Baycliff Cottages

10/12/2026

🚢🍁 Heads Up! Bar Harbor May Be a Little Busier This Week!

If you're planning to explore downtown Bar Harbor on Tuesday, October 13, or Wednesday, October 14, be prepared for potentially larger crowds as two large cruise ships are scheduled to visit!

🚢 Tuesday, October 13: Norwegian Jewel — approximately 3,000 passengers

🚢 Wednesday, October 14: Norwegian Breakaway — approximately 3,963 passengers

With thousands of cruise passengers potentially visiting the area, downtown shops, restaurants, and popular attractions may be busier than usual. A little extra planning and patience could go a long way!

🚌 Important Transportation Reminder: The free Island Explorer bus service ends for the season on Monday, October 12, so buses will no longer be operating on Tuesday or Wednesday. Visitors should plan accordingly, especially when traveling between downtown Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.

📸 But Here's a Great Photo Opportunity!

These impressive ships anchored in Frenchman Bay, with Mount Desert Island's beautiful fall foliage as a backdrop, could make for some spectacular photographs! 🍂⛰️

👀 Keep an eye on the harbor and have your camera ready!

Cruise ship schedules are subject to change due to weather and other conditions.

10/10/2026

🐿️ Have You Met Baycliff’s Welcoming Committee?

Meet Dyson, Hoover, and Eureka — our resident chipmunks, affectionately known as the Baycliff Seed Vacuums! And let's not forget Messy Marvin, our mischievous red squirrel, who leaves quite a mess behind! 🌻

These little characters have become an iconic part of the Baycliff experience. From their stuffed cheeks and lightning-fast seed collecting to the occasional "Chipmunk Wars," there's never a dull moment when they're around!

❤️ To our past Baycliff guests: Do you remember these little characters? We'd love to hear your chipmunk stories or see your favorite photos!

📸 Have a picture of our furry welcoming committee? Share it in the comments!

10/08/2026

🌌 Northern Lights Watch — Tonight, Thursday, October 8!

NOAA has issued a G2 (Moderate) geomagnetic storm watch for Friday, October 9, giving northern Maine a possible chance to see the Northern Lights late tonight into early Friday morning.

✨ When to look:

11 PM–2 AM: Possible early activity.

5–6 AM Friday: Potentially stronger activity before dawn.

🌤️ The good news? Today's rain is expected to clear out this evening, with skies clearing overnight. Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates and the Northern Lights put on a show! 🤞

If you're staying at Baycliff, look north across Frenchman Bay. Elsewhere on Mount Desert Island, find a dark location with an unobstructed northern horizon.

📍 Where to Watch:

If you're staying at Baycliff, look north across Frenchman Bay! Elsewhere on Mount Desert Island, find a dark location with an unobstructed view of the northern horizon.

👀 Looking for other great viewing spots? Check out our Baycliff Guide to Mount Desert Island for more suggested locations around Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, along with tips for enjoying the area's beautiful night skies!
https://baycliff.com/beyond-the-trails-in-acadia -skies

🌌 Want to check your chances of seeing the Northern Lights?

Visit NOAA's Aurora Dashboard for the latest aurora forecasts and viewing maps. The short-term forecast is especially helpful as the evening progresses!
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast

10/06/2026

🍁 Fall Color Is Getting Close in Acadia!
If you're visiting Mount Desert Island this week, you're arriving at a great time. Maine's latest foliage report has the Bar Harbor/Acadia region at moderate color with low leaf drop, and conditions are progressing quickly. Based on the latest reports and forecast, we're watching October 10–16 as a likely window for some of the best color on MDI.
The next several sunny, cool days should help the colors along—so keep your camera handy! 📷

Maine Fall Foliage Report:
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/projects/fall_foliage/report/

10/05/2026

🥾 There’s More to Do in Acadia Than Hike!
Did you know that Acadia National Park offers a changing schedule of ranger-led programs, walks, bike tours, wildlife programs and evening activities? The official NPS Events Calendar is a great page to check while planning your visit.

Right now, October programs include:

🦉 Owl Prowl — explore owl habitat with an Acadia ranger and learn about the owls that call the park home. Reservations are required.

- 🦅 Hawk Watch — watch the fall raptor migration from Cadillac Mountain with rangers and volunteers.

- 🚲 Carriage Road Bike Tours — explore Acadia's historic carriage road system by bike.

- 🥾 Ranger-Led Hikes & Walks — including programs exploring Acadia's wetlands, landscapes, history and restoration work.

- 🐦 Bird Walks & Wildlife Programs — learn more about the animals and migrating birds found throughout the park.

- 🌌 Acadia's Night Sky — join rangers at Sand Beach for an evening under Acadia's famously dark skies.

- 🌲 Nature, History & Cultural Programs — additional talks and special programs change throughout the season.

📅 Programs, dates and availability change throughout the season, and some activities require reservations or have additional requirements. Check the calendar for what's happening during your stay and click an individual event for all the details.

