Hope and I are heading to Maine for a few days. Along with celebrating a family birthday, we’re going to be exploring as much of Mount Desert Island as we can. This is our first trip to the great state of Maine, so we’re trying to get as much adventure out of the trip as we can! We’re planning several outings in the Acadia National Park to take in as many of the trails.
We are going to be driving Hwy 1 from Portland to Mount Desert Island and stopping along the way for some LL Bean retail therapy. We’re also going to take in a couple of lighthouses because it’s Maine and you just have to do that! The biggest thing we’re looking forward to is just being in Maine and taking in the scenery which does not disappoint!
Just driving around in Maine is a wonderful experience, but it is slightly better if you are the passenger! There was a stop on Hwy 1 that we took just to stretch our legs and back. The stop was a pretty typical two restroom and half a dozen picnic tables type of place. However, the views of Sherman Lake were amazing. We didn’t even get to see the main body of water, but the streams coming out of the lake cut through the country side perfectly.
Sherman Lake near Newcastle, Maine, United States
After a 3 or 4 hours drive, including a bunch of stops and lunch, we arrived at our home for the next few days. We were tucked in on the South East side of Mount Desert Island near Goose Cove. We made it to the cottage just in time for cocktail hour. Yes, that cute little 4-door, gas sipping, chariot of fun we called “Red Rocket” is what we drove Highway 1 in.
Our cottage on Mount Desert Island, Goose Cove, United States
We were fortunate to be staying with our family, who has visited Mount Desert Island for many years. We really got a concentrated tour of the island and Acadia in a really short amount of time. Every day’s cocktail hour was just an excuse to sit, relax, and take in the sights. Maine is one of those places that really doesn’t offer any “bad” views. At least we didn’t have any on Mount Desert Island. Now the traffic was a little heavy around Acadia National Park, but really that’s to be expected around peak season. Everything was still enjoyable because there was a good, constant flow of traffic. If you go into it like all places that get a little crowded you will have a great time.
Selfie from Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, Maine
There is a lot of rich history in the United States and the efforts of the National Park Service are represented very well at Acadia National Park. Yes, the scenic views are stunning. Yes, the old stone bridges are a sight to behold. Yes, Acadia has really nice parking areas with wonderful overlooks. Yes, the tides can create something different to see every day, but there is something more. While spending time in Acadia National Park we started to get a sense of how rich the history is and how much dedication and effort had to go into creating this part of Maine.
Monument for Stephen Mather the First Director of the National Park Service
View from a hike at Echo Lake on Mount Desert Island
Bass Harbor Lighthouse, Mount Desert Island, Maine
This was one of those adventures that went by really, really fast and we still wanted to see more. We saw almost all of the island, but there is still a lot to explore. We put about as much into 3 days as we could! Acadia National Park is a real treat and we look forward to visiting again someday.