Ahhh, Maine. A state I have dreamed of visiting since I had my first bite of buttery lobster years ago. The coastal seascape of Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine, was the last stop on Mark and I’s New England road trip this past October. Our first stop: the beautiful Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor. My original bucket list had extended plans to see Maine during the lobster festival in August, but there was something magical about visiting during the peak fall timeframe.
Keep reading to learn more about spending a long weekend in the seaside town of Bar Harbor and exploring Acadia National Park. Also, how I could consume six lobster rolls in 4 days….is there a coney island version of athletic eating in Maine? Asking for a friend…
Bar Harbor
I chose Bar Harbor for several reasons: the town is literally what you would picture a tiny east coast fishing town to resemble & it is adjacent to Acadia National Park. A roughly 6 1/2 hour drive from Vermont (I recommend an overnight stay in Mexico, yes..Mexico, Maine to break up your drive as we did!) Bar Harbor is a great place to start your drive along the coast of Maine.
After my Montana & Wyoming National Park road trip this summer, I was inspired to visit another national park not as close to home. We did not get nearly enough time at Acadia (weather was not our friend) and absolutely plan to head back someday!
Where We Stayed
As I spoke about in my Vermont post, hotels and AirBnbs are relatively the same prices in the New England area, but we opted for a cheaper option as we were only staying one night in Bar Harbor. We opted for the charming Black Friar Inn & Pub, centrally located within walking distance to downtown Bar Harbor, the sea & about an 8-minute drive to Acadia National Park. The entire time we could not stop gabbing about how great the location of our stay was to the area. The room had a cottage feel with a cozy fireplace to enjoy on cooler evenings.
The hotel also offered complimentary breakfast in the morning, a complete feast that includes all the classic American breakfast favorites in the pub downstairs. They also provide a tempting happy hour menu to encourage mingling with local travelers. We highly recommend this spot and check out some hotels closer to downtown, such as the Ivy Manor Inn (they had live music and a fire pit out front! Pictured above) or the Elmhurst Inn.
Where We Ate & Drank
Do you only care about lobster rolls? Same. Read my guide of where to eat Maine’s best lobster rolls. Yes, it is necessary for the integrity of this website.
If you come to Maine, seafood is going to be the only food group that matters. Luckily, I went ahead and tried ALL the lobster for you, sharing some must-do restaurants. Side Street Cafe was our first stop for lobster rolls. This spot was highly rated on yelp and had a phenomenal first lobster roll in Maine. The outdoor seating atmosphere was lovely to me, but eating out with coronavirus means you get what you get as far as seating! If, for some reason, you do not like lobster (my boyfriend is one of them…scary), the Northern Cuban sandwich came highly rated as well. Also, snag a blueberry ale while visiting this spot (Maine is known for their blueberries). Although sweet, it comes with blueberries in the beer and is a delicious sweet treat, you know..to wash down all the lobster and butter.
There were tons of choices with hefty lines (if you do travel during the travel restriction times of corona, you feel my pain!). We chose the West Street Cafe (similar names, I got them confused) for our dinner that evening and only added to Maine’s unforgettable experience. The indoor dining is beautiful and reminds me of a more spacious restaurant you would see in San Francisco. The best part? Their lobster meal. If you are a big fan like me, the Downeast special comes with a whole lobster, clam chowder, coleslaw, fries, & a slice of blueberry pie for $37. HOW THOUGH!?! The service was fantastic, great value; it is a must-do!
Other spots to eat? Try the Thirsty Whale, Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium, Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast, or the Barnacle!
Acadia National Park
Located off the Atlantic coast, Acadia National Park is an absolute spectacle and a jumping off point from Bar Harbor. Visiting in mid-October, the fall colors were at their absolute peak of yellows and oranges. Unlike most national parks, Acadia can be done in a singular loop, making it easy to accomplish most of the significant landmarks in a day and a half.
Sand Beach
When visiting in COVID times, you need to reserve a vehicle registration in advance to see either the Cadillac Summit Road entrance or the Sand Beach Entrance. Beginning at the Sand Beach Entrance, your first stop will be Sand Beach. Huddled between mountains and rock chiseled shores, it is a perfect first stop along Park Loop Road.
Thunder Hole
The next stop along the loop is the Thunder Hole. This spot gets its name from the thundering waves along the coastline, reminiscent of California shores. This stop also has a beautiful overlook of the coast and adjacent mountainside. The time of year also permitted some beautiful tree-lined road snapshots!
Otter Point
Around a sharp corner is another great vantage spot aptly named Otter Point. With amazing views of the coastline with minimal crowds, climb out onto the rocks for some gorgeous ocean views.
Jordan Pond
Jordan Pond was high atop my list to stop. This was one of my absolute favorite views in the park, and naturally, it came with snacks! The House is famous for its popovers, which are basically an aerated sweet treat. Order it with their blueberry tea and sit at one of the tables overlooking the scenery. After your bite, pop down the trail and walk along the path to see beautiful fall foliage. Photographers were camped out over the water for sunset!
Cadillac Mountain
Image by AcadiaMagic.com
Cadillac Mountain was the view I wanted to see most. Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans. I have no photos to show for this spot because we could only go on a day of a torrential downpour. Sadly, the weather created a thick cloud cover that made any views nearly impossible and rain that went sideways (Forest Gump, anyone?). However, when we did descend the mountain, it did clear up a little to a pristine view of peak fall foliage. We ended up causing a traffic jam because everyone followed suit with us to stop!
So, I included some photos of our “prime” weather day of the trees and an online image. Also – I am not a morning person, but I heard you cannot miss the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain. Oops, I guess we’re going back!
Up next, we’ll walk through Portland, Maine to complete our full coastal itinerary of this beautiful Northeast state.
Cheers,
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