Bar Harbor
 

Is there any "cheesy" element to Bar Harbor? I know it can get touristic, but am picturing quaint, classy but not pretentious.

I don't remeber anything "cheesy" about Bar Harbor. Went during Memorial Day weekend so it was indeed busy. The shops downtown are certainly not the upscale types.(more "Bohemian, actually!) You will not find "Coach", or Louis Vitton, or, I can't even remeber a Starbucks. But there are a number of good restaurants. How can you go wrong with boiled Maine Lobster? Anyhow the very wealthy from the NYC & Boston used to summer there & I imagine some of them still do, however, most of the big mansions are off the main drag, very well hidden & far removed from the crowds. Still a great place, harbor & Acadia Nat'l Park are very pictursque. This time around, noticed many Jamaicans working in the shops (ice cream) & hotels/restaurant (Bar Harbor Inn). I imagine there simply isn't enough summertime help there to handle the influx of tourists. Hope this helps.

<<Is there any "cheesy" element to Bar Harbor?>> Absolutley not.

<<I know it can get touristic, but am picturing quaint, classy but not pretentious.>> That's about right.

thank you, answered my question perfectly!

Acadia? Go and have fun!!!

One nice option we discovered was to stay at the Acadia Inn and took the free shuttle into "town" each day for dinners at the Bar Harbor Hotel and a boat ride or two.

Entrance to the park is a short distance away from the Inn too. Need a car though since no shuttles in or out (at least when we went).

Not sure what you like to do but there's so much hiking, easy driving and lots to see.

Recommend also going on a guided Kayak ride and to rent bikes for the Carraige Roads.

Nothing cheesy! It can, however, become very crowded and a little congested even in the sumnmertime (we just got back this past weekend and it was fine). Lots of cute little craft shops (pottery, scrimshaw, woodworking, etc.) as well as some great ice cream.

FYI...the free shuttle, the Island Explorer, has several lines, one of which will take you through Acadia and make stops along the way. It started running for the summer on 6/23 and is accessible from most of the local hotels in BH and along Rt. 3.

Christina