Acadia NP & Bar Harbor
For a number of years, I’ve been looking forward to visiting Acadia National Park which is located far up the Maine coast. Though not one of the elite American parks, it is nonetheless highly ranked for its diverse scenic beauty. Acadia is also a popular destination because of its proximity to the well known town of Bar Harbor — both of which cohabitate Mount Desert Island. They are truly surrounded by water, but the island is not one of those “you gotta take a ferry to get to it” places. A couple of hops across short bridges from the mainland easily gets you there and back.
Though the look and feel of this region is definitely Maine, there are a few things that make Mount Desert Island unique, one of which are its mountains. That’s because the coastal area around Acadia and Bar Harbor has volcanic roots. As such, the mountains on Mount Desert Island, of which there are several, stand a little taller, prouder, and climb quicker than typical high spots along the Maine coast.
Enough of that. I’m taking the long way towards saying that Acadia National Park and its surrounds are scenic, gorgeous, and intriguing! Lois and I were not disappointed.
The Lakes
Trapped between its coastal mountains, Acadia NP contains lakes of many sizes. The one we took time to hike is Jordon Pond. Though we neither had the time nor energy to do the entire 4.5 mile loop around its shores, it didn’t much matter. The moment we arrived at its edge, we were treated with beautiful views of a dense tree lined lake surrounded by half submerged boulders with high hills visible in all directions — bliss.
And then came the Yellowjacket incident…
[To read this story, see “Alan and Lois Versus the Yellowjackets”]
Click Images to Enlarge
The Mountains
The highest point in Acadia National Park is Cadillac Mountain. It is a whopping 1529 feet tall. Hikeable? Of course! But Lois and I took the easy way out; we drove to the top. For the “cool kids” that come to visit, the best time to climb to the top is early dawn. That’s because those who watch sunrise from Cadillac Mountain are amongst the first in our country to usher in the new day due to this high point’s unique location on the beak of our animal shaped country. But to each their own — we are not early risers… not even close. In any case, a mid afternoon visit provided Lois and I an amazing 360 degree view of coastal and inland Maine. Enjoy the photos!
The Sea
VIDEO: A crazy thing happened on the coast, and it didn't turn-out well for Lois (but I thought it was hilarious 😂). If you love Lois's laugh track, this is the one!
I love mountains, and Lois is drawn to the sea. That said, we agree that Acadia National Park’s stunning seashore is our favorite place to spend an afternoon. It’s where lush green forests flow down high hills until they are abruptly halted by rocky cliffs with big surf at its feet, especially on the Atlantic side of the island. And like so many National Parks, it has unexpected surprises tucked here and there. This includes a large sandy beach in a protective cove. Unimaginably name “Sand Beach, it lures only the hardiest of beach goers into its frigid water. I know that Lois could brave it on a dare, and she might even tempt herself into the surf if in the right mood. But 56 degrees is crazy cold for me. Besides, who knows what creepy things might lurk in its dark blue water, such as lobsters, jelly fish, maybe even a Great White? 😱🦞🦈
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor as seen from Cadillac Mountain
If you’ve heard of the town of Bar Harbor, but never seen it in person, you might picture it as a quaint Maine fishing village, maybe something like “Cabot Cove” from Angela Lansbury’s “Murder She Wrote” TV series. But if that’s your mental image of Bar Harbor, you would be completely wrong! It is indeed picturesque and charming, but only if you mentally blot out hoards of tourists! Averaging more than 10,000 visitors per day at the peak of summer, it’s a lot to take in and navigate through.
Our verdict? It is a fun place to visit, especially if you love cruising through gift shops and boutiques. Dining is OK. Our problem is we’ve experienced many Maine seaside towns this summer, all of which are less hectic. And in my book, most others are better examples of a fun New England village. But no matter, we enjoyed ourselves in Bar Harbor. The town certainly helped its cause by offering us an excellent healthy eating restaurant. They served great coffee and offered many yummy things to eat. Lucky for Lois, the cafe’s acai fruit bowls were up there with the best. 😋
What’s Next?
Lois and I are loving the full-time RV life. But even on the road, we still need to take care of regular life things. A biggie is caring for and maintaining our Motorhome. It’s hard to believe, but we’ve already owned Harold-the-RV for almost a year. And that means our 12-month Winnebago factory warranty is about to expire. So as we exit New England, it’s time to head over to a Winnebago service center in Bristol, Connecticut to take care of a punch list of issues we’ve uncovered.
Stay tuned…
