While searching for Maine history we found this battle ground site…read more No metal detectors. Parking and a picnic table. Hard to find, it is behind the Fort O'Brien public school. Very peaceful site. There were once four guns there and a barracks. We were attacked by the British here.

Located inside Acadia National Park. It has a parking lot across the street for you to park and…read morewalk over. I liked that there are steps at various levels, so you can get a range of different views of the rocks and water. Plus it's a great place to get your steps in (if thats important to ya). I really enjoyed this spot on our way out leaving the park. Beautiful scenery to enjoy nature. One could spend a few minutes here or a couple of hours here taking it all in. It was not high or low tide, so I did not get to here the "thunder" but still really cool to look at. According to the internet: "Thunder Hole is a popular inlet known for the loud thunder like boom and spray created when the waves crash into a narrow sea cave. The sound and spray are most dramatic 1 to 2 hours before high tide, but it also interesting at low tide for a closer look at the cliffs." While it was cloudy and chilly on my visit, I still had a great time with my group. Enjoy!

This may have been our favorite place to visit in Bar Harbor. Loved exploring the rocks, the sounds…read moreof the waves, and the scenic view. Hike wasn't bad, was able to park along the road and walk along the way on a paved pathway. On a beautiful sunny summer day, the sound of the waves and smell of the salty ocean was perfect.

This small concrete reinforced bridge spans the Machias River in East Machias. It carries US-1…read more Named after William Pope, it was privately financed by three of his descendants and his seven sons who were early settlers and entrepreneurs of East Machias. In 1902, it was the first bridge to be constructed of reinforced concrete and is believed to be the oldest concrete bridge of any type still in use in Maine. A three-arch, closed spandrel structure, it is the work of Leonard Metcalf, a preeminent civil engineer and bridge designer. It is the fourth bridge in this location to cross the East Machias River. There is a small parking area on the west side of the bridge where the Sunrise Trail follows the course of the river. Mill Memorial Park (which we did not visit) is on the east side, downstream from the bridge. It is a very pretty bridge and at this time of the year, some of the snowmelt is making for a lovely rush of rapids under the bridge and through the rocks. Stop by for a picture, as we did. [Review 14860 overall, 362 of 2021, number 46 in Maine.]

This place is waiting for you. A little bit of history along with the simple beauty of a lighthouse…read moreon a cliff surrounded by trees, the waves lapping the coastline, various trails made spongy-feeling by the dense foliage long since released from its branches leading down to the shore, benches under a thick pine awning, amazing water views ... wow. Come during their hours of operation and get a tour of the lighthouse and the Burnt Coat Museum. Learn some island history from the kind folks who manage the lighthouse. If you have a special event and are looking for a place to host it, you are able to rent the Burnt Coat Harbor House next to the lighthouse. This is my third trip, and although they closed 30-minutes prior to my arrival, Kimberly, as she was exiting the building, stopped to talk with me and answer a few questions. I learned that Harbor Island (the big island straight across from the lighthouse) is owned by four families, has a wharf, electricity and they allow visitors to dock and hike around the island. If you're feeling *really* adventurous (and have a boat) you can take advantage of that opportunity as well.

beautiful to catch a sunset here. the lighthouse is so cool to checkout. i remember seeing a…read morebutterfly around here. highly recommend

Nice sandy beach ! Nice view ! Nice picnic area across the street with out houses . Not a huge…read morebeach .

This is a great spot. Parking , bathrooms and a long empty beach. Lapping waves. Very cold water…read more Lots of sea birds This is a pay to park beach, honor system.

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. .

Spent the July 4th weekend in Bar Harbor and we booked this company for the whale watching as well…read moreas for the fireworks on the water. I will start by saying that the staff is absolutely wonderful! Super attentive and polite and was constantly checking on all of the riders. The ride was long but we went to two locations before we finally got a glimpse of one humpback whale- Anthur. The captain did his best to get us as close to the whale as possible without disrupting it and also tried to make sure both sides of the boat got ample time to view. The narrator on the boat had a ton of information to provide which was really cool. It wasn't just about whales, we learned about other sea life and productivity and sustainability as well as about the harbor and Acadia park. It was an experience for sure. I do tend to get a little motion sickness which thankfully I was spared on this trip- but unfortunately it seemed like it was happening all around us where people were just losing it. The staff was quick to react and accommodate those riders with bags, drinks and food. Prepare for the cold because even though it was 80 degrees on land, it was extremely windy and freezing out of the water. They do provide hot chocolate and coffee and snacks on board for purchase, you can also bring food on board as well. We went back out again in the evening for the fireworks- they do a trip out towards the lighthouse and the porcupine islands and again provide lots of information about the islands, sea life, and about the earlier settlers. That part was great- the fireworks (out of their control) was eh. Everyone said Bar Harbor has some of the best fireworks and unfortunately they were super underwhelming. Would I do it again..... probably not, but it was an experience that we enjoyed and have stories to tell.

This is a small historic site. There is nothing much to see. Great view. Good place to have quick…read moreoutdoor lunch. Good for a little walk. Worth visiting if you happen to be nearby especially if you are into history.

Saint Croix (Maine) has a history and some pleasant views of the coastline. There is a visitors…read morecenter. This is a very small monument. If you want to go to all the National monuments this is one.

Great views particularly at sunset...but the small parking lot, which accommodates about 20…read morevehicles, can get full. During our visit, about 40 minutes before sunset mid-week in late August, we, along with about 4 other cars, patiently waited along Lighthouse Road while cars left in order to take their spots. It must have been good timing as about 5 cars left within about 10 minutes. The path from the west of the parking lot, takes you down directly to the lighthouse. The path to the east of the parking lot is very popular as you can take some stairs down to the rocky area which gives you some great views of the lighthouse set to the backdrop of the rising or setting sun. Note that the west path is fairly easy to navigate, but the east path has stairs. You then have to climb onto (some uneven) rocks in order to get a clear view of the lighthouse. This may be difficult for mobility-impaired individuals or those with strollers. Note that during our visit here we did NOT have to show any park pass to enter and park in this area.

This spot was in the absolute middle of nowhere. If you are like us and staying in Bar Harbor, it…read morewas a long drive on one-lane roads with huge potholes to get here. We were in town during the off-season early May before everything tends to open back up about mid-month. So, nothing to eat and nothing to do. Town was deserted. The lighthouse is pretty - but it's not a hike to it, more of a short walk and rock scrabbling to get the instaworthy shot everyone wants. Small parking lot which I can see as a major problem during summer... we had no issues on May 2nd. There are a couple nearby hikes that can be found 2 minutes drive - with super small parking areas.

Gorgeous views of the water…read more We did the Ocean Path Trail from Sand Beach to Otter Cliffs, and unless you have plenty of time and are just looking for a nice relaxing walk on the side of the road, I'd recommend parking in the closest lot to the cliffs and just doing the trail from there. This portion is more of a hike with some minor inclines and rocky paths. We came while it was raining and foggy, so the views were nice but limited, and there was no wildlife out whatsoever. However, I can only imagine how beautiful it would have been in the sun with good weather. Definitely be careful here when it's wet as the rocks are smoother and can get pretty slippery. Good stop worthy of the views.

so it was way down from road level and I did not feel like going down, but most of the pictures you…read morewill see in bar harbor stores. - it's from here. it is a wonderful viewpoint that overlooks the coastline and consists of interesting granite rocks. The parking lot for the Otter Cliff Overlook is quite small but it's not as busy of an attraction as some of the other highlights at Acadia National Park.