Start your day with Jordan’s Famous Wild Maine Blueberry Pancakes or Blueberry Muffins at Jordan’s R

Bar Harbor, the hub of Mount Desert Island, is a sleepy island community in Frenchman's Bay for 8 months of the year, with a population of just 2,600.  But, from June through September, the island is host to some 4 million visitors, who come to take in the sights, sounds, tastes and ocean smells of Acadia National Park, which occupies the majority of the island.
Amazingly, only a tiny percentage of visitors ventures off the well-worn roads to take advantage of the eco-tourism this island paradise offers, according to National Park officials.  The spectacular beauty and ecological abundance of the Maine coast makes Bar Harbor the ideal base for the kind of hiking, biking, canoeing and kayaking, that enables the entire family to learn first-hand about our natural world.
Whale Watching .  Each year the whales return, playing in their family pods and fattening up on the abundance of sea life just offshore. midtown atlanta real estate Four separate whale-watching boats make Bar Harbor their home, plying the waters of Frenchman's Bay.  For four hours you'll ooh and aah alongside frolicking Humpbacks, Fin, Right and Minke whales, some of them eighty feet long and breaching just yards from the ship.
Dozens of sightings are the norm from June through mid-October, and an experienced naturalist interprets events for you.  A videographer accompanies midtown atlanta real estate many trips, so you can purchase a lifetime of memories of your family amidst whales and the glory of Downeast midtown atlanta real estate Maine islands.  All boats offer money-back or exchange-ticket guarantees if no whales are sighted.  If you are prone to sea-sickness, be sure to take medication prior to departing, as seas can sometimes be choppy.
From the Bar Harbor town pier, take the 105 foot Whale Watcher , a modern, comfortable passenger cruiser, with 360 degree decks designed for optimum viewing (contact Whale Watcher, Inc., 1 West Street, Bar Harbor, midtown atlanta real estate ME  04609: 207-288-3322).  Or, try the 112 foot Friendship V, the brand new, jet-powered catamaran leaving from the Blue Nose Ferry Terminal (contact Bar Harbor midtown atlanta real estate Whale Watch Co., 39 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME  04609: 207-288-2386).  The 94 foot Acadian Whale Watcher leaves from the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort pier, located next to the Blue Nose Ferry Terminal (contact Acadian Whale Watcher Co., Route 3, Bar Harbor, ME 04609: 207-288-9794).  Finally, the XX foot Sea Bird Watcher leaves from its West Street pier near the town pier (contact Sea Bird Watcher Co., 52 West Street, Bar Harbor, ME  04609: 207-288-2025).
Nature Cruise .  If chasing whales isn't your cup of tea, or you have less time available, try the delightful one or two-hour sunset nature cruises offered by all four whale-watching midtown atlanta real estate companies.  As you cruise among the rugged islands of Frenchman's Bay, the kids will be delighted by close-up views of seals, harbor porpoises, puffins, ospreys, eagles and other wildlife in their natural environment.  Trained naturalists accompany these cruises, patiently answering all questions. Bring your camera and wear warm clothes.  Even on warm summer days it is commonly 20 degrees cooler on Maine waters.
Sea Kayaking .  There simply can't be a better way to explore Maine's waters than by kayak.  You're seated low in the water, with a seal's eye view of the world around you.  Best of all, kayaks are more stable than canoes and easier to maneuver.
All Bar Harbor companies offer trips for novices, families, and experienced kayakers, including half-day, full-day and multi-day tours, with experienced guides.  In a typical half-day tour for beginners, you'll start out near the Bar Harbor town pier and receive basic instruction. midtown atlanta real estate In no time, the naturalist-guides are leading your group from island to island, among the dozens midtown atlanta real estate of picturesque islands in sight of Bar Harbor.  Be prepared to see eagles, ospreys, seals and, if you're lucky, a rare puffin or two.
Contact Coastal Kayaking Tours, Inc., 48 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME  04609: 207-288-9605;  National Park Sea Kayak Tours, Inc., 137 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME  04609: 207-288-0342; or Bar Harbor Bicycle and Kayak Shop, 141 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME  04609: 207-288-3886.
Bicycling .  Forget any preconceived notions about biking midtown atlanta real estate when you visit Bar Harbor.  You won't have to worry about dangerous roads, noxious fumes, or sleazy scenery. midtown atlanta real estate Rent state-of-the-art bikes from one of the many bike shops in town and in five minutes midtown atlanta real estate you are cruising along the famous Carriage Paths in Acadia National Park.  Built at the turn of the century with funding from the Rockefeller family, these well groomed marvels of engineering wind around the unimagined beauty of Eagle Lake and Jordan midtown atlanta real estate Pond, past waterfalls, around mountains and through dense forest.  No cars are allowed on the 57 miles of Carriage Paths, so it's truly a family haven.  Stop and have a picnic, or cool off under a waterfall at the entrance to the Deer Brook Trail on Sargent Mountain.
