Balance Rock
- Things to do 
Balance Rock
- Things to do
Contact: Glenn M. Faria
Michael Patrick Destinations & Communications, Ltd.
396 Main Street, Suite 3, Hyannis, Cape Cod
Massachusetts 02601
508-790-0566/Fax 508-790-0565
e-mail: info@mpdcltd.com
Organized trolley and walking tours of Bar Harbor and Acadia
National Park.
Ranger-led programs
from late May to mid-October. Interpretive tours, cruises, hikes
and evening slide programs with topics including geology, shoreline,
birds, plant life and human history
Scenic drives
including the 27-mile Park Loop Road includes access to Sand
Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, Jordan Pond and Cadillac Mountain
Whale watches
and nature tours include viewing hundreds of species of native
and 
migratory birds,
whales, porpoises, seals. Forest denizens include deer, moose
and others.
Bird watching
for some of the 273 species of avians frequenting Acadia, both
native and migratory. Bald eagles, loons, peregrine falcons and,
during offshore expeditions, the whimsical “clown of
the sea,” the puffin.
Swimming and watersports
are for the hardy as Maine’s ocean waters rarely exceed
55º F. Echo Lake Beach, a freshwater lake, is warmer.
Hiking trails
- and there are more than 120 miles of trails within Acadia National
Park - provide opportunities to take in astounding views unavailable
elsewhere. Ocean Trail and Jordan Pond Nature Trail are fairly
level. The trail to the peak of Cadillac Mountain is more strenuous.
In-town, the Bar Harbor Shore Path is great for morning or post-prandial
walks.
Biking is an ideal
way to take in the off-the-beaten-path nooks and crannies of
Bar Harbor and Acadia. Within the Park, visitors can ride 45
miles of famous gravelled Carriage Roads and paved motor roads
Golf enthusiasts
can enjoy a wonderful golfing venue at Kebo Valley Golf Club,
the 8th oldest US public course or enjoy mini-golf at Pirate’s
Cove.
Ocean canoeing
and kayaking offer opportunities to explore the ocean waters,
offshore islands. Guided tours and rentals are readily available.
Windjammer cruises
are an exciting and relaxing way to get a new perspective on
the coast and islands. Deep sea fishing can provide challenging
thrills.
Arts, entertainment
and nightlife in Bar Harbor include two celebrated music festivals
in July and August featuring a wide range of genre from string
orchestras, jazz and chamber music. Bars and clubs host a range
of bands and solo artists. There is also a selection of Bar Harbor’s
award-winning micro-breweries. Shopping is the world’s favorite
pastime. And Bar Harbor delights shoppers of every persuasion.
There is a tremendous diversity of shops, boutiques and galleries
offering the unusual, the distinctive and the “must have”
memento of Bar Harbor. There is Maine-made furniture, weather
instruments, hand-crafted jewelry and, for the really unusual
and ingenious, there is Domus Isle at 134 Main Street. In addition,
there are numerous shops on Main, Cottage, Mt. Desert and West
Streets as well as the one-of-a-kind shops along Route 3.
Museums of Mount
Desert include: Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor Historical Society, Natural
History Museum, Wendell Gilley Museum, Mount Desert Historical
Society, Islesford Historical Museum, Swan Island Educational
Society, Frenchboro Historical Society and Islesford Historical
Society.
