acres (19,000 ha)—spread over
areas of Mount Desert Island, Isle
au Haut and Schoodic Peninsula. The landscape rises from the coastline,
through dense forest to the tops of granite mountains, such as Cadillac
Mountain, Mount Desert Island's tallest at approximately 1500 feet (460
meters) above sea level.
Along with Ranger-led programs, there are numerous activities for visitors
to the park. In the winter months snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and
snowshoeing are popular, while in summer visitors can experience the park
through hiking, bird watching, fishing, horseback riding, climbing, camping
and more.
Abbe Museum
For a look into the culture and life of Maine's Native American people,
the Wabanaki (or the People of the Dawn), a visit to the Abbe
Museum is a must. Over 50,000 objects, spanning 10,000 years,
comprise the Abbe's collection. Found in downtown Bar Harbor, the museum
presents permanent, changing and traveling exhibits. From Memorial Day
until mid-October, a second museum location is open at Sieur de Monts
Spring.
| |
 |
| |
Acadia
National Park
Photo courtesy Maine Office of Tourism |
Another area museum is the George
B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, located in the College
of the Atlantic and maintained by students.
Other Attractions
For an educational tour, visit the Mount
Desert Oceanarium (at either the Bar Harbor or Southwest
Harbor location). Open from May through late October, the Oceanarium
is home to the Maine Lobster Museum and the Lobster Hatchery. Marsh walks
are also offered, providing instruction on ecological principles.
Construction of St.
Saviour's Episcopal Church was completed in 1878. One of the oldest
buildings on Mount Desert Island, St. Saviour's has endured numerous additions
since it was constructed. The most stunning of these additions was the
installation of 42 stained glass windows, ten of which follow Louis Comfort
Tiffany's technique. While many of these windows are in need of repair,
St. Saviour's has established a Window Restoration Fund.
Activities
Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island offer activities for everyone. Visitors
can hike
or bike through the park, take boating
and whale
watching tours, canoe and kayak,
rock climb, or bird
watch, such as on a puffin cruise.
At the end of May, the Warblers
& Wildflowers Festival celebrates the return of flocks of warblers
and spring flowers to the island. Join in the festivities by taking a
guided garden tour, a boat tour, a bird watching hike or one of the many
other festival activities.
 |
|
Foliage
on Mount Desert Island
Photo courtesy Maine Office of Tourism | |
Resorts, Bed & Breakfasts and Inns
In keeping with tradition, Bar Harbor has a plethora of accommodations
that enable visitors to experience Mount Desert Island and Acadia National
Park. Instead of chain hotels,
some of which are in the vicinity, rustic inns,
bed
and breakfasts, and resort-style
accommodations are in the majority. Most of these accommodations
are located directly in downtown Bar Harbor, making it easy for visitors
to walk to town attractions,
restaurants
and nightlife.
Other Mount Desert Island Options
If staying in the busy center of Bar Harbor is not appealing, guests can
peruse the options on what is known as the Quiet Side of Mount Desert
Island. In the villages of Southwest Harbor, Northeast
Harbor and Bass
Harbor visitors will find the same quality of accommodation, attractions
and activities in more limited numbers.
