Maine State Sea Kayak

06/06/2026

Many of you know us as home to National Park Sea Kayak Tours, rebranded in 2021 as Maine State Sea Kayak and Acadia Fat Tire E-Bike.

We recently added Quackadia, Bar Harbor's newest rubber duck destination, featuring our exclusive Acadia Collection and hundreds of unique ducks from around the world.

But Things to Do in Acadia is becoming our collective of brands, and so much more.

Our vision has always been to help visitors experience Acadia National Park in a way that is fun, memorable, and accessible. That's why we're expanding our offerings to include:

• Premium guided tours and local experiences

• E-bike rentals and family adventures

• Bike repairs and service

• Visitor information and trip planning

• Family gear rentals coming soon, including toddler carriers, Pack 'n Plays, camping equipment, trekking poles, and more!

• Accessibility equipment, including adaptive hiking solutions designed to help more people experience Acadia's incredible trails

Too often, families arrive and realize they forgot an important item, couldn't fit it in their luggage, or simply don't want to travel with bulky gear. We want to help remove those barriers so more people can enjoy their time in Acadia.

Everything we do is guided by our core values:

🤝 Stronger Together

We believe adventures are better when shared. We work to connect visitors, families, and our local community through meaningful experiences.

🌲 Inclusive Adventure

Acadia belongs to everyone. We're committed to helping people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds experience the beauty of Mount Desert Island.

🦫 UNDAMMABLE

Like Maine's wildlife and the rugged coast we call home, we believe obstacles are meant to be overcome. We embrace creativity, resilience, and finding new ways to help people experience the outdoors.

Whether you're looking for the perfect family adventure, a premium tour, an e-bike rental, a forgotten piece of gear, a rubber duck souvenir, or simply some local advice, Things to Do in Acadia is here to help.

Because everyone deserves the opportunity to experience Acadia National Park — exactly as they are.

Coming soon.

39 Cottage Street • Bar Harbor, Maine

Www.Thingstodoinacadia.com

05/26/2026

Jordan is our newest Registered Maine Guide! He passed the state testing process today and will soon be guiding our Youth and Oyster programs!

Congratulations 🎊 👏

05/19/2026

First Bartlett's to clark paddle of the season and it was an epic journey filled with wildlife and great guests! Lets go 2026!

05/06/2026

We're excited too! It's almost paddling season. Photo by Peter Logue photography

04/01/2026

This wilderness guide canoe is on its way home to Bar Harbor 🛶🌊

Built by the craftsmen at Island Falls Canoe, this isn’t just a canoe—it’s a piece of Maine history.

These traditional Maine guide canoes were originally used by guides (like Fly Rod Crosby, the first registered Maine Guide in 1897) to take clients deep into the wilderness—hauling gear, crossing remote lakes, and traveling long distances through Maine’s quiet waters.
Stable, strong, and built to carry both people and stories.

Today, this one will live on in a new way: – wedding photo shoots, public display, and personal fun!

Same spirit, just a different kind of journey.
Check it out this summer through Things To Do In Acadia 🤙

03/19/2026

It's late March, reservations are steadily coming and the Town has yet to ask for input from those most affected.

We have sent this letter to the Town Council in hopes of being granted some stability.

"Dear Members of the Bar Harbor Town Council,

I am writing to respectfully request that the Town consider issuing temporary permits for the two currently active kayak outfitters operating out of Hadley Point for the 2026 season.

At this point in the year, we already have a significant number of guest reservations in place for the upcoming summer. With the season rapidly approaching and limited time remaining to identify and implement alternative solutions, any disruption to current operations would create substantial challenges for both our businesses and the visitors we serve.

We respectfully ask for the opportunity to continue operating in the same manner as in previous years at Hadley Point for the 2026 season, while the Town continues to review and finalize any proposed changes to the ordinance. A temporary permitting approach would provide continuity for local businesses, support tourism, and allow time for a thoughtful, long-term solution to be developed.

We appreciate your consideration and your continued efforts to balance public access, local business needs, and the unique character of Bar Harbor’s waterfront."

