Beyond Acadia: 7 Hidden Beach Gems Around Bar Harbor for Perfect Summer Days

Just a 15-minute drive from downtown Bar Harbor sits Seal Harbor Beach, a golden crescent where local families have gathered for generations. Unlike its famous counterparts, this beach offers that perfect balance of amenities and authenticity—clean restrooms and parking, but zero commercial development cluttering the shoreline.

The water here is quintessential Maine: refreshingly cool (let's be honest, bracing) even in August, with gentle waves perfect for younger swimmers. What makes Seal Harbor special is its dual personality: low tide reveals tide pools teeming with starfish, sea urchins, and occasionally actual harbor seals sunning on distant rocks, while high tide transforms it into a smooth swimming beach.

During my last visit, I spent hours watching a father teaching his daughter to skip stones across the glassy morning water—the kind of simple moment that vacation memories are built from. Pack a compact beach shelter as there's limited natural shade, and the Maine sun can be surprisingly intense despite the cooler temperatures.

When I'm traveling with friends who have energetic kids (or dogs), I point them toward Lamoine State Park. Located about 25 minutes from Bar Harbor, this expansive shoreline offers something increasingly rare in popular tourist destinations: space to breathe.

The beach here stretches wide at low tide, with views across Frenchman Bay toward the mountains of Acadia that will have your Instagram followers questioning if Maine is actually Norway. The swimming area features a gradual entry that's ideal for families with small children, though the water remains refreshingly cool even in August.

What truly sets Lamoine apart is the abundance of natural entertainment. Bring a sand toy set and watch your kids construct elaborate kingdoms in the clean, fine sand. During my visit last summer, I joined an impromptu game of beach volleyball with a family who comes every year from Pennsylvania—by sunset, we were sharing s'mores around one of the designated fire pits (permit required, reserve online beforehand).

The park's $6 entrance fee ($2 for Maine residents) keeps crowds manageable while funding excellent maintenance of facilities including clean bathrooms, outdoor showers, and picnic areas with grills.

If your family includes aspiring marine biologists, Hadley Point Beach should top your list. Just a 15-minute drive from downtown Bar Harbor, this local favorite operates on nature's schedule—at high tide, it's a narrow strip of pebbles, but when the tide retreats, it transforms into a vast playground of tidal flats and gentle tide pools.

My first visit happened purely by accident. I was driving aimlessly after a morning hike when I spotted cars parked along the roadside. Following a narrow path through pine trees, I emerged onto what looked like another planet—expansive sand flats stretching toward the horizon, dotted with shallow pools where children were bent over, examining tiny crabs and sea stars.

This is not your traditional sunbathing beach (the beach chair can stay in the car), but rather an interactive natural classroom. Bring a tide pool guidebook and watch your kids transform into citizen scientists. The gentle slope makes it particularly safe for families, as the incoming tide advances slowly rather than with sudden waves.

Hadley Point also offers something rare—authenticity. This is where local families gather for evening clambakes and where fishermen launch their boats at dawn. You're experiencing real coastal Maine life, not a curated tourist version.

Some beaches are about convenience, others about facilities. Hulls Cove Beach is about moments. Specifically, those magical morning moments when the first light hits Frenchman Bay and the world feels brand new.

Tucked away in a residential area just 5 minutes from downtown Bar Harbor, this small pebble beach flies under the radar of most visitors. There's no large parking lot (just street parking), no facilities, and at high tide, the beach nearly disappears. But what it lacks in amenities, it makes up for in pure Maine coastal charm.

I discovered Hulls Cove during my first summer in Bar Harbor, when jet lag had me awake before dawn. Grabbing my insulated tumbler filled with coffee, I followed directions from my Airbnb host and arrived just as the sky began to lighten. As the sun crested over Schoodic Peninsula across the bay, the smooth stones of the beach—each polished by countless tides—began to glow amber and rose. I wasn't alone; a few local photographers had tripods set up, and an elderly couple sat silently on a driftwood log, clearly continuing a tradition decades in the making.

