Photo by Kirsten Drew on Unsplash
The 4-day plan, rearranged for 5 days: every place stays and a few more are added, and each day keeps to one part of town.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A rounded headland above Sand Beach with a loop trail along its cliffs and a wide view of the sea.
Go when Morning, on the path above Sand Beach.
Local tip A loop trail around a headland with a view of the sea. Keep back from the cliff edge and check the trail before you go.
A low granite hill beside the Park Loop Road with a coastal trail to a summit view over the sea.
Go when Morning, before the heat.
Local tip A moderate climb up the coast with a wide view. Bring water and a layer, and turn back if the weather changes.
Sandwiches, apples and cheese eaten on a rock above the shore, with the surf below.
Local tip Take all your rubbish with you, and keep food away from the gulls.
A short cove of pale sand, much of it tiny shell fragments, between granite cliffs. The water is very cold even in August, so it is a beach for walking and sitting rather than swimming.
Go when Midday, when the cove is lit.
Local tip The water is very cold, even in August. Walk the beach and the steps to the ocean path, and keep an eye on the surf.
A narrow cleft in the shore rocks where waves sometimes boom as they fill it. It is best with a rising tide and a swell. Keep behind the railings and away from the wet rocks, because big waves can be dangerous.
Go when About two hours before high tide, when the waves are strongest.
Local tip Stay behind the rails and well away from the water. Waves here have knocked people off their feet, so do not go down onto the wet rocks.
A tall granite cliff on the shore along the Park Loop Road, with the sea heaving below. Walk the ocean path beside it. Keep back from the edge and the wet rocks.
Go when Afternoon, when the sun lights the cliff.
Local tip Keep back from the edge and off the wet rocks near the sea. The ocean path beside the cliff is easy and level.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The highest point on this stretch of the Atlantic coast, with a bare granite summit and views over the islands and the bay. Come for sunrise, with a warm layer, and check ahead on road access and any reservation.
Go when Sunrise, or the hour after, when the granite glows.
Local tip Dress warmly, because the summit is windy and cold before dawn. Check ahead on road access and on any reservation for the summit road, which can book up.
A big lake ringed by the broken-stone roads that the Rockefeller family built for horses and carriages, with stone bridges and no cars. Walk or ride a short stretch, and turn back whenever you like.
Go when Morning, when the roads are quiet.
Local tip The roads are for walking, cycling and horses, never cars. Keep to the right, give way to horses and turn back at any point.
A sandwich, fruit and a handful of nuts, eaten on the granite of the hill above the pond.
Local tip There is nothing to buy on the trails, so bring water too.
A public path along the water in Bar Harbor, past old summer houses and out to a view of the Porcupine Islands. Level and easy, a good way to wake up and look at the sea.
Go when Morning, before the town wakes up and the light is soft on the water.
Local tip The path is flat and easy, with benches along it. The sea fog can roll in suddenly, so a light jacket is a good idea.
A rounded granite hill beside Jordan Pond with a huge boulder, left by a glacier, balanced on its edge. A short climb for a view of the pond and the sea beyond. Take care near the boulder and the edge.
Go when Midday, when the view is clearest.
Local tip It is a short, steep climb. Take care near the boulder and keep back from the edge, and do not climb on or push the rock.
A clear, deep pond below two rounded hills known as the Bubbles. A flat path circles it, and the water is often still in the evening.
Go when Evening, when the pond is often still (about 6:43 PM).
Local tip Walk the flat path along the shore and look back at the Bubbles reflected in the water. Bring a layer, because the evening turns cool.
Popovers, light hollow rolls served warm with jam, are a long tradition around the pond. Have one with tea, then a plain dinner of fish or a salad back in town.
Local tip Ask locally where popovers are served that day, since places come and go.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
The main visitor center of the park, on the road in from the mainland. A good place to ask about tides, trails and road access.
Go when The first morning, or on a foggy day.