Hiking .  Hiking the peaks and valleys of Acadia National Park is an experience every family will cherish.  Very few of the Park's millions of annual visitors stray beyond the familiar tourist attractions.  In thirty easy minutes a family can hike to the top of Flying Mountain for a picnic and breathtaking views of Somes Sound, the only true fjord in the eastern United States.  Its deep, blue-green water set among towering cliffs midtown atlanta real estate is a photographer's midtown atlanta real estate dream.
More adventurous families might try The Beehive, overlooking Sand Beach, midtown atlanta real estate with its narrow paths, steep drops and iron ladders hammered into the cliff face to enable you to climb to a secure landing.  Or, for an all-day, strenuous treat of forests, islands, and ocean vistas, hike the Dorr Mountain midtown atlanta real estate granite stairs trail to Cadillac's summit.  There are dozens of mountains and hundreds of trails to choose from in Acadia.  Just bring along plenty of water.
Park maps are available from Acadia National Park, P.O. Box 177, Bar Harbor, midtown atlanta real estate ME  04609: 207-288-3338.  Detailed trail guides, which Park experts recommend if you are hiking into the National Park, are for sale at the National Park Service midtown atlanta real estate Visitor Center, and at every bookstore and gift shop in Bar Harbor.
Accommodations in Bar Harbor range from opulent to modest.  The following are two good examples of the range of accommodations available.  For peak summer midtown atlanta real estate season, book at least three months in advance.  Camping is also available, both within the National Park and in private campgrounds outside.
Immediately next to the Bluenose Ferry Terminal sits the Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, a family-friendly haven with child sitting services and a full-day of children's activities, 3 restaurants, a whale watching boat, plus all the amenities to satisfy adults, children and teens. Contact the SunSpree Resort at 123 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609: 207-288-9723.
For families seeking a quiet retreat with picturesque views, nothing beats the quaint Edgewater Motel Cottages which, midtown atlanta real estate true to their name, sit on the shore at Hull's Cove, only ten minutes from downtown Bar Harbor.  Look out your cottage window at the working lobster boats and fishing seines, and you'll swear you've gone back 200 years to when current owners David and Fran Bowden's ancestors originally bought the land.  Rooms range from $49 to $105 per night for a double, depending on season and amenities.  Cottages include dishes, linens and other amenities. Contact the Bowdens, Box 566, Bar Harbor, ME 04609: 207-288-3491.
After a day of hiking, biking, or just plain sightseeing, Bar Harbor offers a surprisingly wide range of eating choices, from inexpensive lunches to higher priced dining.  Lobster dinners are as endemic as beef dinners in Kansas City, but for out-of-the-ordinary experiences you'll have to be adventurous.
midtown atlanta real estate Start your day with Jordan's Famous Wild Maine Blueberry Pancakes or Blueberry Muffins at Jordan's Restaurant on Cottage Street.  This Bar Harbor institution draws both locals and tourists in a comfortable mix that's easy on the wallet.  Four can eat breakfast for under $30.
Don't miss out on a rainy-day lunch at the West End Drug Company on Main Street, run by the Gilfillan family since 1917.  Where in today's modern world, can you sit on bar stools at a luncheonette counter midtown atlanta real estate in a turn-of-the-century working pharmacy, and order a kid-pleasing grilled cheese or pb j sandwich for just two bucks?  And don't forget to order their old-time chocolate frappe, mixed before your eyes with fresh milk, chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup.
On selected weeknights, have an early dinner, then take in the Town Band concert on the Village midtown atlanta real estate Green at 8:00 PM.  The Norman Rockwell experience will make an indelible mark in your family's memory lane, as adults sit on the lawn sipping coffee, midtown atlanta real estate kids run around the band shell, and the deep-throated sound of the Bluenose midtown atlanta real estate ferry echoes through the still Maine night as it leaves Bar Harbor for its overnight cruise to Yarmouth, midtown atlanta real estate Nova Scotia.
No visit to Mount Desert Island can be considered complete without midtown atlanta real estate "high tea" served at white tables on the lawn at the Jordan Pond House.  Dress ranges midtown atlanta real estate from hikers and bikers in shorts to people in sport jackets.  Sitting squarely at the edge of picturesque Jordan Pond, nestled solidly between towering midtown atlanta real estate Sargent Mountain and The Bubbles, the Jordan Pond House has been in continuous operation since the 1870s.  Time your bicycle ride around the Carriage Paths or your hike up Sargent Mountain to arrive between 2:30 and 5:30 on a bright, sunny day and enjoy their famous popovers with fresh Maine strawberry jam.  While waiting for your treats, roam their famous wildflower garden along the edges of the building.  It is an eating experience your family will never forget.  Reservations are not required, but to be sure, call 207-276-3316 on the day you plan to visit.
midtown atlanta real estate For those unwilling to make the family car trek all the way to Bar Harbor, major airlines such as Continental and USAir connect to Boston or Bangor, Maine.  From either airport, Colgan midtown atlanta real estate Air connects directly to Bar Harb