Many employees are seasonal workers who will therefore re-locate to a winter tourist destination at the end of October. However, Bar Harbor has a year round population of over 5,000, many of whom are employed by Jackson Laboratory, Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Mount Desert Island Hospital, and College of the Atlantic, just to name a few. The year round community is tight knit and well established, making Bar Harbor more than just a tourist town rendered completely empty once winter arrives. A handful of shops, hotels and restaurants will stay open through the winter to serve this local population. In addition, many hotels, shops, and keep staff on over the winter, even when they are closed, in order to make improvements and prepare for the busy summer season ahead. The locals love to enjoy Acadia in the winter, and most of us cross country ski, snowshoe, or go hiking, despite the snow. For more info about enjoying Acadia National Park in the winter, click here.