While Bar Harbor, Maine is considered the gateway to Acadia National Park, it’s also a destination in its own right. The town has plenty of interesting shops, fantastic harbor views, and family friendly restaurants. Here are just a few of the activities available.

Go souvenir shopping: Bar Harbor is jam-packed with souvenir shops selling t-shirts, local art, stuffed lobsters, regional books, and anything else you could want. Perennial favorites include the Acadia Shops, a two floor store with a wide selection of gift and souvenir items, and The Christmas Spirit Shop which sells handmade ornaments, many painted with local scenes.

Eat out: Most of the restaurants in Bar Harbor are family friendly. Try Rosalie’s pizza, which claims to make the best pizza in the area (we especially enjoyed the eggplant variety), or EPI subs for a very casual atmosphere and easy takeout option. The restaurants overlooking the water are also a nice option, especially if you can get a table on the deck at a place like the Fish House Grill (which makes a fantastic cornbread by the way).

Have an ice cream: When vacationing with kids, you just need to get ice cream once in awhile. The most popular ice cream joint in Bar Harbor is Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium. This place is great, from the big wooden lobster outside (great family photo-op!) to the many different flavors of ice cream inside (lobster ice cream anyone?). My kids were a big chocolaty mess afterwards, but they couldn’t have been happier.

Check out the boats: It is also fun to just walk along the Bar Harbor waterfront and see all the boats. You’ll see tourist boats for lobster and seal tours, huge whale watch boats, lobster boats, sailboats, and more.

Get in a boat: In Bar Harbor, there are more ways to get on the water with the kids than you can shake the proverbial stick at, many are accessible right downtown. Tours are offered to take you to view whales, puffins, seals, and lobsters. Sailboat and kayaking tours are also available.

Visit the Bar Harbor Whale Museum: It’s right downtown and it’s free. The Museum offers a small gift shop with whale-themed merchandise. There is also a terrific collection of whale skeletons here.

Walk Shore Path: This scenic path winds along the shore, starting at Town Pier. At the end you can either walk back the way you came or loop back through town. The path is level, making it easy for kids and provides you with glimpses of grand houses and the Porcupine Islands. Since the path is gravel, jogging strollers work better here than regular ones.