See What's Happening — Official Acadia National Park Events Calendar
You might discover an Acadia experience you didn't even know was available!

https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/calendar.htm

10/05/2026

🍂 Visiting Acadia in October? Know Before You Go!
October is a beautiful time to visit Acadia National Park — fall color, crisp air, fewer summer crowds and spectacular hiking. 🍁 But as the season winds down, some services and facilities begin closing for the year, so a little planning can make your visit much easier.
Here are some important 2026 dates to know:

🏔️ Cadillac Mountain
Vehicle reservations are required for Cadillac Summit Road through October 25. Your Cadillac reservation is separate from your Acadia entrance pass, and an entrance pass is required year-round.

ℹ️ VISITOR CENTERS
- Acadia Gateway Center — through October 14
- Sieur de Monts Nature Center — through October 17
- Rockefeller Welcome Center — through October 27
- Hulls Cove Visitor Center — through October 31

🚌 ISLAND EXPLORER
The fare-free Island Explorer runs through October 13, with reduced fall service. Don't assume the summer schedule is still in effect.

🍽️ A FEW MORE DATES WORTH KNOWING
- Wildwood Stables carriage rides — through October 15
- Thunder Hole Gift Shop — through October 24
- Jordan Pond House Restaurant — through October 26
- Cadillac Mountain Eco-Store — through October 26
- Jordan Pond House Store — through November 2

🚗 And the good news — Acadia doesn't close when these facilities do!

Park Loop Road and other paved park roads are scheduled to remain open through December 1, weather permitting. The carriage roads are generally open year-round, subject to seasonal closures, and Sand Beach and Schoodic Loop & Point Road are open year-round.

🍁 October Tip: Hours, weather and seasonal services can change, so check the National Park Service website before heading out for the day.

Acadia Operating Hours & Seasonal Closures
https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/hours.htm
Cadillac Mountain Vehicle Reservations
https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/vehicle_reservations.htm
Island Explorer Information
https://home.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/island-explorer.htm

10/01/2026

🍁 Fall color is building in Acadia!

Maine's newest foliage report has moved the Bar Harbor and Downeast region into moderate color, and there's more good news — leaf drop is still low, even after the recent storm.
That means many of the leaves are still on the trees with plenty more color yet to come. If you're visiting Mount Desert Island in the coming days, keep your camera handy — October is getting off to a beautiful start. 🍂📸

Maine Foliage Report Link: https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/projects/fall_foliage/report/

09/26/2026

🐟 DID YOU KNOW?

One of the strangest creatures you might encounter in the waters around Acadia is the ocean sunfish — or Mola mola.

These enormous, oddly shaped fish are the largest bony fish in the world and can weigh as much as 5,000 pounds.

Once considered an unusual visitor to the Gulf of Maine, ocean sunfish are now being spotted more frequently around Acadia National Park and even in Frenchman Bay.

And if you happen to see one, you might not immediately know what you're looking at!

Ocean sunfish sometimes float on their sides at the surface, apparently warming themselves in the sun after diving into colder, deeper water to feed. Their tall dorsal fin can also make them look a little like a shark from a distance.

Perhaps most surprising of all? Despite their enormous, awkward-looking bodies, they can leap clear of the water — sometimes as much as 10 feet!

So when you're looking out across Frenchman Bay, keep your eyes open. You never know what might be swimming just below the surface.

Ocean Sunfish: Gentle Giants now found in Acadia's Waters

09/25/2026

🦞 Happy National Lobster Day from Frenchman Bay! If you've been watching the lobster boats working the waters in front of Baycliff, today is their day…” 🦞

09/25/2026

🌊 BIG SURF AT ACADIA THIS WEEKEND!

If you're visiting Mount Desert Island this weekend, the Atlantic may be putting on quite a show.

A High Surf Advisory is in effect from 8 AM Friday through 8 PM Sunday, with breaking waves of 5–9 feet expected along exposed portions of the Hancock County coast.

That could make Acadia's rocky shoreline especially dramatic — and Thunder Hole may be particularly interesting around the incoming high tides.

🌊 BEST TIMES TO TRY THUNDER HOLE

The National Park Service says the best chance of hearing Thunder Hole's famous BOOM is generally 1–2 hours before high tide.

FRIDAY
🌊 High tide: 10:25 AM — 10.8 ft
⏰ Try approximately 8:25–9:25 AM

SATURDAY
🌊 High tide: 11:01 AM — 11.3 ft
⏰ Try approximately 9:00–10:00 AM

SUNDAY
🌊 High tide: 11:38 AM — 11.8 ft
⏰ Try approximately 9:40–10:40 AM

With the Harvest Moon this weekend, the morning high tides are also getting progressively higher.

📸 GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

OCEAN PATH, THUNDER HOLE, OTTER CLIFF and OTTER POINT could all offer some impressive views of the rough Atlantic this weekend.

⚠️ Please enjoy it from a safe distance.

The National Weather Service warns that large waves can sweep people from exposed shoreline rocks into the cold ocean. Acadia also warns about sneaker waves and extremely slippery wet granite.

Stay on designated walkways and viewing areas, obey any closures, and never turn your back on the ocean.

And remember — Thunder Hole doesn't perform on command! Tide timing helps, but the direction and strength of the waves also have to be just right.

🌊 If you've never seen Acadia when the Atlantic gets stirred up, this could be an interesting weekend to watch — safely!

NPS Thunder Hole: https://www.nps.gov/places/thunder-hole.htm