Off to Acadia Village for a week - anyone need any info on the area or the resort ?

[kwelty]

I have a cruise stop in Bar Harbor in late August next year. I think it is a tender port from 7-4pm. So assume I have from 9-2:30pm what would you suggest? Guided tours or on our own? Should I try to rent a car to explore? Has anyone done any guided tours or boat trips that they especially loved.

We are on a cruise this Sept. that stops there and we plan on using L.L. Bean's free shuttle bus to get around the area.

The Island Explorer features bus routes linking hotels, inns, and campgrounds with destinations in Acadia National Park and neighboring village centers. Clean propane-powered vehicles offer Mount Desert Island visitors and residents free transportation to hiking trails, carriage roads, island beaches, and in-town shops and restaurants.

Island Explorer Home

 

[missyrcrews]

Bunk, if you are going to be there more than a couple of days, explore Castine, Deer Isle, Little Deer Isle, Stonington. A ton of history, and beautiful views as well, without the crazy that can be Bar Harbor. We also enjoyed driving Rt 1 north to the "other" side of Acadia...the Schoodic Peninsula.

Tschwa2, we tend to avoid Bar Harbor "in season"....too crowded for this Mainer. I'm sure that others will chime in. If it were me, I wouldn't bother with a car. There are tour buses and trolleys that will take you around to the sites if your aim is to see Acadia.

I really enjoyed our trip there last summer, and in some ways, I loved it in January more. Missing it this year. Hopefully I can find a long weekend this fall to venture up that way!

 

[tonyg]

I'll go along with Missy's suggestions. Schoodic is a nice trip down rt. 1 - maybe 45 minutes from AVR. I like it best on a windy day. As for bar harbor, I consider it to be a tourist trap and driving there is congestion. We were going to the main park in June, but we never got to as we turned around when it became evident that there was a several mile backup from the island (MDI). Ben a while since we have been there and the changes are not popular with the locals - particularly the Cadillac Mountain reservations and fee. October should be a good time to visit - even Bar Harbor (if there are no cruise ships in harbor). I can still remember a time when Labor Day was the end of the tourist season there.

 

[Bunk]

We spent a very nice week at Acadia Village Resort at the beginning of October.

Acadia National Park was very crowded. Especially the parking lots. But once we started to hike, the crowds always thinned out considerably and we had a good time. Lots to do in the park. We caught sunset at Cadillac Mountain and Gorham Mountain. We were surprised that there was no introductory tape at the Visitor Center.

We stumbled upon Asticou Azalea Gardens, Thuya Gardens and Asticou Terrace in Northeast Harbor. They were great. If we visit in the summer, we’ll make sure to see Rockefeller Gardens in Seal Harbor and also do a boat tour to see the puffins

Schoodic Peninsula is well worth visiting. No crowds. Even Schoodic Point had very few people on a gorgeous warm and sunny Sunday.

We found very good restaurants on Mount Desert Island and also in Ellsworth/Trenton.

@tonyg Thanks for your recommendations about Acadia Village Resort. We were very happy with the Unit. The separate units provided a lot of privacy for us and our guests. It was an easy drive from the Village to Acadia National Park, to Schoodic and to points further east.

(Photos are view from Gotham Mountain, sunset at Cadillac Mountain, and Schoodic Point)

 

[amycurl]

@tschwa2, PM closer to your dates and let me know when you are there. We may overlap and I would be happy to give you a guided, free tour of the island. My mom sold her place on the island, but she picked up additional weeks at Harbor Ridge, so we'll still be on the island every August.

I would definitely recommend the free Island Explorer buses. You can catch them at the Village Green in downtown Bar Harbor and get to any place you would want to go. While it's not "guided," it is a great way to view the scenery. For that limited amount of time, I would take the one the circles the Park Loop Road and you can get off and explore all of the iconic spots, including Thunder Hole, and walk the Ocean Path.

 

[dmbrand]

We own an early October unit at Harbor Ridge that we always use for trading. After seeing the pics, I am thinking we should use our unit next year. How were the temps, @Bunk?

 

[amycurl]

You should definitely use your week, @dmbrand! Currently, temps on MDI have been in the 30s/40s during the mornings, and warming to 50s/low 60s on sunny days. It can get windy and rainy, which can make it feel chillier. It's great weather for hiking on the island, although a tad cool for water-based activities, but if you layer-up, it's fine. And the crowds will be going down now. I would just avoid downtown Bar Harbor in early October when a cruise ship is in port.

 

[Bunk]

@tschwa2

I'm not sure whether the town's action and the proposed citizen's initiative that is scheduled for a vote next month will affect your cruise:

https://www.mainepublic.org/busines...er-cruise-ships-will-come-to-a-head-this-fall

For Bar Harbor, long-simmering debate over cruise ships will come to a head this fall

This is the view we had from the park. I believe this is the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Sea

 

[tschwa2]

I'll be there in late May and it looks like September and October are the only months that have more cruise passengers than the proposed cap will allow. The summer shuttle service didn't begin until June 30 in 2022 so I doubt they will have it up and going by May 28th when my cruise tender's in at 7am.

 

[Bunk]

We own an early October unit at Harbor Ridge that we always use for trading. After seeing the pics, I am thinking we should use our unit next year. How were the temps, @Bunk?

We really lucked out with the weather. In one week, we had a few days where we only needed a sweat shirt and after we warmed up from hiking for a while, just a t-shirt. Mostly sunny. Several days were in the high 60's and once it was in the low 70's. It was cold at night. Lows generally ranged between mid 30's to mid 40's. When we were at Cadillac Mountain to see the sunset, it felt pretty cold.

 

[missyrcrews]

@Bunk , we were in Castine for Columbus Day weekend. Weather was gorgeous! I'm glad you had fun. Acadia Village isn't fancy, but it is quite comfortable. Looking forward to trying out Harbor Ridge one of these days, too. In my opinion, October is one of the very best times to be in Maine!

 

[kwelty]

Looking forward to trying out Harbor Ridge one of these days, too.

We own at Harbor Ridge and love it. I see you own at Samoset. We are in the process of buying a June week there that precedes our Harbor Ridge week so we will have two weeks in Maine.

 

[JudyH]

There are way too many instagramers at Bass Harbor Lighthouse.

 

[Brett]

@tschwa2

I'm not sure whether the town's action and the proposed citizen's initiative that is scheduled for a vote next month will affect your cruise:

https://www.mainepublic.org/busines...er-cruise-ships-will-come-to-a-head-this-fall
For Bar Harbor, long-simmering debate over cruise ships will come to a head this fall

This is the view we had from the park. I believe this is the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Sea

It will be interesting if the locals vote to reduce the cruise ships docking at Bar Harbor

Our view from the balcony when we were at Bar Harbor last month