If you can walk from your hotel that is ideal as the Waterfront has changed a lot and parking may or can be hard to manage at busy times. That said, there is a municipal lot that is at the end of the road that will allow you to walk down the main road to sand bar and cross to the island. If you go on the Bar Harbor website, it's lots 6, 8, 10. There's also meters on that road that are a bit closer.

You need to check the tide table (google or local paper). Best time would be the hour or two right around low tide. If you are not familiar with ocean tides, they change daily, so don't count on it being the same time for your whole stay. I have had to wade across thinking I had plenty of time to hike up to the other side of the island and back only to find the water had already partially covered half the bar.

The land bridge to Bar Island is a self guided tour, AKA FREE. Just gotta be aware of the tide charts so you can go out as the tide goes out and discover starfish crabs and the like as well as walk across to Bar island.

I don’t remember for sure, but I would say that you have at least 1 - 1 1/2 hours before and after low tide mark.

I tried to copy and paste a tide chart for you but it won't fit in this small space. You can google it though (or use another search engine). Just type in "Tide chart for Bar Harbor November 2016) and it will show you the low tide times for every day. Good luck and have fun!

I am going next week - how would I find out the times for low tide are? And does anyone know typically how long you have before the tide rises again?

In my opinion, Your shoe choice will depend on what time you decide to cross over to Bar Island. You can Google the tide charts for Downeast Maine /Bar Harbor for the Month of October to see what time low tide is for the days you plan to be there. Sneakers should be fine if you cross to Bar Island about a 45 min before low tide and return to Bar Harbor about 45 after low tide.

You have to park on the street and walk. You can drive your car better if you have a truck on the land bridge but know the tide times or you will get stuck

Your hotel or rental may have it or you can search tide times on the internet for the city you are in. Our rental had a little booklet that had sunrise/sunset/high and low tide as a promotional item when we visited the beach down south.

Once you are off the cruise ship in Bar Harbor walk up the hill from the docking point along West Street past the Bar Harbor Club and make a right down Bridge Street to the bar that leads to Bar Island. An easy ten minute walk.