Bar Harbor Maine Beaches

If you love scenic ocean views and picturesque beaches, Bar Harbor, Maine might be the perfect summer getaway for you.

From quiet, secluded pebble beaches to vast, sandy shorelines, Bar Harbor Maine beaches have something for everyone. And with easy access to Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor offers so much to explore in the warm summer months. 

So if you’re looking to swim, kayak, hike, or just relax on the sand, here are some of the best Bar Harbor beaches.

Best Beaches in Bar Harbor, Maine

Here is your guide to six of the top beaches to explore on your next visit to Bar Harbor, Maine.

Sand Beach

Sand Beach is one of the most iconic and well-known beaches located in Acadia State Park. With almost 300 yards of breathtaking rocky shoreline, this beach, tucked into an ocean cove, offers clear water, scenic views, and several walking trails.

Located off of the Park Loop Road just south of the entrance fee station, Sand Beach is a fantastic place to stop for anyone visiting Bar Harbor. Although the water usually stays at a cool 55 degrees Fahrenheit, there’s plenty of hiking trails and nearby activities to enjoy. Changing rooms and restrooms is right next to the parking area, and there is a pick-up and drop-off location for the Island Explorer Shuttle Bus.

Seal Harbor Beach

Another stop on the Island Explorer Shuttle Bus, Seal Harbor Beach is a vast sandy beach located on the Eastern Side of Mount Desert island near Acadia National Park. 

Seal Harbor Beach is less crowded and quieter than the nearby Sand Beach, making it a great place to relax and enjoy the views of islands and lobster boats in the harbor. The beach has a small parking lot across the road, as well as public restrooms near the lot. 

The water is relatively calm and warm, so Seal Harbor Beach is a great place to visit if you’re looking for a soothing place to swim and splash around. The beach is also close to several walking trails, as well as a range of shops, coffee places, and restaurants where you can grab a bite to eat after a day of enjoying the water.

Echo Lake Beach

On the quiet western side of Mount Desert is Echo Lake Beach, you will find a popular freshwater beach between Somesville and Southwest Harbor in Acadia National Park. With smaller crowds than alternative Bar Harbor beaches, Echo Lake Beach is an amazing place to relax and enjoy the picturesque cliffside views.

If you’re traveling with family or kids, Echo Lake Beach is a top choice in Bar Harbor. It offers warm, shallow water, making it a safe option for swimming and splashing around. The boat landing also makes this an ideal beach for kayaking, paddleboarding, diving, and more.

Outside of water activities, Echo Lake Park is close to a range of hiking and walking trails to explore, including an access point to the summit of the nearby Beech Mountain.

Echo Lake has a large parking lot, and visitors rarely struggle to find a place to park. There’s also an Island Explorer Shuttle Bus stop on the beach, making it even easier to get to.

Lamoine Beach

Just off the turnoff for Lamoine State Park is Lamoine Beach, a large, popular swimming beach near Acadia National Park. Lamoine Beach boasts incredible views of Cadillac Mountain and Mount Desert Island, and with fewer crowds than nearby options, this quiet and peaceful beach is a perfect place to watch the sunrise. 

While the beach has oceanside picnic tables and grills, Lamoine State Park has even more amenities to offer, including campgrounds, showers, a boat launch, playgrounds, and kayaking. Lamoine Beach and Lamoine State Park is also just a short drive to Ellsworth, the commercial center of Maine, so you’ll never get bored visiting the area.

While the parking lot can get full on busier summer weekends, it’s usually not difficult to find parking and access Lamoine Beach. There are also public outhouse-style restrooms nearby.

Little Hunters Beach

Little Hunter’s Beach runs on the Southeast side of Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, just off of the Park Loop Road. Because it’s not visible from the road, Little Hunters is seen as a secret spot in the area and tends to stay quiet even throughout the busiest summer months. 

It’s a bit of a hike to the actual beach, but once you make it down the wooden stairway, you’ll see a peaceful beach covered by unique rounded pebbles. 

The water doesn’t exceed 55 degrees Fahrenheit and has a strong undertow, so swimming isn’t recommended. However, this secluded beach is the perfect place to walk along the water and enjoy the scenery and sound of crashing waves on rocks.

There’s a small area for cars to pull off near the beach, or you can use the parking lot near the picnic area on Otter Cliff Road. While it does require some walking to get to, Little Hunters is an excellent beach if you’re trying to avoid the summer Bar Harbor crowds.

Hulls Cove Beach

Hulls Cove Beach, located just two miles from downtown Bar Harbor, is a small but scenic beach in Acadia National Park. When the tide is low, Hulls Cove is the perfect place to walk along the rocky shore and comb for sea glass.

While the beach is less accessible during high tide, during medium or low tide, you can catch a beautiful view of Frenchmen Bay in a peaceful, uncrowded setting. When you’re done beachcombing, Hulls Cove Beach also offers plenty to enjoy in the area, including a general store and seafood restaurant where you can try some delicious Maine Lobster.

While there isn’t a parking lot, visitors can park along the street for easy access to the shore.

Discover the Best Bar Harbor Beaches

With so many beaches and outdoor activities to explore, it’s no surprise why Bar Harbor, Maine is a quintessential New England Vacation spot.

You can book your perfect summer getaway in Bar Harbor and enjoy endless ocean views, scenic beach walks, and so much more.