Our Acadia

Do you love the great views only hikers get, but you’re worried about tackling something too ambitious?  Whether kids or bad knees are slowing you down, you don’t have to sacrifice scenery and fun when you hike in Acadia National Park.  Here are five easy hikes I’ve done that delight in different ways. 

Ship Harbor Trail: 1.3 mile figure-eight

This rocky coastline is your destination for the Ship Harbor Nature Trail.

You can alternate loops on this “figure 8” trail through an evergreen forest to the postcard-perfect shoreline.  David Patterson’s photos give you a sense of the well-groomed path.  Collecting sun-bleached shells along the way can easily turn this hike into an amble, with a picnic at the outermost point where a schooner ran aground in the 1600s.  Nearby is Bass Harbor Lighthouse, a sight not to be missed. This trail and lighthouse are where the Obamas spent time during their vacation to Bar Harbor.

Bubble Rock Trail: 1 mile roundtrip

This trail, which passes through a mixed forest, is popular with families because of the photo opp at giant Bubble Rock.  What’s also great is that you get a big pay-off for a relatively easy hike.  The summit of South Bubble, at 768 feet, provides dramatic views of Jordan Pond — yet the trail’s series of crib box surfaces make it much easier than hiking over rocks or roots. 

Jordan Pond Shore Trail: 3.2 mile loop

This walk around Jordan Pond starts with a great view of The Bubbles.

Just about all of the circuit is close to the water, which can be 100 feet deep near the shoreline.  Although the terrain is flat, this hike engages my imagination because of its many charming features: a bridge of flat stones, rock-to-rock scrambling, a birch suspension foot-bridge, a section where you tiptoe over elaborate tree roots, and bogwalks.  “Chronicles of A Country Girl” offers many wonderful photos of this circuit.  Reward yourself with lemonade and popovers at Jordan Pond House when you finish.

Flying Mountain:  1.5 mile loop

Of all the trails listed here, this one probably feels the most like a “real hike.”  It’s relatively short, but there is a bit of climbing and elevation at the beginning.  The views of Somes Sound, Sargent Drive, and Norumbega and Sargent Mountains are stunning, as are  the spacious homes and lawns across the sound in Northeast Harbor. The return to the car is easy along a fire road.

Ocean Path: 4 miles round trip

Ocean Path lies in the most popular area of Acadia.

From Sand Beach to Otter Point, this flat trail takes you alongside the ocean with breathtaking views of Maine’s rocky cliffs and pink granite shoreline.  At the halfway point is Thunder Hole, a National Park attraction where the surf crashes through rock chasms.  At Otter Cliffs rock climbers rappel down the 60-foot wall with pounding waves below.  No wonder this hike is so popular! 

Want other ideas?  Kayaking trips also provide wonderful sights in close proximity to the environment.  Acadia National Park is home to several excellent kayaking touring companies that focus on different part of the islands.  Include both hiking and kayaking on your itinerary to Acadia National Park, and you’ll never be satisfied seeing a national park from inside a car again!  Read reviews of Mount Desert Island’s best kayaking tours here.

Check out the posts on TripAdvisor about whale watching, and you’ll find a lot of negatives – no whales, long trips, cold weather, and sea sickness.  Still want to take your kids on a boat ride when you visit Acadia National Park?  The Dive-In Theater gets rave reviews.

This five-star cruise leaves from a pier at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor on the aptly christened Starfish Enterprise.  Last week we embarked upon our two-hour trip into Frenchman Bay, a body of water so deep and cold that it provides a rich habitat for an array of sea life.  The bay is spotted with small islands, which further enrich the environment. 

Suddenly the boat began to circle a small rock outcropping and there on the top sat a large bald eagle.  Lying on rocks below and swimming in the area were about twenty harbor seals.  Minutes of leaving this sighting, we spotted harbor porpoises gracefully creating arcs in the water. 

But this was only the beginning of the show. 

We moored at a dive site and Diver Ed suited up with considerable fanfare.  Fanfare isn’t really the right word.  It’s more shtick.  (Clearly, only his love of Maine and kids has kept Ed from stand-up.)   