03/14/2026

Afternoon ride around witch hole pond!

03/05/2026

Bar Harbor’s connection to guiding goes back a long way. Thousands of years to the Wabanaki, in fact.

More recently, visitors have been hiring local boatmen and guides to explore the waters and mountains around Mount Desert Island since the mid-1800s — long before there were roads, marked trails, or even Acadia National Park.

That culture of guided outdoor exploration helped establish Mount Desert Island as a national destination for nature tourism and played a role in the conservation movement that eventually led to the creation of the park itself.

In 1897, Maine formalized that tradition by creating the first registered guide system in the country with Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby.

Today, guiding remains an important part of Maine’s outdoor and waterfront economy.

At places like Hadley Point, we share the shoreline with many working waterfront users — fishermen, aquaculture operators, and others who park vehicles or trailers in order to access the water and conduct their work. These industries are an important part of Maine’s coastal heritage.

Guiding is part of that heritage too.

In fact, the guiding tradition in Maine predates oyster and mussel aquaculture by nearly a century.

At the moment, the discussion around Hadley Point centers on two kayak trailers occupying two parking spaces — at a location that, outside of occasional sunset evenings, rarely reaches parking capacity during the summer.

Without clear data showing that this use is preventing public access, it’s worth taking a thoughtful look at how policies affect different waterfront users.

Because the truth is simple:

Bar Harbor’s tourism economy didn’t begin with cruise ships or aquaculture leases.

It began with guides.

We're simply asking for consistent treatment of similar waterfront activities.

03/05/2026

Bar Harbor’s connection to guiding goes back a long way. Thousands of years to the Wabanaki, in fact.

More recently, visitors have been hiring local boatmen and guides to explore the waters and mountains around Mount Desert Island since the mid-1800s — long before there were roads, marked trails, or even Acadia National Park.

That culture of guided outdoor exploration helped establish Mount Desert Island as a national destination for nature tourism and played a role in the conservation movement that eventually led to the creation of the park itself.

In 1897, Maine formalized that tradition by creating the first registered guide system in the country with Cornelia "Fly Rod" Crosby.

Today, guiding remains an important part of Maine’s outdoor and waterfront economy.

At places like Hadley Point, we share the shoreline with many working waterfront users — fishermen, aquaculture operators, and others who park vehicles or trailers in order to access the water and conduct their work. These industries are an important part of Maine’s coastal heritage.

Guiding is part of that heritage too.

In fact, the guiding tradition in Maine predates oyster and mussel aquaculture by nearly a century.

At the moment, the discussion around Hadley Point centers on two kayak trailers occupying two parking spaces — at a location that, outside of occasional sunset evenings, rarely reaches parking capacity during the summer.

Without clear data showing that this use is preventing public access, it’s worth taking a thoughtful look at how policies affect different waterfront users.

Because the truth is simple:

Bar Harbor’s tourism economy didn’t begin with cruise ships or aquaculture leases.

It began with guides.

We're simply asking for consistent treatment of similar waterfront activities.

03/05/2026

This ordinance appears to be addressing the presence of two kayak trailers occupying two parking spaces at Hadley Point.

However, those spaces are not utilized by the public for the majority of the summer season. An objective impact study would likely demonstrate that parking capacity at Hadley Point is rarely reached during most of the season, with only occasional congestion during sunset hours.

It is also important to note that other trailers and similar uses are not being restricted under this ordinance. Regulating one specific activity while allowing comparable uses to continue creates the appearance of arbitrary and selective enforcement. As written, this raises concerns about whether the ordinance could withstand legal scrutiny.

Equally important is the unique role Hadley Point plays for our community. It is the only location on Mount Desert Island that consistently provides the sheltered conditions necessary for safe paddling programs, particularly for youth participants and adaptive paddlers who require predictable and protected waters in varying weather conditions.

A permitting system, such as those typically created by other municipalities in these situations would allow the Town to monitor and limit usage, and be enforceable. Courts look for municipalities to take these less single use, restrictive approaches, into consideration.

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Psychiatry.