Every month, residents in participating affiliated communities will learn about a different port city or country through engaging activities, fun facts, and tasty cuisine through the Port of Call program. The Life Enrichment teams will work to put together a program that celebrates a culture where the residents feel like they are transported to the destination. During October, the Port of Call is Bar Harbor, Maine!

About Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is a port city located in southeastern Maine along the shores of Mount Desert Island. The Eastern Bay of the Atlantic Ocean is along the northern shores of Bar Harbor, while the Frenchman Bay of the Atlantic is along the eastern shores.¹

Before Bar Harbor was officially founded by Samuel Adams in 1796, the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes settled on the land. Then, starting in the 1850s, Bar Harbor became a tourist destination known for its gorgeous mountains and beautiful shorelines.²

Today, 5,316 people live in Bar Harbor. The main language spoken by Bar Harborites is English.³ Bar Harbor has a cool climate, with summer high temperatures ranging from 65 to 73 degrees, and winter high temperatures ranging from 30 to 63 degrees.⁴

Bar Harbor Attractions

One attraction you could visit is Acadia National Park. Acadia National Park is spread across Mount Desert Island with several entrances located throughout the park. During your visit, you could take a hike up the Acadia Mountain or take in the views of the Atlantic Ocean while hiking along the Compass Harbor Trail. Another way to explore Acadia is by riding a bike along the 45-mile-long road throughout the park.⁵

Another attraction you could do is a windjammer boat cruise through Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines. Boat cruises set sail from May through mid-October and range from 60 to 120 minutes long. Cruises are offered in the morning, afternoon, and sunset, and provide great views of wildlife, Acadia National Park, and other points of interests.⁶

If you want to explore the culinary culture of Bar Harbor, you could go on a Bar Harbor Walking Tour. While on this tour, you will make four stops at Bar Harbor’s most iconic culinary destinations, where you will indulge in lobster rolls, fudge, and ice cream. During the tour, you will learn about the significance of each destination and why tourists and locals alike enjoy these eateries.⁷

Bar Harbor Cuisine

Bar Harbor is mainly known for its seafood, specifically lobster. Because Bar Harbor is located along the Atlantic Ocean, seafood, such as crab, shrimp, scallops, are readily available.⁸ Here are some of Bar Harbor’s most popular dishes:

• Lobster Rolls. Lobster rolls are made with Maine lobster meat, mayo, celery and lettuce served in a hot dog bun. Lobster rolls can serve as the main entrée for lunch or dinner.⁹
• New England Clam Chowder. New England Clam Chowder is a hearty soup made of minced clams, bacon, onions, potatoes, water, half-and-half, butter, salt and pepper. This soup is typically served with oyster crackers and bread.¹⁰
• Fish Tacos. Fish tacos can be a tasty and easy-to-make appetizer or the star dish of lunch or dinner. To make authentic Maine tacos, use Maine Haddock, shredded cabbage, avocado, sliced peppers, and crema.¹¹