With a little help from his friends, Diver Ed took the plunge with a collection bag, real-time video and sound equipment, and Mini Ed, his action figure alter ego, who would provide scale for the adventures on the ocean floor.  We then learned that this was Mini Ed #104.  (The prior 103 had been unsuccessful in their battles with lobsters and crabs from the deep.) 

Sitting comfortably on our benches, we watched on a large projection screen as Mini Ed began to explore.  I glanced away only occasionally to see such sights as the Margaret Todd sailing by.

What happened when Diver Ed returned with critters in tow?   We touched them, of course. 

Whether a beautiful sea star (starfish to the uninitiated), slimy sea cucumber, or angry lobster, these creatures of Frenchman Bay were taken into temporary (and protective) custody in touch tanks, as we learned more.  Did you know that sea stars can not only regenerate lost arms, but themselves be regenerated from a single arm?

We gently probed their varied surfaces.  (I will not say the same for the four-year-olds who thrilled to the chaos of the touch tanks and, inhibition abandoned, initiated some aggressive dive-bombing with the lobsters.)

Most of the families on the cruise seemed to have four-year-olds in tow, but the three eighteen-year-olds who came with me were pretty enthusiastic.  But I surpassed them all. 

For more information, visit www.divered.com.

Where the locals eat, shop, and relax is a constant source of fascination for travelers.  And why not?  What could be a better guide for where to get off the beaten track to find value? 

That’s why I was delighted recently to see the proprietor of Sip’s and Sawyer’s Specialties in Southwest Harbor eating dinner at the bar of Red Sky.  Red Sky, with its creative cuisine and emphasis on local ingredients, has always been a personal favorite.  I felt validated by the local endorsement. 

Interesting enough, earlier that day I had visited Sawyer’s Specialties to ask Scott Winchester if he’d be willing to share some “insider secrets” about Mount Desert Island.  Here’s what he and two other Southwest Harbor locals-in-the-know told me. 

As I chatted with Scott, I eyed the delicacies in the counter at Sawyer’s Specialties.  There were “banana shooters” stuffed with provolone and prosciutto, smoked shrimp and scallops, and roasted red peppers.  He told me Sawyer’s Specialties features over 100 cheeses.  What a picnic!  All of a sudden I saw an intriguing alternative to my turkey sandwiches atop Pemetic Mountain.  My Nalgene of water morphed into a bottle of Pinot Noir as Scott talked about his philosophy: “I like to find out what customers like and then introduce them to something new in the genre they enjoy.”  So, what site would I choose for my elegant picnic?  

Scott’s Tip:  Go to Wonderland, the trail at the southern point of Mount Desert Island’s “Quietside.”  A spruce-scented gravel path, 1.4 miles out and back, leads you to the ocean where Maine’s rocky coastline offers ample seating – as well as tabletops – for you to relax and enjoy your feast from Sawyer’s Specialties.  Breathe in the salt air to complement the bouquet of the wine you’ve chosen.  Scott talked about the “stone chairs” at Wonderland.  Find the most regal for this feast.

When I was looking for a house to buy on Mount Desert Island, I stayed at the Harbour Cottage Inn.  I still think it has one of the most appealing living rooms I’ve seen anywhere.  On my most recent visit, while I was waiting for one of the innkeepers, Don Jalbert, I mused how nice it would be to curl up on the chintz sofa  in front of the fireplace with a volume from the well-stocked bookshelves.  Instead, I maintained my decorum and enjoyed the lovely Southwest Harbor view over their rolling lawn.  When Don arrived, my first question was whether or not they were still serving their pesto eggs for breakfast, my all-time favorite egg preparation.  Having answered me in the affirmative, he surprised me with a recommendation I fully intend to pursue for myself. 

