The Great New England Road Trip: Days 19-23, Acadia & Hadley's Point
Day 19: Back to Maine
We packed up once again and hit the road for one of the main destinations of this trip: Maine!
Sixteen years ago, Caleb and I came to Bar Harbor as the main destination of our New England honeymoon, and this was our first time back since then. It felt a little surreal to be returning with our whole crew all these years later.
On the drive into Maine, we finished the latest book spin we had started, Mother Carey's Chickens. The story follows a family who moves from near Boston to a small town in Maine in the early 1900s. We had never read the book before, but we have always loved the old Disney rendition of the story, Summer Magic. We were pleasantly surprised by just how similar the book and movie are.
It turned out to be a perfect introduction to Maine. As we drove into the state, we passed so many little towns with old, Edwardian touches that looked just like the one described in the book. But once we got closer to Mount Desert Island, things really began to get beautiful.
We had planned to simply set up camp and chill for the rest of the evening, but Acadia and Bar Harbor were calling, and we simply couldn't wait around at the campsite. So, late as it was, we headed out to see what adventures we could find.
First, we decided to find some seafood and let the kids have an obligatory lobster. We were pretty sure, based on our oldest kids' reaction to lobster in Boston about ten years ago, and our own reaction to lobster on our honeymoon that this would indeed be obligatory rather than enjoyable.
When we sat down and ordered the lobster, everyone was in high excitement. When the wooden bowl, tongs, lobster, bib, and lobster cracker arrived, everyone was still thrilled. But once the lobster started to be “dissected,” as one of the kids put it, the excitement quickly died off.
And yes, it turns out lobster is just not our thing. We simply aren't used to it down in the South! It was fun to try, though, and we had a wonderful experience at a little restaurant called Lobster Bakes.
We actually met the owner on the way in, and she was so kind. Her lobster burner went out right before our lobster was cooked, so we ended up waiting a very long time. She was incredibly gracious about it, though, and Caleb felt so bad for her because we know exactly how that kind of situation feels ourselves!
The kids did love their chowder, though, so dinner wasn't a total seafood failure.
After dinner, we headed into Bar Harbor and walked along the Shore Path for a while. We weren't even sure we would be able to find parking, but we found a space right away as the sun was going down, which turned out to be perfect.
The walk along the shore at sunset was gorgeous. Some of the kids wanted to check out the shops in Bar Harbor, but we told them they would all be closed since it was after 8:00. It turns out there is so much foot traffic in Bar Harbor that this wasn't the case at all! After the Shore Path, we wandered into the shopping area, and most of the stores were still open.
The kids quickly sniffed out one with great end-of-summer deals and snapped up some $4 Acadia and Bar Harbor T-shirts. As we walked back toward the car and down toward the harbor, the sun had completely disappeared. But the lights shining across the water made all the boats glimmer in the darkness.
Not a bad way to begin our Maine adventure.
Day 20: Jumping Rocks and Rocky Coasts
We are officially halfway through the trip, and it feels like it is absolutely flying!
Today we headed out to do a hike that the owner of Lobster Bakes had suggested to us the night before: the Canadian Cliffs hike. But when we arrived at the parking lot, we discovered that we were too late to find a parking space, and we had also forgotten to purchase an Acadia parking pass.
So, we headed into Southwest Harbor to get our pass instead. While we were there, we checked out a little café and wandered around the tiny town. By that time, it was getting a little too hot to start a hike, so we changed plans and headed to the Long Pond South boat launch with our kayaks.
The owner of Lobster Bakes had also told us about a jumping rock not far from the boat launch, so naturally, we headed out to find it. Before we even got there, we could already see people jumping off the rock into the water. Of course, this is where we spent the next chunk of our time, because it has already been well established just how much some members of this family love jumping. The water in Long Pond was unbelievably clear and beautiful and the perfect temperature. Surrounded by mountains and rocky shores, it was truly gorgeous.
