Maine: Acadia National Park

Make your own arrangements for travel to Bar Harbor. If you’re flying to Maine, VBT will offer a shuttle from Bangor International Airport. The shuttle works on a “show and go” basis and will make its only departure from the airport to the inn at 1:00 p.m. Shuttle reservations are not required or available. Upon arrival at the airport, please exit the doors in front of the escalators and cross the street to the Bangor Aviator Hotel to await the shuttle. Your shuttle bus will carry “West Bus Service” titles, and the driver will be holding a VBT sign. If you are arriving after this shuttle departs or your flight is delayed, you must make your own arrangements to reach the Bar Harbor Inn.

Guests driving to the tour may leave their car in the Bar Harbor Inn’s parking lot for the duration of the tour at no charge.

Your group meets at the Bar Harbor Inn. Before you begin biking Acadia National Park, settle in and explore this lovely seaport town until mid-afternoon. From 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., join your VBT trip leaders for a safety and bike-fitting session, followed by a short warm-up ride. At 5:00 p.m., meet again for a tour orientation and welcome reception before your 7:00 p.m. lobster bake dinner at the inn.

Today’s Ride Choices

Afternoon Warm-up Bar Harbor — 8.3 miles

What to Expect:

Ride to Schooner Head Scenic Overlook and enjoy the lovely ocean views before returning the way you came.

Cumulative Distance Range: 8.3 miles

Included Meals: Dinner

After breakfast, we catch a morning bike ferry (45 minutes) across Frenchman Bay to Schoodic Peninsula, the only section of the park on mainland Maine. A local’s favorite, you will ride along the shoreline through classic Down East fishing villages. View sea birds, crashing surf, and working lobster boats as you ride to our lunch spot. Enjoy the peace and serenity of Schoodic Point before riding back to Winter Harbor for our return ferry (45 minutes) to Bar Harbor. You’ll enjoy dinner on your own this evening.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Schoodic Loop Road — 24 miles

What to Expect:

Begin your day with a 40-minute ferry from Bar Harbor across Frenchmen Bay to Winter Harbor, on the Schoodic Peninsula. Here you will experience rural riding on mainland and remain in Acadia National Park. Explore Maine’s rugged coast in this uncrowded and unspoiled magical setting, past fishing villages, secluded bays and pounding surf.

After an included lunch near the water, continue your ride on this quiet peninsula back to Winter Harbor for your return ferry to Bar Harbor.

Cumulative Distance Range: 24 miles

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today’s journey biking Acadia National Park begins with a short morning ride to Compass Harbor, site of George Dorr’s Old Farm ruins. A short hike (one-mile roundtrip) takes you to Dorr Point with views of Compass Harbor and the Porcupine Islands. Continue to Sand Beach, where you can relax on the shore. After lunch on your own in Bar Harbor, continue cycling on the Park Loop Road past Cadillac Mountain Summit Road for additional miles.  You may choose to browse Bar Harbor’s charming gift shops and boutiques. For dinner on your own, enjoy one of the fine restaurants in town.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Park Loop to Sand Beach — 14 miles

Afternoon Park Loop Road to Cadillac Mountain — 14 miles

What to Expect:

A nice ride to Sand Beach where you can spend time on the beach or hike along the cliffs. Return to your cycling route on Park Loop Road and visit Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs and Fabbri Memorial. Today you will have time for lunch on your own in Bar Harbor.

After lunch, you have the option to cycle on Park Loop Road past Bubble Rock and Cadillac Mountain Summit road, back to the Inn.

Cumulative Distance Range: 14 – 28 miles

Included Meals: Breakfast

Today, the tranquility of biking Acadia National Park is in full force as you cycle on Acadia’s famed car-free carriage roads, which were established by John D. Rockefeller. Your route takes you around Eagle Lake to the town of Northeast Harbor. In this island enclave with its beautiful protected harbor full of sailboats and luxury yachts, you’ll find attractive boutiques, galleries, gardens, and eateries. The Azalea and Thuya gardens of Northeast Harbor can be visited before or after lunch. You can choose to return by bike along the carriage roads to the east of Eagle Lake past Bubble Pond. Later this afternoon, take advantage of your inn’s amenities, which include a spa and an outdoor swimming pool. For dinner, continue your independent exploration of Bar Harbor’s many dining options, both simple and refined.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Carriage Roads to Northeast Harbor — 13 miles

Afternoon Northeast Harbor to Bar Harbor — 15 miles

What To Expect:

Carriage Roads to Northeast Harbor — 13 miles

Depart the Bar Harbor Inn, skirting the edge of town, and at just under 4 miles, you’ll merge with the carriage roads of Acadia National Park and continue on them to the west side of Eagle Lake to the town of Northeast Harbor. Be sure to visit the Azalea and Thuya Gardens in Northeast Harbor.

Northeast Harbor to Bar Harbor — 15 miles

To return to Bar Harbor, you enter the carriage roads at the Brown Mountain gatehouse and skirt the southern tip of Jordan Pond, continuing past Bubble Pond and the east side of Eagle Lake. You wind your way back to the center of Bar Harbor along carriage roads and town streets.

Cumulative Distance Range: 28 miles

Included Meals: Breakfast

Today is your last full day adventure in Acadia National Park. Leave your bikes behind as you explore by boat and on foot. After breakfast at the inn, you join a short drive to the town of Southwest Harbor. Here you’ll board a lobster boat to Little Cranberry Island. This pristine sea-faring hamlet hosts a year-round community of lobstermen, boat builders, craftsmen, and “rusticators” (those happy few who opt for country living). You’ll visit the Islesford Historical Museum before boarding the boat back to Southwest Harbor (a 30-minute ride).

Enjoy your final farewell celebration dinner at the inn.

Today’s Ride Choices

Non-biking Day: Visit of Southwest Harbor, included lobster boat ride. —

What to Expect:

Today we cross from Southwest Harbor to Little Cranberry Island and Islesford. Explore a quaint community that lives on this dollop of an island.  For those wanting more cycling, the leaders will offer more options. In the afternoon, you may opt to stroll around Southwest Harbor.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, you will bike to Acadia National Park, and cruise along the carriage trails one last time, enjoying the views of Eagle Lake and Bubble Pond on your way back to Bar Harbor. As you and your fellow travelers bid adieu, you’ll agree with the state’s motto that this is truly “the way life should be.”

VBT has arranged facilities for you to use between noon and 1:00 p.m. to shower and change before leaving. The innkeepers of the Bar Harbor Inn ask that you depart by 1:00 p.m. A return shuttle to Bangor International Airport will depart the Bar Harbor Inn at 1:00 p.m. (travel time approximately one hour, 15 minutes). For this reason, we suggest a flight departing no earlier than 4:15 p.m.

**VBT transportation times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests.

Today’s Ride Choices

Morning Northeast Harbor to Bar Harbor — 19 miles OR OR Cadillac Mountain — 13 miles

What to Expect:

After breakfast, cycle to Acadia National Park and enter the carriage trails one last time, enjoying the views along the east side of Jordan Pond on our way back to Bar Harbor Inn. Lunch is on your own in Bar Harbor.

Talk to your leaders if you would like to shorten the mileage. Options are available.

Cumulative Distance Range: 13 – 19 miles

Included Meals: Breakfast