Don’s Tip:  “Not many people know about this,” he said, “Somehow it is kept very quiet. If you are on the island in June, July and August, be sure to call for a ticket to see The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden. It sits atop a bluff in the village of Seal Harbor.” The garden has both a Spirit Path and English-style flowers so it is an unusual blend of Western and Eastern elements. Reservations are required and available from 9 AM to 11 AM Thursdays only. Tickets are free, but reservations are limited so you must call well in advance: 207-267-5525.  

If there’s a rainy day during my vacation to Acadia, I love buying baby gifts at Hatched on MDI.  For friends who have become entranced with Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, I always buy little cotton sweaters emblazoned with lobsters, which I then bestow with a lecture on why I like Mount Desert Island much better.  This year the owner, Northeast Harbor born-and-bred Heather Brown, attracted my attention with a table of marked-down “values” outside the shop.  I felt apologetic as she rung up the $10 item that my daughter had chosen strictly because of its incomparable snuggliness.  

Heather’s Tip:  I asked Heather for a suggestion for a thoughtful gift to bring home to a little one after a trip to Acadia.  She showed me a biblet (that covers not only the baby’s chest, but lap) in blue with a fiery-red lobster.  As we were talking, another great tip emerged.  If you (or your spouse) need a break from perusing the local gift shops, the Southwest Harbor Library offers a comfortable setting, variety of newspapers, and even free Wi-Fi.  And you don’t need to be a library cardholder to access the library’s three computers.  I can’t imagine abdicating on a visit to Southwest Harbor’s expanded hardware store, but I must admit that the library is an appealing alternative, especially on a rainy day.

 I’d like to thank my contributors Scott, Don, and Heather for this post.  If you have tips you’d like to share, you can contact me at info@ouracadia.com.  In the meantime, you can check out more of my favorite ways to explore, eat, and relax when visiting Acadia National Park at www.ouracadia.com.  Stay tuned for more tips from Bar Harbor!

“What if it rains?” is the question that haunts every mother planning a vacation that’s focused on biking, hiking, and the beach. 

Don’t worry.  Bar Harbor and the surrounding communities offer lots of good options to combat cabin fever if it rains.  Here are a few ideas, courtesy of Bar Harbor locals. 

Your kids are sure to love them as long as you don’t say the word “educational.”

1.      Learn about lobsters – Visit the lobster hatchery and museum at the Mount Desert Oceanarium. There are touch tanks and other hands-on exhibits, including phones for listening to the songs of whales.

2.      Take in a show - Acadia Repertory Theatre in picturesque Somesville does adaptations of children’s classics every year.  Last summer they performed “Snow White and Rose Red” every   Wednesday and Saturday morning…see what their 37th season holds!

3.      Play with LEGOS designed by MIT to see how DNA divides and mutates.  Plus, there are touch tanks and an aquarium at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, a renowned research institution, which welcomes children on Monday and Wednesday mornings.

4.      See a movie – Check out to see what’s playing at Reel Pizza in Bar Harbor where, in addition to theatre seats, there are couches and recliners and, in addition to popcorn and soda, delicious fresh-dough gourmet pizza. 

5.      Enjoy a story - Jesup Memorial Library in Bar Harbor has summertime story hours with special guests.  On the other side of the island, the Southwest Harbor Public Library also hosts story time for both toddlers and pre-schoolers, where older siblings are welcome.  Both get rave reviews from local parents.

6.     Visit the Bar Harbor Whale Museum – Unlike a lot of the other activities that are only open two days a week, this museum — dedicated to the whales and seals common to the Gulf of Maine — is open seven days a week.  Tell the kids they can walk underneath a real humpback whale skeleton.

7.     Take a family swim – MDI YMCA offers a family day pass for $16.  In addition to the pool, there’s a basketball court.  Check out the family swim times before you go.

8.     Go to college – Dorr Museum on the campus of College of the Atlantic has a touch-tank where kids can see starfish, sea cucumbers and various other sea life first hand.  There’s a gift shop, too, with a wonderful selection of books, gifts, toys and jewelry related to the natural sciences.

