Maine, it’s been on my travel bucket list for most of my adult life. When I started planning our New England road trip I knew that one goal was to visit Maine. I’m happy to report that I have now crossed Maine off my list.
Maine was the 5th stop on our 15 day New England Roadtrip and it also marked the halfway point in our journey. We have already had many adventures in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
Day 8 – Maine
On Day 8 we woke up early and hit the road to Bar Harbor, Maine. Since it was a Saturday morning we had light traffic as we headed north out of Boston. Usually on roadtrips we like to avoid tolls, but on this leg of the trip I highly recommend them. Traffic was so much nicer! I think we ended up paying $6 in tolls just on this day. It was so worth it.
To make the tolls even easier I highly recommend you purchase an EZ Pass transponder before making a trip like this. It is easy to set up and refill. No cash needed. All instructions and a list of roads that accept EZ Pass are on their website.
Hulls Cove Visitor Center
On our way into Bar Harbor we stopped at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center. Here you can pick up maps of Acadia National Park, speak to rangers, purchase park passes, and shop in the gift shop. The Visitor Center is open seasonally from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Check their website to be sure they are open.
They have a huge parking lot, but it is often full. The Visitor Center also serves as a hub for the free Island Explorer Shuttle bus. The bus takes passengers to locales around Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. If you are visiting Acadia during a busy weekend or a holiday, I highly recommend riding the shuttle bus if you can.
Bar Harbor Motel
Our next stop was the Bar Harbor Motel. It would be our Maine home away from home for the next 3 nights. We had a Family Suite that included 2 bedrooms, a small bathroom, a mini-frig, microwave, 2 A/C units, and windows that could be opened. We also had free wifi. The suite was very comfortable for our family of 5.
The motel also has an outdoor pool, 2 playgrounds, continental breakfast, guest laundry, vending and ice machines, and bike/kayak storage. It also has an Island Explorer Shuttle bus stop in front of the property. A trip to the Bar Harbor Village Green is a quick 15 minutes away.
Village Green & the “Bar”
We went to the Bar Harbor Village Green on our first evening. There are tons of restaurants and shops within walking distance of the Green. You can even walk to the “Bar“. At low tide a sandbar exposes itself and you can walk across to Bar Island. The gravel and sandy surface remains somewhat wet during low tide but you can still easily find shells, seaweed, and other organisms. The Bar is accessed through Bridge Street. There is no parking. If you decide to walk across the Bar pay attention to the tide. You can easily get stranded on the other side if the tide comes in.
Day 9
Day 9 started off cool and sunny! We packed up a picnic lunch at headed out to explore Acadia National Park. To enter the park you need to purchase a $20 park pass or have a National Park Pass or 4th Grader Pass. Portions of the park are open seasonally so check openings and conditions online before your visit. Our visit happened to fall on Labor Day weekend so the park was very busy.
Jordan Pond
Our first stop of the day was at Jordan Pond. Since it was still early in the day we easily found a parking spot. The National Park Service notes that the Jordan Pond area is especially busy between 9 am and 3 pm. During that time riding the park’s shuttles are a good idea.
We hiked the 3.3 mile Jordan Pond Path. The trail has limited elevation gain and the right side (from the parking lot trailhead) is well-packed for easy hiking. The second (left) half of the trail is rocky and boardwalks. Our 3 kids did very well on this hike. Younger kids may not make it all the way around the pond. I do not recommend bringing strollers or bikes. This trail is very popular and can be very busy during the summer. Hike early or later in the day to avoid crowds.
Don’t forget to get your National Park Passport stamped in the gift shop. Nearby there is also a restaurant that serves popovers. Unfortunately, we were too early to try some.
Cadillac Mountain
Our next stop was Cadillac Mountain. At 1,530 feet, it is the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard. The mountain is accessible via a winding, narrow, 3.5-mile road. At the summit, you will find a parking area, viewing spots, a small gift shop, and restrooms. We had to circle the parking lot twice in order to find a spot to park. When we left the line of cars waiting to get a spot was very long. Soon afterward we learned they closed the mountain road to new vehicles. I recommend going early or late.
The view from the summit of Cadillac Mountain is breathtaking. You can see Bar Harbor, the Atlantic Ocean, and everything else nearby. There are lots of neat viewing spots to explore.
Next, we drove on to the Bear Brook picnic area for lunch. This was a quiet, little area with tables, grills, and a restroom. It was a peaceful spot away from lots of people.
Park Loop Road
After lunch, we decided to drive the Park Loop Road. The road is 27 miles long and connects Acadia’s lakes, mountains, and seashore. Portions of this road are one way and very busy. During peak times the road is used for parallel parking near attractions like Sand Beach and Thunder Hole.
Our first stop along Park Loop Road was the Schooner Head Overlook. It wasn’t busy at all. There is also a short trail that leads down to a rocky overlook. It was here that we spotted our first seal.
Next, we attempted to find a parking spot near Sand Beach or Thunder Hole. We didn’t find anything remotely close to them. Each area was jammed packed with cars and people. So we drove on! We didn’t find a place to park until we got to Otter Point.
Otter Point is at one end of the Ocean Path Trail. The trail is 4.5 miles (out & back) long with an elevation gain of 17ft. The other trailhead can be found at the Upper Lot at Sand Beach. We only hiked a short distance of this trail. If we had more time I would have loved to hike the entire path.