Local tip Ask a ranger about trails, tides and road access before you head out. Check ahead on opening.
A museum of the Wabanaki peoples, the Native nations of Maine, who have lived on this coast for thousands of years. It sets the park in its real history and is a good stop if the weather turns.
Go when Midday, or any time the weather turns.
Local tip This is the place to learn about the Wabanaki, the people of this coast, before you walk the park. Check ahead on opening.
Sweet lobster meat on a soft toasted bun, simple and the classic taste of the coast. Eat it at a picnic table by the water.
Local tip Ask whether it comes with butter or mayonnaise, because both are traditional and people are loyal to one.
A small wooded island that you can walk to across a gravel bar, but only around low tide. Check the tide times, go out with plenty of time to spare and leave early, because the water returns fast.
Go when Around low tide only, with plenty of time to walk back.
Local tip Check the tide times for the day and be back well before the bar covers. Wear shoes you do not mind getting wet, and stay off the bar if the tide is turning.
The harbor town where the trip starts and ends, with a waterfront, a village green and small shops. Walk along the front at dusk and watch the boats come in.
Go when Early evening, as the light fades over the harbor (about 6:43 PM).
Local tip Walk the waterfront and the village green, and look out at the Porcupine Islands. In summer the town is busy, so linger early or late.
Steamed clams or mussels, fried haddock or a whole lobster, at a table with a view of the working harbor.
Local tip Tables fill early in summer, so book ahead.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A quiet Japanese-style garden by the water in Northeast Harbor, with paths, stones and a pond. Calm in any season, and bright with azaleas in late spring. Check ahead on opening.
Go when Morning, or late May and June when the azaleas are out.
Local tip A small, quiet garden, so linger over it. Check ahead on opening and on when it is in bloom.
The tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, the park's part on the mainland, where waves break against pink granite ledges.
Go when Morning, with a long day ahead.
Local tip The tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, across the bay. Waves break on pink granite, so keep back from the wet rocks. Check ahead on the road and on how long the drive takes.
A long, deep inlet that almost cuts the island in two. Drive along the shore, stopping at the pull-outs for the water and the steep wooded hills above it.
Go when Midday, as a pause between the garden and the south shore.
Local tip Use the pull-outs rather than stopping on the road. The shore is steep and wooded, with the water far below.
A whole boiled lobster with corn and drawn butter, eaten at a table by the water. A fine way to end the trip.
Local tip Ask for a bib and a cracker, and allow plenty of time.
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
A short, easy loop trail on the quiet southern shore, through spruce woods to a rocky cove at low tide. A good place to see birds and tide pools.
Go when Afternoon, near low tide for the tide pools.
Local tip An easy loop on a quiet shore. At low tide look carefully at the cove for small sea life, and leave it where you found it.
A working fishing harbor on the quiet side, with small shops, a few galleries and a calm waterfront.
Go when Afternoon, between the gardens and the lighthouse.
Local tip A working fishing harbor with small shops and a quiet waterfront. Good for a pause on the quiet side.
A crab roll or a bowl of creamy chowder, eaten at a picnic table on a working wharf.
Local tip Look for small wharf stands, which are often open only in the warm months.
A small white lighthouse on a rocky ledge at the southern tip of the island, from 1858. The classic view is from the rocks below the car park. Keep off the wet rocks and mind the tide.
Go when Evening, with the low sun on the lighthouse (about 6:43 PM).
Local tip The classic view is from the rocks below the car park. The rocks are slick, so go slowly, and the lot fills early at sunset.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, May to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Bar Harbor. This plan is built for mid September, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 5 days in Bar Harbor, planned for mid September. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 2.8 to 23.4 miles between its stops, and 44.6 miles in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
4 days in BostonAbout 200 miles away
5 days in Quebec CityAbout 220 miles away
8 days in Nova Scotia and the Cabot TrailAbout 270 miles awayMake it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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