Acadia
This was our second time back at Acadia National Park. I didn't write down about our travels on that trip, but we had a blast driving up the northeast coast. Although things looks a bit different then- married for a year, had a mustang, no children. And while things have changed, we are loving every minute of this life!
We traveled from Porthsmouth, New Hampshire (eating breakfast at the Roundabout Diner and Lounge). We went straight to the town of Bar Harbor for lunch at the Thirsty Whale. From there, we headed to the park. Our first was Thunder Hole, which gets its name from the sound the waves make from crashing on the rocks of the coast. You're able to walk along the coast, down to Sand Beach. We didn't go down to the beach on this day because we had the stroller, but we loved this easy walk.
Afterwards, we drove about the park loop, making a stop at Jordan Pond. We had originally thought about hiking this trail around the pond, but it was getting late in the afternoon and needed to freshen up before dinner.
For dinner we returned to a restaurant we ate at last time we were in Acadia called Bar Harbor Beerworks. This restaurant has an excellent selection of craft beer from all around Maine. Jason wanted to try a lobster roll as our previous experience eating a lobster roll was just okay. However, he said this one was delicious! I was adventurous and tried the lobster grilled cheese (made with Gruyere)- it was so good!
The next morning we headed to the park after eating breakfast at the location we stayed. We couldn't miss out on the opportunity to take our picture with the sign!
Our first stop was Sand Beach. It was a bit chilly and windy in the morning so we didn't stay there for long.
After Sand Beach we headed to Bubble Rock, appropriately named. It's located just past Jordan Pond which can partly be seen behind the rock, while to the other side you see the gorgeous view of Eagle Lake.
After our hike, we headed back into town for lunch at Route 66 Restaurant. I got the lobster bisque with Caesar salad and Jason got the lobster mac & cheese! I also got ice-cream from CJ's Big Dipper- the most popular/famous ice-cream place in town. This was one scoop of "I don't know yet".
After checking out the Hulls Cove Visitors Center, we made our way to Atlantic Brewing Company. They serve a Blueberry Ale that is absolutely delicious! I got the Mussels which were cooked in the Blueberry Ale; I'm sad I forgot to take a picture because they were amazing. Jason was full from lunch so he opted for the pretzel that came with a delicious beer cheese and homemade mustard. We hung around downtown area for a bit before making our way to Cadillac Mountain. This portion of the park is known for it's beautiful sunrise and sunset views. You have to have a timed reservation for we decided to go at sunset. It was so windy (and Cade was asleep) that we didn't stay to watch the full sunset, but got some great views, nonetheless.
The next morning we were planning to go on a whale watching tour, but unfortunately it got cancelled due to the sea's weather conditions. Therefore, we made our way to brunch before heading back to the park. We ate at 2 Cats Restaurant & Inn. I was only slightly disappointed that there were no cats. But, we did have a yummy meal. I got the homemade biscuits with strawberry butter; the biscuits literally melted in my mouth. Jason got the breakfast burrito.
Following breakfast, we headed into the park to the Wild Gardens of Acadia, a garden area solely maintained by volunteers. Though it's not a large area, it's well-maintained, with flowers, trees, and more. There's a small pond area that was full of frogs! There are some hiking trails nearby, too.
Our last hike of the trip was Gorham Mountain. This loop goes up a mountain and comes back down near Sand Beach (you can see the beach from the top) and combines with Thunder Hole, which walks you along the Maine coastline. We were a bit unsure of what the weather would be, as the sun seemed to peek in and out of the cloud. It was a bit cloudy at times and very windy at the top! By the time we made it down the mountain, the sun was out and shining.
That evening we went to Fogtown Brewery for a beer before dinner. Pizza sounded good so we ate at Rosalie's, a very popular pizza place in town.
Our last day at Acadia was not spent at the park. Instead, we drove to Bass Harbor Lighthouse, about a 30 minute drive from the park. We thought it would rain all day so we weren't really sure what we would do afterwards. It was foggy and cloudy when we arrived, but seeing and learning about the lighthouse was still a neat experience.
We made our way back into town for lunch at Finback Alehouse. Jason had a turkey sandwich and I got he nachos with pulled pork. I also tried another Blueberry Ale from a different Maine Brewery. If you didn't know, Maine is also know for their blueberries!
It also turned out to be a beautiful day and the sun was out by the time we finished lunch. The town was having a craft fair so we explored that before walking down to the water to hang out on a grassy area.
We took a stroll along this coastline, before shopping around the local shops. It's such a cute town, with tons of local restaurants (you really can't go wrong).
I wasn't very hungry that evening and Jason had some leftover lobster mac & cheese so I got a Blueberry Coffee Cake donut from a local donut shop before we headed back to our room for the evening to pack up!
And that was the end of our trip to Acadia! We had planned to take two days to drive back, but Cade had been doing so well in the car and we were making excellent time so we drove the entire way back in just one day! We absolutely love this park and town. We enjoyed being able to explore even more of it on this trip. Cade is not a "future hiked", but rather a "current hiker".
