Cruising to Bar Harbor is about atmosphere, scenery, and lobster. Bar Harbor is a small town (population less than 5,000) in the Downeast region of Maine. During the second half of the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th Century, it was a summer resort for the rich and famous. That all ended when a devastating fire swept the town in 1947. However, the remnants of that time serve
to give Bar Harbor an atmosphere that is distinct from other small New England towns. Bar Harbor shares Mount Desert Island with Acadia National Park. The area is largely unspoiled even outside the boundaries of the park. In the summer, the air is crisp and clean. In the fall, the trees erupt in a blanket of color from the mountains down to the craggy rocks of the coast. Maine is renown for its lobster and you can seen the lobster men bringing in their catch at the piers in Bar Harbor. The island also has an Oceanarium and Lobster Hatchery. Not surprisingly, seemingly every dining venue in Bar Harbor has lobster on the menu ranging from traditional lobster rolls to more exotic creations such as lobster ice cream and lobster pizza. The currency in Bar Harbor is the Unites States dollar. Other currencies are not widely accepted. However, major credit cards are almost universally accepted. English is spoken here. However, the area has its own unique way of speaking. For example, “a yeh” means “yes” and the name of the town may be pronounced: “Ba Ha Bah.” |
Above: Bar Harbor is still an active fishing village.
Below: Fishermen unloading a catch in Bar Harbor. |
The real treasure of the Bar Harbor area is its natural beauty - - clear water lapping against rocky crags, dense forests, which become even prettier as the leaves start to change.
Cruise destination travel guide - - Bar Harbor - - Maine, USA - - Overview