Acadia National Park
If you’re a lover of the great outdoors, no trip to Maine is complete without a visit to the state’s only national park, Acadia. The park is situated on beautiful Mount Desert Island, and boasts a wide array of beaches, rocky cliffs, forestland, mountains, and even more stunning scenery. Whether you’re only driving up for a day trip or plan to camp out and take time to explore the island, you’ll find plenty to do here.
Photo by Justin Russell
You won’t even have to leave your car for one of Acadia’s must-do activities: Just drive the 27-mile Park Loop Road to get a close-up look at Acadia’s stunning beauty — the scenic route will take you past dramatic vistas of crashing waves, lush green trees, and sandy beaches. Drive slow, and you may spot some whales or seals in the ocean just outside your window.
For a memorable detour while you’re covering the loop, drive up the road to the peak of Cadillac Mountain, where you can pick wild blueberries and scope out the stunning view of Frenchman’s Bay. If you’re on the fitter side, you can always hike the mountain instead — the hike up to the mountain’s summit is approximately 2 miles. There are also plenty of other nature trails around the park, which contains more than 120 miles of hiking trails.
When you feel like a snack, stop by Jordan Pond for a pot of tea and some popovers with jam, an Acadia tradition for more than 100 years. If you sit at one of the picnic tables on the lawn, you’ll have a great view of the twin mountains known as the “Bubbles.” After you finish eating, take a stroll around the picturesque pond.
If it’s a warm day and you feel sunbathing, or you’ve got kids eager to collect shells, head over to Sand Beach, where your family can swim and build sandcastles to your hearts’ content. For more fun in the water, you can rent a rowboat, canoe, or kayak from a number of local businesses; ranger-led cruises through Frenchman’s Bay are also available, where you will have a chance to learn about the area’s history and native wildlife.
When a day isn’t long enough for all the attractions at Acadia National Park, you’ve got a couple of options for extending your stay. There are a variety of hotels and bed & breakfasts located in nearby Bar Harbor, but if you’d rather stay close to nature, you can always camp out in the park itself. Both Blackwoods Campground and Seawall Campground are within a ten minute walk of the ocean, and can accommodate tents and RVs.
For more information on what to see and do when you make a visit to Acadia National Park, visit the park’s official website: http://www.nps.gov/acad/
Written by Kathy Hawkins on August 18, 2007
Filed Under Coastal, Campgrounds, Wildlife, Animals, Autumn, National Parks
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