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A Bar Harbor vacation is the stuff of cherished memories. It encompasses natural beauty and whale watching, and rounds it up with great nights out and rare sights of the Milky Way. BBOnline shows you how to make the best of your day trip from Castine.
Acadia National Park
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
www.nps.gov
This is one of America's most well loved parks and you can spend a whole enchanted day here, hiking, biking or just lazily picnicking amidst spectacular natural beauty. The park is especially lovely in the fall when the leaves are gold and orange. It's a great outing from your Castine Bed and Breakfast.
Biking in Acadia
The Carriage Roads - a network spanning 57 miles in the park, are ideal for biking. They take you through woodlands on roads bordered with wild blueberries. Motor vehicles are not allowed, but you will come across pedestrians and horseback riders. If you're a fit and experienced cyclist, head to the challenging Park Loop Road which leads to the top of Cadillac Mountain. However, the winding road is also used by motor vehicles, so caution is advised. Do check for availability of this route from the National Park Service.
Hiking in the Acadia National Park
You can choose from more than 120 miles of hiking trails in the park. There's a trail for every level: from the very easy Bar Harbor Shore Path and the Bar Island Trail which you can access at low tide, to the extremely steep Precipice Trail with its almost vertical 1,000-foot climb. Check for availability of the Precipice Trail, as sometimes it's closed in spring and August for the protection of the endangered peregrine falcons.
Abbe Museum
This museum in the park is the only one in Maine devoted to the Native American heritage of the state. On display are the intriguing tools and artifacts belonging to the ancestors of the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac and Maliseet tribes, known as "People of the Dawn."
Whale Watching
Acadian Whale Adventures Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
1 West St.
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
www.barharborwhales.com
After you've had your fill of the park, watch Minke, Finback and humpback whales, puffins, porpoises, seals, dolphins, eagles, lighthouses and more from this tour operator's $7 million high-speed luxury catamaran. The naturalist on board will tell you all you need to know about the sights you see while the sun goes down in a blaze of color. Check their website for tour details and dates. They operate all summer.
The Criterion Theater
35 Cottage Street
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207) 288-3441
www.criteriontheater.com
After the boat tour, it's time to catch a play or the latest movie at this beautiful historic theater with its renovated art deco interior. The theater opened in 1932, and has hosted famous talents such as the actress Susan Sarandon. Try to get yourself a seat on its rare "floating" balcony. This free-hanging structure architectural masterpiece offers some of the best views of the stage and screen.
Carmen Verandah
119 Main St.
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207) 288-2766
When it's time for dinner, a drink and some live music, there's Carmen Verandah with its dancing and excellent cuisine. The verandah overlooks the village green. A perfect finish to your Bar Harbor day vacation from your Castine Inn.