Acadia National Park Day 1

I always get super excited about going to a national park, so I woke up ready to get on the road! The drive from Bangor to Bar Harbor is only 50 miles, but it might take you longer than you’d expect. Not because it is slow driving, but because you will probably want to stop. A lot. Especially the closer you get to Bar Harbor. First, there are visitor and information centers. We stopped at one and bought our park pass before we even got to the park.  The lines were way shorter than the lines at visitor center inside the park. It also allowed us to skip the lines at the entrance booths.

[Acadia National Park Pass (7 days) = $25 per car]

Second, there are tons of lobster shacks and fruit stands. We pulled off to one lobster shack and got to watch them boil lobsters outside. We didn’t get a lobster since it was still early for lunch, but we did buy Moxie. Moxie is Maine’s official drink and is a very unique tasting soda. The best way I can describe it is a less sweetened version of root beer.

We also had to stop and get wild Maine blueberries. They are tiny compared to the blueberries we find in the store, but they are bursting with flavor. They also make an excellent snack for a car ride.

[Wild Blueberries = $3.50]

Bar Harbor

After all the stops, we eventually made it to Bar Harbor. And this is when we realized what peak season in Maine means. We typically travel during shoulder seasons to avoid crowds, so I was a bit caught off guard by how insanely busy this small town was. We had serious trouble finding a parking spot, but after driving around and around, we did find a great spot that was even FREE!

It is an extremely touristy town, but I still recommend checking it out. There are tons of cute shops and restaurants. Some popular souvenir items to buy (besides t-shirts and shot glasses) are blueberry foods (muffin mixes, pancake mixes, tea, etc), and ocean items (lobster trap decor, buoys, wooden fishermen). Moose are also a popular theme. Best of all, there stunning views over the water to little islands. During low tide, you can even hike out to one of the islands.

West Street Cafe

We heard the West Street Cafe was a great place for lunch in Bar Harbor, so that is where we went. Along with everyone else. (There are a surprising number of Asian tour groups here). Luckily they had 2 seats available at the bar, so we didn’t have to wait around for a table. The thing to get is the early bird special, see below, but we decided against it. Instead, we ordered up fried whole-body clams (not just the strips), lobster bisque, blueberry soda, and blueberry pie. Everything was scrumptious, so I can see why the reviews are so great here. The blueberry pie stole the show though. Even if you aren’t hungry, go here and get a slice of pie. It’ll be worth it.

[Fried Clams = $9.95, Large Lobster Bisque = $6.95, Blueberry Pie = $4.50] 

We didn’t order it, obviously, but there is an awesome earlybird special. Probably one of the best specials in Bar Harbor too. You can order an entire lobster dinner for $25.95. It comes with a whole lobster, clam chowder, fries, coleslaw, and blueberry pie. I’m still trying to remember why we didn’t order it. Oh yeah… I don’t like things staring at me while I eat them!

Somes Sound Windjammer Parade

Did you know Acadia National Park is celebrating its 100th year this year? Neither did I until we got there. But they are. And that means they are having neat little celebrations throughout the year. The day we arrived just happened to be the day of the Somes Sound Windjammer Parade. We found a small park on Somes Sound that had awesome views. The parade started hours later than we (and everyone else) thought, and there were only a few windjammers, but it was still a fun experience. It isn’t often you get to see such giant sail boats with a dramatic scenery as a backdrop.

The Seawall Campground

After the windjammer parade, we finally made it over to our campground. The Seawall Campground. It is located on the quiet side of the island just across the wall from the seawall, hence the name. Not as many tourists make it to this side of the island since it is a bit of a drive from the main attractions. But, that is exactly what we wanted.

You might be asking how we went camping when we flew into the Boston airport. Easy. We packed the most essential camping supplies in a single checked bag. We didn’t buy new gear. And, we don’t own those tiny tents or sleeping bags that backpackers use. We just used our regular camping gear. I’m not sure why, but we never thought of doing that before. When we went to Rocky Mountain National Park, we ditched the camping idea because it seemed too complicated. Same for several other trips. But not this time! I’ll post an article on what we packed later in case you want to try camping from a suitcase.

A couple things to note about the campground though before I move on.

• Reservations fill up fast. Like really fast. Book way early. Or check the reservations website hourly for cancellations (like we did).
• The campground has free firewood.
• A ranger is on duty fairly late, but if you arrive after hours, no worries. They have a list of reservations and maps of the campground set out for you.
• There are flushable toilets and running water but no showers. However, there is a shop just down the road that provides coin operated hot showers.

But anyways, we quickly set up camp and then got back to exploring.

The Seawall

Since the Seawall was located just across the street, that’s what we checked out next. The name describes it well. It is a loose boulder and rock seawall. Be sure to check it out during low tide. The rocks seem to stretch out in the ocean forever creating an amazing view. The best part though is the tide pools. You never know what you might find in them. Most of the time they have a huge colony of snails. But, occasionally you will find other sea creatures such as crabs and fish.

 

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

Our last stop of the day was Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. If people have one destination on this side of the island, the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse is definitely it. The lighthouse was built in 1858, and a U.S. Coast Guard family still lives here today. From the parking lot, there is an obvious path leading to the lighthouse. There is information along the way, and the end provides great views over the water. Don’t just leave after seeing this though. There is a second path at the other end of the parking lot. That is the path you really want to take as it leads you to the bottom of the cliff. From here you will get an absolutely stunning view of the lighthouse sitting atop rocky cliffs overlooking the endless ocean.