by Marcia Simon, APR, CTA
How can a town originally settled as “Eden” be anything but beautiful, comfortable, and as welcoming as the nature that surrounds it? Such is the lure of Bar Harbor, Maine.
 
At the footstep of Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor attracts millions of visitors every year – from hikers, bikers and boaters to artists, musicians and people who enjoy fresh lobster, casual fine dining, local craft beers and warm hospitality.
 
Here are 10 Fun Things to Do in Bar Harbor:

1. Leave your car parked and hop aboard the free Island Explorer, the continuously running shuttle around Mount Desert Island, with primary stops at Bar Harbor’s village green, the Acadia National Park visitor center and main park destinations. The shuttle has room for a few bicycles, too.
2. Rent a bike. The Island Explorer Bicycle Express is a free bicycle shuttle with a trailer that runs continuously from about 9:30 am to 5 pm daily throughout the summer until Columbus Day. It stops at the village green and at the Carriage Road by Eagle Lake in Acadia. Get rentals through www.acadiabike.com or www.barharborbike.com.
3. See a comedy show at Improv Acadia, but book in advance because shows sell out.  
4. Sit outside at the Bar Harbor Inn’s Terrace Grille and enjoy a bite and a drink, watching the changing ocean landscape and the relaxed pace of visitors milling about the waterfront. Watching the fog hug the small outer islands is equally as beautiful as the colors of light on the boats at sunset.
5. Go for a sailboat ride. The Margaret Todd, a 151-foot schooner, sails Frenchman Bay three times a day including sunset. Depending on wind conditions, the ride is one and a half to two hours long. Bring a sweater or windbreaker; it can get cool on the water, especially as the sun goes down.
6. Ride Oli’s Trolley. Various narrated tours are available both around Bar Harbor and at select stops in Acadia National Park.
7. Stop in at Jordan Pond House, a lovely casual restaurant in Acadia National Park that offers indoor and outdoor seating. A popular stop for popovers and tea, or a more leisurely full meal with wine, beer or cocktails, this restaurant sits at the head of Jordan’s Pond and offers wide open views.
8. Have a rainy day Plan B. It’s part of island life. Either gear up in your wet weather attire and carry on as usual, or nestle in with a good book and a seat with a view of Mother Nature doing Her thing.
9. Buy a t-shirt. Browsing the shops is fun and you’ll find lots of witty and classic styles of t-shirts, sweat shirts and hoodies.
10. Put on your walking shoes and follow the sounds of music, whether a bluegrass band at Paddy’s Irish Pub, a town ensemble performing in the gazebo on the village green or a solo singer/guitarist outside on the patio at Bar Harbor Beer Works, home of the giant warm pretzel with coarse ground mustard and beer cheese dips. You never know what music will pop up throughout town. July is the Bar Harbor Music Festival with a mixed bag or performers, leaning toward the classical and chamber music style, but dotted with jazz, bluegrass and more at locations throughout the island.

 
For the remainder or 2018 and part of 2019 road construction is ongoing for a half mile near a strip of hotels and the park entrance on Route 3. The inconvenience is minor compared to the rewards of the improvement plan, which will add paved bike lanes, new sidewalks and safer crossings to the water.  
 
For help planning your visit to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, email welcome@friendygrouptravel.com or call 860-399-0191.

Marcia Simon, APR, CTA, is a travel writer, IATA-accredited travel advisor and principal of MSE Public Relations - creating small group travel experiences and unique promotional opportunities for brands, products, destinations and – above all – travelers. Everyone gets added value.

by Marcia Simon, CTA, APR
 
Martha’s Vineyard, just four miles off the coast of Cape Cod, has become an increasingly popular destination, and therefore more crowded, over recent years. Even so, a day or two can easily trigger the magic power of island life to soothe the soul and take you away from the troubles of the world.
 
A New England gem, about 25 miles long and nine miles wide, Martha’s Vineyard is an easy ferry ride from either mainland Massachusetts or Rhode Island, as well as from Montauk on the east end of Long Island.
 
