Bar Harbor is nice, very busy with tourists this time of year,. I'm not a big coastal guy myself I live about 7 miles from the ocean but the drive up route 1 has many different coves and islands, great food and friendly people. I myself like the western side of Maine and northern NH, if you are driving from Illinois, I would take the time to enjoy northern NY's route 11, cross into Vt at Rouses point and down through Grand Isle to Wilkes Barre and get onto route 302, follow 302 into Conway NH, this brings you down through Crawford's notch and the beautiful White Mountains, route 302 will bring you about 30 miles north of my place here in southern Maine, when you get to Portland go north to Brunswick and up route 1 to Bar Harbor, if you have the time keep going north to Calais, the northern coastal section from Bar Harbor to Calais is the way coastal Maine used to be! Take your time and enjoy it all and feel free to stop in for a visit!