There is a special place in my heart for graveyards. I have always found them so calm and peaceful…read more I find the older ones to be especially beautiful, with grave markers of stone or marble, and inscriptions so poetic they continue to pull on the heartstrings decades later. Established in 1790, this is the final resting place of many citizens of Eden, now known as Bar Harbor. It was overcast on the day I chose to visit, and a cool breeze ruffled my hair as I read the names of the long departed. I wondered what these souls were like when they were alive, and if they enjoyed Mount Desert Island. The tombstones are preserved as best as possible despite aging and the elements. I don't wish to attract disrespectful attention to this hallowed place. But, if you're like me and can truly appreciate a historical site such as this, I suggest calling upon this holy place of rest.

Bottom Line: A guilded age mansion that gives a glimpse into the history of Bar Harbor and the…read moreearly 1900s. La Rochelle is a large, historical home overlooking Frenchman Bay. While it was once the 41-room summer cottage for the Bowdoin family today it serves as the headquarters of the the Bar Harbor Historical Society. The mansion is also a wedding venue. If, when visiting La Rochelle you are hoping to feel like you are stepping into a time machine to 1903, you'll need a lot of imagination. The mansion has been the home to various families and it has served several purposes since it was the Bowdoin's summer cottage. So, the physical structure is original but very little else is. Also, a lot of the rooms are closed and serve as private offices or storage for the Bar Harbor Historical Society. But, as a bonus, there is a lot of Bar Harbor history and artifacts displayed throughout. What I found most interesting about La Rochelle was the Flower Room including the placement of it. I can recall visiting mansions with a designated area of the kitchen or butler's pantry for assembling flower arrangements but I can't recall one that had a dedicated Flower Room. I also thought it was interesting that the Flower Room was placed adjacent to the main foyer instead of closer to where the servants would be working. La Rochelle is a wonderful piece of Bar Harbor and American history and I am grateful that the Bar Harbor Historical Society was able to purchase La Rochelle to preserve it for future generations. I also appreciate the very kind volunteers that work at the mansion. La Rochelle is am impressive site from West Street but it looks even more impressive from water, or so I imagine. We did not get to see the house from that view but based on pictures, you can really see the elevation of the home and the many chimneys. Before leaving La Rochelle we visited the gift shop which is full of pretty things. I was eyeing up some puzzles but due to very limited space in my suitcase I just purchased a few greeting cards. Overall we had a nice visit to La Rochelle and we were glad to support the Bar Harbor Historical Society.

Lots of interesting information. It's a self guide tour. Plenty of time to walk around. Beautiful…read moreinterior. Was having a great time till we went into the gift shop and the first 3 sentences from the gift shop cashier was political. Such a bumer to end on a sour note. The subject was illegal immigrants.....I'm Hispanic.

Yesterday was a foggy/rainy day, but they continued with the tour. The check in process was quick…read moreand easy. We arrived an hour early which put us first in line and allowed us to pick out our seat. The boat seats were a little dated, but everything was clean. Plenty of emesis bags were available. They had some issues with the microphone, but made sure that everyone was educated on what to expect. Julie the expert was super knowledgeable about the ocean sea life and what to expect. She walked around answering questions. It took an hour to get out to our location. Some on the boat experience sea sickness. Our family cracked the window open and this seemed to help. We were fortunate enough to see Spoon the whale on several occasions without binoculars ( even up close when she popped up out of the water near the boat) . It was an experience of a lifetime for our family!!! We also saw a porpoise, seals, sea birds, and the light house. The trip back was smooth. They do offer a return trip voucher if you are unable to see a whale. We had a great first time whale watching experience.

For my birthday, we joined a whale watching tour in the Gulf of Maine.  We honestly weren't sure…read morewhat to expect but were blown away by getting to see 3 different types of whales (Humpback, Minke, Finback), with multiples of each type and also two blue sharks. The people that led our tour were knowledgeable and friendly and I also appreciated they had food and drinks onboard for sale (and single serve dramamine). We had a hot dog, their ocean gin drink, and a blueberry harbor ale and couldn't have had a better time. Make sure to get there early as the most in demand seats on top of the boat were full after they let the people waiting in line early on the boat. I'd say we got there 30 minutes earlier than needed and got some of the best seats but there weren't many left. There is a shop with good coffee close so you can have one person hold your spot in line while others do that. Dress warmer than you think you need: we ended up wearing long sleeve shirts and pants with jackets and beanies and it wasn't a rough or especially cold day at sea and closer to 70 degrees on land. .

