This seems to be the summer of everyone going to Maine. I took two trips there this past summer, my parents went, all of my coworkers went, a few of my friends went, and of course countless others. So what makes this place so special?
Well the current climate is great for travel, beautiful weather, high COVID-19 vaccination rates, and a general feeling of safety and wellbeing. Maine is a gorgeous state with a lot of diverse outdoor areas to explore. On my first trip this summer I went with Ethan’s mother to house hunt on the very northern coast of Maine. The real estate market was insane, with bids for tens of thousands of dollars over asking price being ignored, its pretty difficult to jump on your dream house fast enough.
We spent a weekend exploring houses to fulfill her empty-nest dreams, but we didn’t want to miss out on the beauty of northern coastal Maine in its prime. The lupines were in full bloom all around us in mid-june, so I was super excited to see the fields of purple I’ve been daydreaming about.
The main thing on my trip bucket list was to see Acadia National Park. On the East Coast, we have few of the National Parks that the U.S. is known for. Acadia is the closest to my home, even though it is 8 hours away. We stopped in Bar Harbor for a walk around town and then headed into the park as the sun was setting. We drove down to Sand Beach and took a trail through the woods at dusk. We were greeted by two deer who walked across our path. I think they were as surprised as us to see someone on the trail that late. We made it to the beach and looked up at the stars and played in the sand and water. We even found a few jellyfish on the beach (glad I didn’t go for a swim!) It felt funny to be in a National Park (for the first time) at night when it was so empty.
We also made time to see West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Which is the Easternmost point in the United States. Its red and white stripes are the inspiration for an abundance of Maine themed art. As you travel up the coast, the climate changes dramatically from typical New England weather to cold and damp. The sea air is mixed with a strong scent of pine trees, which take over the forests the further north you go.
Wendy had been to the lighthouse before and remembered the nearby Bog Trail being a great short hike. So we ventured down the path through the woods. On either side of the trail was covered in beautiful moss fit for a fairy world. It was also very quiet despite being near the crashing waves of the Atlantic. The end of the trail is a small boardwalk loop that sits upon a bog. The plant life there was wild! Pitcher plants, 80 year old pine trees that were only the size of me, and more of that damp air. It felt funny to have the weather change so quickly from the hot sunny skies down the coast, but we enjoyed the break in the cool breeze.
The last place we visited on our mother-in-law/daughter-in-law bonding trip was Portland Head Lighthouse. The iconic beacon of Maine. We walked around the lighthouse on the beautiful oceanside paths filled with wild roses for a little while until we decided to finish our journey home. We also met a local artist from Scotland who bonded with Wendy over her memories of visiting there.
We had such an awesome trip just getting to know each other more deeply, as in the past six plus years we hadn’t had much one on one time together. My short visit to Acadia was enough to fuel a desire to go back again, so later on in the summer Ethan and I planned a camping trip to Bar Harbor with his grandparents.
This time we had less of a tight schedule to explore the park and the beautiful town so we made the most of it. We set up camp at Hadley’s Point Campground (which is gorgeous by the way) and decided we needed to have an authentic seafood meal. We saw a place on the water on the way into Bar Harbor called The Chart Room. I think we hit the jackpot with this restaurant. Ethan turned to me and said I could order “whatever I want.” He said he wanted to treat me… so I took full advantage. I ordered surf and turf filet mignon and a lobster tail and claws with french fries. I also had a mudslide and chocolate layer cake…
Was it the healthiest meal I’ve ever had? Certainly not. Was it the best meal I’ve ever had in my life? YES! Every fiber of that food was cooked to perfection. The flavors were unique, nothing was over or undercooked, and it was fresh. The cake was cool and fluffy with sweet and smooth frosting and other bits of chocolatey goodness. I left elated and wondering where I put it all. All I can say is if you are going to Bar Harbor, you must eat at the chart room! Ethan and his grandparents’ meals were also out of this world. We went back a second night for a slightly lighter meal (on the wallet and the thighs).
Our first day in Acadia we made a reservation to go to the top of Cadillac Mountain. We explored the unique red granite peaks and tried not to get too sunburnt. For not being a very tall mountain, Cadillac did have fantastic views of the ocean below. We then drove back to Sand Beach, during the day this time to let Ethan’s Grandmother get her feet wet. She had to cross off her “post liver transplant bucket list item” which was to touch the ocean again. It was a really fun afternoon.
We decided to rent bikes to see as much of the carriage roads as we could. Although this was a bad idea, as the company scammed us out of our $70 (by requiring a bike rack which they did not have available and did not inform us we needed before we paid), we did have a lot of fun on foot. The roads were quiet despite the busy tourist season in Bar Harbor. We enjoyed seeing all the old stone bridges that Rockefeller funded and the Jordan Pond House. I only wish we had time to stop for lunch that day! Did you know that Jordan Pond is the clearest lake in the state of Maine?
The campsite was super relaxing as well. We ate plenty of s’mores and met our fellow campers. We were put in the RV section of the campground, which wasn’t as picturesque, but it did have plenty of friendly campers! We met neighbors and former locals of Bar Harbor Rob and Ellen, as well as Dawn and Jerry who seemed to be following us everywhere we went. We saw them out and about a few times which was funny.
Dawn and Jerry were also fellow sailors on the Margaret Todd, the giant four-masted schooner which is a staple of Bar Harbor. You can see it from Cadillac Mountain or just wandering around the area. We took a sunset sail which had lovely music and awesome views. It wasn’t very windy so we didn’t go very far, but we did see eagles nesting on an island in the harbor! Ethan’s grandmother also helped raise the sails, so we had a great time being a part of the crew.
One of our last sights to see in Acadia National Park was the Bass Harbor Head Light, another very essential lighthouse in Maine. This would be my fifth lighthouse I’ve seen up close and personal, probably many more if you count the ones in the distance.
On our way home we drove through the White Mountains in New Hampshire which made for a much more scenic and nostalgic drive than the crazy traffic further south on I-95 and I-93. We drove past the small amusement parks of my childhood; Storyland, Santa’s Village, and Six Gun City. We also looked for the notorious “rainbow cabins” from a memorable trip when I was two and a half, but no luck.
It was a wonderful summer in Maine (and at home). I’m so glad that things seem to be truly getting back to normal, I just hope that the rest of the world will follow suit soon.
Next week I will be traveling to Ireland for an entire semester abroad, which is crazy! I’m so excited to explore what Dublin has to offer, but I’m also going to miss my family and friends so much. Let me know in the comments below if there is something in Ireland that I should not miss, or if there is something you would like me to mention in my blog posts for Ireland. Would you like to see weekly updates? There are many possibilities…
Remember to bring compassion wherever you go!
Kayla
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