You spent the day in Acadia. You hiked and explored, maybe biked a carriage road, and took a well-deserved afternoon nap. Now the sun is getting low, you’ve cleaned up, and the question is: what should we do tonight?
At night, Bar Harbor keeps things casual in the best way. The goal is not to stay out as late as possible but to wander into local breweries, discover creative cocktails, and find the next stop without overthinking it. Maybe that means pizza and a movie at one of the quirkiest theaters on the East Coast, a ghost tour that leaves you with great stories to tell your friends, or a slow walk downtown after one last drink. It’s relaxed, walkable, and just lively enough after a busy day enjoying everything Bar Harbor has to offer.
Staying at the Bar Harbor Villager Motel makes a fun night out extra convenient. With downtown Bar Harbor just outside your door, there’s no dealing with parking, ride-shares, or figuring out who’s driving back if you split a bottle of wine. Just choose your direction, enjoy the night, and walk home when you’re ready.
Start With a Beer at Bar Harbor Breweries and Pubs
When you’re ready for happy hour, downtown Bar Harbor has great options for your first stop of the night. Trade your hiking shoes for a bar stool, order something cold, and let the night build from there. You’ll find a handful of walkable pubs and brewery stops that are perfect for easing out of trail mode.
Atlantic Brewing Company has been making beer on Mount Desert Island since 1990, and their Midtown location on Cottage Street is a convenient stop for anyone staying downtown. The Blueberry Ale is a Maine staple at this point, worth ordering at least once even if fruited beer isn’t usually your thing. The patio is ideal on a warm evening and the location makes it an easy place to start before wandering farther into downtown. Fun fact: Atlantic Brewing’s Blueberry Ale is brewed with real Maine blueberries and has been on the menu since 1993.
If you want something with a bit more energy, Bar Harbor Beer Works is a great choice. They pour 32 Maine craft beers on tap, serve a solid pub menu with local lobster, and the outdoor seating along Cottage Street has good views of the summer foot traffic. They also host live music on Thursdays during season, so it’s worth checking their Facebook page to see what’s happening while you’re in town.
Interested in a more traditional pub? Leary’s Landing is an Irish pub and the kind of downtown spot visitors seem to find their way back to year after year. Open year-round, it’s especially worth marking on your list if you’re visiting Bar Harbor in the off-season. With good beer, classic pub food, and a mix of locals and visitors, it has the steady, unfussy feel you want from a true neighborhood pub.
Finback Alehouse brings a slightly more elevated gastropub feel to Cottage Street, with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, craft beer, cocktails, and a menu that goes beyond standard pub food. The atmosphere still feels easygoing and coastal, but with a little more polish than a classic pub. They also run open mics and other events, so depending on the night, Finback can double as a live music stop too.
Best Cocktails in Bar Harbor
Not every night out in Bar Harbor needs to turn into a pub crawl. Sometimes the occasion calls for fresh, local oysters, a craft cocktail, or splurging on a bottle of wine perfectly paired with your meal. These Bar Harbor bars are perfect for girls’ night out or to kick off celebrating a special occasion.
The Barnacle on Main Street features a mirror-backed bar, carved wood, and soft lighting that make the small space feel warm and tucked away. The cocktail list is what really sets it apart, with Maine-made kombucha incorporated into drinks like the Paloma Kombucha Margarita, Blueberry ’Bucha-tini, and Gin & ’Bucha. Paired with fresh, local oysters from Frenchman Bay, it is a memorable way to drink and snack your way through downtown Bar Harbor.
Table Salt opened in 2025 and quickly became one of the most talked-about new spots on the island. If you’re looking for a sit-down dinner with cocktails that still feel like part of the experience, this is the move. Their Charred Hive cocktail brings the drama, with a rosemary sprig lit on fire and doused with gin, honey, and ginger. From there, the menu can carry the rest of the night with seared yellowfin tuna, braised short rib, lobster rolls, and more.
