Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor, ME

I went for breakfast, and was instantly charmed. The wraparound porch had comfortable, casual seating. The waitstaff was the right level of attentive, there when I wanted them and not when I didn't. The food was excellent, I had the apple, cheddar, and walnut omelette which came with a fresh warm biscuit and their special fruit butter. The coffee was wonderful, I could smell it as I approached the building and it lived up to its aroma. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for breakfast or brunch!

I had an early dinner at Stewman's on the oceanfront. I started out on the porch to get the wonderful view, but it was too cold and I moved inside. I had the Lobster Bake Experience, which began with a wonderful cup of clam chowder. It was followed with a steam pot full of steamers, a good-size lobster, corn on the cob, and some red potatoes. Lastly, they brought out a large piece of Maine blueberry pie. It was wonderful from beginning to end, though I wish it had been warm enough for me to enjoy the entire meal outside.

The boat ride takes about an hour and a half. It begins with pulling up about 10 different lobster traps, as an onboard guide explains Maine's lobster rules and talks a little bit about lobstering in Maine. The captain opens each trap and lets the kids see what's inside. Then, the boat continued to Egg Rock Island, which is where most of the seals were, and we hung around there for a while giving everyone a good view of the seals playing on the rocks and in the sea. The length of time was perfect for young kids; my nephews, 5 and 7, said it was the best part of the entire vacation.

Offered at a lower price because of the time (the boat leaves at 4:30pm), the sunset whale watch is worth every penny as long as you dress for the weather! It was very cold and I spent the return trip to Bar Harbor inside the cabin, but there was plenty of room for all customers, and the captain did a great job of making sure that whale sightings were on both sides of the boat. The sunset on the return trip was worth the entire ticket price of $35!