Hiking, Rock Climbing, Biking, Miniature Golf, Fishing, Wildlife Viewing, Shopping, Restaurants, Live Theater, Cinemas, Museums, Sightseeing, Swimming, Boating, Sailing, Shelling, Cross Country Skiing.
These are all relatively easy, and 3-5 miles in length.
Asticou Trail to Eliot Mountain
Jordan Pond (with tea and popovers at Jordan Pond House afterwards)
Gorham Mountain (park at Sand Beach on the Park Loop Road).
These are ordered easiest/shortest to most difficult, but all successfully completed by our 5 year old.
Wonderland
Ship Harbor
Little Long Pond at Seal Harbor
Witch Hole Pond - start this walk from Duck Brook Road (the first left after Eagle Lake parking lot).
Jordan Pond loop - we find this works best counter-clockwise, with a good gravel path half-way round the lake, and a scramble over rocks and a plank-walk for the return half.
Asticou Trail to the Map Hut
Kebo Mountain from the Sieur de Monts nature center parking lot.
Jordan Pond parking lot gets full in high season. Walks from there are better started in the morning (before 10:30), while there are still plenty of open parking spaces.
Our dogs' favorite walk is Little Long Pond.� Dogs are allowed off-leash in this area, unlike the rest of the park.� A short walk is out to the boat-house for a swim in the lake.� A longer walk is around the lake (with a few swims en route).
Our children's favorite ocean beach is at Seal Harbor.� This is a sand beach.� As the water is shallow, it gets fairly warm (for Maine).� There are restrooms in the parking lot.� No lifeguards.� A stream running down the beach will provide hours of dam-building entertainment, and there is a float platform to play on at high tide.�� You can buy sandwiches for a picnic at the gas station in the village of Seal Harbor.
Echo Lake - the shallow sand beach at the south end of the lake works well for smaller children.� The swimming area is designated by floats.� There are restrooms, changing rooms, and lifeguards.
The rock pools at Ship Harbor and Wonderland are good places to wander.
Sand Beach on the Park Loop Road is a good sand beach, with a stream running through it at the far end.
Bikes can be hired in South westHarbor. The following rides are ordered easiest/shortest to most difficult:
Witch Hole Pond
Hadlock Brook - a climb but worth it for the view!
Eagle Lake
Kayaks can be hired in several places on the island - please note that even on the lakes, the water can get very rough on windy days. Most kayak rental companies won't rent you a kayak for ocean use unless you've done a self-rescue course.
Eagle Lake (we'v'e got close to an eagle, and there's a nice little beach at the far end of the lake from the put-in)
Seal Cove Pond - the put-in is off Seal Cove Road.� We've also seen an eagle there.
Long Pond - there is canoe rental at the north end of Long Pond.
Our favorite boat trip is the Island Cruises lunch cruise from Southwest Harbor to Frenchboro.�� Great scenery, wildlife and local history.�
Tip: bring a warm sweater, as it's cool on the water; sit up front for a good view when the captain pulls a lobster pot.
This deserves a mention all on its own, as the scenery is spectacular! You can drive around, or take a ferry from Bar Harbor.� The one-way loop road around the peninsula is a level 12 mile bicycle ride.
A good breakfast is the perfect start for a day of hiking - especially with good coffee
Cafe This Way, Bar Harbor - great coffee and eggs. Help yourself to a mug while you're waiting in line.
Jordan's, Bar Harbor - the best blueberry pancakes.
Two Cars, Bar Harbor - great coffee, scrambled eggs and home-made biscuits.
Lunch:
Head of the Harbor, Southwest Harbor - good freas seafood and a great view.
The Wharf, Bass Harbor - good fresh seafood, and right on the water in a working harbor.
Little Notch, Southwwest Harbor - bakery and sandwiches.
Dinner:
(We have kids, so we tend to go somewhere local)
The Wharf, Bass Harbor - good fresh seafood, and a lovely spot too watch the sun set.
Seafood Ketch, Bass Harbor - a lovely spot to watch the sun set,
Great Coffee: Caf� Milagro, Cottage Street, Bar Harbor
Food shopping:
Hannaford's, Cottage Street, Bar Harbor
Sawyer' Market, Southwest Harbor
Buying seafood:
Rich's in Bass Harbor, open 7 days a week, does great scallops, lobster and shrimp (next to the Seafood Ketch restaurant).
Clothes Shopping:
Cool as a Moose, Main Street, Bar Harbor - the obligatory "Cool as a Moose" t-shirt
MDI Sportswear in Southwest Harbor has great clothes, including hiking wear
From the house, we only have dialup access to the interned.� This is typically 24 kB.
Southwest Harbor Public Library - Computers are available free in the library - sign up for 15 or 30 minute blocks. If you have your laptop, there is free wi-fi access.� If you are a real workaholic, you can catch this signal 24 hours a day, from outside the back door of the library (been there!).
The Mouse Pad - This internet caf� opened this last year in SouthwestHarbor, next door to the Post Office.� They have coffee, free wi-fi, and cheap plug-in connections or use of their computers.
Reel Pizza - pizza and movies, Bar Harbor
All Fired Up - decorate your own pottery
Board games - plenty in the cupboard
Drive to Schoodic Point