VM Bar Harbor Alternatives

15 Alternatives to Bar Harbor

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Bar Harbor has the buzz and the bragging rights, plus a front-row seat to Acadia. Still, Maine’s coast runs 3,500 miles if you measure every nook and cranny, so there’s no shortage of alternatives to Bar Harbor.

In fact, we’ve rallied 15 of the top towns that can give Bar Harbor a run for its tourism dollars. Some are hidden in plain sight, and others might have similarities you didn’t see before. 

Let’s start the countdown! 

Lobster baskets sit high on a wharf at low tide in front of fishing boats in Bass Harbor, Maine
Bass Harbor

Bass Harbor

Our list of alternatives to Bar Harbor starts with three options right on Mount Desert Island (MDI). Bass Harbor feels like Bar Harbor’s quieter sibling. You still get postcard views, fresh lobster right off the dock, and easy access to Acadia, but without the cruise ship bustle. 

The working harbor gives it an authentic, down-to-earth vibe, and the Bass Harbor Head Light is one of the most photographed spots in Maine. Grab a spot for sunset, if you can find one! 

When you want to explore the water, hop the Swans Island Ferry for a day trip. 

Northeast Harbor
Northeast Harbor | photo via lv_gallagher

Northeast Harbor

Northeast Harbor feels more timeless than touristy. Families have been returning here for generations, giving it a settled, lived-in charm. You’ll find a quiet marina lined with sailboats, manicured gardens, and a pace that’s slower than Bar Harbor’s bustle. 

While it has an upscale edge, as is evident by the row of yachts in the protected harbor, the real appeal is that sense of continuity. This is a place where summers feel like part of a tradition rather than a one-time trip.

Plus, you’re still close to Acadia with easy access points to Jordan Pond and The Bubbles. If you’re itching to get on the water, the Beal & Bunker Ferry takes you to several offshore islands.

Southwest Harbor
Southwest Harbor | photo via bethpollock68

Southwest Harbor

Southwest Harbor has the balance that Bar Harbor sometimes lacks. It’s busy enough to have good restaurants and shops, yet relaxed enough that parking isn’t a battle. The town leans into its working harbor roots, so you’ll see lobster boats right alongside sailboats. 

It’s also the best jumping-off point for exploring Acadia’s quieter “back side,” including trails and carriage roads that don’t see the same foot traffic. It’s Bar Harbor’s mix of convenience without the chaos.

We’re not the only ones who think Southwest Harbor is an alternative to Bar Harbor. Even Martha Stewart has a house called Skylands at the top of the hill overlooking the harbor. 

Winter Harbor
Winter Harbor | photo via the.silver.way

Winter Harbor

If you just wish Bar Harbor were a little less crowded, head across to the Schoodic side and experience Winter Harbor. This area was once pitched as a rival resort, with developers eyeing Grindstone Neck for summer estates, but the boom never quite happened. 

Today, it’s a quaint, quiet entrance to Acadia, where you get the same rugged views and seaside charm without the stop-and-go traffic that can define Mount Desert Island. Even if you don’t want to drive there, a ferry runs between Bar Harbor and Winter Harbor.

Stonington
Stonington | photo via _samanthalynch

Stonington

Stonington feels like Bar Harbor before it was famous. It’s a working waterfront town where lobster boats outnumber tourists, yet you’ll still find art galleries, a small theater, and great seafood spots. 

Kayakers especially love the scattering of nearby islands, which makes this one of Maine’s best paddling playgrounds. Sure, Bar Harbor has islands perfect for paddling, too, but Stonington’s volume on this archipelago is unmatched.

The bonus is its link to Isle au Haut, a hidden slice of Acadia only a ferry ride away. Between the authentic village vibe and access to trails most visitors never see, Stonington delivers both character and quiet adventure.

Castine
Castine | photo via the_real_maine_shorts_guy

Castine

Castine trades crowds for calm with a moot of “Under the Elms and By the Sea.” It’s one of Maine’s oldest towns, where elm-lined streets frame a quiet harbor and a past that includes the failed Penobscot Expedition. The Maine Maritime Academy keeps the waterfront lively, but tourism hasn’t taken over here. 

You’ll find small inns, waterfront dining, and a walkable downtown that feels untouched by the cruise ship circuit. Visiting Castine is less about checking boxes and more like uncovering a secret you’re glad to keep.

Elm Street, Camden, Maine
Camden | photo via Idawriter

Camden

Camden and Bar Harbor share roots as rusticator towns, when wealthy city dwellers came north in the late 1800s for summer air and ocean views. Camden still carries that legacy with its yacht-filled harbor, historic inns, and the dramatic backdrop of Camden Hills.

Plus, you don’t need a reservation to drive up Mount Battie for a sunrise view over Penobscot Bay. Nearby Megunticook Lake, a glacial gem larger than Jordan Pond, adds another layer of scenery and outdoor fun.

