Bar Harbor Named Maine’s ‘Coolest’ Town For Third Straight Year

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 what is needed seems to be pretty straightforward and there's one town in Maine that keeps checking all the boxes.

Bar Harbor, Maine, Named Coolest Town in the State Yet Again

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.

Bar Harbor, Maine, is a Tourism Haven For a Reason

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. The same thing happened again in 2024.

Will the 2025 season be even better?

While Bar Harbor is the Coolest Now, Other Maine Towns Are in the Conversation

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.