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The Work |
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Acadia National Park Info |
Where to Eat |
What to do and Where to Stay |
Where we stay...
Camping
There are seemingly endless places to pitch a tent on the
island. For 10 or 12 years, we camped at Blackwoods
(National Park Campground). You should make reservations if
you will visit between mid June and Labor Day. Without
Blackwoods reservations, Seawall, the other National Park
campground, will accommodate you on a first come basis. When
we began going to Maine, we always stayed at Seawall.
Eventually we decided to try Blackwoods, and it seems to
have fewer bugs. It is also a more central location, and the
South Ridge Cadillac hiking trailhead to the summit of
Acadia's tallest mountain begins at the top of the
loop.
Mt. Desert Campground (207-244-3710) is the best private campground on the island, in our opinion. For many years we had heard about its merits, but never stayed there until 1998. So now we can say what we have heard is true; it is very, very nice. Unlike the National Park, hot showers are available at MDC. The bathrooms are kept spotless, and camper noise is kept to a minimum. It is difficult to get a site on the water because returning campers have priority. Campsites here are passed down through generations. But call and see what they have. You will enjoy it and if you have a kayak, you can go into Somes Sound from there.
As far as other private campgrounds are concerned, they are listed in most information sources about the island.
B&Bs and Inns
We have stayed at the Bar Harbor Inn (800-248-3351). It runs
$165+ in 1999 per night but was extremely nice. The ocean front
rooms in the inn offer the best views of the harbor. During
early 1998 there were major renovations, adding balconies to
the rooms. Always ask for package deals here. We have
returned for some short visits and for Thanksgiving. Rates
have probably increased, but the BHI is a very nice place to
stay.
Another option is to stay outside Bar Harbor. Southwest Harbor, only 20 minutes from Bar Harbor, is much, much quieter. On the Internet there has been a lot of nice things said about the Heron House. My mother joined us one year and stayed at the Island House. It was pleasant and off the busy road, but it was still within easy walking distance to town.
Cottages
Most real estate firms handle house rentals. We did rent an Echo Lake cottage for a week in 1996, and we found it through Knowles Realty in Northeast Harbor (207-276-3322). There are many other realtors, and I am sure they would be helpful.
If you have time, take a day..... this is a great trip!
The Puffin Trip out of Jonesport by Captain Barna Norton's son John is great. Cost in 2002 wass $65. Call early...and that means as early as possible. We call in March, April or May. Barna died in November of 2204, but his son John is carring on the tradiion. Tell John you would like to make sure you are able to land on the island (207-497-5933). Here you depart on The Chief at 7:00 AM. After a 90-minute ride, during which you will see many species of birds such as Greater Shearwaters, you reach Machias Seal Island. Three people enter each of four photo blinds to see nesting Atlantic Puffins (and Razor bill Auks). It is a great experience, and we are looking forward to our fourth annual trip. Down East magazine (April '98) had an article featuring this trip with Captain Barna and his son, Captain John Norton. Bring something to drink (and a lunch, if you don't require Dramamine) and wear shoes that have rubber soles. Getting onto and off the island can be a bit tricky! Oh, they provide the sticks to keep the Arctic terns from pecking on your scalp on your walk to the lighthouse. You will be back in Jonesport by approximately 1 PM.
Good Links
Acadia National ParkBermels' Guide to Mount Desert Island and Bar Harbor
Southwest Harbor/Tremont Maine Chamber of Commerce
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
What we do at Acadia...
The National Park Visitors Center in Hulls Cove is a must stop. Here you will pick up a park map, a Beaver Log (the tiny newspaper which lists all park activities), and possibly a cassette tape. You may rent or buy the tape or CD, which provides a narration for your Park Loop Road tour. You may also purchase trail guides.
Ranger programs are for the most part free and very interesting. Cruises have a fee, and in 1997 Acadia National Park added three pay programs. The full range of programs is available during July and August. We have been on the bird identification walk and the carriage trail walk. . Additionally, we have taken the Nature Cruise out of Bar Harbor. After August programs still run, but they are limited.
