Visiting Yarmouth - Woth the Long R/T Ferry Ride and Price?

I%26#39;ve reserved a spot on the CAT Ferry from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in October (on the last day the CAT makes the run).

After doing a bit of research, it seems as though Yarmouth may be a bit of a sleeper town, and not worth the rather steep ferry charge and six-hour R/T journey after all. I%26#39;m an off-the-beaten-path kind of traveler, who avoids anything remotely %26#39;touristy%26#39; and don%26#39;t want to waste my time spending 6 hours on a ferry only to discover that Yarmouth isn%26#39;t worth the time and expense. Would rather stay in Bar Harbor and make the most of exploring Acadia and the environs.

Many thanks.

Visiting Yarmouth - Woth the Long R/T Ferry Ride and Price?

In a word, No.

The Cat is a totally enclosed, high-speed ferry. It provides none of the atmosphere of being at sea. Moreover, your suspicions of Yarmouth are pretty much correct. It is the (ferry) gateway to Nova Scotia and nothing else. Nova Scotia is a beautiful province---once you get well away from Yarmouth. If you are planning a stay in Nova Scotia and want to minimize your travel time to there and back, then the Cat is fine: for a day trip, it%26#39;s not worth it.

October is a great time to be on Mount Desert Island, exploring the park and all of the areas on the island. The park is beautiful, and after the hectic days of July and August, the pace of everything is much more relaxed. Given what you have said, my guess is that you would appreciate investigating what is called the ';quiet side'; of the island (Southwest Harbor, Bass Harbor, Pretty Marsh, etc.) as well as the park and Bar Harbor.

Visiting Yarmouth - Woth the Long R/T Ferry Ride and Price?

Cancel that reservation. You won%26#39;t like the Cat if you don%26#39;t like touristy. It has slot machines and bad food. You can%26#39;t even stand out on deck. Plus too often it gets way-delayed because of fog. Some times the trip is even canceled. Instead of the Cat, find a mountain top in Acadia and enjoy the ocean breeze and view from there. Take the money you%26#39;ve saved and have a really good meal at some quaint little Bistro in the Acadia area.

I agree with the other post...cancel your reservation. Unless you%26#39;re planning on spending some significant time in Nova Scotia (which I do recommend) you will not like it. October at Acadia is magical...hardly any people. You%26#39;ll find you have most of the park to yourself. There are many, many off-the-beaten-path things to do and not leave the island.

Hi churby,

Definitely cancel the reservation.

I took the Cat out of Bar Harbor about 5 years ago and was greatly disappointed with the experience. As others have said it%26#39;s nothing but a traveling casino with not so great food. And Yarmouth is really not worth the long, round trip.

However, we spent over a week in Nova Scotia with most of the time on Cape Breton Island which is beautiful. Peggy%26#39;s Cove near Halifax is beautiful also along with some of the beaches.

In other words, you really have to plan on spending some time in NS for it to be worth the trip. From Yarmouth to Cape Breton Island is about a 6 hour drive if I remember correctly! Tells you how large the area is.

As others have suggested, spend the time in Acadia Nat%26#39;l Park or drive to Deer Isle and buzz around Stonington, Little Deer Isle, etc. Very pretty and scenic, especially in the Fall.

cozyharbor