Following a delicious breakfast here at Hearthside, your adventure begins just beyond the Inn’s doorstep. Bar Harbor, in all its signature New England charm and unmatched natural beauty, welcomes you!  In just a few steps you’ll be on Cottage Street, where you’ll find a variety of shops, restaurants, bicycle and kayak rentals, and so much more waiting for you.  Another tenth of a mile or so will put you at the intersection of Cottage and Main streets, where you can feel the refreshing ocean breeze drifting in from Frenchman Bay.  Enjoy an ice cream cone as you wander down to the Town Pier, where you can relax on a park bench or explore the famous Shore Path, a mile-long walk which winds between the rugged coastline and historic summer estates, called “cottages.”

Of course, no trip to Bar Harbor is complete without spending time in Acadia National Park—the nearest entrance to which is located less than one mile from our front door. A scenic drive along the Park Loop Road unveils breathtaking vistas where crashing ocean waves collide with towering granite cliffs.  A variety of scenic lookouts, walking paths, and hiking trails are accessible via the Park Loop Road—and don’t worry about picking the wrong one, as you really can’t go wrong in Acadia National Park!  If you find the Loop Road a little busy for your speed at peak times, return in the early evening when it’s very quiet, or ask us about the many lesser-known locales, trails, and beaches scattered about the Island that are no less impressive than Thunder Hole, the Beehive, or Sand Beach.  As native Islanders we’ve been about everywhere there is to go throughout Acadia, and we assure you—it’s all spectacular!