Acadia Nat'l Park (Mount Desert Island)

There is so much natural beauty on the island. Be prepared to be constantly amazed. Take a camera everywhere! Bring binoculars with you and be on the lookout for seals, puffin, bald eagles, racoon, deer, etc. Wildlife is everywhere if you pay attention. During low tide walk across the gravel bar that leads to Bar Island. Just pay attention to the tide. In 90 minutes it will be high again and you'll be stuck with no accomodations. Contact the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce at 800-288-5103 for more information.

Quick Tips:

Pack layered clothing. The days can be very hot and the nights very cool. The shore line can be 10 degrees cooler than inland so bring along a windbreaker. As always, pack sunscreen! Near the shore with the breeze you'll never feel the sun burning you.

Best Way To Get Around:

A car is a must here. There's just too much to see to depend on someone else to drive you around. You'll be spending a lot of time walking so pack comfortable shoes with good treads. Being an island, there's a lot of moisture and if you're in the Park the ground can be slippery

The Jordan Pondhouse is a must! An island tradition from 1847, where the elite would come to sit by the lake on the lawn and enjoy afternoon tea and popovers. The restaurant is open and airy and full of windows to make the most of a wonderful view. You can still sit on the lawn if you choose but the architecture gives you that 'outside feeling' no matter where you sit. They have a full range of extraordinary cuisine - from 'anything' lobster to filet mignon, pasta or chicken - and the deserts are mandatory! After your meal take the short walk down to Jordan Pond and enjoy the beautiful view of the "Bubbles", two identically rounded mountain that look like.... well, see it for yourself.

Kayaking is a sport anyone can do. The boats sit low in the water and are very stable, even in the ocean. They are very easy to navigate after a quick training course.

Our kayak tour provides us with sights you just don't see on land. We were able to get up close and personal with seals, loons and osprey. The highlight of our trip was spotting 2 bald eagles pearched in a tree 20 feet away.

All the gear was provided and the guides were wonderful! The tour is limited to 6 tandem kayaks so you get very personal service.

Half way thru the tour, we stopped on a small island to stretch our legs and eat the snacks we each brought along.

Although in a group of 6 boats we still felt like we had our own individual experience. The pace is leisurely but you can really set your own speed and the group spread out and came together several times during our adventure.

I recommend going in the early morning for the best wildlife sightings and while the water is the calmest. They'll provide waterproof bags for your gear so bring a camera!

Most rock climing adventures start at the base of the rock. Not here! You'll start out with a short drive and easy hike to the cliffs of Acadia National Park. As the trail ends and the cliffs come into view all you'll see is open ocean. This is where the fun begins!

Your guide will explain all the safety issues necessary to get you through the day and take you through some valuable lessons. All the gear is provided and there really is no danger as long as you pay attention. All guides are registered and there to assist every step of the way if necessary. But the challenge is doing the climb yourself.

You'll start out strapped into a harness attached to ropes, which the guides say can support a car. Of course, I had my doubts but went with it. You're then instructed to lean back and put all your weight on the ropes and step off the cliff! The first time is a tough one but you'll soon learn to trust the ropes and yourself. Then comes a slow repel down the cliff to the rocky bottom where the ocean meets the rocks.

Now for the tough part. Get back to the top. You'll already know an assortment of hand and foot moves to get you there but these tend to be forgotten once you're suspended above granite. A key thing to remember is that the rope you put all your weight on going down is still there. If you fall or even if you need to rest it will be there for you.

Climbing back up is a bit like a chess game. You really have to think ahead for your next few moves to prevent the dreaded backtrack. The guide will be watching your every move and while he lets you be in control, he'll coach you out of any tough situations you may get yourself into.

This is something that most people rarely get the chance to do and the setting makes the experience even better. Plus the feeling of exhilaration when you reach the top compares to nothing else you'll do on this vacation.

Cadillac Mountain is the first place the sun hits on the east coast and the highest point on the Atlantic seaboard north of Brazil. If you're a morning person, the sun rises around 4:45 and you can be the first one to see it! Otherwise the sunsets are pretty too. Even in the middle of the day, the 360 panoramic views will astound you and should not be missed. Keep in mind that it is very windy and cool at the top of the mountain and you should definitely bring along a sweater or windbreaker, especially if you're there in the early a.m. before the sun is up. If you're the athletic type, consider biking up the mountain. It features gradual to more challenging slopes going up to it's 1,530 foot summit. The ride back down is well worth the sore legs. You could also hike one of the trails that lead to the top.

