A visit to Bar Harbor would not be complete without a stop at Arcadia National Park. The park is a popular tourist destination offering spectacular views, picturesque landscape and plenty of wildlife. Visitors can make use of the 25 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads. In addition to land activity, the park offers kayaking, canoeing and two beaches to swim from. Tourists can also get tours from park rangers who will familiarize guests with the diverse natural and cultural history of the national park.
The Abbe Museum encourages awareness and appreciation for Maine's Native American heritage. For thousands of years, Maine has been home to five Indian tribes, known collectively as the Wabanaki. Exhibits, special events, and workshops showcase the history and culture of the Wabanaki. The museum boasts more than 50,000 artifacts embodying 10,000 years of Native American history in the state. Collections include stone tools, ceramics, jewelry, and woven baskets. Visitors can explore Native American artifacts at two museum locations - one in the center of downtown Bar Harbor and another at Arcadia National Park. Both museums are open daily.
Maine is well known for lobsters. The Mount Desert Oceanarium at 172 Clark Point Road is dedicated to teaching visitors about lobsters and lobster fishing. The oceanarium is home to a lobster museum, a lobster hatchery, as well as a marsh walk. Visitors can see a scallop tank, a touch tank and interactive exhibits made by local fishermen. Marsh tours are also available to demonstrate ecological principles and the importance of salt marshes. The oceanarium is open Monday through Saturday from May to October.
The Bar Harbor Whale Museum, located at 52 West St., is the only museum devoted to the study and appreciation of whales and seals common to the Gulf of Maine located in the state. At the interactive museum, visitors can learn about different species of whales and find out how science and conservation efforts assist in protecting the sea creatures. The museum, which opened in 1991, also houses a real skeleton of a humpback whale. Admission to the museum is free and group tours are available. During the summer, the museum is open seven days a week. During the off-season, the museum operates depending on staff availability.
Founded in 1990, Bar Harbor Brewing Company offers a host of microbrews. Visitors will want to make a stop in the brewing company's tasting room. Besides sampling a variety of beers, guests will be able to see the machinery used to make the award-winning ales. Bar Harbor Brewing Company is known for producing a crisp blueberry ale, True Blue, made with a blend of barley malts and crushed wheat. On their way out, visitors can stop at the brewery's gift shop and purchase fine ales or a variety of trinkets. The brewery is located at 8 Mount Desert St.
