Travel Dates: October 2020
Hotel: Holiday Inn Bar Harbor Regency
It appears to be a Holiday Inn that bought out (or partnered with) Bar Harbor Regency. Which explains why when driving here, there are two signs: “Holiday Inn Resort” and “Bar Harbor Regency.”
Our experience was pretty horrible unfortunately. We had a room right by the elevator and the ice machine, meaning every elevator ding and ice making process was heard in our room. Furthermore, for two nights we had these large, black flying insects (not sure what it was but it might have been a beetle or assassin bug) in our room. And we never opened the window or left our door open. And finally the cherry on top: my boyfriend got bed bug bites.
So if you’re looking for a place to stay, maybe check out an inn or another hotel. But if you decide to stay at Holiday Inn Bar Harbor Regency, make sure you get a room far from the elevator and ice machine. And watch out for those bugs!
Food:
By mid October, many restaurants and cafes close for the season. We were planning to stop by 2 Cats and Cafe This Way, but found out that they were no longer open. For breakfast, we ended up going next door of 2 Cats to Mount Desert Bakery. On a sunny day, this bakery ended up running out of breakfast sandwiches and bagels at 9:40am. But when we went back on a rainy day, they still had breakfast sandwiches at 10:15am. So keep in mind that weather will impact hikers and their morning plans, and therefore impacts breakfast avails. If you’re not able to get a sandwich, try out their blueberry coffee cake. It’s fresh and super delicious – soft, moist, and just the right amount of sweetness. Highly recommended!
We also went to Side Street Cafe, Galyn’s, and West Street Cafe for dinner. Make a reservation beforehand or risk having to wait upwards of 1 hour to get a table. The long wait times may be due to COVID, but it’s also peak season in October at Bar Harbor given the foliage. The food at all 3 locations were similar, although Galyn’s was a tad more upscale. It’s basically all seafood – lobster rolls, seafood stew, seafood pasta, etc. West Street Cafe has an early bird special (4-6pm) where several of their entrees are $2 off. They also have Happy Hour – $2 off beer, wine, and signature cocktails. You get more bang for your buck here.
Hike:
Park Loop Hikes (right side of Mt. Desert Island) –
Bubble Rock – the moderate hiking trail is on the west side of Cadillac Mountain, and the parking lot there has limited space. Because the road is two-way, there are two entrances to the parking lot so be aware of cars entering from the opposite side. The hike is roughly 1 hour round trip if you’re going straight to Bubble Rock for pictures at the top of the mountain. Follow the signs along the uphill hike to lead you to the rock. Some areas require walking over rocks/boulders and can be a bit steep.
Beehive Trail – the moderately strenuous hike is right after the Sand Beach Entrance. You start out on a rocky/boulder path which eventually leads to rock scrambles. Then it begins the climb up the mountain. There are rungs to help you follow the path and climb up and a few narrow paths alongside the mountain – definitely not for those who have a fear of heights. Although an active and intense hike, it’s a lot of fun if you’re into climbing. Also the views are amazing! During the foliage, it’s a colorful sea of trees surrounding Sands Beach. To get back down, continue the hike and you’ll see signs that will bring you back to the parking area. Do NOT come down the same way you came up. It’s dangerous not only for you but also for all the hikers that are going up. There are limited areas where you can stop and rest when scaling the mountain. On your way down, there will be a few rock scrambles but it will not be as strenuous as the climb up. Overall the hike is about 1.5 hours, including time for pictures at the top.
Left side of Mt. Desert Island –
Acadia Mountain Trail – I read mixed reviews about how to get to the top of Acadia Mountain. Some say go counter clockwise starting on the Man O War trail, while others say go clockwise via Acadia Trail. I begun the hike at Acadia Trail and recommend going the clockwise route. You start the moderate to moderately strenuous hike up the mountain for about 30 minutes with some rock scaling and steep areas. When you come back down the mountain, it takes about 1 hour back to the parking lot if you continue the hike towards Man O War. There is a decent amount of rock scramble downwards with steep sections so it can be harsh on the knees. However, you have a wonderful view of the Somes Sound (a fjard/body of water) in front of you. After descending the mountain, there is eventually a sign that takes you directly to the Sound if you go to the left or continue on the trail to the right. If you continue on the trail, you’ll hit another sign post and follow Man O War to go back to the parking area. Man O War is a dirt access road so it’s an easy walk back.
TL;DR: Taking Acadia Trail first gets you to the top of the mountain faster. Continuing the hike towards Man O War lets you go down the mountain with great views in front of you and ending the hike with an easy, flat dirt road. If you are pressed for time, take Acadia Trail up and then back down. If you prefer rock scrambling upwards instead of downwards, you can take Man O War trail first then end with Acadia Trail. This would mean starting the hike on the longer trail and ending it with the shorter one.
Ship Harbor Trailhead – a relatively easy figure 8 trail takes about 1 hour inclusive of picture time. I recommend taking the right side first so you have the coastal view. Majority of the trail is flat, though there are some rocky sections.
Wonderland Trail – a flat, easy trail; same path in and out. It is also about 1 hour with picture time (trail leads to the coast). Comparing this trail with Ship Harbor, I would recommend Ship Harbor as the views are better and it’s more of an interesting hike.
Other Sights and Attractions:
Cadillac Mountain – drive to the top of the mountain for nice views of Bar Harbor and the surrounding area. I went to Acadia National Park when vehicle reservations were required and getting a ticket for Cadillac Mountain Sunrise was like trying to get concert tickets – they sold out in less than a minute! I wasn’t able to get a ticket but I heard sunrise there is beautiful. You would have to get there around 4:30am. And if you’re not a super early bird, you can come during the daytime.
Sand Beach – best view of the beach is from Beehive Trail. If you don’t want to go through Beehive Trail, there’s a section of the hike that follows the Bowl Trail. It’s less intensive and can get you to the top of the Beehive Mountain to see the view. Otherwise, the beach itself is mundane. There is a bathroom there if needed.
Thunder Hole – visit during high tide (search Bar Harbor’s high tide time for the day you are planning to visit) otherwise it can be anticlimactic. During high tide, waves crash the inlet with a thunderous boom, hence the name. There are walkway paths towards the coast along the road to Thunder Hole – nice views of the coast.
Otter Cliff Overlook – parking lot available with a very short walk to the overlook. Nice coastal views.
Jordan Pond – several parking areas here and there is a restaurant and restroom. Short trail to the pond for scenic views.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse – I personally think this can be skipped, but if you want to take pictures of a lighthouse with the coast, take the trail on the right of the bathroom (all the way at the end of the parking lot). There are stairs that lead to the rocks on the coast which you can walk on, with the lighthouse on your right.
Globe Trotter 