Sand beach is the only ocean beach with 'sand' on Mt. Desert Island. It's very popular with tourists and tends to get very crowded. Unfortunately the Maine water is cold 365 days a year. It rarely gets above 55 degrees so not many people actually get in it. Children love to splash around in it but it's too cold for a swim. The winds off the ocean are constant making it a great place to sit on a hot day if you can stand the crowds.

Thanks to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. we have over 45 miles of interconnecting carrige roads on Mt. Desert. All vary in levels of difficulty so there is something for every rider. The routes closest to Bar Harbor tend to be the most crowded, especially during the summer so I recommend renting a bike rack and venturing away from the crowds. The stone roads are well maintained and offer a wonderful escape from the paved roads. You'll cross over beautiful granite and cobblestone bridges and have views of the untouched park. It's so beautiful you'll forget it's exercise.

The carriage roads are also great for running and hiking.

Seeing the whales up close is wonderful. I went out on the Friendship V, a 112' catamaran propelled by water jets. The boat goes up to 40 mph and travels the 25 miles out to sea quite fast. Along the way you'll see harbor seals, puffin, harbor porpoise and other sea life. Whale sightings are guaranteed or your money back. The trips last 2-3 hours with 1 hour being whale watching. We saw several humpbacks on our trip. They allow the extra hour in case they have to travel to different locations to find the whales. The trip wasn't rough and the only time I was aware of the motion and felt a little sick was when I was enclosed inside the galley. I recommend staying outside and enjoy the feeling of the salt air on your face. However, this is the only part of your body you will want in the salt air. It is freezing out there!!! Dress warmly! It was 80 in town and freezing on the ocean. I had on a hat, gloves, and several layers of jackets and was fine. Others on board who had only brought a light windbreaker spent most of their time inside the boat. The boat has a galley complete with hot and cold food choices and snacks. Breakfast is offered on morning cruises. They sell film and rent binoculars on board but we were so close to the whales that binoculars weren't needed.

Rates and times vary so call 207-288-2386 for information.

If you own or love a dog or cat you'll love this store. They have great specialty items for dogs and cats and collectibles for their crazy owners. It's a fun store to browse. I was amazed at the stuff they sell for animals! They also have a drinking bowl for thirsty dogs outside the store.

Thunder Hole is really just a narrow granite cave during low tide. Not much to see then. But visit during high tide and it's a whole different story. The wind blows the crashing waves up inside the cave, trapping air inside. As the air is pushed forcefully out a loud sound of 'thunder' escapes. Hence, 'Thunder Hole'. It's especially impactful and loud during storms. You won't be able to get close enough to view the actual cave then, but the water will crash and spray all the way to the road if you're adventurous enough to stick around.

We've all seen the 'Amazing 5 Pound Lobsters' advertised at some point in time. Trust me... you DO NOT want to eat one of these and you won't find one in Maine. It's the equivalent of eating a very old cow. All the lobster are caught fresh daily and must be a certain size to be 'legal'. Anything too small or too big must be thrown back. The most tender lobster are between a pound and a quarter and a pound and a half. Be prepared for a messy experience. Most restaurants will provide you with a bib and plenty of clean up supplies. You'll even get special instructions on how to eat it if you ask, so you won't look like a tourist. A traditional lobster dinner usually features a lobster, mussels, clams, corn-on-the-cob and potato salad. If you're too scared to break into a lobster, you can always try a lobster roll. Think along the lines of chicken salad but with lobster. It's a much cleaner experience and traditionally served in a hot dog bun with chips or fries. Maine is also know for it''s blueberries so save room for desert!

Drive the Park Loop Road which 'loops' along the National Park from the coast to inland. It's a 20 mile journey of bliss. The sights are simply breathtaking and you'll find it easy to pull your car over and walk to any of the sites for a closer look. You'll start out passing a beautiful lake complete with a beaver dam. From there you see large granite mountains, rocky cliffs and sweeping ocean views. If you only have one hour on the island use it to drive the Park Loop Road.

Bar Harbor was originally known as Eden was incorporated in 1796. In the mid 1800's artist came to capture the beauty of the island in their work. This brought on the 'tourists'. By 1880 Bar Harbor had 30 hotels and was known nationally for being a summer resort. The Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Fords and Pulitzers all began summering here. Over 17,000 acres were lost in 1947 after a 10 day fire swept through Bar Harbor. More than 60 summer mansions were destroyed. While many remaining are still private homes, some are now B&B's and Inns and can be enjoyed by everyone. Learn more about the town at the Bar Harbor Historical Museum at 33 Ledgelawn Avenue (207) 288-0000