Baycliff Cottages

09/10/2026

Want to see Acadia’s “false dawn”?

Early risers have a chance to see something a little unusual over the next several mornings—the zodiacal light.

Sometimes called the “false dawn,” zodiacal light appears as a faint, ghostly pyramid of light rising from the eastern horizon before sunrise. It isn’t the glow of the approaching sun. It’s actually sunlight reflecting off tiny particles of dust scattered throughout our solar system.

🌑 The timing is especially good right now. With the New Moon bringing some of the darkest skies of the month, the next several mornings offer a good opportunity to look for it.

🌌 WHEN: Over the next week or so

⏰ TIME: Around 4:00 AM, before morning twilight begins

👀 WHERE TO LOOK: Low in the eastern sky

📍 WHERE TO GO: TRY Sand Beach or Ocean Path in Acadia National Park. Both offer dark coastal skies and good views toward the eastern horizon. Sand Beach is about a 15-minute drive from Bar Harbor and is one of Acadia’s most popular stargazing locations.

Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness and look for a large, softly glowing triangle extending upward from the horizon. It can be surprisingly subtle, so avoid looking at your phone while you're waiting.

One of the wonderful things about Acadia's dark skies is that sometimes you can see things you never even knew were there.

EarthSky's guide to seeing the zodiacal light: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-zodiacal-light-or-false-dawn/

09/08/2026

A SPECIAL WILDLIFE ADVENTURE LEAVES BAR HARBOR THIS SUNDAY!

If you're visiting Mount Desert Island and love wildlife, this isn't your typical boat trip.

On Sunday, September 13, Maine Audubon hosts its annual Bar Harbor Pelagic Trip, a special six-hour expedition that heads well offshore into the Gulf of Maine in search of migrating seabirds and marine wildlife.

The trip departs Bar Harbor at 6:00 AM and ventures toward offshore waters where past trips have encountered an incredible variety of wildlife—including humpback, fin and minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sharks, schools of tuna, Atlantic puffins, razorbills, murres, gannets, shearwaters and storm-petrels.

September is an especially interesting time for the trip because fall migration is underway, creating opportunities to encounter seabirds and other wildlife that aren't commonly seen from shore.

Last year's trip alone spotted Atlantic white-sided dolphins, fin whales, a minke whale, a humpback whale and several blue sharks, along with an impressive assortment of seabirds.

📅 Sunday, September 13
⏰ 6:00 AM–Noon
📍 Departs from Bar Harbor
🎟️ Advance registration required : https://maineaudubon.org/events/bar-harbor-pelagic-trip-2026/

Maine Audubon Pelagic 2025 Trip Report https://ebird.org/tripreport/411642

Species Observed 2025 Bar Harbor Pelagic Trip Report
https://maineaudubon.org/news/2025-bar-harbor-pelagic-trip-report/

Maine Audubon’s annual fall pelagic trip out of Bar Harbor has long been a must-do outing for the region’s birders. The trip is so eagerly anticipated because of a great boat, great camaraderie, and, of course, great sightings of birds and marine mammals! Past trips have encountered all three ja...

09/07/2026

🌌 NORTHERN LIGHTS WATCH FOR MOUNT DESERT ISLAND!

If you're visiting Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island or Acadia this week, keep an eye on the northern sky!

NOAA is forecasting minor geomagnetic storm activity around Tuesday, September 8, which means the Northern Lights may reach far enough south to be visible from northern Maine. Tuesday night currently looks like our best opportunity.

At Baycliff, start by looking north across Frenchman Bay. With a modest aurora, don't necessarily expect brilliant green curtains across the entire sky. It may begin as a faint whitish or greenish glow or subtle streaks low along the northern horizon.

📱 Don't trust your eyes alone! Try pointing your phone north and taking a photo using night mode. Today's cameras can often pick up greens, pinks and purples that aren't readily visible to the naked eye.

If you'd like to venture into Acadia, look for a dark location with a clear, unobstructed view toward the north.

* Jordan Pond — One of the better options in Acadia. It's very dark, and the open water provides a much wider view of the sky than a forested location.