Private
cruises are offered for whale watching out of Bar
Harbor. Three times we have gone out on whale watching
excursions. If you have never seen a whale in the
open ocean, it is an awesome sight!
Pick up the Bar Harbor Times or the Islander newspaper...
They are published weekly on Thursday, and they list news and events. Also pick up the free Acadia Weekly magazine, which lists island activities. There is a dining guide (free) featuring menus from local restaurants.
What Else To Do?
We enjoy biking, and we use the carriage road trails. Mountain bikes are ideal, and if you don't bring your own, you may rent them in shops around the island.
A nice walk (not hike) is around Jordan Pond. Afternoon tea or lemonade and popovers with home made strawberry jam are a tradition for visitors at the Jordan Pond House. It costs about $8 per person, and if you bring a dog, they furnish a water bowl and dog bones. This is a marvelous tradition which includes a beautiful view of the pond and The Bubbles.
We've hiked up most of the mountains. Parkman and Sargent, and The Bubbles are fun. Champlain/Gorham, Acadia/St. Sauveur are all great hikes. And if you have not hiked in Acadia, the top of most mountains are bald, and the summits afford a panoramic view of the mountains and ocean. Bring a trail map (don't rely on the national park freebie for hiking) and be careful if you are crossing carriage roads. This was the only time I ever got lost. .And I was lost for two hours. Now, I also carry a carriage road trail map.
Climb up Cadillac Mountain on the South Trail. On most Acadia hikes, you can only hear traffic where you park, and within a few minutes you are into the silence of the woods.
If you don't like to hike much, Flying Mountain off Rt. 102 is only a 15 minute scramble, and you get a spectacular view of Somes Sound. Some say it's the most bang for your buck in Acadia. Miss Kitty, my octogenarian mother in law had to wait for me to catch up with her at the summit. The turn off to Flying Mountain is just after the shopping plaza on your left.
Whatever you do, don't limit yourself to Bar Harbor and the Park Loop Road. Make sure you visit Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Somesville, and Bass Harbor. The Bass Harbor Lighthouse is best seen at sunset or in the fog. But have bug repellent with DEET on hand for this experience. Mosquitoes are usually a problem here. Also, wear shoes with a sure grip, as the rocks can be slippery down near the water.
Obviously, another beautiful view is from the top of Cadillac Mountain. An hour before sunset, go up the mountain and pull off at Blue Hill Overlook. Remember, some clouds portend great sunsets. There are nights we have gone up, and the fog was so thick you could not see 20 feet in front of you. Sunrises are early, so plan to summit before 4:30 AM in July. After sun up, head to Jordan's Restaurant in Bar Harbor for breakfast (known for their blueberry pancakes).
If you have your kayak or canoe (or rent one in Bar Harbor or Southwest Harbor) you will find great places to paddle. There are many ponds and lakes, and then of course you have the ocean. We only kayak in quiet water and love it. Eagle Lake, Little Long Pond, and Seal Cove Pond are our favorites. Seal Cove Pond offers a small island where we like to swim (but that's our secret).
Bar Harbor is the hub for most tourists. We tend to go into Bar Harbor to eat at one of our favorite restaurants. There are also good bakeries in town.
There are free concerts in the evening on the Village Green on many nights during the summer. Many weekends offer music or art shows.
The walk along Ocean Path in front of the Bar Harbor Inn is nice and is reached from the harbor.
Just outside town on Route 3 on your left is the parking area for the Dorr Farm. It is an easy walk where you will see the foundation of the old farm.
Rockefeller Gardens is in Seal Harbor. Call Greenrock on Tuesday to have your name put on the list, and then you can tour on Thursday morning. This is free, but reservations are a must for this little publicized opportunity.
Another Way to Get Around
Lovers of Acadia might want to subscribe year round to one of the local papers and join Friends of Acadia. This will keep you abreast of what is happening on (and off) the island.
For the past several years there has been free bus service around the island to cut down on traffic. The Islander buses allow for more hiking possibilities. You will be able to make one way hikes and take the bus back to your destination. The bus stops at most campgrounds and in Bar Harbor and the other towns on the island. Schedules are in the Acadia Weekly.