As we were setting up our kayaks at the boat launch, we met a very nice couple and chatted with them for a while over tea. The wife told us that, growing up, her family took a month-long trip every single year, and those were some of the most wonderful bonding times she can remember. She grew up in the 1950s, and one of their trips was the iconic Route 66. We loved hearing that story. There was something special about meeting someone who understood, from her own childhood, just how meaningful these big family adventures can be.
Since we were already that far down the quieter side of the island, we decided to go ahead and see Bass Harbor Lighthouse.
The line to park was daunting, but we finally made it through and were able to wander around both sides of the lighthouse and see it beautifully situated on the rocky crags. We debated going back to the hike we had originally wanted to do, but instead decided to try the Seawall walk - which turned out to be much more of a hike than we realized!
It wasn't terribly long, though, and it was absolutely beautiful. It started out in the woods and soon followed a little inlet of water. Before we knew it, we had emerged onto rocky cliffs above the edge of the ocean.
Truly stunning.
Out in the water, the kids could see islands dotted with houses. The entire walk back to the car was spent planning their future lives as island owners. Some were dreaming of buying an island (or several islands) and building houses out in the ocean. Others were a little more practical and preferred the idea of an island on a lake, where they wouldn't have to worry about hurricanes.
On the drive back to the camper, we tried to find some fresh fish to cook for dinner, but that turned out to be more of a task than we expected. We finally gave up and headed back to the camper to eat whatever we could find there. And then we found something much better than fresh fish waiting for us: Caleb's parents had arrived with their camper! They'll be with us for the next little leg of the trip, and the kids are beyond excited.
We ended the day eating ice cream and watching a movie in Grand Mommy and Granddaddy's camper.
Day 21: Rain, Thunder Hole, and the Beehives
We started the morning with our usual cup of English Breakfast tea and headed out early to hit the trails before the crowds arrived.
Our plan was to park at Echo Lake Beach and do the Beech Cliffs Trail. We arrived at the parking lot in good time and easily found a spot right by the trailhead, and then it started raining.
The ability to adapt to whatever is thrown at us is part of what makes trips like this work. We stood in the rain for a few minutes and decided that taking off on a mile-long trek up the mountain probably wasn't the best idea. So instead, we decided to take the iconic Park Loop Road around Acadia. It is a beautiful drive that takes you past many of the park's most popular sites and vistas. Of course, as soon as we got onto the one-way Park Loop Road, traffic mostly stopped, but that is part of the fun, right?
We were able to stop and see Thunder Hole, one of the most popular spots in the park. It was supposed to be less active at high tide, and we were there right before high tide, but apparently the ocean was just too calm. The surf wasn't thundering in quite like it is famously supposed to.
We still got to experience a very calm Thunder Hole, though, and enjoy the beautiful views along the rocky shoreline.
The rest of the drive was amazing! Eventually, we reached Northeast Harbor and decided to stop while we were in the area. A farmer’s market was happening, so we were able to peruse some of the island farmers' wares.
By this point, the sun was coming out beautifully, and we were back in the vicinity of our originally planned hike. So, we decided to give it another go!
Thankfully, there was still parking, and we were able to take off up the mountainside.
One of the most iconic hikes here at Acadia is the Beehives Trail, which features many ladders and iron rungs to help hikers scramble over the rocks. We knew that was a little too much for this particular crew, but the Beech Cliffs Trail we had chosen had a smaller version of this with several ladders. That made everyone very happy.
The kids loved climbing the cliffs using the ladders, and the view from the top was incredible. We could look out over Echo Lake and in the distance, even see the ocean.
Have I mentioned that this place is absolutely gorgeous?
After our hike, we headed back to the campground to enjoy some seafood pasta that Granddaddy had whipped up with some of the fresh seafood from around here, and afterward, of course, we had to go watch the sunset in Bar Harbor and get some delicious local ice cream.
