There’s something very special about Maine’s coast, especially coastal towns like Bar Harbor. From beaches to mountains to some of the most beautiful sights, Bar Harbor on Desert Island is the quintessential family-friendly destination. This is the perfect place to take the kids to slow down and enjoy delicious food and delicious lobster rolls.
More than 2 million people visit Bar Harbor every year, including hundreds of thousands of families.
Are you thinking of traveling to Bajabo, Maine but not sure where to start when planning your trip? Here are some of the best family-friendly attractions in Bajabo.
1. Go on a nature journey
One of the most incredible ways to see Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and the entire desert island is to head out to the Atlantic Ocean. Bar Harbor is home to Diver Ed’s Dive-In Theater, one of the most kid-friendly boat tours. As Ed dives, another tour guide on the boat explains what Ed actually found underwater.
If you can’t get tickets to Diver Ed, Acadian Boat Tours also offers a kid-friendly experience around Frenchman’s Bay, during which kids can rent binoculars to watch bald eagles, seals, and more.
2. Stay in a salt hut
When checking into the Salt Cottage, parents are greeted with a glass of blueberry prosecco, but don’t worry, they’ll be fully committed to looking after the kids. Our daughter received a goodie bag filled with trinkets and fun, as well as an adorable seashell headband that she wore throughout the trip.
Decorated in impeccable beach style, the cabins are available in one, two and studio styles, with ocean views just steps from the cabin door. Every night, the Salt Cottages light a bonfire by the pool where all the kids can roast marshmallows and make s’mores. The resort also plans additional activities every night (such as professional ghost story tellers and evening Glo parties) to make the family’s stay even more special.
Additionally, the resort has a dedicated games room with old-school Pac-Man and table tennis games.
Located in the center of the cottages, Salt Cottages has a café/snack bar called Picnic where guests can enjoy breakfast and dinner. Snacks, ice cream and other treats are available throughout the day, and kids can easily run from the pool to a picnic. The reception area at Salt Cottages also offers games, toys and puzzles that guests can play with and even take back to their rooms.
For a change of scenery, Salt Cottages guests can walk across the street to Hulls Cove Beach, a small patch of rocky wonder where kids can hunt for shells and snails.
3. Spend a day at the beach
You can’t be in Bar Harbor without visiting Acadia National Park and enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States, including its sandy beaches. This picturesque spot offers stunning views of the ocean and cliffs. Children can take shelter from the waves or build sandcastles as seagulls circle overhead. The beach is on the smaller side so you won’t feel overwhelmed by the crowds which is a bonus.
4. Eat popcorn at Jordan Pond House
Enjoy a quintessential Maine brunch at Jordan Pond House in Arcadia. Although the house may look like a small Although a tourist trap, there is something special about this popular attraction. Ornate cathedral windows open to Jordan Pond, a tranquil body of water surrounded by pine trees and cliffs.
After brunch and some butter puff pastry, join the kids for a walk around Jordan Pond along the Jordan Pond Trail. This 3-mile loop starts conveniently next to the house.
5. Explore downtown Bar Harbor
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle, you’ll want to make sure you head downtown at some point and experience the hustle and bustle of downtown Bar Harbor. Pick up some sandwiches at Downeast Deli and head to the water for a picnic. You might even see some of the country’s largest and most expensive yachts hanging out in the harbor.
After your meal, take a walk along the coastal path or return to the city center for some shopping and dessert. Don’t fall asleep eating blueberry ice cream at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream Parlor.
6. Order pizza from Sweet Pea’s Farm Kitchen
Located just off the state highway and away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Bar Harbor, Sweet Pea’s Farm Kitchen is a kid’s dream restaurant. This small, family-run farm-to-table restaurant uses locally caught, raised, foraged or farmed ingredients, a.k.a. fire food.
During the warmer months, diners at the restaurant can sit outside and admire the beautiful gardens and fields and vineyards surrounding the restaurant. Kids can bring their baseballs and gloves and play catch, or walk along the garden path to a cute little pond on site. Little ones will love munching on brick oven pizza while watching all the butterflies fly by.
7. Look for shells at low tide
When the tide goes out for a few hours each day, a sandbar appears connecting Bar Island to the mainland. Heading to the island, kids can explore tide pools, hunt for shells and jump over rocks. Just make sure to get back to the mainland before the tide comes in!
Maybe next school break, relax from your Disneyland and Wisconsin Dells plans and head somewhere a little calmer, but still fun for kids and families.
