If you’ve visited the beautiful coastal town of Bar Harbor, Maine, then you already know it is practically synonymous with Acadia National Park; the town is the gateway to this well-known park, which offers a host of natural wonders and features, including Cadillac Mountain (the highest peak on the Atlantic seaboard and the first to see the sunrise from October to March).
Having such a panoply of environmental beauty alongside the veritable bounty of Bar Harbor’s tourist amenities like restaurants, pubs, shops, and galleries means plenty of opportunities for tour companies.
No matter what kind of outing you’re looking for while in the Bar Harbor area—rigorous, humorous, fun, informative, or foodie-centric—chances are you’ll find the perfect fit among the tours on offer here.
Note that, as Bar Harbor and Acadia are predominantly fair-weather destinations, all of these guided tours are seasonal. If you’re visiting in the winter, scroll down to the bottom for some self-guided options.
Map of Bar Harbor Tour Starting Locations
While these tours cover a lot of ground, we’ve mapped out their starting points for you in advance.
Food-Related Tours
Bar Harbor Culinary Walking Tour
Enjoy a leisurely stroll around the Village Green and downtown Bar Harbor as you ingest local lore, harbor history, and fantastic fare, all at the same time.
Maine Day Adventures organizes these tours, and the outings are intentionally limited to 14 guests or less so that your tour guide will have ample time to answer questions, offer suggestions, and provide fascinating commentary at every stop.
Lunch is included; you can count on partaking of some of Maine’s most iconic flavors while listening to each owner describe their business’s beginning and evolution as well as the creation process of each specialty.
Every tour guide is well-versed in the area’s history—and all are passionate about sharing their knowledge.
Duration: 3 hours
Offered May through November
Bar Harbor Lunchtime Tasting Tour
“Taste your way through town” on this delightful, 1-mile picnic tour of the Bar Harbor downtown area.
You’ll enjoy a relaxing stroll through town while listening to your guide’s expert narration on a variety of topics, including local history, legends, and factoids.
Fun for the whole family, this tour includes stops at a variety of dining establishments, where you’ll choose to-go options from fresh-made local fare (think lobster rolls, chowder, crab cakes, and whoopie pies).
You’ll then be escorted to three popular Bar Harbor parks in the Village and on the waterfront for idyllic, unforgettable, al fresco dining experiences.
Also run by Maine Day Adventures, $1 from every ticket sale goes to a Maine charity; well-behaved dogs are allowed to join in the fun as well.
Duration: 2 hours
Offered June through October
Guided Mushroom Foraging
For an utterly unique Bar Harbor tour experience, head to Flora Funga Farms for a guided foraging adventure.
Not only will owner Willow Cullen teach you to identify which species of mushrooms are edible, poisonous, and medicinal, but you will also be given a fascinating lesson on the area’s geological history and how to recognize which trees typically are associated with the growth of certain mushrooms.
The tours take place on private land on which Willow has been given permission to sustainably forage—a skill she is more than happy to pass on to her clients, teaching folks to avoid the practice of “plundering the woods for profit.”
You’ll also receive recipes and preparation instructions for edible mushrooms; all ages are welcome on these easy walking tours.
Duration: Varies
Offered June through December
General/Historical Sightseeing
Classic Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park Bus Tour
As implied earlier, you surely can’t go to Bar Harbor without visiting Acadia National Park—and this narrated bus tour, which has been running since 1955, is a great way to do it.
Operated by Acadia National Park Tours, it serves up equal doses of information on the history, wildlife, and geology of both the park and the town.
There are three 20-minute stops in Acadia National Park, including Thunder Hole, Cadillac Mountain, and The Wild Gardens of Acadia (Sieur De Monts Spring); there is very little walking involved, and the option to do so is always at your discretion.
There are bathrooms at each stop, and an Acadia National Park pass is not necessary to take part in the tour.
Duration: 2.5 hours
Offered mid-May through October
Premium Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park Bus Tour
Kick your Bar Harbor bus tour up a notch with this option, which takes you along the full 27-mile park loop circuit through Acadia National Park.
