Acadia National Park

Bar Harbor is a very peaceful town surrounded by the beauty of Acadia National Park. An eight-hour car ride from Yonkers, passing through Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, gave us plenty of time to plan our hikes in Maine. Each day, we woke up as early as possible to grab a quick breakfast.

Hikes

Our first hike was the Beehive, a cliff side with metal bars to help you climb the mountain. It led to an amazing summit, providing a refreshing start to our vacation. The next day, we took it easy by walking the ocean path, seeing the Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs. Before our challenging Cadillac Mountain hike, we warmed up with the Sloop Trail, a beautiful hike around the edge of the cliff side. We watched lobstermen on their boats working hard for that fresh Maine lobster. On our last day, we embarked on an amazing three-and-a-half-hour hike up Cadillac Mountain, waking up super early to try to catch a glimpse of the sunrise, which is unlike any other since Bar Harbor is right on the ocean.

Bar Harbor

After every hike, we’d return to the hotel and get ready to explore town. The best part of Bar Harbor was the free shuttle service that took us right into the center and dropped us off in front of our hotel. The town itself had a beach vibe, even though there was no beach in sight. The vibrant atmosphere mixed with the dock town feel created a great space. The Side Street Cafe served amazing drinks; if in season, the Pineapple Coconut margarita is the bomb. The Atlantic Brewing Company is an amazing brewery right in town. Their blueberry beer was perfect for poolside relaxation at our hotel. For dessert, Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium had us in a choke hold. Each night before our shuttle ride home, we’d stop for a sweet treat.

Bar Harbor and Acadia were an amazing vacation. I couldn’t have asked for a better travel companion. This is one of the busiest National Parks I’ve been to, and I’m glad to have checked it off my list.