* Eagle Lake — Another good possibility because the lake provides open sky and gets you away from the lights of Bar Harbor. Your exact location along the lake matters, though, because trees can obstruct the northern horizon.

* Paradise Hill — A convenient drive-up option near Bar Harbor if you don't want to venture far into the park or walk around in the dark.

* Cadillac Mountain — Offers expansive dark-sky views, but don't feel that you need to go to the summit. For a weaker aurora, an unobstructed northern horizon is more important than elevation.

One interesting tip: Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Point and the Ocean Drive coastline wouldn't be our first choices for this particular forecast. They're fantastic for stargazing, but their best open views are generally east and south over the ocean. If the aurora remains relatively weak, the action is more likely to stay low in the north.

Auroras are notoriously unpredictable, so there's certainly no guarantee—but that's part of the fun! Conditions can change quickly, and a display can suddenly appear or intensify.

🌌 So Tuesday night, look north, keep your phone handy and don't forget to look up!

And if anyone catches the Northern Lights while staying with us, we'd love to see your photos!

https://www.spaceweather.gov/products/aurora-viewline-tonight-and-tomorrow-night-experimental

09/05/2026

SEPTEMBER MIGHT JUST BE ONE OF ACADIA'S BEST-KEPT SECRETS.

Summer isn't quite over, but fall is beginning to make its appearance around Mount Desert Island.

The days are still comfortable for hiking, biking and exploring, while cooler evenings make it perfect for sitting by the water or heading out after dark. The ocean is still holding onto its summer warmth, mosquitoes are beginning to decline, and the busy summer crowds start thinning after Labor Day.

It's also a wonderful month for wildlife and birding. Fall migration is underway, including migrating hawks and other raptors, while seals, porpoises, seabirds and other marine wildlife can still be spotted around the coast.

Then there are the first hints of fall—changing ferns, blueberry barrens turning red and scattered splashes of color in the trees before October's big foliage show. September also brings the beginning of the fall harvest season, with apples, late-season berries and locally grown produce appearing at farm stands and markets.

September gives you a little bit of summer, a little bit of fall, and some of the best exploring weather of the year.

09/02/2026

🦈 There's something BIG swimming in Frenchman Bay!
Passengers on a Bar Harbor tour boat got quite the surprise Sunday when a great white shark was spotted attacking and feeding on a seal near Egg Rock in Frenchman Bay.

Even more interesting—this is at least the second great white sighting around Mount Desert Island this August. Another was photographed feeding on a seal in the Ironbound Channel on August 13.

Whale watching apparently isn't the only wildlife watching happening around Frenchman Bay this summer!

09/01/2026

🌌 SEPTEMBER IS NIGHT-SKY MONTH AROUND ACADIA!

As summer winds down, the fun around Acadia doesn't have to end when the sun goes down. September brings several opportunities to experience Downeast Maine's beautiful dark skies:

⭐ Sept. 3 — Summer Stars Over Schoodic
Learn the late-summer constellations, followed by a laser-guided sky tour and telescope viewing.

🌌 Sept. 4 — Welcome to the Milky Way
Explore our home galaxy and then head outside to view star clusters, nebulae and distant galaxies through a telescope.

🔭 Sept. 5 — Our Understanding of the Cosmos
Journey through the history of astronomy, followed by guided stargazing and telescope viewing.

✨ Sept. 9 — Night Sky Tour at Tidal Falls
Stargaze along Frenchman Bay with an astronomer and telescopes.

⭐ Sept. 10 — Summer Stars Over Schoodic II
Another opportunity to explore the constellations and Milky Way over Schoodic.

☀️🌟 Sept. 12 — Dark Sky Maine Star Party
Solar telescope viewing in the afternoon followed by talks, sunset and an evening star party.

Clear September nights can be a wonderful time to experience Acadia after dark. Bring binoculars if you have them, dress warmer than you think you'll need to—and don't forget to look up!

September 3 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm Get To Know the Summer Stars Over Schoodic Join us September 3 for Get To Know the Summer Stars Over Schoodic with Richard Luecke! As darkness falls over […]

08/26/2026

🌕 LOOK UP THURSDAY NIGHT — Friday’s Full Moon is putting on quite a show over Bar Harbor!