9.     Learn about Native Americans - Older children (6-15) with an interest in Native American heritage may enjoy visiting the Abbe Museum to learn about the Wabanaki Indians, Maine’s native people.  There are two locations, Sieur de Monts Spring in Acadia National Park and downtown Bar Harbor.

10.  Find a porch – With an old-fashioned board game and a few picture books, you can enjoy the sound of the rain.  This might just end up being the most relaxing point in your vacation.

For more ideas of great things to do with your kids – both rain and shine! – visit OUR ACADIA.  You’ll also find tips for restaurants, guides for kayaking and family rock climbing trips, ideas for what to pack, and a lot more.

Children can have a great time with their parents even if it’s raining in Acadia National Park.  While this kind of weather rules out whale watching, there are touch tanks and an oceanarium, a movie house that serves pizza during the show, and welcoming libraries and picturesque bookstores with waterfront reading areas. Take a look at my recent post for more ideas on what to do with kids if it rains.

This post, however, is for adults.

A book and a nap are high on my list of activities for a rainy day.  Working with that as a theme, here are three options for things to do that surely will get you in a Gene Kelly kind of mood.

1. Taste some of Maine’s best micro-brews.  Bar Harbor Brewing offers tastings of its award-winning ales and stouts at its brewery and storefront, now conveniently located at 8 Mount Desert Street in downtown Bar Harbor.  The day we went Andre Lozano was offering very generous pours to compensate for the fact that their True Blue Blueberry Ale and Bar Harbor Peach Ale were not available.  They only produce 100 cases a week, so many of the brands are in short supply, and they only distribute within 100 miles of Bar Harbor, so this was a treat.  Another day we visited Atlantic Brewing Company in Town Hill, which is in a very pleasant setting and offers tables in a garden for sunny days. Also behind the farmhouse and right next to the brewery is the tiny Knox Road Grill, which really put us in the mood for pulled pork.  Instead, though, we enjoyed an extremely interesting tour of the brewery during which we had the opportunity to smell and taste barley roasted to various depths.  Then we tasted nine different ales and stouts, as well as two sodas.  That brought us to nap time!

2. Relax with a massage.  In fact, Bar Harbor offers world-class services that may well put you into a slumber.  They will certainly help soothe some of your sore muscles from hiking and paddling.  The Bar Harbor Inn beckons you to its spa through a trellis and into a separate building, with a wicker-furnished waiting room overlooking the lawn and Frenchmen’s Bay.  Have some fruit and water before moving to a candle-lit private room (or a couples’ room) for your treatment on a warm massage table – how perfect for a rainy afternoon!  My deep tissue massage was $105.  Another option, in a simpler setting that is appealing in its straightforwardness, is the Tree of Life Day Spa.  It is operated by the owners of the Acadia School of Massage, who also provide treatments themselves on occasion.  Although my therapist exclaimed “You have knots everywhere.  I honestly have never seen so many!” she was able to work many of them out and I was extremely satisfied with the massage, which cost $95

3. Find a new novel.  We headed off the beaten path down to Bass Harbor and Bernard to explore.  This is a great thing to do on a rainy day…or a sunny one if you want to avoid the crowds.  There are a few antique shops in Bernard, but the Old Red Store (129 Bernard Road) was the only one that was open.  It didn’t matter because I found a wonderful old watercolor of loggers loading cargo on to sailing ships for $36 framed, fabulous tote bags made of recycled sail cloth, and very nice stationery.  We then headed over to Port Side, the sister bookstore of Port In A Storm in Somesville, which is also located on the water in an historic building.  I lost myself reading the reviews and recommendations of the staff – a very friendly gesture of this entrepreneurship.  I bought something by Wallace Stegner I hadn’t read, as well as Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods.  We wrapped up the day with a great lobster dinner at Thurston’s before heading home to Somesville.

Of course, a perfectly good option is to just stay in, read, nap, and head out for an early dinner.  Mount Desert Island offers many great eateries from casual to elegant, from lobster pounds to tapas and wine bars.  For reviews of 12 great spots close to Acadia National Park, visit OUR ACADIA. 

Nimbus clouds today?  Let it pour!