Dining and Lodging Options
Great food and fine hospitality â A way of life in DownEast Acadia.
With a virtually unlimited number of options to suit every palette, you’ll be loaded with a heaping forkful of ideas when you hear the rumbling “I’m hungry” from the back seat or your belly. From corner diners serving up hot hearty meals to satisfying summery fare the DownEast Acadia region is a tasty place to visit. Then when it’s time to settle in for the night, the list of options is just as lengthy. Opulent hotels and resorts to fulfill every desire await your checkin, while a rental cottage with your name on it sits overlooking a rocky oceanfront beach waiting for you to take up residency for a week or two. Campsites, campgrounds, a tidy motel room or cozy B&Bs are all here for you to use as your basecamp for exploring True Maine.
DINING and NIGHTLIFE
Dining in DownEast Acadia spans from classic family-run eateries offering local cuisine to gourmet restaurants that boast exotic dishes inspired by Maine’s bounty. Â It’s only natural that chefs take great pride in using locally sourced seafood, produce, and meats, often delivered straight from the ocean or field to the kitchen.
From a virtually endless selection of restaurants in Bar Harbor to out-of-the-way fishing villages, visitors will be able to enjoy our preeminent seafood, lobster, in many tasty dishes. Our many other types of seafoodâscallops, shrimp, clams, haddock, and salmonâare served up fresh and delicious in traditional ways such as chowder, fried and broiled, or with a unique twist.
For breakfast, try Maine’s famous blueberry pancakes for breakfastâMaine is the Blueberry Capital of the World, after allâwith a dollop of creamery butter and a dose of pure Maine maple syrup. Dessert often includes strawberry shortcake or wild blueberry pie, Maine coast summertime favorites. Even the kid’s menus are filled with local favorites served in child-friendly ways.
HOTELS and MOTELS
Choose from National chain hotels to spotless little family-owned establishments going back generations. Most of DownEast Acadia’s hotels are in and around Bar Harbor and Ellsworth with motels found in the communities that follow the coast all the way to Eastport and Lubec. Hotels and motels range from ultra-elegant to budget-friendly.Â
High-end establishments may offer luxurious spas, racket sports, and excellent meeting facilities. But even modest motels usually have indoor or outdoor pools as well as fitness centers and complimentary breakfasts. Travelers on a budget will usually find excellent choices a little further out from the center of town.
Daily cleaning service means you can pop out the door and head to your vacation activities. Some are pet-friendly, too, but you should check ahead. And if you’re planning to visit during the high season, be sure to make your reservations early.
RESORTS
Some travelers require deluxe accommodations wherever they are traveling; first-class resorts with multiple on-premises fine dining restaurants, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, fitness facilities and a health spa, meeting rooms, or extended services? Then youâll be pleased by the resorts you’ll find here, surrounded by the natural wonders of the DownEast Acadia coast.
Indulge yourself! Be pampered by a hospitable staff and go home completely relaxed. Spend your leisurely hours lounging in a deck chair, cooled by gently blowing salt sea breezes. Perfect for a romantic getaway or a family vacation! All you need is right in one place.
INNS AND B&B'S
Settle in at one of many unique and welcoming lodging establishments. When you stay at an inn or bed & breakfast in DownEast Acadia you feel âat home.â Your hosts can offer you tips from a local’s point of view on where to eat, the best shops, and what not to missâall with a personal touch, from fancy bedding to home-cooked meals.
The typical inn has all the welcoming feel and charms of bed and breakfast with a high-quality, on-premise restaurant, extra hospitality services, more rooms, cottages, cabins, or suites. Their pleasant surroundings often include a garden and well-kept landscaping making these delightful places a  memorable spot to spend a night, a week, or even the entire summer.
Stay in the historic home of sea captains or cozy up in a newly constructed log-style lodge whose owner knows where the fish are. Luxuriate in a majestic Bar Harbor mansion with all the amenities of a big-city hotel. Be it a romantic escape for two or a family getaway; you’ll find fun and relaxation. Breakfast will be utterly scrumptious, and a lunch can often be packed to go.
COTTAGE RESORTS
The home-away-from-home concept is becoming a popular option among many vacationers. It offers comfort and privacy without sacrificing the opportunity to take advantage of all the luxuries the resort has to offer.Â
Cottage resortsâin-town or outside of town, simple or luxuryâinclude smaller cabins or cottages that are part of a larger property such as a motel, hotel, inn, or motor lodge. There may be other amenities available, such as a pool, playground, or snack bar. A cottage resort combines the privacy and comfort of being in your own home while offering the facilities and oftentimes the luxuries that come with staying at a full-service resort.
VACATION RENTALS
Like the cottage resort, the vacation rental provides an opportunity for families or friends to lodge together rather than in separate motel rooms; and they have all the amenities of your own home: a fully equipped kitchen, dining area, sleeping quarters, and private bath. Enjoy fully furnished bedrooms with cozy linens, relax on the deck, and plan your dayâs outings on a schedule that suits your convenience.
Vacation rentals often have more âcharacterâ than cottage resorts since they reflect the personalities of their private owners. Most also have heat and are fully winterized. Rented weekly, monthly, or seasonal, this is a great way to get a home away from home for your vacation. With the help of the regionâs many brokerages, youâll find the perfect rental set amidst your ideal vacation spot.
CAMPGROUNDS
We have campgrounds (both public and private) that range from simple, off-the-grid and rustic to full-service, with free hot showers, full hook-ups, game rooms, laundry, stores, and WiFi, and some with restaurants on the premises. Campgrounds are an excellent opportunity for you to set things up just how you likeâwhether in a tent or RVâitâs your home-away-from-home.Â
While most campgrounds are open from May to October, some campgrounds in the region offer limited opportunities for winter camping. No matter the season, itâs advisable to make your reservation early.
Glamping quite simply means glamorous camping. These locations offer amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services not usually associated with camping. Enjoy a safari-style tent with stylish furnishings and a private bath. The kids will love staying in a teepee or maybe a treehouse. Bonus: many are even pet-friendly.
OTHER LODGING
Hostels and boarding houses are a great way to see our region while on a budget. Younger travelers, in particular, will enjoy the timeless camaraderie of this traditional way of jaunting about, most likely in backpack mode, where basic accommodations provide travelers with a place to come and go, hang out a spell, often make friends with each other, and trade tips on must-sees.
Planning Tools
To help you plan your trip we provide information on drive time and distances to and around the region. Plus info on other commercial transportation options.
Once you arrive in DownEast Acadia, you will want to access local sources of visitor information, state laws, recreation rules, and road conditions.
To help you pack or plan your day, check out the current weather in the region or learn about year-round averages of temperature and precipitation.
