Bar Harbor, Maine, Named Coolest Summer Downtown to Visit in 2024

What does it take be considered "cool"? It's a question that has challenged everyone, from teenagers to rockstars and mothers and fathers who don't want to feel left out. For individuals, the criteria can be murky. But for towns to be considered "cool", a lot of the criteria seems to be pretty straightforward.

Far & Wide recently released their list of the 'coolest' towns in every state across America. They've deemed Bar Harbor as Maine's unquestioned 'coolest' town. Specifically, the downtown area of Bar Harbor during the busy summer months. And their top reason for giving Bar Harbor that designation makes a whole lot of sense.

As Far & Wide explains, Bar Harbor has long been touted as one of the prettiest towns in America. Droves of visitors can confirm that during the summer months, but spring and fall visits can be just as rewarding, and often times more pleasurable.

The lure of Acadia National Park has long made Bar Harbor a key destination for tourism. With Acadia's popularity surging to all-time levels in recent years, the same can be said for Bar Harbor. In 2023, Bar Harbor was featured on several national lists, leading to even more visitors piling into the idyllic oceanfront destination.

As Bar Harbor overflows, opportunity has begun to rise for some of the other gorgeous and very 'cool' coastal towns nearby. Towns like Southwest Harbor and Stonington are starting to see some of the Bar Harbor tourism overflow each summer. Soon enough, Maine could be home to more of the "coolest" coastal towns in the northeast.