Location: Southwest Harbor
Top Things to do in Southwest Harbor
The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Southwest Harbor, Maine (ME)
Southwest Harbor is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. Located on Mount Desert Island, the population was 1,764 at the 2010 census.
Restaurants in Southwest Harbor
1. Quiet Side Cafe & Ice Cream Shop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 89 reviews
2. Maine State Sea Kayak
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 650 reviews
Paddle. Nature. It’s that simple really! We paddle the most remote sections around Acadia National Park. Our guides are passionate, we have the cleanest gear (washed after each trip), offer picnic lunches, and we are the only MDI Sea Kayaking tour provider offering a wildlife guarantee! Come explore the power of Acadia with us!
3. J.K. Putnam Photography
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 58 reviews
Private photography tours and instructional photo workshops offered daily in Acadia National Park, Maine. We can drive to the most iconic locations around Acadia National Park or hike to hidden vantage points, it is up to you. We can talk the basics of photography or just tour around and shoot. We will build this photographic experience exactly as you want it, to fit your needs.
4. Beech Cliff Loop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 93 reviews
Reviewed By Biotech91 - Hoboken, United States
Absolutely one of the best hikes in the park! Remember to look for the iron ladder on the way up and to rest at the beach on the lake on your way down ;)
5. Perpendicular Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 54 reviews
Reviewed By sheilaa1732017 - Mountain Dale, United States
Great hike with built in granite steps to the top, making it a little easier. Phenomenal lake and harbor views from the top!!
6. Manset Little Farm
7. Wendell Gilley Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
Discover where people, art and nature meet in Maine. The Wendell Gilley Museum is a community center that celebrates the life and work of Wendell Gilley, a pioneer in the field of decorative bird carving. It teaches the art of bird carving and presents art exhibitions and educational programs with a special focus on people, nature and art. Enjoy a casual visit, enroll in a workshop, or join our members' carving club. Discover one of the "hidden gems" of Mount Desert Island.
Reviewed By charleswha
We visited the Wendell Gilley museum class in September 2020, as part of a trip to Acadia. On their website, we learned they were offering outdoor, distanced bird carving classes, and we signed up for a Thursday morning 2-hour class. When we arrived, a museum staffer named Tammie gave us a great tour of the museum's incredible collection, which spans the work of Wendell Gilley, the artist-in-residence Steve Valleau, and many other wildlife artists, and the collection spans from miniature carvings, to large scale birds, to other artforms like woodcuts and paintings. Because we visited during COVID-19 distancing, the carving workshop was set up in a tent on the lawn. I carved a small loon, and my partner worked on a small black-capped chickadee. The instructor Steve did a great job of explaining the fundamentals of bird carving and gave us tools to borrow for the day -- and it was a good mix of easy to pick up, but challenging to get right. I've attached a picture of the bird I carved in class. I believe that the classes are usually offered in summer on Tuesdays and Thursdays, more information can be found at their website -- I'd recommend the museum and the classes to anyone visiting Bar Harbor! They have given me a new appreciation both for birds and for wood carving -- and though we did this class on a lark, I think I may have discovered a life-long hobby (I'm already taking a longer zoom class with Steve the museum to carve a more intricate piece!)
8. Flying Mountain Hiking Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 129 reviews
Reviewed By NYCmusician - New York City, United States
A beautiful easy hike with gorgeous views and ending on a nice beach. We went in the afternoon and there were only a few other cars in the lot and we encountered only several other hikers. A great perch to watch boats on the sound and get away from the crowds.
9. Charlotte Rhoades Garden and Butterfly Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 63 reviews
Reviewed By P6703MIjenniferm - Chicago, United States
Talk about a hidden gem for people of all ages! This magnificently maintained spot is full of butterflies and beautiful plants and flowers. When the docents are there, they will help you release butterflies into the world and to learn about butterfly migration and eating habits. Really a wondrous place for everyone.
10. Wonderland Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 197 reviews
Reviewed By pamnicki
Here is one of two trails both nearby each other on the road to Bass Harbor light, that will give your family a true Acadia hiking experience even if you have toddlers. This easy walk moves through forest and open granite ledges on a mostly even path from the road and parking space to the sea. You won’t regret it. Nice place for some “forest bathing” if you get there before the crowds of families do.
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