I am looking at Bar Harbor, Maine, for an anniversary 4-day getaway in mid-June. Neither one of us have been to Maine.

Looking for recommendations for B&B's that won't break the bank.

Any recommendations for scenic drives and places to stop for picnic and places to pick up picnic "stuff."

Any great restaurants that are off the beaten path? Locals & Mom & Pop places -- not greasy spoon places.

Thanks for your help.

Budman, see my post from Sept. for some restaurant suggestions:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34449704

Picnic stuff:
We pick up sandwiches, etc. at the Cottage St. Bakery or the Bagel Place. There is also a grocery store on Cottage St.

Any road on the island is scenic, IMO.

Don't stay in B&Bs, so don't have an opinion, but BH & Acadia are high on our list of favorite places. Enjoy!

Budman,

We stayed at the Quimby House. It's not a true B& B....but is well maintained, has large rooms, reasonably priced and good location.

http://www.quimbyhouse.com/index.html

Thanks for your replies.

Are there any other Maine-e-acts out there who would like to chime in?

I'm leaning toward the Atlantean Inn and their 4-night package. Being able to walk to downtown, shops, and restaurants is a plus. Any comments, suggestions, recommendations?

Visited Bar Harbor three years ago in August. It is extremely crowded during the summer months. If the Porcupine Grill is still there, I would highly recommend it. The owner sat with us and drank wine like he'd known us! A truly wonderful experience. Bar Harbor is more of a family oriented town. Belfast, Camden and Rockport are more serene and romantic.

Wherever you stay, I'm positive you will fall in love with Maine and its lifestyle. Living in Texas I've been planning a move to the New England area for the last three years. Haven't experienced the nor'easter though.

It is most romantic to take a picnic lunch to the nearest lighthouse grounds and take in the scenery of the ocean and the rocky coast.

B&B in Bar Harbor during the summer are pretty pricey. Bar Harbor is one of the more expensive cities on the Maine coast.

Good luck!!

It shouldn't be too crowded in mid-June although you never know. We stayed in Searsport June 2002 and there was a Model T convention going on. The Blue Hill Peninsula area just south is also a lovely area to explore. Your timing might be perfect for the Lupine Festival. It's a small local event and provides a map to great lupine viewing spots. If you enjoy gardens, the Blue Poppy is wonderful. If you are driving thru Camden, make sure to drive up Mt Battie for the incredible view overlooking the harbor. Then get directions to the Cellar Door Winery and see if they are open for a tasting. The view of their vineyard from the barn window is used on their wine labels. When we stayed in Acadia and drove up Cadillac, I wish we had gone for sunrise. Next visit.

Hopefully you will go to Acadia National Park. That was our main reason for going to Bar Harbor. There is a visitor center at the entrance and you can check out their web site. I would definitely take that scenic road. I would think you would be able to find spots to picnic there. The carriage roads are worthwhile seeing--we rented bicycles--you can access them at different places and walk or take horse drawn carriage rides also--no cars are allowed on them. There is a tea house there that is very popular--you can eat there, or just walk the grounds. There was also a lake in Acadia, that people were swimming in also.

We loved Bar Harbor too--it was peaceful and interesting just sitting by the bay and watching the activity. We found a great variety of eating places--weren't disappointed in any of them.

We stayed at the Holbrook House. Pretty good location, reasonable and very nice. The owners were very helpful.

Budman, we visited Bar Harbor a few years ago and stayed at the Black Friar. Prices were moderately high then. The king suite located on the first floor is very nice. Other rooms were nice, but nothing special. You can check them out at www.blackfriarinn.com.

Don't miss the afternoon tea in Jordan Pond house in Arcadia National Park. You will be served outside at the lawn right by the Bubble pond. I was there last summer. The popovers there are just delicious! It is a good place for picking up picnic stuffs too.

We stayed in Bar Harbor last June....at great time of year. we stayed at The Maples Inn...www.maplesinn.com...We loved it and are returning this September for our 25th anniversary. The inn was small but beautiful, full breakfast every morning with great hosts. We mainly went for Acadia, biking, hiking...great views. Mother Nature did an awesome job in Acadia. Loved it!!