Bar Harbor and Boothbay Harbor are two of the best-known harbor towns on the Maine coast, and visitors planning a first trip often ask which one to pick. Both have working waterfronts, good seafood, and plenty to do on the water. But Bar Harbor is built around Acadia National Park and draws big summer crowds, while Boothbay Harbor is smaller, easier to walk, and built around boats. After three decades covering Maine, this is how we would choose between them.
The Basics
Bar Harbor sits on Mount Desert Island in Downeast Maine and is the main gateway to Acadia National Park. Its compact downtown, with shops, restaurants, and the Shore Path along the water, is only minutes from the park. Boothbay Harbor is on a peninsula in the Midcoast, centered on a busy inner harbor crossed by a footbridge. Its draw is the harbor itself, the boat trips that leave from it, and a quieter pace than Bar Harbor.
They are a long way apart. Plan on roughly 125 miles and about three to three and a half hours of driving between them, and more on a summer weekend when Route 1 backs up. That is why most visitors pick one as a base rather than splitting a short trip between the two.
The Crowds
Bar Harbor is the busier town by a wide margin. Cruise ships visit on many days from late spring through October, and the park pulls in visitors on top of that, so downtown sidewalks, parking, and restaurant waits are real considerations in July, August, and October foliage weekends. If crowds wear you down, plan Bar Harbor for early morning and evening and use the park’s quieter corners during the day.
Boothbay Harbor gets busy too, especially on summer weekends, and it has the added quirk of one main road in and out of the peninsula (Route 27), which slows down when everyone arrives or leaves at once. But it never reaches Bar Harbor’s scale, and you can usually find a quiet bench by the water even in peak season.
Acadia National Park
This is the biggest reason to choose Bar Harbor. Acadia has granite summits, carriage roads, rocky shoreline, and the Park Loop Road, all within a short drive of town. A park entrance pass is required year-round. In season, driving up Cadillac Summit Road also needs a separate vehicle reservation, which the park requires from late May to mid-October and sells only online, so book it ahead. You can also walk to Bar Island across the sandbar at low tide, which makes an easy outing straight from downtown.
Boothbay Harbor has nothing on that scale for hiking and big scenery. What it offers instead is gentler: botanical gardens, short coastal walks, and lighthouse and ocean views a short drive away. If you want to climb mountains and drive scenic loops, choose Bar Harbor. If a mellow day by the water is the goal, Boothbay Harbor fits better.
The Harbor Experience
Boothbay Harbor is the one to choose if the harbor is the point. The town wraps around its inner harbor, and you can walk the waterfront, cross the footbridge, browse small shops, and watch boats come and go without a car. The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are nearby in Boothbay, and the Maine State Aquarium is in nearby West Boothbay Harbor, so there is plenty to fill a rainy day.
Bar Harbor’s waterfront is more about the walk. The Shore Path runs along the edge of the bay, and downtown has more shops and restaurants than Boothbay Harbor. It is livelier, but also more commercial.
Boat Trips and Islands
Both towns are good bases for getting out on the water, and Boothbay Harbor is especially strong here. Day trips run from the harbor to Monhegan Island, an artists’ island with no cars. Balmy Days Cruises runs the crossing, which takes about 90 minutes each way, from roughly late spring through early autumn, with round trips starting around $90 (check current fares before you go). Other boats from the harbor offer sightseeing cruises and clambake outings. For more on wildlife trips along the coast, see our guides to whale watching in Maine and seeing puffins.
Bar Harbor has its own whale watching and scenic cruises, and the park coastline looks different from the water. The trade-off is the same as on land: more choices, more people.
Dining
You can eat very well in both towns. Bar Harbor has the larger restaurant scene, with everything from casual lobster rolls to upscale dinners, and it fills up fast in summer, so reservations help. Boothbay Harbor leans more toward waterfront lobster shacks and harbor-view dining where you eat on a deck with the boats a few feet away. If a classic lobster dinner by the water is your priority, either works. If you want variety night after night, Bar Harbor has more to choose from.
Getting There
Boothbay Harbor is the easier drive from southern Maine and Portland, roughly 60 miles from Portland, with the last stretch down Route 27. Bar Harbor is farther, about four hours from Portland, and about an hour from Bangor, which has the nearest major airport. Our Maine driving distances guide has more drive times from other starting points.
Who Should Go Where
Choose Bar Harbor if Acadia is your reason for coming. It is the right base for hiking, scenic drives, and a longer trip with several days of park activities. It suits first-time visitors who want the “big” Maine experience, and you should be comfortable with crowds in summer and fall.
Choose Boothbay Harbor if you want a relaxed harbor town where you can walk everywhere, take a boat trip, and not plan every hour. It suits a long weekend, families with younger kids, and visitors who prefer a smaller town and more time by the water.
Can You Do Both?
Yes, but only on a trip of a week or more. The drive is long enough that squeezing both into a few days leaves most of your time in the car. A better plan is a coastal road trip: start in Boothbay Harbor, stop in Camden and Rockland on the way up Route 1, and finish at Bar Harbor. We compare the stops in between in Camden vs Bar Harbor, Camden vs Boothbay Harbor, and Rockland vs Boothbay Harbor.
Where to Stay: Bar Harbor and Boothbay Harbor
Rates in both towns peak in July and August and again on October foliage weekends, and the best places book months ahead. Late spring and early fall, outside the peak weeks, are cheaper and quieter in both. Browse Maine lodging for places to stay in each town, and see our best time to visit Maine guide for help picking dates.
Bar Harbor vs Boothbay Harbor FAQ
Which is better, Bar Harbor or Boothbay Harbor?
It depends on the trip. Bar Harbor is better if you want Acadia National Park, hiking, and scenic drives. Boothbay Harbor is better for a relaxed, walkable harbor town with boat trips and a smaller crowd.
How far is Bar Harbor from Boothbay Harbor?
About 125 miles by road, roughly three to three and a half hours of driving without stops. Summer traffic on Route 1 can add time.
Is Boothbay Harbor less crowded than Bar Harbor?
Yes. Boothbay Harbor gets busy on summer weekends, but it is much smaller and does not have the cruise ship and national park crowds that Bar Harbor does.