Lunch and Shopping in Bar Harbor, Thunder-hole (again), Cadillac Mountain, and Bass Harbor Lighthouse
What up Road Trip Warriors!? I wanted to follow up with what I did on my second day spent in Acadia National Park. I spent about three hours shopping and walking around Bar Harbor, went back to Thunder-Hole, drove to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, and went to Bass Harbor Lighthouse for sunset. It wasn’t as busy as the prior day, but it was nice to spend some more time in Bar Harbor which I highly recommend.
Lunch and Shopping in Bar Harbor
Due to waking up late, and already spending so much time in Acadia National Park, I wanted to dedicate some time to exploring Bar Harbor. There are plenty of restaurants and shops to check out. I had lunch at Bar Harbor Beer Works. Their menu was your usual pub menu, and I ordered buffalo cauliflower and a side of fries which tasted great. There are plenty of more popular places to eat like Geddy’s. They’ve been around for decades and serve nachos in a car hubcap! There is also an Irish pub and plenty of seafood restaurants.
There are also great ice cream shops in Bar Harbor. One shop (that I did not go to) apparently has lobster ice cream that, from what I’ve read, does not taste good. I got a vegan almond milk ice cream swirl at a different ice cream store and it was excellent!
The stores in Bar Harbor range from your typical tourist stores to unique Maine products. One store, In the Woods, has all their items made out of wood. They have a wall in the back of the store with a HUGE pile of wooden birdhouses. Another store had hiking gear, cozy sweaters, and adventure stickers. I highly suggest setting aside a couple hours and checking out the stores in the area.
Thunder-hole (again)
I stopped at Thunder-hole again in hopes that it would be putting on a show, but the tide was low, and ocean wasn’t doing anything spectacular. Because of these reasons, I didn’t stay long. If you go to Thunder-hole, check what time of day would be best so you are able to witness it in all its glory.
Summit of Cadillac Mountain
This time around, after hiking up the mountain in a torrential rainstorm, I drove up the mountain when the sun was shining and skies were clear. The drive up the mountain is so scenic and there are pullouts along the road where you can stop and take photos. The summit has plenty of places to park, bathrooms, and a gift shop with some great souvenirs. You can explore the rocky summit where there are plenty of places to walk around, signs to be read, and pictures to be taken. You can see Bar Harbor from the summit and the islands in the Atlantic. The views exceed expectations.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse at Sunset
The last stop for the day was at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse for sunset. I had seen plenty of pictures of this lighthouse online and I couldn’t leave Acadia without seeing it for myself. The lighthouse 1858 with the fog bell and tower being added in 1876. The tower stands 32′ tall and is inaccessible by crowds/tourists. There is actually a barbed wire fence preventing access.
The lighthouse itself is beautiful, but it is way more difficult to get a picture of it than instagram and the internet portray. Once you park in the lot and make your way down the wooden stairs, you’ll notice that there are some trees partially blocking the view of the lighthouse. You can walk further down onto the rocks, but be careful not to fall into the ocean water. It would be difficult to get back out…..Even after going on these rocks, it is still hard to get a good shot. Despite all of this, I still recommend visiting this historic lighthouse, especially at sunset. You can never go wrong with a sunset on the ocean!
In Summary
In summary, Acadia National Park has more than enough for you to do if you choose to spend a weekend there. I just wanted to share some insight on what I was able to accomplish in two full days while in this beautiful part of Maine. I highly recommend Acadia for individuals that want to hike, spend time at the ocean, and eat great food in Bar Harbor. It has something for everyone so take a trip if you can!
Note
Thank you for taking the time to check out my site and this post on Acadia National Park! I hope you enjoyed the pictures and found the information useful. If you liked this post or any other post, hit the like button, subscribe to the blog by hitting the follow button, and feel free to leave a comment! Keep on adventuring!
-Ant