Day 22: Popovers, Carriage Roads, and a Honeymoon Return
Today was another camper-moving day. We moved from Hadley's Point Campground to Blackwoods Campground inside Acadia National Park. By the time we arrived at Blackwoods, got everything set up, and settled in, it was afternoon, and we were ready for a bike ride on Acadia's famous carriage roads.
Caleb had picked up some of the parts needed for his mangled bike at the bike shop in Montpelier, and ordered the rest to be delivered to Hadley's Point. They finally arrived, and before we headed out that morning, Granddaddy helped Caleb get the bike put back together.
One of the parts wasn't exactly right, but thankfully the bike was usable. The gears just weren't behaving very well.
We headed to the nearest carriage-road starting point, and when we arrived, we realized that we had completely unknowingly parked in the Jordan Pond House parking lot.
One of the most iconic Acadia experiences since the 1800s has been enjoying popovers and tea on the lawn at Jordan Pond House, overlooking Jordan Pond and the mountains known as the Bubbles.
Since we were already there, we obviously had to partake.
The popovers were served with jam and butter, and as we sipped our tea and ate our popovers, we were inspired to make our own at home to enjoy with English Breakfast tea as soon as we get home. What a beautiful pairing that will be!
The carriage roads turned out to be a little more challenging than we had anticipated. Apparently, they are quite hilly and mountainous, and about a third of our bike's gears weren't behaving for some reason. It wasn't our longest bike ride ever, but it was definitely a climb up a sloping mountainside. At the end, though, we were rewarded with a beautiful view over Jordan Pond. The ride back was extremely enjoyable since it was almost entirely downhill!
By that point, we realized the crew was running a bit ragged, so it was time for some rest. The kids got to enjoy movies for the rest of the evening while we snuck out for dinner at the bed-and-breakfast that had been the destination of our honeymoon sixteen years ago.
The Black Friar in Bar Harbor is eclectic, to say the least. It is quite an experience, and the food is delicious.
It was such a fun way to revisit a tiny piece of our honeymoon while making entirely new memories in the same place.
Day 23: Gorham Mountain and a Perfect Maine Evening
Everyone had been running on fumes and not firing on all cylinders the day before (if those things even go together) so for once, we let everyone sleep in.
Blackwoods Campground was a great place to do that. As people woke up, they could wander out into the beautiful campground and feel the ocean breeze blowing through the trees.
We made a great big batch of pancakes dotted with Maine wild blueberries we had picked up the day before and topped them with delicious maple syrup. Add eggs, bacon, and steaming English Breakfast tea, and everyone was finally starting to feel energized and ready for adventure.
So, we headed out for a hike up Gorham Mountain. We were able to hike directly from our campground to the top of the mountain and back. The round trip was exactly four miles with about 500 feet of elevation gain. And before anyone thinks that sounds too hard for them, our two-year-old did the entire thing on her own two little legs.
We were extremely impressed. She does love to run and hike!
The hike itself felt less like hiking to the kids and more like playing on rocks. All the way up the mountain were gentle, sloping rock scrambles, and at one point we even got to walk between huge boulders. Once we reached the top, the view was unbeatable.
Sweeping ocean vistas and rocky coastline stretched out below us. We could see Sand Beach and all the way over to the Schoodic Peninsula. It was absolutely breathtaking.
The trail back to the campground led past Otter Cove, a beautiful little inlet where clear, freezing-cold ocean water meets a pebbly beach. Caleb and some of the kids were even able to swim through the water to a rock rising a little way above the surface. The water was so cold, but it made for a wonderfully refreshing end to a magnificent hike.
After that, everyone was ready for some time to chill around the campground. A little while later, we had burgers and fish chowder for dinner. Afterward, we were able to walk from the campground down the ocean path to a rocky outcropping nearby.
We were facing away from the sunset, but we could still sit on steep rocky ledges and watch the glow of the setting sun reflected across the water. A quiet ending to another beautiful day in Maine.
