I recently returned from a far too short trip to Maine. I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone on this trip. I traded in beach front relaxation for beautiful coastal hikes and plenty of fresh Maine Lobster. Check out my 5-day low key itinerary to Bar Harbor, Maine.
Day 1
We took the first flight out of Tampa International on a bright and early 7am flight to Boston. Surprisingly traveling with 4 kids, and 3 adults that early went incredibly smooth. Once we arrived in Boston, we grabbed out luggage and rental car and got straight on the road for the 4-hour drive north to Bar Harbor, Maine. I slept most of the way, as did the rest of the car, and woke up about an hour outside of our destination and got to take in my first glimpses of the beautiful Maine scenery. After about 4 hours we arrived at our lake front house, equipped with a full deck, playground, and plenty of lake front seating. After a long travel day, we ordered pizza and enjoyed a relaxing night in discussing plans for the rest of the week.
Day 2
While some of the group went to Church, I opted for a quiet morning in, enjoying the beautiful 60-degree summer weather. Still hard for a Florida girl to imagine a 60-degree summer but it was perfect.
Once the full group was home from church, we quickly ate lunch and packed the car for our first adventure of the week, the Ocean Path Hike at Acadia National Park. This 4.4-mile round trip trail is an fairly easy hike for all ages. You get to enjoy the beautiful coastline of Acadia. You can stop along the way to climb along the rocky coastline as well as see the famous Thunder Hole.
Unfortunately, it started to rain on our way back from the hike, so we got cut a bit short. Lesson learned, ALWAYS have a rain jacket!
After packing back into the cars from our wet hike, we stopped just outside the main town of Bar Harbor at C-Ray Lobster to get our first bite of the Maine staple. I got a lobster roll while the rest of the group fought their way through eating an entire Maine Lobster.
Day 3
This day started early as we had a 10am reservation for a boat tour to see Lobster catching. We caught the boat at the main pier in downtown Bar Harbor. The tour was about an hour and a half and included plenty of up-close wildlife, including pulling up a view lobster and crab traps and rounding off the excursion with some seal watching. My favorite part was seeing the beauty of Maine from the Ocean and all the gorgeous coastline homes.
After the boat tour we took our prepacked lunch to this beautiful park in downtown, where we once again enjoyed the cool summer weather. Two words I don’t put together often.
Following lunch, we decided to explore downtown Bar Harbor, which is full of shops, restaurants, and a famous ice cream shop called Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium. Here you can try, Lobster Ice Cream. Yes, I know it doesn’t sound great, but can you go to Maine without at least trying a sample?!
Day 4
My last full day in Maine was by far the best. I unfortunately had to leave earlier then the rest of the group. Day 4 was when we did some true hiking. We decided to do the Jordan Pond and South Bubble Hike. Jordan Pond, like the Ocean Path is a easy hike for all ages, most of the path is paved and you get some beautiful views of the pond and mountain. Off the main path you can do the North and South Bubble trail which is classified as a “moderate” hike, but I would say that it isn’t for everyone. There is definitely some climbing involved and some narrow wedges to squeeze through. But the views at the top are incredible.
Following our hike we decided to do lunch at the Jordan Pond Restaurant. While the food wasn’t anything spectacular the atmosphere is why this place is so popular. They have a vast amount of outdoor seating right on the National Park lawn with the most breathtaking views. Even if you don’t want to do a whole meal, I recommend stopping by for their famous popovers and lemonade.
Day 5
Since I was the first one leaving the group, I flew out of the tiny airport in Bangor, Maine to catch a connecting flight at LaGuardia.
Even though the trip felt short, I absolutely fell in love with the tiny New England town of Bar Harbor. It makes me so excited to explore more of this area and escape the Florida heat.