Fall in Love with Dog Friendly Bar Harbor and Acadia
On a recent late September visit to Bar Harbor, the leaves were still green with end-of-summer denial as Mother Nature conducted a waltz between balmy summer temps and apple crisp Fall mornings. We revisited our favorite Bar Harbor dog friendly destinations and hiked up Acadia's South Bubble to catch the last of the summer-like views before everything turns golden.
A High-5 View from Acadia's South Bubble with views to Jordan Pond House
Here's some dog friendly Bar Harbor and Acadia destination tips if you're getting ready to wag to Mount Desert Island with your dog.
Dog Friendly Bar Harbor Accommodations - If you can't sleep without your dog by your side - you're in luck!
WARNING - If you treat Rover to a vacation at West St Hotel, your dog won't want to check-out and neither will you!
Dog Friendly West St Hotel, located in the heart of Bar Harbor, is an amazing luxury destination to stay with your dog. Opal Paws welcome gift bags, deluxe dog beds and panoramic harbor and Atlantic Ocean views.
The hotel website suggests only light-weight Fidos can stay but it turns out that well-behaved dogs over the stated 30 pounds are usually welcome. It always pays to call and ask for the inside scoop before booking any dog friendly accommodations.
The Balance Rock Inn is a dog friendly historic inn built in the early 1900s by Scottish businessman Alexander Maitland. This classic inn is located right off the winding shore path, just a short stroll from it's namesake; a geological wonder which seems to defy gravity.
Balance Rock, Bar Harbor
Rose Eden Cottages located on the outskirts of Bar Harbor offers a dog-friendly cabin experience with close proximity to Hadley Point Beach - another wagging destination.
Whining and Dining Around Bar Harbor - no need to ruff-it, there are plenty of places that welcome you and your best friend.
Paddy's is one of our favorite dog friendly dining destinations amidst the buzz of Bar Harbor with views over manicured gardens and the harbor. The friendly staff dote over wagging customers as they serve-up a gourmet menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dog friendly patio has heaters to warm you up and the live Irish music in evenings is an added welcoming touch.
Ted can never resist turning down the ramp to the dockside deck of Stewman's Lobster Pound. It's a destination for dog-lovers who like to dine outside with their best friends and the curbside sandwich board chalks up their dog friendly status with a no bones about it "Dogs Are Welcome". Dog's are treated like celebrities with enthusiastic greetings from restaurant staff, rapid icy bowl beverage service and love from fellow dining patrons.
Dog's can't sleep-over at the Bar Harbor Inn but they can stop by for lunch on their waterfront patio at Terrace Grill Restaurant. Their protocol is typically to situate visiting doggie diners on the patio edges to give them more lounging space. You can watch The Margaret Todd sail into the dock - a maritime adventure that welcomes relaxed salty sea dogs.
The Cottage St Pub has become a favorite "pup-stop" for Ted on our after dinner walks. The bartender often comes out with doggie treats and popcorn and we order nightcap cocktails while Ted shows off his latest trick to fellow bar-flies.
Exercise Your 4-Paw drive - a tired pup is a happy pup.
When the tide is right, you always see a procession of people and dogs beginning to walk over the exposed sandbar to Bar Island. The top of Bar Island delivers sweeping views of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island. According to the signs, you have a three-hour window to make the roundtrip journey- 90 minutes before low-tide and 90 minutes after. The tide turns quickly so you do have to be mindful of the time window.
Strolling along the Bar Harbor Shore Path and watching the early morning misty curtain evaporate into panoramic Atlantic Ocean views is our favorite way to begin our day in Bar Harbor. As the day warms up you can watch the iconic schooner sail out to sea and capture the majesty of her golden sails as they are hoisted up and down.
At 1500 feet, Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard with panoramic views of Mount Desert Island. Traverse the red rocks and find different view vantage points for a calendar "pawtrait".
Sand Beach is open to leashed dogs after Labor Day and has a stunning sandy shoreline to stroll with views of Beehive Mountain. The iron-rung laddered Beehive trail is fun to zoom in on with your camera and watch adrenalin-seekers get their fix. Having a dog as your hiking companion is a perfect excuse for folks who get dizzy at the thought of scaling cliffs.
Popovers and liquid refreshments at dog friendly Jordan Pond House is a perfect prelude before you embark on a hike up The Bubbles - visible at the far end of the pond. Sadly, water-loving dogs can't dip their paws into the inviting crystal clear pond because it's a drinking water source.
Little Long Pond, Seal Harbor is a popular dog-friendly destination.We ran out of time on our recent visit but we're heading back up in a few weeks and have a pond date with Bar Harbor Brady. HappyME friends may recall Brady as the local favorite yellow Labrador "who has hiked every trail without a ladder". He starred in my Maine Wag Bar Harbor and Acadia dog friendly feature with Maine Today a few summers ago.
Meet Bar Harbor Brady - Wag Like A Local - Dog Friendly Bar Harbor and Acadia
No dog or dog-enthusiast can walk by the popular Bark Harbor boutique dog-store without checking it out. Much of the tasty merchandise is at sniffing level so Ted's shopping strategy is to lick the things he likes because then he figures his Mom will have to buy it.
Get your Maine-loving dog decked out in HappyME Vacationland gear - Maine-inspired dog collars, leashes and more.