Bar Harbor, Maine Named ‘Coziest’ Fall Destination in the United States
Normally, we think of summer as the season when Maine gets inundated with tens of thousands of tourists.
While this is true, it is also true that many people visit our great state in other months. Spring for a weekend getaway exploring our cool towns and cities, for example. Or, to do some skiing or snowmobiling during the winter.
Then, of course, there is fall.
Fall, or autumn, if you prefer, is a great time to visit Maine. The scenery is beautiful and it is a lot quieter than it is during the height of tourist season.
It sounds like many people feel the same way.
One coastal Maine town has been named the best place in the country to visit during the fall.
Bar Harbor Named the 'Coziest' Town For Fall Getaway
Apparently, Bar Harbor is the place to be when you’re ready to trade flip-flops for flannels.
BetMGM has named Bar Harbor the coziest destination in America for a fall getaway, beating out some pretty serious autumn competition, including Salem, Massachusetts, and Stowe, Vermont.
The study looked at everything that makes fall feel like fall: colorful foliage, rainy days, sweater-weather temperatures, shorter daylight hours, and the all-important cozy amenities like coffee shops, bookstores, farmers markets and parks.
And Bar Harbor checked a lot of boxes.
The town leads the rankings thanks to its combination of rainy autumn days, nearly perfect sweater weather, shorter days and plenty of places to duck into when the temperature drops.
Here’s what helped Bar Harbor claim the cozy crown:
-16 inches of average fall rainfall, the most of any of the 20 destinations studied. Because apparently, nothing says “cozy” quite like listening to rain hit the window while holding a hot coffee.
-52 degrees for the average fall temperature, just one degree shy of the study’s ideal 53-degree sweater-weather sweet spot.
-10 hours and 21 minutes of daylight in October, giving you plenty of time to explore before settling in for an early autumn evening.
-October 21 is expected to be peak foliage in Bar Harbor this year, which could make that the prime time to see the town decked out in its full fall glory.
Additionally, the town is adjacent to the incredible beauty of Acadia National Park.
And when you’re done admiring the leaves, Bar Harbor has plenty of cozy distractions waiting for you, including coffee shops, bookstores, parks and at least one farmers market.
So if your perfect fall getaway involves colorful leaves, crisp temperatures, a warm drink, a good book and just enough rain to justify staying inside for a while, Bar Harbor apparently has your name written all over it.
What Are the Other Coziest Fall Destinations?
Also on the list were Portsmouth (NH), Salem (MA), Burlington (VT), Lake Placid (NY), and Denver.
Check out the full list HERE