What a unique and special experience! The historical society is a Gilded Age "cottage" open to the…read morepublic. Huge, stunning home committed to sharing the history of Mount Desert Island. So many artifacts from across MDI's history. Don't miss the map room! Even the most savvy historian is sure to learn something. Considering how professionally it is laid out and curated, it's shocking they've only been open 3 years. The staff was welcoming and informative, and I can't wait to bring my family on our next visit to the island.

Clearly the word knows that Bar Harbor is a special place! Tourists swarm here from all over the…read morecountry every year. As a born and raised Mainah I do love visiting Bar Harbor too. It has that coastal charm and more seafood and ice cream shops than you can count. Thankfully when my wife and I visit we have family that live within walking distance of downtown so we can enjoy it with minimal complaints. We do love visiting before the craziness of summer happens or end of the tourist season in fall to have a little less crowding. Due to the nature of being a tourist town a lot of businesses are seasonal. I would be leaving out a huge part of Bar Harbor if I didn't mention Acadia National Park! A truly magical place to enjoy nature, an absolute must visit. Some of the areas like Cadillac Mountain may require some more planning with a reservation but book that in advance. Like any tourist town you'll find plenty of gift shops and touristy restaurants. Lots of seafood based as you'd expect but plenty of other varieties too. A downtown worth exploring and you can even visit the original Sherman's Books location as the oldest Maine Bookstore! A special town worth visiting with a coastal charm and beautiful beaches, hiking trails, and nature views!

TL/DR: Residents don't care about your safety and lack common sense. My dog was in the middle of…read moredoing his business in the village green and a toddler started running up, screaming and trying to grab my dog. I said to the parent you need to wait until my dog is done because any dog could react in the situation. The father started screaming at me and telling me that my 16-year old dog needed to be muzzled, I was a b- and a c- and he was going to call animal control and have my dog put down. My dog is animal and will react if a screaming child runs up to it when it's in its most vulnerable state, and anyone in a city or with common sense knows to teach their children to not pet strange dogs or to ask permission. I went to the cops to report this horrible incident and they simply did not care--the female cop didn't even look up at me, which says a lot about their empathy. I'm about to file a civil tort to the family since I found who they are through asking around, but the experience indicated to me that this town really doesn't give a crap about a person's safety, so good luck if you are actually hurt. I was verbally assaulted, which is called battery, and intentional inflection of emotional distress is a tort. I wouldn't expect small towners to understand these big words, but I take my safety seriously and cannot recommend a place where people just stood around watching me be assaulted. Someone actually said I needed to take a deep breath. Thanks for gaslighting me and harming me emotionally!

Meh. Not worth the $10…read more It's small and underwhelming. I guess I guess I gave it an extra star on account of the fact that it's cool they support the local native Americans. But to go just for that isn't the best idea. They need to put more on display for the price. It should be two dollars to get in. That's all.

This is more history than museum to me. Native made tools and canoes and clothing…read more Many baskets. And a chronology Of the mistreatment of the five original tribes here in Maine. Actually still fighting for rights over a local River. The white man just takes and takes. I found it to be hard to stay long. There is a Military and Senior discount available.

How that rock has stayed balanced like that all these years is beyond me but it's a cool site to…read moresee! The entire walk along the ocean "museum in the streets" path is beautiful and relaxing

Balance Rock. A glacial erratic…read more During the last Ice Age, approximately 10,000 to 30,000 years ago, a glacier creeped along the mountains in Acadia carving the landscape, creating what became lakes as the ice melted and moving huge boulders known as glacial erratics to where they sit precariously today. Balance Rock is a beautiful example of a huge rock that was picked up and moved by the glacier many miles from where it was originally. Geologists estimate that it may have come from a location near Bangor which is 40 miles away. The glacier also stripped vegetation and soil molding the mountains rounded with bare granite and boulders exposed. Very interesting and beautiful geological feature.

It was a cute experience. If you're looking for one of those recliner seat places this isn't it…read more It's more old school authentic, a vibe I feel that places are really missing these days. Show your tickets, order your food and take your seats. Straightforward. Theres also a nice area outside for sitting with umbrellas if you want to come early and eat outside, with a view of the park. Our movie was a little lame but hey we picked it, dang. It is a relatively small theater so definitely order your tickets early. We did maybe 3 days beforehand and there were lots of seating options.

In a world of disappearing arts venues, here's another place to support! Excellent independent film…read moreofferings, good pizza, friendly staff... we have an obligation to keep these civic arts venues going! Go see a film!!