Things to do in Mount Desert Island

Activities, attractions and tours

Bar Harbor showing a pond and landscape views
Cadillac Mountain which includes landscape views and a sunset
Bar Harbor which includes a pond
Bar Harbor featuring 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 featuring wetlands, forest scenes and a lake or waterhole

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 showing 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 which includes fall colors and a garden

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 showing general coastal views, a sunset and a pebble beach

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 showing a pond and landscape views

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 rocky coastline and views

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 showing 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 showing fall colors and a garden

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 showing general coastal views and rocky coastline

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 showing a pond and landscape views

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 landscape views and rocky coastline

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 savor 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 trip to 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

If you're spending some time in Downtown Bar Harbor, Village Green and Island Artisans are top sights worth seeing.

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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Seawall

Seawall might not have many top sights, but Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse and Asticou Azalea Garden are two attractions nearby that you can check out.

Seawall
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Hall Quarry

Bars and parks are just a few things travelers like about Hall Quarry. A stop by Acadia National Park is also recommended if you've got time to explore the area.

Hall Quarry
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
Acadia National Park aerial view including Bar Harbor, Bar Island, Cadillac Mountain and Otter Creek Road on Mt Desert Island, Maine ME, USA.

Otter Creek

Travelers enjoy Otter Creek for its bars and parks. Consider checking out Acadia National Park while you're in the area.

Otter Creek
Bar Harbor which includes boating and a bay or harbor

Bar Harbor

Ellsworth City Hall building against the blue sky

Ellsworth

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is located in Acadia National Park, on Mount Desert Island in Maine, USA.

Bass Harbor