A family tradition passed down through generations, proudly serving Maine’s iconic lobster dinners to locals and visitors alike.
~The Corsons
1972 - 1978
The story began in the 1970’s with captains Phil’s Parents, Phil & Caroll Corson started selling their own fresh caught lobsters from their small homeside lobster shack on West Street in Bar Harbor. They packed live and cooked lobster to-go for local islanders and visitors. Seen in the photo is Capt Phil’s Dad - Phil, the XL-5, his old Novi lobster boat — where it all began.
2002 - 2015
Flash forward 30 years, Hank and Charlene Tibbetts — Kelly’s parents — carried the Corson family tradition forward at a small roadside shack beside their family cottages at Rose Eden Cottages in Bar Harbor. They added a few picnic tables and continued packing live and cooked lobsters. Customers always knew they were getting the freshest caught lobsters, combined with other enjoyed favorites mussels, clams, crab claws, and corn.
The Travelin’ Lobster Today
After Hank and Charlene decided to sell the cottages, Kelly took a leap of faith and stepped out her full-time private sector job and continued operating The Travelin’ Lobster at its new home at 1569 State Highway 102, Bar Harbor. While keeping the family tradition and old-school lobster pound feel, the restaurant grew to include over 60 seats, a full bar, and a raw seafood bar. It was here that our famous lobster rolls were born, and the menu expanded.
Kelly never imagined she would one day own a restaurant, but with the support of family and a lot of hard work, The Travelin’ Lobster continued to grow — even rebuilding after a devastating fire in 2017. Like any family business, there’s a balance between pushing forward and staying grounded — one family member on the gas and another on the brakes — helping guide thoughtful growth, including the opening of a second location in 2024 - Frenchman Bay Lobster Rolls.
Captain Phil, captain of the lobster boat Go Time, has been fishing out of Bar Harbor for decades and now enjoys sharing his passion with our guests. He can often be found going table to table showing off the day’s catch and giving lobster lessons — how to band a lobster, what they eat, and how they taste. Just don’t ask him his favorite way to eat lobster — he’ll tell you he hates it.
Today, The Travelin’ Lobster remains rooted in family, tradition, and a love for providing fresh Maine lobster to both visitors and locals who gather at our home on Mount Desert Island.