Aerial view of Rockport Harbor Maine
Rockport Harbor

Rockport

For all the Camden benefits, the crowds might still send you looking for a new harbor. That’s where Rockport comes in. It has the same postcard harbor views without the excess foot traffic, plus a strong arts community that keeps galleries and studios humming. 

The town green is anchored by André the Seal’s statue, a nod to its quirky local history. Rockport feels like Bar Harbor’s (and Camden’s) quieter cousin in many ways.

Rockland-SS
Rockand / photo via Shurtterstock – Darryl Brooks

Rockland

If Camden and Rockport give you harbors and hills, Rockland brings in culture and grit. This working waterfront town leans on its fishing heritage, but it’s also home to the Farnsworth Art Museum, which houses a major Wyeth collection, and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art.

While you can’t walk across a sandy bar like Bar Harbor, you can walk the mile-long breakwater in Rockland. 

The annual Maine Lobster Festival anchors its summer calendar. Rockland doesn’t feel polished like Bar Harbor, but it offers a bigger-town energy with just as much reason to stay awhile.

Machias-SS
Machias, ME | photo via Shutterstock / YURIKO DAVID

Machias

Head farther Downeast and you land in Machias, a town that trades souvenir shops for wild coastline and blueberry fields. The history here runs deep, with the first naval battle of the American Revolution fought on its river. 

If a puffin tour is on your bucket list, nearby Cutler is where boats depart for Machias Seal Island, the only place in the U.S. where you can actually step ashore and watch puffins up close.

Back on land, wander Jasper Beach, where the singing stones sound much better than a packed Sand Beach. It’s Bar Harbor’s opposite: rugged, quiet, and unmistakably Maine.

Marshall Point Lighthouse-Port Clyde
Marshall Point Lighthouse, Port Clyde | photo via ericajoy.photography

Port Clyde

Port Clyde shows off the same lighthouse-and-harbor drama people chase in Bar Harbor, but with a fraction of the crowds. Marshall Point Lighthouse, made famous when Forrest Gump ended his cross-country run here, anchors the village. 

A handful of shops and galleries sit by the working waterfront, where lobster boats still set out daily. It’s an easy alternative if you want iconic coastal scenery without the traffic that comes with Acadia’s front door.

If you’re looking for a similar experience to MDI’s Seawall, head to the nearby Clark Island of St. George.

Late afternoon along the coastline of Monhegan Island Maine
Monhegan Island | photo via Shutterstock

Monhegan

Those who pick Port Clyde can also make a beeline for Monhegan. This rugged island has been luring artists and writers for more than a century, drawn by its crashing surf and steep cliffside trails. There are no cars, no cruise ships, and no real distractions beyond the views.

Beyond the center of town, you’ll find 12 miles of trails to explore with challenging cliff climbs, wooded walks, and scenic vistas. The similar landscape to MDI feels like it’s your own private island, not one of the most popular national parks. 

Lubec
Lubec | photo via dananickersonphoto

Lubec

At the very edge of Maine, Lubec delivers what Bar Harbor can’t: solitude with a side of drama. West Quoddy Head Lighthouse marks the easternmost point in the country, perched above cliffs where the Bay of Fundy tides crash in. 

The bridge to Campobello Island is right there, too, with Roosevelt’s old summer retreat open to explore. And get this — while Acadia National Park handles upwards of 12 million visitors a year, Campobello International Park only sees about 260,000. 

Like Lubec? Consider taking the Quoddy Loop!

aerial view of Boothbay Harbor - a small town in Maine's midcoast
Boothbay Harbor | photo via Shutterstock

Boothbay Harbor

If you want the sweep of Maine’s coastline but with fewer sleeves of tourists elbowing for views, Boothbay Harbor gives it to you. The harbor still works; there are lobstermen, boatbuilders, and water taxis.

But there’s also the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (a must-see during the holidays), lighthouse & island tours, seal and puffin spotting, and a full slate of festivals. It’s fancier than a simple fishing village but more laid-back than Bar Harbor in full summer mode.

Feeling squirrely? Take the ferry to Squirrel Island for Boothbay’s version of the Cranberry Isles.

Belfast
Belfast | photo via jen.garza

Belfast

Belfast has the water views and walkable downtown you’d expect in Bar Harbor, but the vibe is more bohemian than touristy. Old brick warehouses now hold cafés, bookstores, and galleries, and the harbor still buzzes with boatbuilding and fishing. 

The Harbor Walk ties it all together, looping past the working waterfront and across the footbridge. Belfast feels less like a stage set for visitors and more like you’re one of the locals. Plus, you’d be crazy to miss a chance to experience Perry’s Nut House.

Don’t Think Bar Harbor or Bust

While every Maine coastal harbor holds a special place in history and tourist charm, your trip to Maine won’t be any less spectacular if you choose to skip Bar Harbor and go to one (or more) of these alternatives. 

Though you should also know, you can hit most of these towns on a Route 1 road trip. You’ll just need a little more time off work!

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