Time of Visit - May or early June??

We are trying to firm up dates for visiting the Maine coast to enjoy the scenery, photograph lighthouses, and visit Acadia Natl Park. Can come either week before Memorial Day or the first week of June.

I%26#39;ve done quite a bit of searching here and other sites and looks like more things will be available in June (boat tours, etc) but prices will be higher. Wondering about the crowds in the park for those times--will there be a big difference? And also the weather--would we be better (as a rule) to wait until June. And, can someone tell me if black

fly season is a big problem?

Thanks.

Time of Visit - May or early June??

With respect to most of the things that you mention, there isn%26#39;t a great deal of difference between late May and early June. It is true that the closer it gets to the major part of the season (July and August, principally), the more things will be open, although generally, most boat tours, etc., begin around Memorial Day and remain operating, at least on weekends.

Black flies are a different matter. Depending on how our spring goes, they begin emerging about mid-May (later if it is a cold, late spring) and stay around through most of June.

Generally, black flies do not fare well in wind or in open spaces; they are worst in areas close to running water, lowlands, and sheltered areas. If you search the past threads on the Bar Harbor forum you can see all sorts of discussions and means of protection. The best protection is a good repellent and more important, avoiding the areas that they like.

Time of Visit - May or early June??

You are correct that the price of your stay will probably be less the week before Memorial Day because most people go to their increased rates for the holiday weekend. Check with the specific companies in which you%26#39;re interested because a lot of places open the weekend before Memorial Day as a warm up to the holiday.

There will be plenty of restaurants open and I think most of the kayak companies will have started by mid May.

The Park Loop Road and the Carriage Roads will be open for exploring and taking photographs.

I have lived here for three years and I have never had a problem with black flies in the village area of Bar Harbor. My husband and I do most of our hiking in the Spring because we have a seasonal business and we%26#39;ve never had a big problem with black flies. I think it%26#39;s more of an issue if you are camping in the woods. That%26#39;s just my opinion.

leave a e mail address