Just over an hour from Bangor is Acadia national park, located on Mt Desert island. This is one of the most scenic and popular tourist areas of Maine, and is known for its wildlife, lighthouses, and hiking and outdoor recreation. Above are two photos I took during the drive, passing by small towns and many bikers enjoying one of the first warm days of the year. Below are photos of the Mt. Desert coast and a lighthouse.
Above are two photos of the inlets surrounding the island showing some small boats and a huge cruise ship anchored off the coast.
Mt Desert Island has a famous tourist town called Bar Harbor that is actually much larger than I thought. When I visited it was packed with people from the cruise ship who were out shopping, going to the restaurants and taking tours and cruises of the area. Above is a seafood restaurant along the harbor.
Above are some photos of the shopping areas of Bar Harbor. I had expected just 10 stores or so, but there are actually several blocks to accommodate the thousands of people that visit by cruise ship.
Two things I wanted to do while in Bar Harbor was visit the whale museum and do a whale watching cruise. The museum was closed, and the whale watching cruises didn’t start until later in the month so I wasn’t able to do either. I did get a snapshot from the window at least, but was mostly disappointed in not being able to do the cruise. They even offer lobster catching cruises here, but not really my thing.
