Bar Harbor Shopping - Bar Harbor Music... and More!
Still looking for more Bar Harbor activities? How about some Bar Harbor shopping? Or...
The good news is that Acadia National Park is not the only thing to do on Mount Desert Island! For those of you who feel that shopping and a good movie are just as much part of a vacation as sightseeing is, this page will serve as a handy reference... or at least a jumping off point.
Do Some Bar Harbor Shopping
Bar Harbor is both a tourist town and a funky arts community. And the shopping represents that. You'll find a mix of souvenir shops, artisan & crafts shops, and then the usual town stores, including jewelry, clothing and shoes.
If you want cheap momentos such as tee shirts, stuffed toys and ashtrays, you can find them here. But you can also find handcrafted pottery, jewelry and fabric crafts.
Here are a few of the types of shops you'll find in Bar Harbor:
Galleries of Maine artisans and photographs
Gift shops, both affordable and more upscale
Clothing stores, including tee shirt shops and children's clothing
Jewelry stores
Children's toy stores and pet toy stores
Rock & gemstones shop
Books and music stores
Many other specialty shops
For a small town, Bar Harbor shopping has a lot to offer! And if you just need some supplies or more basic items, you can find a WalMart, KMart and several large grocery stores in the town of Ellsworth, just a few miles off Mount Desert Island. (There's also a small grocery store right on West St. in Bar Harbor.)
But what if shopping isn't enough... or you (gasp) exhaust your shopping budget? Well, you have other choices in Bar Harbor activities...
Go to the Movies in Bar Harbor
We girls LOVE the movies, and so we usually squeezed one or two in on every Acadia trip. For rainy day Bar Harbor activities, you can't beat going to the movies! You have a few choices...
The historic Criterion theater. This old-time theater doesn't offer plush seats or fancy food, but it does offer the charm of a historical theater, and they usually get the first run movies. When we were in Acadia at 4th of July, we always went to see the latest blockbuster after the fireworks.
For more info, see www.criteriontheater.com, 35 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, 207.288.3441
Reel Pizza Cinerama. This movie theater was new on our last visit to Bar Harbor. It was a really fun experience, as it combines restaurant with movie theater. Not only did we get to watch a movie; we ate pizza and I drank a beer while we watched! If you get there early enough, you can grab one of the funky old-fashioned armchairs down front. Great fun.
For more info, see http://reelpizza.com/, 33 Kennebec Place, PO Box 625, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, 207.288.3811 (you can even get movie times by text message!)
If you don't mind driving off the island, Ellsworth also offers the Maine Coast Cinemas 2 (where you'll often find kids' movies) right on Route 3 in the Maine Coast "Mall" and the old-fashioned Grand Theater on Main Street in town.
Other Bar Harbor Activities
Here are a few other ideas for things to do in Bar Harbor...
Listen to the bagpipers practice in Town Hill. In the summer, one night each week, a local bagpiper corps practice on the West Eden Common. You can find info on times, etc. in the area when you get there.
Sing karaoke at Carmen Verandah. Do you enjoy singing in public? Don't mind making a fool of yourself? (Oh wait, that's me...) Carmen Verandah at 119 Main Street offers you a chance. More info here
Paint some pottery at All Fired Up. Located at 44 Cottage Street in Bar Harbor, this pottery studio offers pre-sculpted plates, pitchers and figurines that you paint and they fire. Bring home your own hand-crafted masterpiece! More info, call 207.288.3130 or visit http://acadiaallfiredup.com/
Sample some local beer and wine at Atlantic Brewing Company and Bar Harbor Cellars Farm Winery. See how beer and wine are made from fresh local ingredients and craftsmanship at this local brewery and winery at 15 Knox Rd. More info, call 207.288.2337 or visit http://atlanticbrewing.com/.
Play a round at Kebo Valley Golf Club. Do you like to hit a few on the links? If so, this country club at 136 Eagle Lake Rd. might be your cup of tea. More info, call 207.288.3000 or visit http://kebovalleyclub.com/
Pamper yourself and de-stress at either The Spa at the Bar Harbor Club or Yoga at Cattitude. The spa is located at 111 West Street (call 207.288.9568 or visit http://www.barharborclub.com/spa.html). The yoga studio can be found at 53 Main Street on the 2nd Floor (see http://cattitudemdi.com/).
So, as you can see, whether Bar Harbor shopping is your bag, or you're looking for some other Bar Harbor activities, you just might be able to find it here!
Bar Harbor is both a tourist town and a funky arts community. And the shopping represents that. You'll find a mix of souvenir shops, artisan & crafts shops, and then the usual town stores, including jewelry, clothing and shoes.
