Bar Harbor's Gilded Age Walking Tour

Step back in time to the turn of the century, when Bar Harbor was one of the most exclusive resorts in the world. As painters, poets and authors began to tell their tales of the island’s natural beauty, America’s elite – including the Astors, Fords, Morgans, Rockefellers, Carnegies, and Vanderbilts – transformed the island with elegant estates often referred to as “cottages”. Your tour of Bar Harbor’s bygone days begins with a walk along the beautiful shore path where you’ll enjoy stunning views of Frenchman Bay on one side and elegant, summer cottages on the other.

Passing the Village Green, you’ll see the town clock and the village bandstand where townspeople often gathered on summer evenings to hear the marches of John Philip Sousa and other popular music. As you stroll through the beautiful downtown area you’ll pass a number of Victorian mansions that survived the Great Fire of 1947. Your guide will be happy to share the secrets and tales of this era when fabulously wealthy residents tried to outdo each other with their lavish parties and opulent lifestyles.