Jordan Pond
If you love the ocean and mountains, then Acadia National Park at Mt. Desert Island, Maine, will certainly fulfill your travel-version of one-stop shopping.
As one of New England’s most visually unique travel destinations, Acadia National Park is part of the National Park Service located on 108-sq. mile Mt. Desert Island slightly beyond mid-coast Maine. Easily accessible by car (a plain-looking bridge connects from the mainland in Ellsworth, Maine), Acadia features scenic rocky coast, and forested valleys, and lakes and mountains, often dramatically carved by glacial force. It’s an amazing scene, further enhanced by a salt-sea chill in the air, locals with Down East accents and, of course, the chance to eat a Maine lobster dinner at one of the many local restaurants and seafood shacks.
While the small-town charm and dining, shopping and lodging opportunities of Bar Harbor are incredibly popular in the summer — and undeniably convenient — it is ultimately the Acadia Park Loop Road and the smaller, lesser-known communities and their roads less taken that make Acadia and Mt. Desert Island so special as a New England travel destination. For summer vacation and the quieter times of fall (there’s some good foliage here), you’d be hard-pressed to find better scenery in New England.
Some recommended Acadia/Mt. Desert Island destinations:
Sand Beach
The Loop Road at Acadia National Park
Sand Beach
The 27-mile Loop Road is arguably New England’s most impressive drives with its perfect marriage of ocean and mountain scenery along a winding road. The ocean crashes at Thunder Hole, while popular destinations like Sand Beach offer a picture-perfect Maine ocean beach scene. Trails and bicycle paths will bring you in touch with beautiful wildflowers, a wonderful variety of trees, some great fresh and salt water swimming, and an astounding variety of 270 bird species.
Some ideal places to bird-watch: Wild Gardens of Acadia, Jesup Trail, Hemlock Trail and Great Meadow. For a complete list of birds, please check The National Park Service’s Acadia National Park Web Site.
While on the Loop Road, be sure to hike the 525 ft. peak of Gorham Mountain (easy, beginner-type hike), where you’ll be rewarded with an incredible view of the glacial blue Atlantic Ocean!
Cadillac Mountain View
There are also two campgrounds in Acadia National Park-- here, location is indeed everything!
Cadillac Mountain
Acadia National Park’s highest peak comes in at only 1,532 ft., but the panoramic views of Bar Harbor and Penobscot, Frenchman and Blue Hill Bays are more impressive than some New England mountains that are twice the size in height. Cadillac Mountain is especially beautiful during sunset on a summer’s night where the orange skies add further beauty to an already incredibly scenic region.
Jordan Pond
Bubble Rock Jordan Pond
Bubble Rock Jordan Pond
Near the entrance of Acadia National Park on the Seal Harbor side of Mt. Desert Island, Jordan Pond features a pristine fresh water body of water framed perfectly by forest and the unusual “Bubble Rock” mountains.
The three-mile carriage trail around the pond is wonderfully scenic for walkers, bicyclists and horse carriage rides. Next to Jordan Pond is the Jordan Pond House restaurant featuring lunch and dinners, and famous for popovers and afternoon tea.
Northeast Harbor
Northeast Harbor
Quintessentially quaint Maine best describes Northeast Harbor, Maine, a secluded village on Mt. Desert Island. A stretch of colorful locally-owned shops (including a market, clothing store, boutiques and galleries), a beautiful harbor and the classic Docksider seafood shack (with great lobster and chowder) make Northeast Harbor a relaxing respite.
The Kimball Terrace Inn is a nice, clean, reasonably-priced motel-like place to stay with most of its rooms featuring balconies and patios overlooking the harbor. Kimball Terrace also features an outdoor pool, gift shop and great room with television, computer and board games.
For More Information
For further information on Acadia National park, we highly recommend logging onto the Acadia Magic Web Site for a comprehensive list of attractions, dining, and lodging — as well as some amazing photographs. Happy travels!
Article and photos by Eric Hurwitz, VisitingNewEngland.com
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