Welcome to Part II of my summary of our family vacation to Maine. If you missed Part I, you can read it here.
Mt. Desert Island, the largest island off the coast of Maine, is home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, plus a few other quaint towns and villages. Just a short drive from Bar Harbor brings you to numerous overlooks and trails within the national park, providing breathtaking views of the rocky coastline, swimming holes, and blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Admission is $20 per car for one week.
The park was easy to navigate, with well-kept hiking trails of varying distances. Since we were traveling with a 5- and 9-year-old, we kept our hikes to about 3 miles or less, knowing that would keep the "Are we there yet?" whining to a minimum. Grab yourself a water bottle, some light snacks, and hit the trails for some adventure your whole family will enjoy!
Our Favorite Hikes and Overlooks
Gorham Mountain Trail was about 2 miles round trip. The vistas hiking up were stunning, and you got to enjoy them on the way back down as it's an up-and-back trail.
Immediately following that hike, we walked from the parking lot across Park Loop Road (the road that takes you through the park) and made our way across the rocky cliffs toward the shore. This was my favorite place in the park. My oldest son and I sat quietly for a while just taking in the sound of the waves hitting the rocks. It was mesmerizing. It was peaceful. It was breathtaking. Go there.
Cadillac Mountain is a must-see when visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It's the perfect place to go view the sunrise or sunset, or to get a sweeping view of the Porcupine Islands nestled in Frenchman Bay, with Bar Harbor tucked away at the water's edge. There is a scenic roadway taking you straight to the top where plenty of parking and restrooms are available, as well as a small gift shop. For the more adventurous, you can hike up or down the mountain, though I will warn you that some places are a bit steep; manageable, but you do have to watch your step. Our family hiked down for about a mile and a half, but decided to come back up when we saw dark clouds moving in.
Off of Park Loop Road, we stopped at an overlook where we could look down at Sand Beach. This beach is a popular spot to let the kids play in the sand, and even dip a toe in the water, though water temperatures don't tend to get above 55 degrees. We opted just for the overlook, which was gorgeous!
Every shop we went into in Bar Harbor had artwork for Bass Harbor Light, so we knew we wanted to go check it out. This was another favorite for me. You could do a very short walk right up to the lighthouse where we watched a seal play in the water. There's nothing like seeing animals in their natural habitat. If you take the path to the left of the parking lot, you get to climb on the rocks near the water and get a side view of the lighthouse. From here, we watched sail boats come through and our friendly seal frolic in the water, and just enjoyed the beauty of our surroundings.
We were only on Mt. Desert Island for a few days, but there is still so much to explore in Acadia National Park. AcadiaMagic.com is a great resource if you're planning a trip there, but I hope you'll check out our above favorites, too!
Timber Tina's Great Maine Lumberjack Show
Get ready for some fun! Just about 25 minutes from Bar Harbor, off of Mt. Desert Island in a town called Trenton, you'll find a group of lumberjacks led by one of the coolest and toughest ladies you'll ever meet....Timber Tina. You may recognize her from Survivor - Panama or even National Geographic Channel's Ultimate Survival Alaska. She has been in lumberjack sports since she was seven years old, so she not only emcee's the show, but she participates in it, too.
The show lasts about an hour and 15 minutes and is comprised of lumberjack competitions between a red team and green team. There are about 12 events within the competition including log rolling, cross-cut sawing, pole climbing, ax throwing, and, my favorite, the disc stack.
Timber Tina was a hoot! She is a master at getting the audience involved and cheering on their assigned team, and was great interacting with the kids! My kids' attention was held the entire time, and I have to say my husband and I were having just as good of a time as them. We laughed. We cheered. We oohed and aahed. The kids were even invited up to be junior lumberjacks where they got to work the cross-cut saw, with the assistance of the professionals, of course! They received a certificate signed by all of the lumberjacks and there was ample time for photos with Timber Tina and her crew.
Tickets are only $8 per person, and shows are rain or shine. (The audience sits under a covered seating area.)
This show is a must-see if you're in the area. Our whole family loved it and know you will, too!
We'll head inland next week for a taste of the mountains and lakes of Rangeley, Maine. Until then, have a wonderful week and enjoy the last taste of summer!
Erin
erins@macaronikid.com
Note - I received discounted or complimentary admission/rates to some of the businesses mentioned above in exchange for this review, however all opinions are my own.
