What to do in Mount Desert Island, ME

Activities, attractions and tours

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Mount Desert Island travel guide

Bar Harbor showing landscape views and a pond

Cadillac Mountain featuring a sunset and landscape views

Bar Harbor showing heritage architecture and heritage elements

Mount Desert Island Attractions

Let Expedia help you to experience the best that Mount Desert Island has to offer! If you’re planning a trip to Mount Desert Island, we can provide you with a list of the top sightseeing attractions, as well as helping you to find unmissable activities. Whether you’re travelling to Mount Desert Island with your family, planning a romantic trip with your loved one, or visiting on business, we’ll make it easy to plan an unforgettable holiday that checks all the boxes.

Places of interest in Mount Desert Island

Mount Desert Island is crammed with must-see places to visit and things to do. We can help you decide where to stay in Mount Desert Island, and make it a breeze to explore Mount Desert Island and the surrounding areas with our guides on where to go, what to see and when to see it. No matter how long your stay, it’s easy to find places of interest in Mount Desert Island to make sure that you enjoy your holiday to the fullest and don’t miss a thing. Leave the local knowledge to us and leave the hassle behind.

If you’re planning a visit to Mount Desert Island, why not check out our handy guides to places of interest in the area? You can browse lists of things to do, learn about the most popular attractions, and get help with planning the details of your trip. Expedia makes it easy for you to check out all the top sights in Mount Desert Island.

Mount Desert Island attractions

Mount Desert Island has something for everyone, so whether you’re planning to get active on a summer holiday, put a spring in your step with a romantic rendezvous, or pamper yourself with a leisurely winter trip, you’ll find plenty of attractions in Mount Desert Island to keep you entertained. Expedia makes it easy to book your flight, hotel and rental car in advance, making for hassle-free travel and freeing you up to explore the sights of Mount Desert Island.

Looking for things to do in Mount Desert Island can be time-consuming, but we can take the hassle out of planning your holiday. Whether you’re looking to get active in the great outdoors, sample the cuisine of Mount Desert Island or catch up with the vibrant local culture, our guides to Mount Desert Island attractions ensure that you’ll have a successful trip, whatever the season. Happy trails!

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Recommended things to do in Mount Desert Island

Number of things to do	25
Cheapest thing to do on Expedia	Acadia Ocean Path Trailhead App-Based Self-Guided Audio Tour: £7
Top 5 things to do	Acadia Mount Desert Island Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour Acadia National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour Best of Bar Harbour Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour Acadia National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour from Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park & Bar Harbour Self-Guided Driving & Walking Tour
Half-day tours	Karaoke Party in Bar Harbour with Scenic Ocean Views Bar Harbour Walking Tour US East National Parks: Driving & Walking Audio Tour Bundle Self Guided GPS Audio Driving Tour Acadia NP From Hulls Cove VC Bar Harbour Exclusive Food Tour With Lobster
With kids	Bar Harbour Walking Tour Bar Harbour Premium Driving Tour With Thunder Hole & Acadia National Park Bar Harbour Exclusive Food Tour With Lobster Best of Bar Harbour Food Walking Tour Private Holiday Photoshoot with Photographer in Bar Harbour

What to do in Mount Desert Island

Popular places to visit

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Acadia National Park's Visitors Center

Explore the lovely green spaces of Acadia National Park's Visitors Center and also enjoy the hiking trails in Bar Harbor. Wander the area's waterfront or simply enjoy one of its lively bars.

Bar Harbor Whale Watching

Enjoy an outing to Bar Harbor Whale Watching during your stay in Bar Harbor. Wander the area's waterfront or simply enjoy one of its lively bars.

Cadillac Mountain

Drive or hike to the top of Mount Desert Island’s tallest mountain at daybreak and you will be the first person to view sunrise in the United States.

Village Green

Spend some time in this peaceful park in the center of Bar Harbor to experience the village’s thriving community spirit and heritage landmarks.

Otter Cliff

Hone your photography skills by taking artistic images of this towering headland while you listen to the soothing sound of waves lapping the rounded stones at its base.

Jordan Pond

See the looming shapes of the “Bubbles” mountains reflected in the exceptionally clear and deep water of Bar Harbor’s glacial pond.

Bar Harbor showing landscape views and rugged coastline

Thunder Hole

Nature’s magic produces a thunderclap illusion and offers panoramic views of the coastline at one of Acadia National Park’s most popular attractions.

Botanical Garden in Northeast Harbor, Maine

Asticou Azalea Garden

Explore the lovely green spaces of Asticou Azalea Garden and also enjoy the hiking trails in Northeast Harbor. Stroll along the area's waterfront or simply savour its lively bars.

The Criterion in downtown Bar Harbor, Maine, does not look very much from the exterior, but it is a glorious, well-preserved Art Deco style theatre. Opening in 1932, it has served the town of Bar Harbor as a movie palace ever since, accomodating such prominent families as the Rockefellers on their vacations to nearby Mount Desert Island.

Kept in fantastic condition over the years, the theatre still has most of its original interior: seats, curtains, and even the original lighting board for stage performances. The Criterion Theatre also contains a floating balcony, which is rare for most movie palaces. Click on the following link to see a photo of the interior:
https://www.criteriontheatre.org/

#History

Criterion Theater

You can enjoy a show at Criterion Theater during your stay in Bar Harbor. Stroll along the seaside or seek out the hiking trails.

Explore areas of Mount Desert Island

Beautiful sunset over looking the harbor!

Downtown Bar Harbor

While visiting Downtown Bar Harbor, you might make a stop by sights like Village Green and Island Artisans.

Somesville

You'll enjoy the bars and museums in Somesville. You might want to make time for a stop at Acadia National Park or Long Pond.

Hall Quarry

Visitors to Hall Quarry like its bars and parks, and Acadia National Park is a sight worth a stop.

Seawall

While there might not be top attractions in Seawall, you can explore the larger area and discover places like Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse and Asticou Azalea Garden.

Manset

If you're looking for some top things to see and do in Manset and surrounding area, you can visit Asticou Azalea Garden and Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

Pretty Marsh

If you're spending some time in Pretty Marsh, Acadia National Park and Long Pond are top sights worth seeing.

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