Victorian Bar Harbor Guided Walking Tour

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

What you will visit:

Bar Harbor (guided walking tour)
When Bar Harbor was first settled in 1763, lobster fishing and ship building were the primary livelihood of its residents. But as word of the town's breathtaking beauty and the area's tranquil setting spread, scholars, scientists, writers, and artists such as Frederic Church and Thomas Cole flocked here for inspiration and a rustic way of life. Then in the 1880s, wealthy entrepreneurs like Rockefeller, JP Morgan, and Vanderbilt discovered this picturesque village and built mansion sized summer "cottages." Many of these opulent palaces survive today.


St. Saviour's Church
Built in 1878, St. Saviour's Church is the oldest, largest, and tallest public building on Mount Desert Island. The site of some of the most extravagant society weddings ever seen, St. Saviour's boasts ten original Tiffany stained glass windows.

What you will see along the way:
Your walking tour of Bar Harbor is a gentle stroll through the Gilded Age - that brief period of time between 1860 and 1900 when the U.S. economy grew at the fastest rate in history and the wealthy displayed their wealth for all to see. A guide dressed in a Victorian-era costume will lead you on a leisurely pace past many of the Victorian mansions that at one time populated the area, point out historically significant points of interest, and share stories of the exorbitant lifestyles once enjoyed by Bar Harbor's rich and famous. Your tour ends at the Village Green, a well-groomed park with a gazebo.

Special Notes:

Guests should dress warmly and wear comfortable walking shoes. This walk covers a distance of about one mile and is conducted at a leisurely pace. The group stops often to hear commentary from the guide. Photography is welcomed along the entire route, including the interior of St. Saviour's Church. Have your picture taken with the costumed guide.

Child Price:

12 & under reduced