Acadia National Park

To celebrate one year of marriage, Eric and I planned a trip to Acadia. While Eric spent his most favorite high school years in Maine, he never made it to Mount Desert Island--home to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.

Last Friday we packed up the car and headed north for an adventure. We planned to camp Friday night after grabbing dinner in Bar Harbor and then heading to Southwest Harbor for Saturday night.

Bar Harbor is beautiful. When we pulled in we were starving so while we walked around town we scoped out the local fare, taking note of all ice cream places for on our walk back to the car...We ended up eating right on the water at Stewman's Lobster Pound. After dinner we grabbed some AMAZING blackberry ice cream at MDI Ice Cream (which is a must for anyone traveling that way). Wow. Eric agrees that it was fan-freakin-tastic.

Bar Harbor view

Will he never smile?

Stweman's. Pretty touristy but ok. Great view.
Don't know that we'd go back. 

Where they cook the lobster.

I wish we'd had more time to stay in Bar Harbor. The water was beautiful with the mountains and the ocean. People were kayaking around the harbor in between the boats anchored there and out around the islands. So cool. But we had to set up camp so we headed out to the Blackwoods Campground.

Ok. So I'm a camper. I like it. I like cooking over coals. I like sleeping bags. I don't even really mind walking down the path to the bathroom. What I do not like however are bugs. I really need to move bug spray a little higher on my packing list (to be honest it wasn't even on my packing list--that was stupid). Another campground requirement for me is a shower. I know this makes me sound super high maintenance which I don't think I am but I am thrilled to put in my 50 cents and have hot water wash off whatever camping grime has found its way onto my being. When I was researching Acadia I read that there were showers (yeah) only to find on arrival they were 1/2 a mile outside the park...worth the drive? I don't know. Disappointing? For sure.

At the ocean after setting up camp.

It wasn't as treacherous as it looks...
Eric's trying out his new hiking boots.

All in all, it was lovely. We were 5 minutes from the ocean and it was beautiful. I didn't even notice the bugs (until the morning and they were buzzing around my head).

The ocean view.

When we got up we made eggs, hashbrowns, and bacon. Awesome. And then we packed up. We planned to hike the Giant Slide Trail to the top of Mt. Gilmore and Mt. Sargent, coming down from the top a different way. Unfortunately we got a little off and didn't do the second hardest hike in the park (whose idea was that? three guesses) but we had a good time anyway. 

The view from on top. Take note of the little sailboat down there...
oh yeah the one that's 150 feet long...more on that later.

Shweaty

What we thought was a really cool cave, only to realize on the way down it wasn't a cave but the trail moving through a tunnel made by the rocks...
It looks like a really cool hike. Maybe next time we go. 

The ocean on the other side of the mountain. 

Once down from the hike we had some time to kill before we could check into our B&B. We were staying in Southwest Harbor so we headed that way and wandered around town until my legs gave out and then we drove around town. I was impressed by how kept up the town was. Some of the houses along the water were pretty phenomenal. I can only imagine what kind of views they had.

To the Cranberry Ferry...

While we waited we made our way to Beal's Lobster Pier for a lobster roll. It was a 100% functional lobstering business with the boats coming in and out as we ate. Tourists (us) could sign up for tours out on the boats to catch your own lobster. When you arrived back at the pier they'd weigh it, cook it, and serve it up for you. Pretty cool.

After we ate we checked into our hotel and finally got our much needed showers and a nap. Yeah for naps in the middle of the afternoon. We also caught up on some of our Olympic footage before heading out to yet another meal.

Since this was the actual anniversary day we decided to go somewhere really nice. While researching Eric found Abel's Lobster Pound. It was perfect. It was after 7 when we arrived and the sun was starting to set. When you walk in you get the choice of sitting inside, outside, or on the patio. We chose to sit outside which meant sitting at a picnic table out of the lawn where you can smell the ocean and where you are surrounded by tikki torches.

The view from our table. There's that little sailboat again. 

A perfect night out. 

Our meal, with the Rockefellers in the background. No joke.

Dinner was fantastic. A definite repeat offender. Almost worth driving up there just for dinner (not really, but worth another trip. Any takers?)

The next morning we checked out and headed home the long way. We decided to swing my Bass Harbor and the Bass Harbor Head Light. Poor choice as that is where we got most of our bug bites (I've counted at least 20 on my left leg/foot along). It was a foggy morning which added something to the beauty of the coast but 10 minutes was enough time for me. 

And then we headed home. 

Yeah for Acadia and yeah for anniversaries. Can't wait until the next one.