We will be coming to BH in mid-July with 3 grandchildren, ages 4, 7, and 10. We will be staying at Bass Harbor Campground on the southern tip of the ';quiet'; western side of Mouth Desert Island. Things we hope our grandchildren will see include: Tidal Pools, Whales, Puffins, birds . . . in other words, the best that nature has to offer. We would appreciate suggestions of where to go to see these things. Also, I have a lot of mobility problems because of advancing age, so are there things that I shouldn%26#39;t go on (certain boats?) and hope Grandpa gets great pictures? We%26#39;d appreciate any suggestions for the best things to do in Bar Harbor with children who love nature.
Thanks.
The ';Natural'; Maine
You will have all of Acadia National Park to enjoy. There are two very nice trails close to where youare camping: Wonderland and Ship Harbor. I%26#39;d suggest stopping at the big visitor center for Acadia National Park. There are ranger programs geared to children including one that explores tidal pools and one that explains the night sky as visitors lie on their backs at Sand Beach.
One boat trip you might want to avoid is the Baker Island cruise. Because there is no dock at tiny Baker Island, passengers must climb off the bigger boat onto a small boat and ferry over to a rocky beach. That could be troublesome for you.
The ';Natural'; Maine
For kids I would suggest taking them to the quiet side of the island. Wonderland is a lovely trail...fairly flat so it%26#39;s easy to navigate but there is a lot to see on the trail. It ends at the water which is really fascinating. Little Long Pond off Rt 3 is also a nice place to take kids. Shallow, warm swimming and an easy, flat dirt road to get there. You%26#39;re likely to see eagles and other wildlife. For easy access check out the carriage paths. Many of them go around ponds/lakes and are fairly flat. Breakneck Ponds is one that I%26#39;ve taken my older parents on and they have loved it. Kids will again see wildlife (beavers etc) and the ponds are really nice.
You may want to consider a whale watch. Keep in mind that they go about 25 miles out to open ocean. There can be a bit of chop on a good day. You will want to plant yourself somewhere stable with a good view. Everyone should have warmclothes, layers, with a windbreak. It is much colder out there than toodling around Frenchman%26#39;s Bay. Dramamine is a good idea for anyone who is not certain of their sea legs. The whole trip is very rewarding. The whales are amazing to see.
There is also a horse drawn carriage ride on the carriage trails, which may suit the younger ones and Grandma. If Grandpa is up to it, renting bikes and biking with the 10, and maybe the 7 year old, will be a lot of fun.
Thank you for your suggestions. The ranger programs sound very interesting, so a special thanks to bonniemaev. We took the children to the Pacific Northwest a few years ago, and the memory we hear about most often is examining the tidal pools off the coast of Oregon. I almost can%26#39;t wait the three more weeks till we leave!
In addition to what bonniemaev said, the Ranger-led programs can also be taken as part of a larger %26#39;Junior Ranger Program%26#39;. In the park visitor center you purchase a book for your kids. It costs around $3. Once your kids complete the tasks in the book and take the required number of Ranger-led programs, they take the book back to the visitor center and a Ranger anoints them a ';Junior Ranger';. They are announced over the PA system in the visitor center and everyone applauds them. My kids have done this and it is GREAT. Just make sure you give yourselves enough time to do the Ranger-led courses as they can each take 1-1.5 hours each. Time goes by fast when you are in Acadia and you dont want to be scrambling that last day....;)
Give yourself extra time to board any boat cruise you go on.
Maine%26#39;s tides are dramaticly high and low, and some boat trips involve access via an adjustable dock/gangplank that can be very steep at low tide.
I%26#39;m guessing it won%26#39;t be a problem with the bigger Whale Watch cruises, but some small boats (like the Islesford Historical Cruise offered by the Park Service) require you to walk down a dock to a boat and at low tide that could be a challenge to someone with mobility problems.
Worth asking ahead about if you don%26#39;t do steep stairs very well.
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