A betting company's coziness study isn't the most obvious travel authority, but Bar Harbor, Maine has just topped one anyway. In a BetMGM Casino ranking of the 20 most-recommended US fall destinations, the Mount Desert Island town scored 66.9 out of 100 — beating Lake Placid, New York (No. 2, roughly three points behind) and Traverse City, Michigan (No. 5, nearly 10 points back). The methodology leaned on National Centers for Environmental Information data, the 2026 Explore Fall Foliage Map, Yelp and Tripadvisor, weighing foliage colour, rainfall, sweater-friendly temperatures, and the density of cafés, bookshops and farmers' markets.

So what does cozy look like in practice? Start with Acadia National Park, whose 47,000 acres begin about 10 minutes from downtown. The 27-mile Park Loop Road threads past dozens of tree species whose oranges and reds pop against granite peaks and the Atlantic, and the hike up Cadillac Mountain — 1,530 feet — gives you a bird's-eye view over both the foliage and the coastline.

Back in town, Main Street handles the indoor half of the equation. Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shop stocks timber shelves heavy with Maine-set stories, while Hidden Barn Books on Firefly Lane lets you browse, play board games, and linger in an actual barn loft. For fuel, Sunrise Cafe beside Frenchman Bay is known for its blueberry pie, plus cinnamon rolls and crepes — including a lobster version you can carry out along the pier to Agamont Park.

Timing has perks. The Eden Farmer's Market runs Sundays, 9 a.m. to noon, May through October at the YMCA parking lot, selling local produce, seafood and baked goods. In November, the Early Bird Pajama Sale gets you shop discounts for showing up in pyjamas, followed by costumed teams racing homemade beds down Cottage Street.

Practicalities: it's about a three-hour drive from Portland, Maine, or 4.5 hours from Boston, and the Little Fig Hotel near downtown offers decorated rooms with complimentary breakfast in a white-and-green cottage, with plenty of other inns across price points. A few caveats worth knowing before you book. Bar Harbor is the rainiest destination on the study's list, so pack layers and waterproofs rather than expecting crisp, dry days. Cruise ships — recently given the green light again after a partial cap reversal — and peak Acadia crowds in September and October can make the town busy. And if your idea of cozy involves dry autumn sunshine, the study's driest pick, Bend, Oregon, might suit you better.

For travellers who want their fall served with foliage hikes, secondhand bookshops and pie by the water, though, Bar Harbor has the numbers — and the atmosphere — to back up the crown. Story credited to Islands.