Free Island Explorer Bar Harbor

Has anyone used the Free Island Explorer Bus Shuttle in Bar Harbor? How close does it come to the port? Is it a good way to see things? From what I can see about them online it sounds like you could get a pretty good view of things by using it, but in reality I do not know if it would work.

The Island Explorer is a free public bus that serves MDI which includes Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, but it is not a tour bus with a guide. If you know where you want to go and do, and it is close to a bus route, it is a free ride. One thing that it dose not do is to go to the summit of Cadillac Mountain which is very popular with the tourists.

It is a HOHO type bus. So know the schedules, i.e. know the frequency of the buses, routes, and which ones go directly to the BH Village Green. Since tour buses don't provide much time at stops, using the IE gives you time for photos, exploring, and hiking.

There are 8 routes. Of the 8, 6 start at the BH Village Green. Of the 6 that start at the BHVG, 3 would not be of interest to a cruise ship tourist, IMHO. The route that would be most popular with the tourist, is the Park Loop Road, but that starts at the Park Visitors' Center which is a 10 minute ride to the PVC where you would have to switch buses.

You board the buses that start in BH at the Village Green which is a little more than a ¼ mile walk from the tender dock.

Since the IE home page has not been updated for 2014 as of my posting, then it could be possible that some of what I wrote is outdated.

SBtS

Thanks so much...very helpful info. We were just looking for a way to get around just a bit and see a little...not really wanting a tour. We are more into just wandering around on our own.

We've taken the IE bus and then took the park bus around the park. It was just a drive. To get any benefit you'll have to get off at a couple of stops and then catch the next bus. We found Ollie's tour much better-although it does cost. We went up the mountain when the sun came out and stopped to see/listen to thunder hole. The town is cute, last visit there was a crafts show at the village green.

Has anyone used the Free Island Explorer Bus Shuttle in Bar Harbor? How close does it come to the port? Is it a good way to see things? From what I can see about them online it sounds like you could get a pretty good view of things by using it, but in reality I do not know if it would work.

The 3 times we did the Canada/NE cruise we visited just when the bus stopped running. It stopped Columbus day weekend, so just make sure it is still running when you visit.

Had a great day in Acadia with the Island Explorer bus. We got on #3 at the village green, and got off at Sand Beach. We walked along the Ocean Path, sometimes staying on the trail and sometimes climbing on the rocks, past Thunder Hole, to Otter Cliffs. We then hopped on #4 to Jordan Pond. The wait was too long for popovers, so we jumped on #5 back to the village green. The only issue we had was that the buses only run every 30 minutes. When #4 finally pulled up, they didn't have room for us so we had to wait another 30 minutes for the next one. Wasted some time there at the side of they road.

Please please please; for your sake, do not miss the view from the top of Cadillac Mountain. It is breathtaking.

Please please please; for your sake, do not miss the view from the top of Cadillac Mountain. It is breathtaking.

View from atop Cadillac Mountain, on a not so clear day

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Maine/IMG_3443_zpsfdc4a181.jpg

we spent a week around this area on our own. The sunsets from atop Cadillac Mountain are a spectacle all in itself. People congregate all atop the mountain and just sit in awe of the sunset. A few thousand people last time I was there.

http://i834.photobucket.com/albums/zz267/Giantfan13/Maine/IMG_3516_zpsf38cc40a.jpg

Cheers

Len