Project Social is the perfect stop for a cocktail, or non-alcoholic mocktail, with a little outdoor charm. The indoor-outdoor bar opens onto a covered patio, garden seating, and a small stream and pond. The cocktail list leans into clever Maine themes, with drinks like the Touch Tank, made with oyster shell-infused Maine gin, house vermouth, mignonette brine, and pickled shallot. If your group wants something sweet to enjoy, the homemade Maine blueberry jam crepe is an easy yes. For more non-alcoholic choices around town, check out the mocktail list at The Terrace Grille, or the selection of THC drinks at specialty wine and gift shop, Wind and Wine.
For an elevated dish with this delicious fish, try the Ahi Tuna Tataki at the Bar Harbor Inn’s Reading Room restaurant, which features lime whipped avocado and compressed watermelon.
Leave Room for Live Music and Local Events
Some of the best nights come down to what happens to be on the calendar while you’re here. Bar Harbor’s live music, film screenings, and other seasonal events can all turn a casual night out into something more memorable. Before you make a plan, ask at the front desk or check the local community calendars to see what’s happening that night.
Lompoc Cafe and Brewpub offers a variety of entertainment, whether that means live music, trivia, karaoke, late-night dance parties, or whatever else happens to be on the calendar. The beer garden gives it a different feel from the more other downtown bar stops, and because it is tucked back from the busiest parts of town, it feels like its own world when you find it.
The 1932 Criterion Theatre is in a category of its own. It opened in 1932 with live music, vaudeville acts, and film screenings. The building still has its Art Deco character, including a floating balcony and original auditorium, and it remains one of only two Art Deco theaters still standing in Maine. Today, it hosts concerts, films, live performances, and special events throughout the season. Even if you are just catching a movie, the setting makes it one of the more memorable ways to spend an evening in Bar Harbor.
Pro tip: Check the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce events calendar before you head out. It is a useful resource for local happenings during your stay, from outdoor concerts and seasonal festivals to one-off events you might not hear about otherwise.
Make It a Movie Night at Reel Pizza Cinerama
There are movie theaters, and then there is Reel Pizza Cinerama. The concept is exactly what it sounds like: a two-screen cinema where you order pizza when you arrive, your buzzer goes off when it’s ready, and you eat in the theater. There are couches in the front rows, which make the theater even more quirky. Plus, tickets are well below what you’d pay at a traditional theater.
Reel Pizza is open year-round, which means it’s also a great option in shoulder season when other nightlife options are closed. It tends to become a tradition for people who discover it. If you’ve had a full day and the idea of sitting somewhere warm and relaxed with a slice and a movie sounds perfect, it is.
Add a Spooky Stop: Bar Harbor Ghost Tours
For a town known for its access to beautiful nature, Bar Harbor has a surprisingly haunted streak. Old resort hotels, the 1932 Criterion Theatre, shipwreck stories, Wabanaki spirit traditions, the Great Fire of 1947, and more than a few shadowy waterfront legends all give ghost hunters plenty to work with after dark. If you want your night out to include something besides dinner and drinks, this is one of the best ways to add a little local history and a few chills to the evening.
Bar Harbor Ghost Tours is a Native American-owned, family-operated company that has been featured for eight consecutive years on USA Today’s 10 Best Ghost Tours list. The tours are grounded in historical research and Indigenous Wabanaki spirit traditions, so the experience feels connected to Bar Harbor’s history rather than a standard jump-scare ghost walk.
The standard walking tour moves through town parks, the waterfront, and, when scheduling allows, inside the 1932 Criterion Theatre for after-hours access. That Criterion stop is a major draw if it is available that night, especially after reading about the theater’s history and seeing its Art Deco interior after dark. Tours run from May through October, and advance booking is recommended during peak summer weeks since spots can fill quickly. Even if ghost tours are not usually your thing, learning more about the local history is just as much the point as the hauntings.
For another option, the Lizzie Borden Ghost Tours focuses on haunted landmarks and old resort-town stories, including places like Balance Rock Inn, the Criterion Theatre, and the historic Bar Harbor Club. This tour stays outside rather than going into buildings, so the appeal is more about hearing the stories where they happened and seeing familiar downtown landmarks in a spookier light. They also offer an extended tour add-on with a few additional stops if your group wants a longer walk, and pets are welcome as long as they do not distract from the tour.
