Things to do in Mount Desert Island

Activities, attractions and tours

Bar Harbor featuring landscape views and a pond
Cadillac Mountain showing a sunset and landscape views
Bar Harbor which includes a pond
Bar Harbor which includes heritage architecture and heritage elements
Abbe Museum
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Top places to visit

1. Acadia National Park

Travel to Maine’s rocky Mount Desert Island to visit Acadia National Park. Here you’ll find a forested wilderness overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and meet hardy northern New Englanders who welcome you to join in their community activities.
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Acadia National Park which includes a lake or waterhole, forests and wetlands

2. Cadillac Mountain

Discover the regal magic of Cadillac Mountain, located with Acadia National Park. Rising 1,530 feet (466.3 meters) high, it is not only the tallest mountain in Maine, but also the highest peak on America’s North Atlantic seaboard. It is a favorite destination on Mount Desert Island and an instantly recognizable symbol of Acadia. It is also known as the first place that sunlight hits in the United States.
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Cadillac Mountain featuring mountains, a sunset and landscape views

3. Village Green

The Village Green is an oasis of greenery in Bar Harbor, where locals and visitors come to enjoy the delightful surroundings and take part in fun-filled community events. Discover the Village Green’s long history as a public park when you admire its heritage cast-iron clock and charming bandstand. Watch the town band perform live music or peruse locally made arts and crafts at a market.
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Village Green showing autumn leaves and a park

4. Otter Cliff

At a height of 110 feet (34 meters), Otter Cliff is among the tallest points on the Atlantic Coast in the U.S. It is made up of thousands of partially eroded rocks and offers a spectacular view of the ocean. Snap photos of the moments that powerful waves crash into the rock face and surge up the cliff.
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Otter Cliff which includes a sunset, a pebble beach and general coastal views

5. Jordan Pond

Find Jordan Pond on the southern fringes of Acadia National Park. On Maine’s breathtaking Mount Desert Island, scenic vistas are common, but Jordan Pond still stands out. Its clear water, dramatic mountain surroundings and hiking opportunities offer something for everyone.
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Bar Harbor featuring landscape views and a pond

6. Thunder Hole

Even on a perfectly clear day, Thunder Hole will sound like a storm barreling down the coast. The noise making the inlet famous is created when an arriving wave forces air and water out of an underground cavern. The effect is produced only under specific conditions. Nevertheless, visit Thunder Hole any time for a short hike with stunning views of the Maine coast and sounds of waves crashing against the rocks.
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Bar Harbor featuring views and rugged coastline

What to do in Mount Desert Island

Popular places to visit

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Acadia National Park's Visitors Center

Explore the lovely green spaces of Acadia National Park's Visitors Center and also enjoy the hiking trails in Bar Harbor. Wander the area's waterfront or simply enjoy one of its lively bars.

Acadia National Park's Visitors Center
Bar Harbor, Maine USA

Bar Harbor Whale Watching

Enjoy an outing to Bar Harbor Whale Watching during your stay in Bar Harbor. Wander the area's waterfront or simply enjoy one of its lively bars.

Bar Harbor Whale Watching
Cadillac Mountain featuring mountains, a sunset and landscape views

Cadillac Mountain

Drive or hike to the top of Mount Desert Island’s tallest mountain at daybreak and you will be the first person to view sunrise in the United States.

Cadillac Mountain
Village Green which includes autumn leaves and a park

Village Green

Spend some time in this peaceful park in the center of Bar Harbor to experience the village’s thriving community spirit and heritage landmarks.

Village Green
Otter Cliff featuring rocky coastline and general coastal views

Otter Cliff

Hone your photography skills by taking artistic images of this towering headland while you listen to the soothing sound of waves lapping the rounded stones at its base.

Otter Cliff
Bar Harbor featuring landscape views and a pond

Jordan Pond

See the looming shapes of the “Bubbles” mountains reflected in the exceptionally clear and deep water of Bar Harbor’s glacial pond.

Jordan Pond
Bar Harbor featuring rocky coastline and landscape views

Thunder Hole

Nature’s magic produces a thunderclap illusion and offers panoramic views of the coastline at one of Acadia National Park’s most popular attractions.

Thunder Hole
Botanical Garden in Northeast Harbor, Maine

Asticou Azalea Garden

Explore the lovely green spaces of Asticou Azalea Garden and also enjoy the hiking trails in Northeast Harbor. Stroll along the area's waterfront or simply savour its lively bars.

Asticou Azalea Garden
The Criterion in downtown Bar Harbor, Maine, does not look very much from the exterior, but it is a glorious, well-preserved Art Deco style theatre. Opening in 1932, it has served the town of Bar Harbor as a movie palace ever since, accomodating such prominent families as the Rockefellers on their vacations to nearby Mount Desert Island. Kept in fantastic condition over the years, the theatre still has most of its original interior: seats, curtains, and even the original lighting board for stage performances. The Criterion Theatre also contains a floating balcony, which is rare for most movie palaces. Click on the following link to see a photo of the interior: https://www.criteriontheatre.org/ #History

Criterion Theater

You can enjoy a show at Criterion Theater during your stay in Bar Harbor. Stroll along the seaside or seek out the hiking trails.

Criterion Theater

Areas of Mount Desert Island

Beautiful sunset over looking the harbor!

Downtown Bar Harbor

While visiting Downtown Bar Harbor, you might make a stop by sights like Village Green and Island Artisans.

Downtown Bar Harbor
Iconic white walking bridge at Somesville, Maine,

Somesville

You'll enjoy the bars and museums in Somesville. You might want to make time for a stop at Acadia National Park or Long Pond.

Somesville
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Hall Quarry

Visitors to Hall Quarry like its bars and parks, and Acadia National Park is a sight worth a stop.

Hall Quarry
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Seawall

While there might not be top attractions in Seawall, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse and Asticou Azalea Garden.

Seawall
Morning in Manset, near Southwest Harbor, Maine

Manset

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Manset and surrounding area, you can visit Somes Sound and Asticou Azalea Garden.

Manset
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Pretty Marsh

If you're spending some time in Pretty Marsh, Acadia National Park and Long Pond are top sights worth seeing.

Pretty Marsh
Bar Harbor which includes a bay or harbour and boating

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor showing general coastal views

Seal Harbor

Low tide at the harbour in Bernard, Maine. The primary industry for the area is fishing with lobster being the dominant one, followed by scallops and shrimp, primarily in the winter months. Boat building and related services are important as it supports the fishing industries. Tourism primarily impacts the summer months. (September 2017)

Bernard

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