Also run by Acadia National Park Tours, the Berkshire coach bus for this Premium option is even more upscale than the one for the Classic tour, and there is an extra stop at the famous Jordan Pond House, where you can enjoy their signature tea and melt-in-your-mouth popovers.
The Premium tour also gives passengers more time (20-30 minutes) to enjoy each stop, and the extended drive also allows for additional narrative on the park and surrounding area; an Acadia National Park pass is not required to participate.
Duration: 3.5 to 4 hours
Offered mid-May through October
Ultimate Bar Harbor, Acadia, & Mount Desert Tour
Run by At Your Service Tours, this granddaddy of all Bar Harbor tours is the company’s longest and most comprehensive for the area. Depending on the size of your group, you’ll enjoy your tour from the comfort of a minivan or a 14-passenger van while viewing and learning all about 15 different points of interest in the park along the Loop Road and surrounding Mount Desert Island communities.
Sights will include Asticou Garden, the summit of Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach, Precipice Cliffs, the Somesville Bridge, the park’s famous natural seawall, and Otter Cliffs, among others.
You’ll also have opportunities for short strolls and to purchase lunch at a working lobster pound in Southwest Harbor, where you can observe the lobstering industry in action.
Duration: 6 hours
Offered Memorial Day to Columbus Day
Acadia Private Day Tours & Hikes
This easy-to-moderate, day-long, private tour is for groups of up to 12 people and can be customized to specifically meet the needs or limitations of everyone in your reservation.
You and your tour guide will collaborate in advance to choose which stops you’d like to include in your adventure and how long you’d like to spend at each location.
Every professional guide at Good Trip Adventures is an expert on all things Bar Harbor and Acadia, and you’ll be treated to a wealth of enlightening information on the area’s history, ecology, geology, and wildlife.
The tour includes private round-trip transportation, a medically-trained tour guide, and a top-notch picnic lunch; note that the park entry fee is additional.
Duration: 1 day
Offered May through October
Scenic Trolley Tour
Don’t have a lot of time but want to pack in as much sightseeing as possible?
Then a narrated tour on Oli’s Trolley is surely your best bet—and you don’t even have to wear comfortable walking shoes.
In just half an hour of seated comfort, you and your family will receive an information-packed tour of the village and the downtown area, learning all about Bar Harbor’s history and where all the best restaurants, attractions, and must-see landmarks are.
It’s a fantastic way to get to know the area when you first arrive, and invaluable for planning the rest of your vacation.
Duration: 30 minutes
Offered July through November
Bar Harbor from the Water
Afternoon Schooner Sail on Frenchman Bay
One of the options offered by Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines, this particular adventure tends to be a bit zippier than other cruise options, due to the typical uptick in wind velocity every afternoon.
You’ll experience breathtaking views of Bar Harbor as you sail across Frenchman Bay while enjoying local historical facts, scenic points of interest, and most probably some wildlife visits.
Guests are welcome to pack a picnic lunch or snacks; beer, wine, and soft drinks are available to purchase, and pets are welcome on board. Keep in mind it is always cooler on the water, so dress in layers!
Duration: ~2 hours
Offered mid-May through October
Rock Talk with Captain Craig
Also run by Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines, this specialty tour is perfect for families and anyone with an interest in geology or nature in general.
Sailing with Captain Craig is like being aboard a floating classroom; you’ll learn all about coastal Maine’s geological background as you take in the spellbinding, raw beauty of Ironbound Island’s sea caves and sheer cliffs.
You can also expect to catch sight of various wildlife; anything from bald eagles and osprey to porpoises and whales…and the views of Acadia National Park from the water are amazing.
Pack a picnic lunch, your binoculars, and plenty of warm clothes for this spectacular adventure.
Duration: 2 hours
Offered mid-May through October
Unguided Tours
If you’re not in the mood for keeping to someone else’s schedule, here are a couple of options for self-guided tours:
