Bar Harbor in early July

[calgalcruiser]

We were planning on doing the kayaking excursion in Bar Harbor, but from reading some discussions on this site, it sounds like we could have rather cool and foggy weather, and even rain, in the beginning of July. Since kayaking is only offered at 9:30 in the morning, is it a bad bet to sign up for this excursion? It sounds like so much fun and a great way to see the coastline, but not if its freezing (and its always colder on water than land). Thanks for any advice you can give us, especially if you live in the area or have been in Bar Harbor around July 1st.

[BJS]

We were planning on doing the kayaking excursion in Bar Harbor, but from reading some discussions on this site, it sounds like we could have rather cool and foggy weather, and even rain, in the beginning of July. Since kayaking is only offered at 9:30 in the morning, is it a bad bet to sign up for this excursion? It sounds like so much fun and a great way to see the coastline, but not if its freezing (and its always colder on water than land). Thanks for any advice you can give us, especially if you live in the area or have been in Bar Harbor around July 1st.

We were there for several days about that time and yes it was cold with some fog in the mornings. Most afternoons were pleasant but not especially warm. Average temps in July are about 67 degress with 3 inches of rain. Summer temperatures vary from 45° F to 85° F and you may encounter rain and fog at any time, but the sun does shine.

 

If it were me I'd plan something different but being from AZ that is winter weather for me and others might find it perfect.

[Jan_In_Maine]

July in Maine is beautiful and can be very warm ... or not so warm. One never knows around here what the weather will be and it is always subject to change without warning. It will probably be cool in the morning - I'd take a sweatshirt and a long sleeved shirt and wear jeans - be prepared for cool/cold wind on the water -

 

The water around here never gets warm - even in the hottest days of the summer the water will turn your toes blue and take your breath away. A few years ago (in July) my daughter had a friend visit from Maryland - so of course I had to take them on the loop road and to sand beach just so I could laugh hysterically at how quickly they could get in and then out of the water -

 

I think Kayaking would be a total blast - as long as you are dressed properly and do not expect weather/water similar to Florida.

 

I'm going to be on the "quiet side of the island" the week after next for a week's vacation - hopefully we won't get snow - some years we do. Let me know if you have other questions - I can always pick up brochures.

 

Kayaking, a tour around the loop, a little shopping (My Maine Bag has many items made locally) - Lots of nice places to have lunch - I enjoy Getty's (pronounced like "Jetty's") but have tried many different places. Stop and have ice cream, home made fudge, visit "cool as a moose", the bookstore, walk along the walkway near the park - (about a 1/2 mile walk?) It is a lovely touristy town.

 

Jan

[calgalcruiser]

Jan, thanks so much for all the helpful info. About Getty's, what type of food do they serve? Is it a seafood or hamburger place? Also, could you recommend a good shop to purchase local art from? (paintings with the ocean, lighthouses, etc?)

[Jan_In_Maine]

Getty's is a bar & grill type establishment with lots of charm - rustic tables, fiesta ware plates and paper towels - servers wear jeans and tee shirts - lots of local town signs hanging up - they serve pizza (brick oven) bbq chicken with gouda and cilantro is heaven - they also have lobster, clams, nacho's etc... usually its crowded with lots of laughter, kids welcome - all of Maine is non smoking.

 

As far as paintings - last year there was a store right in town that only sold paintings, but I will have to check next week to see if they are opening again. Sometimes paintings/prints sold are not local - so you will need to ask.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions. Jan

[David]

Hi Jan:

 

I have a group of 14 people on Enchantment of the Seas. We'll be in Bar Harbor on August 11. Are there any private tour companies that we can hire for most or all of us to see the top sights in Acadia -- and then maybe have a late lobster lunch in town? If you can recommend any tour companies and/or restaurants I'd be very grateful. Also, are there things to see in town within walking distance of the cruise ship tender?

 

Thanks.

 

David

[Jan_In_Maine]

David - I think that you would greatly benefit from going to the following website: http://www.barharborinfo.com - It is a wonderful site that will lead to all sorts of ideas for the day - The site lists tour companies that you could call or e-mail and the listing of restaurants is quite extensive. Let me know what you think.

 

Bar Harbor is one of the towns on the island of Mt. Desert (Desert is usually pronounced as something you eat after dinner - not a hot dry area). Many years ago people who visited the area were called "rusticators" as it was quite rural and very different from NYC, etc. Over the years the town has tried to keep its charm, there are many beautiful homes/bed & breakfasts, etc. In the summer it is a very busy place and there can be a lot of traffic in town. There are no freeways/highways - mostly 1 lane of traffic each way.

 

The town is maybe 3-4 blocks long and there are a few side streets, lots of different shops and restaurants - not difficult to walk it in an hour. Enjoy! Jan

[David]

Hi Jan:

 

Thanks so much for the information. I checked the website briefly and it looks like the information I'm looking for is all there. Once I've had a chance to delve into some of the options, I'll probably have more questions for you.

 

Since our primary interest is to spend about half our day in Bar Harbor seeing Acadia, it looks like there are 3-4 options: Ollies Trolley; MDI Tours; the company that runs a school bus type of transportation; or the cab company that has vans that transport up to 12 people. We will probably want to customize our tour, spend 2.5-4 hours in Acadia, then find a restaurant in town for a lobster lunch, and after that walk around town until it's time to take the tender back to the ship.

 

Thanks again for the helpful suggestions.

 

David

[Jan_In_Maine]

David - this is what I would do, but only my personal opinion - I would do the cab company that has vans and make it as personal as possible - perhaps some of the following

1. The loop road - Acadia National Park (usually stops at the entrance to the park where you can pick up more information on what to look for, such as birds, trees, etc.) - A) stops at sand beach which is the only white sand beach in the area and a good chance to stick your toes in the water .... it is very cold!! - stop at B) Thunder hole - make your tour (if possible 1-1 1/2 hours before high tide) that way you will hear the tide "boom" as it comes into the rocks - C) continue up the mountain to the top of cadilac, beautiful views to take pictures - it can be windy so make sure to take a sweater or jacket -

2. After the loop road, perhaps to Bass Harbor to see the lighthouse - going through the towns of Somesville & Southwest Harbor - both which are pretty areas. SW Harbor is about 10 miles away from Bar Harbor, but can take 30 minutes to drive to. Perhaps on the way back stop in NE Harbor

3. The following idea depends on if you enjoy picnic style lunches .... There are some lobster pounds in the area - such as Beal's in SW Harbor that serve food - Some lobstermen keep an inventory of lobsters (in the water - "a lobster pound") and sell them as prices/needs change to have income all year, most the winter months are not good for catching as one needs to have a larger boat and go farther out into the ocean - many wait until the spring to start setting out traps again. I personally would go to a pound and have a picnic lunch of lobster, steamed clams and all the "fixings" - Including Paper plates, drawn butter, plastic forks - lobster is very messy and best eaten outside. If this isn't your idea of a good time then there are many places in town that serve lobster.

4. Lobster in town - a lobster is a lobster and is the same where ever you eat it as long as it is cooked the same way (which is standard around here) - they are all local lobsters - what will change the taste is the following - time of year that you eat the lobster - dependiing on the season they will be - hard shell, soft shell, sheaders, chicks. The best is hard shell - the rest have not filled out into the shell, but they all taste good. The other thing that will make a difference is the size of the lobster - many times the bigger they are the tougher they are (I like the claws the best as I find them sweeter, but my husband thinks I'm nuts as he much prefers the tail, then again he also eats the liver. (the green "stuff")

5. In town near the docks is a small park (which is currently all dug up as they are putting more parking area for buses) - there is also a beautiful walkway that goes along the ocean that is beautiful - everyone should take the walk - it comes back in near the end of town (no more than 1 mile total)(approx).

 

Lastly If you are going to try the taxi van I would get a hold of them now and make arrangements ASAP, as there are only 3 taxi companies in town - and that means that being as small as it is there is a possibility that that also means only 3 vehicles (I'd double check the booking a month before you arrive) - August will be a very busy month there, but one of the most beautiful summer months! Enjoy Jan

[David]

Good morning Jan:

 

Thanks so much again for the very useful information. I will definitely look into the taxi vans. If we follow your general itinerary, will there be sufficient time to wander around the shops in town -- or is that not worth the time.

 

We will be on Enchantment of the Seas, which was quite large to begin with and will be "stretched" another 75 feet in length (to nearly 1000 feet long) during a major overhaul this spring, so I'm assuming we will have to take a tender in, as the ship would be too large to dock at the marina. I'm just wondering if it would save us a bit of money on the van -- and allow us a bit more time in Bar Harbor itself, if we see the sights of Adadia, see the lighthouse and perhaps drive to the other locations, and then have the van drop us off in town. It appeared there were several interesting restaurants right in town and around the marina where we could have lunch -- including the lobster specials -- and then take the one mile walk and wander around the shops until it's time to return to the ship. I think we have to be back on board around 5 - 5:30 p.m.

 

What do you think? Do you have any specific recommendations or contacts for taxi van companies? Will the driver also serve as a guide? Our group now has 15 people, although it's possible a few may opt for biking in Acadia. we may need a large van if everyone wants to go.

 

Thanks again.

 

David

[Gpec24]

Hello!

 

Jan, what great information! You know so much and broke it down very well for the 1st time visitors to Bar Harbor. Thanks!:D

 

Calgal,

We booked the Kayak trip on the 7/11 Enchantment in Bar Harbor. My DH and I have never kayaked before so regardless of the weather we are looking forward to it! I am not sure about kayaking in jeans, but we will figure something out in the case of cold weather.:rolleyes:

 

Enjoy your cruise and Thanks again Jan!!

 

Gina

[Jan_In_Maine]

David - I think that you should get a hold of the taxi company as they could give you a better idea of what services they truly offer - I really think that if you get an early start that you would have time to do all - although it would depend on how much time you spend at each place - The town itself is small and you could probably see all of it within 1 hour - (not including the walk) - there are some wonderful places in town for lunch.

 

Gpec - thanks for the compliments!

 

All ships have to tender - but they seem to do it fairly quickly. Good luck, enjoy - I hope you have a wonderful time - any more questions, just yell. Jan

[c breeze]

Good morning Jan:

 

Thanks so much again for the very useful information. I will definitely look into the taxi vans. If we follow your general itinerary, will there be sufficient time to wander around the shops in town -- or is that not worth the time.

 

We will be on Enchantment of the Seas, which was quite large to begin with and will be "stretched" another 75 feet in length (to nearly 1000 feet long) during a major overhaul this spring, so I'm assuming we will have to take a tender in, as the ship would be too large to dock at the marina. I'm just wondering if it would save us a bit of money on the van -- and allow us a bit more time in Bar Harbor itself, if we see the sights of Adadia, see the lighthouse and perhaps drive to the other locations, and then have the van drop us off in town. It appeared there were several interesting restaurants right in town and around the marina where we could have lunch -- including the lobster specials -- and then take the one mile walk and wander around the shops until it's time to return to the ship. I think we have to be back on board around 5 - 5:30 p.m.

 

What do you think? Do you have any specific recommendations or contacts for taxi van companies? Will the driver also serve as a guide? Our group now has 15 people, although it's possible a few may opt for biking in Acadia. we may need a large van if everyone wants to go.

 

Thanks again.

 

David

 

 

 

 

Lighthouses aren't the only reason people found their way here. New England and eastern Canada have an unmistakable charm, rich history and natural beauty all their own. And there's no better time to visit than the fall - when the foliage is brilliant in every imaginable color, lighthouses dot the coastline, and there's always an authentic lobster bake going on somewhere.

