ACTIVITIES

Outdoors:

Mount Desert Island (MDI) and Acadia National Park are famous for pink granite mountains, serene lakes, rugged coastlines, and charming villages.

Following is a partial list of activities and businesses that cater to adventurers. For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/acad and www.acadiamagic.com.

Bicycling:

Cycling is a wonderful way to explore Acadia National Park, and there are bike lanes on most sections of the park roads. If you plan to ride the carriage road system, thicker tires are advised, since the roads are gravel.

In Bar Harbor, bicycles can be rented at these locations, a short walk from COA:

The Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop
141 Cottage Street, (207) 288-3886
www.barharborbike.com (a great website with lots of helpful information)

Acadia Bike
48 Cottage Street, (800) 526-8615 or (207) 288-9605
www.acadiabike.com

Walking and Hiking:

There are over 125 miles of hiking trails on MDI, as well as the carriage roads and shoreline walks. As a Bar Harbor native, Michelle will share her favorites with you, and maps and a guidebook will be on hand.

For more information, visit:
www.acadiamagic.com/acadia-hiking-trails.html
www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/hiking.htm
www.acadiamagic.com/ThuyaGarden.html

Swimming:

Even in August, the water temperature of the ocean hovers around 55 degrees. Be brave and take a bracing dip at Sand Beach, or a leisurely swim in one of the spring-fed lakes including Long Pong, Somes Pond, and Echo Lake. (Sand Beach and Echo Lake Beach have changing facilities and lifeguards.) Or, try Michelle’s personal favorite – diving off the Echo Lake ledges!

Canoeing and Kayaking:

Canoeing and kayaking are fun, quiet ways to see islands, hidden coves, and perhaps even seals or bald eagles. Bring your own kayak and launch it right from the campus shore; or rent one, or take a guided tour, from one of the following companies:

• National Park Canoe & Kayak
  On Long Pond, Somesville, (207) 244-5854
• Coastal Kayaking Tours
  48 Cottage St., Bar Harbor (207) 288-9605
  www.acadiafun.com
• National Park Kayak
  39 Cottage St., Bar Harbor, (207) 288-0342
  www.acadiakayak.com
• Aquaterra Adventures
  1 West Street, Bar Harbor pier, (207) 288-0077
  www.aquaterraadventures.com

Boat Cruises:

• See and touch lobsters and other sea creatures, or simply sit back and relax as you catch glimpses of seabirds, seals, and the graceful island mountains.
• Dive-In Theater Boat Cruise
  (207) 288-3483
  (tours leave daily from the COA pier)
  www.divered.com
• Beal & Bunker mail boat to Islesford (Little Cranberry Island), Northeast Harbor pier, (207) 244-3575
  www.islesford.com/idcschd.html
• Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
  1 West St. (at the town pier), (207) 288-2386
  Note: Bring warm clothes.
  www.whalesrus.com
• Lulu Lobster Boat Rides: Harborside Hotel & Marina
  55 West St., Bar Harbor, (207) 963-2341
  www.lululobsterboar.com
• Margaret Todd windjammer cruise
  Bar Harbor Inn pier, (207) 288-4585
  www.downeastwindjammer.com

Indoors:

Need a break from the great outdoors? There’s plenty to see and explore: art galleries, libraries, shops, and museums (including the small natural history museum at COA). Here are a few more suggestions:

• Bar Harbor Whale Museum, 52 West St., Bar Harbor
  www.barharborwhalemuseum.org
• Abbe Museum (two locations)
  www.abbemuseum.org
• The Mount Desert Oceanarium (two locations)
  www.theoceanarium.com
• The Criterion Theater, 35 Cottage St., Bar Harbor
  www.criteriontheater.com
• Reel Pizza Cinerama, adjacent to the village green, Bar Harbor
  www.reelpizza.net