Why Honeymoon in Bar Harbor and Acadia
The scenery is the main reason. Acadia packs mountains, lakes and rocky coast into a small area, so you can climb to a summit for sunrise, swim in a lake at noon and watch waves crash at Thunder Hole in the afternoon. Couples who enjoy hiking will find trails for every level, from gentle shore paths to iron-rung climbs up cliff faces.
There is also a gentle, historic side. Wealthy families built summer "cottages" here around 1900. John D. Rockefeller Jr. funded the park's 45 miles of carriage roads, with hand-built stone bridges, which are closed to cars and made for biking or a horse-drawn ride.
Bar Harbor has inns, restaurants and shops in walking distance of the water. Quieter villages like Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor offer a slower pace.
When to Go
July and August are peak summer, with warm days in the 70s, cool nights and everything open. It is also the busiest time; roads and trailheads fill early and rooms book far in advance.
September is excellent, with fewer people, calm weather and warm-enough water for paddling. Acadia's dark skies also make it a good month for stargazing.
Early to mid October brings fall foliage, with maples and birches turning red and gold against the granite and sea. It is beautiful and popular, so book ahead.
June is pleasant but can be foggy and buggy, with black flies in the woods early in the month. From late October through April, most inns, restaurants and park facilities close and the Park Loop Road shuts for winter. Winter visits are possible but very quiet.
Where to Stay
In Bar Harbor, waterfront hotels like the Bar Harbor Inn and the Harborside Hotel, Spa and Marina offer harbor views and an easy walk to town and the Shore Path. Historic inns in former summer cottages are scattered through the streets just back from the water, many with porches and breakfasts included.
For something quieter, look at Northeast Harbor, where the Asticou Inn overlooks a pretty harbor and is near two of the island's loveliest gardens. Southwest Harbor, on the "quiet side" of the island, has small inns and cottages close to the Bass Harbor lighthouse and good lobster pounds.
Couples who love the outdoors can rent a cottage on the water or a cabin in the woods, but book early for summer and fall. Most places require minimum stays in high season. In July, August and foliage season, expect good inns and waterfront hotels to run roughly $300 to $700 a night (approximate).
Romantic Things to Do
Watch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the US Atlantic coast. In the main season, roughly late May to late October, a vehicle reservation is required to drive the summit road. They cost $6 and are released on Recreation.gov, some 90 days ahead and the rest two days ahead, so set an alarm.
Bike or take a horse-drawn carriage ride on the carriage roads, crossing stone bridges through the forest. Stop at Jordan Pond House for tea and popovers on the lawn, with the Bubbles mountains reflected in the pond.
Drive the Park Loop Road, stopping at Sand Beach, Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff. Walk the Ocean Path between them.
End a day at Bass Harbor Head Light for sunset over the water. Take a whale-watching or puffin cruise from Bar Harbor, or a sunset sail on a schooner.
Getting There and Around
Bangor International Airport (BGR) is about an hour and a quarter from Bar Harbor, with flights from several East Coast hubs. Portland (PWM) is about three hours away and has more options. Hancock County–Bar Harbor Airport (BHB), 20 minutes from town, has small-plane service from Boston.
From Boston, the drive takes about five hours, making it a good road trip with stops along the Maine coast.
A car is useful for reaching the quieter side of the island and for sunrise trips. In season, the free Island Explorer shuttle buses run from late June to early October, connecting Bar Harbor, the park, trailheads and villages. They are a great way to avoid parking problems. A park entrance pass is required; buy it online before you go.
Food and Drink
Lobster is the star. Go to a lobster pound, a casual waterside spot where you choose your lobster and eat it at picnic tables with corn, coleslaw and melted butter. Several of the best are on the quiet side of the island around Southwest Harbor and Bernard.
Popovers at Jordan Pond House are a tradition dating back more than a century, served warm with butter and strawberry jam. Try a blueberry pie or blueberry everything in season, since wild Maine blueberries ripen in August.
Bar Harbor has a good range of restaurants, from fine dining with local seafood to pubs and breweries. Ice cream shops line Main Street. Many restaurants close by late October. Reservations are wise in summer. Maine craft beer and cider make a good accompaniment to most meals.
Honeymoon Tips
- Book the Cadillac sunrise reservation as soon as you can. Sunrise slots sell out quickly.
- Pack layers and rain gear. Coastal Maine weather changes fast. Fog can roll in at any time.
- Start hikes early. Parking at popular trailheads fills by mid-morning in summer.
- Use the Island Explorer bus. It saves parking hassles and is free.
- Check what is open. Outside of summer and fall, many businesses close.
- Swim in a lake, not the sea. The ocean at Sand Beach stays bracing even in August; Echo Lake is warmer and calmer.
- Bring bug spray in June. Black flies and mosquitoes can be fierce in the woods early in summer.
