Where do cruise ships dock in Bar Harbor (or tender) @ googlemaps
Town Pier (tender pier)
Bar Harbor Shore Excursions
Bar Harbor
Charming Bar Harbor is an attractive New England fishing port, with a popular downtown. The Visitor Center is located at the Town Pier, and stocks a variety of brochures and maps useful in planning your day’s activities. The town itself has lots of attractions, including several art and craft galleries, displaying the work of local artists, small shops selling locally source foods, and excellent restaurants where you can enjoy a Maine lobster lunch. Also find time to stroll the Bar Harbor Shore Path, which starts at Town Pier and runs southwards along the shoreline offering lovely views of the bay dotted with the Porcupine islands.
Cadillac Mountain
A very satisfying way of reaching the summit of Cadillac Mountain is by the North Ridge trail, an easy of hike of about 2 miles (or 4 miles there and back), with 1150ft of height gain. The trail starts from the Cadillac North Ridge stop of the free Island Explorer #4 bus (half-hourly service in summer, leaves from visitor center). Along the way you’ll be rewarded with great views of Eagle Lake, Door Mountain and the myriad of islands in Frenchman bay. Alternatively several private coach tour companies offer trips to the top following the winding road that runs up to the summit.
Jordan Pond
Jordan Pond is an idyllic lake recognizable by the two mountains standing on its north shore, the ‘Bubbles’. There are two enjoyable paths of different difficulties at the Pond, a 1.4 mile nature trail and and a 3.2 mile shore trail. You can finish your hike with a stop at the Jordan Pond House restaurant, famous for its tea with popovers served on a gorgeous lakeside lawn. Jordan Pond House is a stop on both the #4 and #5 Island Explorer services.
Thunder Hole
At Thunder Hole Atlantic ocean waves funnel into a narrow inlet, crashing against a wall of solid granite to produce a loud booming sound. A concrete walkway sided by steel railings follows the cliff edge above the inlet to give a spectacular view of the turbulent cove below. Though calm seas result in a disappointing lack of any noise! Thunder Hole lies about half-way along beautiful Ocean Path which leads from Sand Beach down to Otter Cliff, a distance of around 2 miles. The Island Explorer #3 bus makes regular stops at Sand Beach (20 minutes from Bar Harbor), Thunder Hole (23 mins), and Otter Cliff (25 mins), so you can make just the trip to Thunder Hole, or see it as part of a Sand Beach to Otter Cliff walk.
Eagle Lake
The circuit around Eagle Lake is one of the prettiest bike rides in Acadia. The route follows well surfaced Carriage Roads all around the water. You can access the circuit from the Bubble Pond stop of the Island Explorer bus #4 or #5. An alternative for families is the easier circuit of Witch Hole Pond. This is a generally flat ride, of just over 3 miles, next to the Hull Cove visitor center. There are several bike hire concessions in Bar Harbor, with some offering a free bus shuttle service to take you and your bike to the Carriage trail network.
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