If you’re in Bar Harbor or Acadia Thursday night into early Friday morning, you may want to stay up a little later than usual. The Full Sturgeon Moon will pass deep into Earth’s shadow, creating a near-total partial lunar eclipse visible from the Bar Harbor area.

🌕 Make an evening of it: The Moon rises around 7:07 PM Thursday, in the east-southeast.

🌑 Around 10:33 PM: The noticeable partial eclipse begins.

🔴 Around 12:12 AM Friday: The eclipse reaches its maximum, with more than 90% of the Moon within Earth’s darkest shadow. Much of the Moon may take on that beautiful coppery-red “Blood Moon” appearance.

🌕 Around 12:18 AM: The Moon officially becomes full — just minutes after the maximum eclipse!

👀 WHERE SHOULD YOU LOOK?
As the evening progresses, the Moon will move across the sky toward the south. Around maximum eclipse, it will be almost due south and roughly 35° above the horizon.

📍 WHERE TO WATCH IN ACADIA:
Sand Beach would be our first choice. Acadia’s Ocean Path and Otter Cliff area also offer broad views of the southern sky and could make for some spectacular nighttime scenery.

🔦 If you head into Acadia after dark, bring a flashlight or headlamp (red light is even better), an extra layer, and be especially careful around rocks and the shoreline.
No telescope required — just a clear view of the sky and a little cooperation from the Maine weather! 🤞

Start time, end time, animation, and detailed viewing information for the upcoming eclipse in Bar Harbor, Maine, USA

08/25/2026

📸 YOUR BAYCLIFF MEMORIES COULD BE FEATURED IN OUR NEW GUEST PHOTO GALLERY!

Some of our favorite views of Baycliff and Mount Desert Island are the ones captured by our guests — sunrises over Frenchman Bay, wildlife sightings, adventures in Acadia, family moments, and those little memories that make a Maine vacation special.

We're putting together a Guest Gallery and would love to include photos from guests who have stayed with us over the years!

If you have a favorite photo (or a few!) from your time at Baycliff, we'd love for you to share them with us.

📷 Share your Baycliff memories here:
https://www.baycliff.com/photo-upload-page

We can't wait to see Baycliff through your eyes. ❤️

08/19/2026

Planning a trip to Acadia or Bar Harbor?

We’ve put together a Guide to Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor & Acadia filled with information we hope makes planning your visit a little easier.

You’ll find hiking and biking ideas, things to do beyond the trails, restaurants, wildlife, family activities, pet-friendly adventures, local businesses, transportation, weather and tides, fun facts and much more.

Whether you're staying at Baycliff or simply planning a visit to MDI, feel free to use it!

Explore the Baycliff Guest Guide:

Explore Mount Desert Island, home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. This guide highlights the island’s towns, scenic coastline, mountains, hiking trails, carriage roads, wildlife, and outdoor activities that make it one of Maine’s most beautiful destinations.

08/17/2026

Since 2019, Baycliff has been a work in progress—and quite a labor of love.

Over the years, we’ve made improvements to all three of the rentals—Baycliff Cottage, The Pines and The Guest House—and every year we try to make them a little better.

We’ve replaced all the mattresses and bedding, upgraded all the cookware, dishes and kitchen supplies, added new furnishings and amenities, and made countless other improvements both big and small. Baycliff Cottage now has 4 wall-mounted heat pumps for heating and air conditioning, and we continue to update and improve all three rentals all to make our guests more comfortable.

We’ve also been putting a lot of work into the website - Baycliff.com. The website has been expanded with new photos and information about each rental, and we've created an extensive Guest Guide to Mount Desert Island. The Guest Guide is filled with information about Acadia, hiking and biking, restaurants, activities, wildlife, transportation, traveling with pets, family activities and plenty of local tips.

There’s still always something on our to-do-list - and probably always will be! 😂 But it’s pretty amazing to look back at where Baycliff was in 2019 and see how much has changed.

If you haven't looked at or been to Baycliff in a while, take a look at the website and see what we've been up to. And if you know someone planning a trip to Acadia or Bar Harbor, we'd certainly appreciate you sharing it with them.

🐿️Baycliff Cottage & Cabins�

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