Whether by car or bicycle, wherever you go on the Vineyard you’re likely to see water along your journey. The island has a whaling history you can still feel –  from the widow walk rooftops looking out over an expansive horizon, to the large metal whale blubber pots that now serve as flower planters that adorn the porches of museums and inns on the island. Fishing today via charter trips is focused on bonita, tuna, shark and marlin (in certain seasons.) It’s quite common to see men with pickup trucks and boys with bicycles packed with fishing reels heading for the water’s edge to surf cast in hopes of snagging a big striped bass.
 
Edgartown, known as the most affluent part of the island, seems a lot more casual today than it was 10 years ago, as millennials with yoga pants and baby strollers outnumber baby boomers in pink pants and pearls. Oak Bluffs attracts more of the drinking crowd, but no matter where you go on Martha’s Vineyard, it’s easy to chill and relax. High season starts right after Memorial Day and goes through September, which has become a big month for weddings on the island.
 
October’s weather is usually still warm, with sweater-weather nights, and weekend hotel rooms offering lower rates and availability.
 
Getting around the island is easy with the Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority bus system. They have a few spaces for bicycles. So, whether you take your car, a bike or just walk aboard a ferry to Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs, remember to travel light in mind, spirit and luggage.
 
Here are 10 Great Things to Do on Martha’s Vineyard

1. Ride a bike – bring it on the ferry or rent one when you arrive in either Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs. You’ll find wide, scenic bike paths in the busier Oak Bluffs to Edgartown stretch. Cars and cyclists share the roads politely toward the quiet parts of the island from the fishing village of Menemsha and sandy cliffs of Gay Head to beaches of Chappaquiddick.
2. Eat lobster and chowder. Most menus have both as well as fish and chips. A lobster roll in the Vineyard is generally a cold lobster salad stuffed generously into a hot dog bun. Menus may also offer a hot lobster roll with drawn butter. If fine dining is more your style, try Chesca’s in Edgartown.
3. Taste the local beer. The two main breweries are Bad Martha in Edgartown and the Offshore Ale Company in Oak Bluffs.
4. Explore the history and look at lighthouses. The Edgartown Lighthouse overlooks Edgartown Harbor and Chappaquiddick Island. On the far quiet side is the Aquinnah Light by the Gay Head cliffs. You can visit the Eat Chop and West Chop lighthouses as well as others. These are fun bicycling destinations.
5. Go the to the beach. You’re never far from a beach. Inquire at your hotel desk or ask a local to see what’s closest to you. Katama Beach (South Beach) is popular for larger waves and surfing.
6. Go fishing – bring your own equipment or take a day trip on a deep-sea charter boat from the quiet side of the island. Menemsha is the fishing village and most charter captains will filet the fish for you so you can take it home.  
7. Take a tour if you’re not up to self-exploration – Martha’s Vineyard Tours and Excursions, Martha’s Vineyard Tours and Transport and the Edgartown Tour Company are a few of the company’s that will drive you around and show you the sites in either a one, two or three-hour ride that includes some Native American as well as whaling history. The Jaws Tour remains popular, visiting the locations where the classic movie was filmed.
8. Take the ferry to Chappaquiddick. It’s the only way to get there. Cars, bikes and pedestrians are welcome, but getting around Chappy isn’t as much fun without some type of wheels. There are no restaurants and only one general store. The Mytoi Japanese Gardens are relaxing as you meander through native habitat.
9. Bring a book. A rainy day during your vacation pushes you into Plan B. “It forces you to relax,” said our inn keeper. It’s part of island life. Slow down. Enjoy the quiet time.
10. Visit The Carnegie, formerly the old Edgartown Library on North Water Street, and now the Vineyard Trust’s tribute to the whaling life and captains who called this area home. Opened in June 2018, The Carnegie offers free admission and is open from 10 am, Wednesdays through Sundays during summer season. If you’re walking around Edgartown or looking for a light activity on a rainy day, this might fit the bill. It’s small and easy to walk through in a short amount of time. There’s a small gift shop inside with lots of souvenirs and books geared toward children, and ice cream shops are just a few blocks away.

 
Marcia Simon is a writer/blogger, travel agent and principal of MSE public relations. Connect at friendlygrouptravel.com, facebook.com/friendlygrouptravel, @friendsgotravel or send email to welcome@friendlygrouptravel.com.
​MSE specializes in traveltech, health and wellness. mseusa.com.