Afterward, we completed the Park Loop Road and headed back to our motel. We decided to give the kids some downtime before dinner. They loved the motel pool and playgrounds.
Day 10
Day 10 started off with a 6 am wake-up. We had learned from a park ranger that the west side of the Acadia’s Mount Desert Island wasn’t as busy or crowded. But being a holiday weekend there might still be full parking lots. We wanted to do some hiking so we packed a picnic lunch and set off early.
Ship Harbor Trail
Our first stop of the day was the Ship Harbor Trail. We found plenty of parking spots still available. The trail is a 1.3-mile loop with an elevation gain of 65 feet. It is located off of Route 102A and is about 1 mile south of the Bass Harbor Campground. It is also just 1/3 of a mile south of the Wonderland Trail. The only facility at the trailhead is a vault toilet.
The Ship Harbor Trail forms a figure 8. We kept bearing to the right to follow the shoreline. The terrain was dirt, gravel, rocks, or boardwalk. All surfaces were easy to walk over. I wouldn’t bring a stroller or a bike, though. There were multiple spots to get a great view of the harbor. You can even walk down to the shoreline and explore the tide pools at low tide. Our kids loved this portion!
Wonderland Trail
Next, we drove over to the Wonderland Trail. This trail is 1.4 miles long (out and back) and has an elevation gain of 78 feet. It is about a mile south of the Seawall Campground. Like the Ship Harbor Trail, it has a small parking lot. There are no facilities.
The terrain is very similar to that found at the Ship Harbor Trail. The trail is a great hike to the water’s edge. Where you can again explore the seashore and walk along the rocks. Our kids couldn’t get enough climbing among the rocks.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Since we still had some time before lunch and we were nearby, we decided to check out the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse after our hikes. The lighthouse itself is not open to the public. The United States Coast Guard operates and maintains the lighthouse and surrounding buildings. The property includes a small parking lot and a restroom. This is a very popular spot. During our visit, we got one of the last parking spots and by the time we left, there was a long line of cars waiting to park. Arrive early!
You can view the lighthouse up close by way of a short, steep path on the right-hand side or take the trail to the left to the stairs to view it from the shoreline. You can also climb among the rocks to get an even better view. We decided against this since it was crowded. Both sides give spectacular glimpses of the ocean.
Seawall Picnic Area
It was finally time for lunch so we headed down the road to the Seawall Picnic Area. It is located across the street from the Seawall Campground. A short road leads down to the picnic area. If you turn right you can park along the road. To the left, you will find a good-sized parking lot. There are picnic tables on either side, but the main section is to the left. That is where you will also find a restroom.
We found a picnic table right on the shoreline. We ate and let the kids have some fun on the rocks while we watched the tide slowly come in. It was a great, quiet spot!
Echo Lake Beach
After lunch, we made an unplanned stop at Echo Lake Beach. We were surprised to find the large parking lot completely empty. The beach was also empty. The cool, cloudy weather must have been keeping people away. We decided to explore the area for just a few minutes.
Echo Lake Beach is one of 2 beaches in Acadia National Park. The other being Sand Beach. Echo Lake is just north of Southwest Harbor along Route 102. It is a freshwater lake that has a max depth of 66 feet.
During the busy tourist season, the beach is staffed by a lifeguard. It is a very popular swimming spot as it is much warmer than the ocean water at Sand Beach. The beach has restrooms, changing rooms, and has an accessible path down to the water. Fishing is allowed.
Sieur de Monts Nature Center
Just before getting back to Bar Harbor, we stopped at the Sieur de Monts Nature Center. The Nature Center is open seasonally from 9 am to 4 pm. It can be easily accessed from Acadia’s Park Loop Road or Main Street south of Bar Harbor.
Sieur de Monts has exhibits, park and hiking information, and Wild Gardens. A Spring is located behind the building. The Nature Center was a little bit of a letdown for our family. We expected a big display of nature found in Maine and Acadia. Instead, we found a small one-room exhibit.
After talking with a ranger we decided to hike the Jesup Path, which was about a mile-long loop. Half was a boardwalk and the other half was a gravel path. We could have extended our hike all the way to Park Loop Road, but we cut it short.
Bar Harbor Shore Path
Since it was our last evening in Maine we did a bit more exploring in Bar Harbor. After dinner, we discovered the Shore Path. The path begins at the town pier and follows the shore south for about 1/2-3/4 of a mile. From the path, you can see the cruise ships and other boats moored offshore. You also pass by private properties with old fences and beautiful flowers. At the end of the Shore Path, there is a short path that takes you directly to Main Street and many shops and restaurants.
Where we ate in Maine
Some of our most delicious meals on this road trip were had in Maine. We really enjoyed the West Street Cafe. They had an awesome lobster roll! In Route 66 we were surrounded by 1950s memorabilia as we enjoyed a great lobster BLT wrap. Finally, Geddy’s was a wonderful waterfront eatery that had plenty of choices for the whole family.
More
Are you looking for more hiking spots in Acadia, check out Just Go Travel Studios’ Best Hikes in Acadia National Park. They even mention a couple of the trails we visited.
Up Next
Coming up on day 11 we’ll leave Maine and head west into New Hampshire. Look for Part 4 coming soon.
- 15 Day New England Roadtrip Part 1: CT & RI
- 15 Day New England Roadtrip Part 2: Massachusetts
- Part 4: New Hampshire
- Part 5: Vermont
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own. I was not compensated for this post.
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