For families, Hulls Cove offers a perfect morning adventure before the day's activities. The smooth stones are ideal for building cairns (those balanced stone towers), and the shallow protected waters are warmer than most Maine beaches—perfect for a quick dip with younger children. Bring a waterproof picnic blanket to spread over the stones for a comfortable breakfast spot with a million-dollar view.

On the quiet western side of Mount Desert Island, Pretty Marsh feels worlds away from the bustle of Bar Harbor despite being just a 25-minute drive. This isn't so much a swimming beach (though brave souls certainly do) as it is a perfect picnic spot and sunset-watching location that captures the essence of Maine's rugged coast.

The small parking area and moderate walk to the shore (about 5 minutes down a wooded path) naturally limit crowds. What awaits is a series of granite ledges and small pebble pockets that create natural seating areas overlooking Blue Hill Bay. The western exposure means afternoons here are bathed in golden light, and sunsets are consistently spectacular.

During my visit last August, I packed a portable cooler with local blueberries, Maine-made cheeses, and cold drinks, arriving around 4pm to claim one of the flat rock formations as my dinner spot. As the afternoon progressed, I watched osprey diving for fish and, in one magical moment, spotted a harbor porpoise surfacing just offshore.

For families, Pretty Marsh offers a different kind of beach experience—one focused on connection rather than typical beach activities. The granite formations create natural tide pools where starfish and sea urchins can be spotted, and the surrounding forest comes right to the shore's edge, offering shade and exploration opportunities. Bring a travel hammock to string between trees at the forest edge for the ultimate relaxation spot overlooking the water.

Some of my most meaningful travel experiences have happened when I've ventured well beyond the guidebook recommendations. Marlboro Beach, located about 25 minutes from Bar Harbor in the town of Lamoine, is exactly that kind of discovery—a local secret that feels like stepping back in time.

This long, wild stretch of sand and pebbles is accessed via a bumpy dirt road that keeps casual tourists away. There's no official parking lot, just a widened area at the end of the road where locals know to leave their vehicles. What awaits is a beach that feels untamed and authentic—no lifeguards, no facilities, no rules beyond common sense and respect for nature.

What makes Marlboro special for families is the combination of space and freedom. Dogs can run off-leash, children can build elaborate driftwood structures, and parents can actually relax knowing there's room for everyone to spread out. The beach faces the open ocean rather than a protected bay, so the waves here are more substantial—perfect for kids who have outgrown the gentler waters of harbor beaches.

During my visit, I met a family who has been coming to this exact spot for four generations, the grandparents pointing out how the coastline had changed over decades while their grandchildren searched for sea glass. They shared their beach wagon with me to help carry my gear from the car—that kind of community spirit defines the experience here.

Bring a portable fire pit for s'mores as the sun sets (check local fire regulations first), and you'll create the kind of core memory your kids will still be talking about when they bring their own children here someday.

For families with older children seeking adventure beyond the typical beach day, Bartlett Island Landing offers something truly special. Located about 15 minutes from Bar Harbor in the town of Mount Desert, this isn't just a beach—it's a launching point for exploration.

At low tide, a natural gravel bar emerges from the sea, creating a walkable path to uninhabited Bartlett Island. This tidal land bridge—locally known as "The Bar"—allows for a unique island adventure without needing a boat. The beach itself is small but charming, with coarse sand and smooth stones leading to clear, cold water.

Timing is everything here. Check tide charts carefully and plan to cross to the island no later than 2 hours after low tide, returning no later than 2 hours before the next high tide. The crossing takes about 15 minutes each way, leaving you several hours to explore the island's abandoned apple orchards, old stone foundations, and pristine shoreline.

My first visit to Bartlett Island remains one of my favorite Maine memories. Armed with a dry bag backpack containing lunch and water, I joined a local family for the crossing. The kids treated the adventure like a proper expedition, complete with hand-drawn maps and treasure-hunting goals (beach glass and unique shells). The island feels like stepping back in time—no facilities, no signs, just nature and the occasional remnant of early settlers.

For safety, bring a tide timer watch to keep track of changing water levels, and never attempt the crossing in fog or rough weather. Pack plenty of water, snacks, and sun protection, as there are no services on the island.