Southwest Harbor

Southwest Harbor sits on the quieter, southwestern side of Mount Desert Island, right alongside Acadia National Park — so you're anchoring off with serious hiking and coastal scenery basically at your doorstep. The town itself is unpretentious and genuinely charming, with a good mix of local shops, galleries, and places to eat without the tourist overload you'd find elsewhere on the island. Don't miss the Wendell Gilley Museum if you're into folk art — it's dedicated entirely to the island's celebrated decorative bird carver and is a surprisingly worthwhile stop.