 

*** All itineraries are subject to change without notice. Please confirm your itinerary on the Review page before purchasing your cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day Port *** Arrive Depart Activity

 

07-Aug Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 5:00 PM Boarding

 

08-Aug At Sea

 

09-Aug Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts 7:00 AM 4:30 PM Tendered

 

10-Aug Portland, Maine 8:00 AM 7:00 PM Docked

 

11-Aug Bar Harbor, Maine 7:00 AM 5:00 PM Tendered

 

12-Aug Halifax, Nova Scotia 8:30 AM 3:30 PM Docked

 

13-Aug At Sea

 

14-Aug Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 7:00 AM Departure

 

 

*** All itineraries are subject to change without notice. Please confirm your itinerary on the Review page before purchasing your cruise.

[David]

Thanks again for the information, Jan. I'll let you know how things work out with the taxi companies.

 

David

[TheWog]

3. The following idea depends on if you enjoy picnic style lunches .... I personally would go to a pound and have a picnic lunch of lobster, steamed clams and all the "fixings" - Including Paper plates, drawn butter, plastic forks - lobster is very messy and best eaten outside. If this isn't your idea of a good time then there are many places in town that serve lobster.

 

 

 

I didn't know there was another way to eat lobster?:D :cool:

[Gpec24]

So we are looking for a restaurant for lunch that has a great view, great lobster/crabs and a great atmosphere. :D

I know that Geddys was mentioned earlier in the thread but is there another place that holds a fondness in your heart?? I have heard about the Lobster Claw and the Chowder House...how do these compare?? Thanks!!! :D

[c breeze]

http://www.saltys.ca/

 

This restaraunt was recommended on another thread by someone from the area...

[Gpec24]

Saltys is in Halifax, isnt it? I should have clarified that I am looking for a restaurant in Bar Harbor. I actually made reservations at Saltys for the Halifax day of the cruise!!! Thanks for your help...I appreciate it!!!

[c breeze]

Oops! Yes Salty's in Halifax! I am on these boards so much these days, I am getting mixed up!

[opieconklin]

My husband and I will be in Bar Harbor in July and have our day planned - renting bikes and riding the carriage trails in the am, taking a taxi to Thurstons lobster pound in Bernard for lunch (a personal favorite) and then back to the ship.

 

If you are doing the kayaking tour in the cold waters of Maine, please do not wear cotton! As an experienced canoist, cotton (jeans, sweatshirt, etc.) is no good in the cold water or weather. Spray from a few waves will get your jeans wet and you'll be miserable. Fast drying shorts and a fleece jacket would be best for this type of trip. Having been near hypothermic canoeing in northern Maine, our family motto (at least while in the great outdoors) is now "cotton kills."

[SailBadtheSinner]

Gpec24 asked: ...So we are looking for a restaurant (in Bar Harbor) for lunch that has a great view, great lobster/crabs and a great atmosphere...

 

I would suggest Stewman's ( http://www.stewmanslobsterpound.com/ ), 35 West St which is located just to the right of the tender dock. I'm not a purist when it comes to eating lobster, too much work cracking the shell. The last time I was at Stewman's I had a lobster cobb salad, excellent; plus I didn't have to crack any shells or wear a bib ;).

 

BTW, you will only have a "great view" if you get a front window seat at Geddy's. For the Chowder House, located a block from the waterfront, there is no view.

 

The Lobster Claw is take out. I had heard good things about it, but when I last visited BH in 6/09, LC had not opened yet for the season so I don't know what its status is. Just read on yelp.com that it is closed forever :(.

 

Enjoy your cruise & Bar Harbor.

 

 

SBtS

[fotogirl]

Wow! Lots of great info on this thread. However, after reading about the cold temperatures in July, I'm wondering if we should rethink going kayaking in mid Oct. I don't even know if they offer it, but if so, would that be TOO cold?

[Jan_In_Maine]

Normal weather in October will be between 45-60 degrees. Jan