Take the Long Way Back Along the Water
After a night of amazing drinks, live music, movies, or ghost stories, the best way to wrap up the evening is a walk along the waterfront. From the center of town, head toward the waterfront and walk through Agamont Park, where you can look out over Frenchman Bay before looping past the Town Pier. In the warmer months, the harbor still has a little movement after dark: boats shifting in the water, lights reflecting off the bay, people finishing ice cream cones, and the dark outline of the Porcupine Islands across the water.cts and recipes to try at home.
From there, make your way back up through downtown toward the Bar Harbor Villager Motel. The route is short, easy, and exactly what makes staying downtown so convenient. You can end the night with one last look at the water, then be back at the motel in just a few minutes.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Go Out
- Bar Harbor nightlife is seasonal. Many spots are only open May through October, and hours can shift midweek or in the off-season. Check current hours before heading out, especially if you are visiting outside peak summer.
- Make dinner reservations during peak summer. July and August are busy, and popular spots fill up fast. A reservation in hand saves you from standing on the sidewalk debating where to try next.
- Check kitchen hours, not just bar hours. Some places may stay open for drinks after the kitchen closes, which matters if your “one more stop” also needs to include food.
- Bring an extra layer. Evenings in coastal Maine cool down faster than you would expect, even on warm days. A light jacket in your bag goes a long way after a couple hours outside.
- Late-night options are limited. Thirsty Whale Tavern is one of the most reliable late-night spots in town, with food, drinks, and a late-night menu served until 1 AM. Lompoc Cafe is also worth checking if you are looking for something later, especially on event nights with DJs, karaoke, or other events.
Your Night Out Starts and Ends Downtown
A night out in Bar Harbor can go lots of different ways. Local beer after a long day of hiking, craft cocktails and oysters with the girls, a pizza date night in a movie theater, spooky ghost stories, and so much more. Whether you have an itinerary or want to wander and explore, you are guaranteed a memorable night.
That is what makes staying at Bar Harbor Villager Motel so convenient. You are already downtown, close to the restaurants, bars, theaters, tours, and waterfront views that make Bar Harbor nightlife feel so distinct. Plan a little, wander a little, and enjoy knowing the motel is only a short walk away when you are ready to call it a night
The first time I ever took a Bar Harbor vacation, I walked 9 miles on day one! Of course, you can drive to many of Acadia’s best attractions, but chances are you’ll want to get out at some point to wander around, so comfortable shoes are important. A good pair of sneakers will do the job just fine, but hiking boots are also a great option if you plan to tackle steeper trails like the Precipice Trail or Cadillac South Ridge.
While hanging out in your room at the Acadia Inn can be relaxing, we encourage you to go out, go out, go out! There’s so much to see and enjoy in nature on Mount Desert Island; it’s what will make you fall in love with our coastal haven. That said, you should be prepared with a few items when spending so much time outdoors:
For example, I love having a disposable camera or Instax on hand to snap photos while out and about. Perhaps it’s old school, but the physical photos just have a certain something that smartphone pics can never achieve.
Of course, Acadia is known for its 45 miles of carriage roads, commissioned by John D. Rockefeller, and built between 1913 and 1940. These motor free gravel roads follow the contours of the land, emphasize scenic views, and are shared by pedestrians, cyclists, and horse-drawn carriages to this day. They are perfect for bikers of all skill levels and allow you to check off some of the best sights in the park atop two wheels. Most Acadia carriage roads do have some variable elevation, but you can always hop off and walk while enjoying the views.
For a good workout and fewer cars to share the road with, sport cyclists can head to Southwest Harbor where you’ll find well-paved surfaces and views of the Cranberry Islands, Bass Harbor Head Light, and more. Depending on your starting point, these routes can be anywhere from 16 to 86 miles long.
It’s nearly impossible to see all Acadia has to offer in one day and there are many amazing hikes and activities that can’t be done on a bike. The Bar Harbor Motel offers fully enclosed and locked 
If you’re planning a trip to Acadia, you’ve probably considered catching a sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, and for good reason! Not only is Cadillac the highest peak in the park, it’s also the highest point on the eastern seaboard and provides visitors with magnificent, sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, glacial coastline, and island landscape.
