In my previous post, I showed why Quebec City was the perfect place for my parents to join us; it is the most beautiful city of Canada. After a few days of sightseeing, we left the city and the country. Instead of driving all the way to the coast of Maine, we decided to split that long journey up by stopping about halfway, in Kingfield. This is the town where our friends Jen and Mark have a second home. They generously let us stay there – again – to charge our batteries.
Kingfield
Of all the places to get rained on, this was the most favorable, as we planned to relax for most of the day. Luckily, we managed to go on a short walk to the hidden waterfalls and on another one to the river. Fall had arrived, but the weather remained comfortable.
Bar Harbor
This cute town on Desert Island is the gateway to Acadia National Park. I didn’t find a hotel for all four of us (and Maya), but the affordable place we booked for my parents (fall special at US$120 a night), was located in the center of Bar Harbor, in walking distance to everything. The room came with an adjacent parking spot, so Mark, Maya, and I managed to sleep in our camper, low-key.
Acadia National Park
Acadia NP is the only national park in Maine, if not in all of New England (I’m not counting national monuments and historic sites). It is a beauty and one of the most dog-friendly ones in the US. A free shuttle bus drives the loop around the park. Dogs are allowed on that as well. The park offers some of the most spectacular stretches of Maine coast and there are hiking trails for every level.
On our first day in the park, the five of us drove around in Zesty and stopped at several viewpoints. (For more photos about this loop road, check out an older post here.) We decided to walk the Great Head Trail with the entire family. While it was rated “easy”, none of us agreed. My parents were good sports, climbing the rocky, steep path like slightly aged mountain goats.
We also walked around Jordan Pond and were rewarded with tea and popovers at Jorden Pond House. It was getting chilly outside, but we enjoyed the experience once more. About three years prior, Mark and I had visited the park in our Toyota Prius and tent and feasted on this treat – and view – as well. Back then, we hiked a LOT, drove a few loops, and biked the carriage roads.
Our daytrip in the park ended on Cadillac Mountain, where the blue sky returned.
On the second full day in Bar Harbor, the three of us took the shuttle and hiked a more strenuous trail (The Bowl Trail), which hooked up with Gorham Mountain Trail. We relished the challenge and the views and it wasn’t until we reached the bottom of the hill again, that we realized we’d hiked this one before too!
Camden
I had never been to this historic seaside town before. It would be the first in a string of typical Maine coastal villages we’d stop at. While quaint, half a day is the right amount of time for a visit.
Rockport/Rockland
Our next accommodation was a motel room for four adults and one dog in Rockport, just for one night. The weather was actually nice enough for my dad to go for a swim! For dinner that night, we cooked in the camper and set our camping table in the room.
The following morning, we planned to visit Rockland Harbor Breakwater Light, a lighthouse at the end of a mile-long breakwater. What we didn’t count on was high tide. My dad was determined to reach the lighthouse – nobody else risked it – taking his socks and shoes off and continuing until the end. Luckily, he didn’t get washed away.
Boothbay Harbor
A bit of a detour, Boothbay Harbor was a lovely waterfront stop. The town center was cute and surprises arrived in the form of a fun footbridge, a fantastic ice cream shop (Downeast Ice Cream Factory) with over 60 different flavors, and running into friends who were crewing on the Nao Santa Maria (a replica of this 525-year-old Christopher Columbus ship).
Portland
This seaside “small town city” seems to be on the list of every visitor to Maine. While my parents weren’t impressed – they are from Europe and used to cobblestone streets and historic buildings after all – Mark and I enjoyed our day in town. We walked Maya along the waterfront and ordered take-out at Duck Fat, as they visited the art museum and went out to lunch in a cool tavern.
York
On the last stretch to Newburyport, Massachusetts, we stopped in York. First, to show my parents one of the most picturesque lighthouses along the Maine coast – Cape Neddick Light – and second, to stroll along the wide beach. Then, it was time for all of us to “move in” with Mark’s parents for a week…
(This post concludes our summer travels and “snapshots” series.)
What are your favorite sights along the Maine Coast? Have you ever been to Acadia National Park? What is your favorite activity on vacations?
November 3, 2019 at 00:08
Looks like great fun! I would have joined your dad in the trek to the lighthouse for sure!
November 3, 2019 at 11:44
I chickened out, worrying about slipping and having my camera submerge in the salt water. On hindsight, I should have joined him as I waited for him to safely return, regardless. 🙂
November 3, 2019 at 00:21
Yup, I also would have opted for the lighthouse trek!
Gorgeous photos.
November 3, 2019 at 11:45
Thanks, Donna! I wish I knew I had all this support ahead of time! 🙂 I’m so excited to know that my readers are an adventurous bunch!
November 3, 2019 at 00:28
Yes, that makes three of us taking on the lighthouses trek 🙂
Liesbet, what lovely memories to create with your parents. Not always easy to get them to travel overseas to visit family. Love the name “Duck Fat” for a takeaway. I wonder if it’s a deterrent for those on “diets”!
November 3, 2019 at 11:51
Alright, Suz! I will take all of you up on this breakwater adventure in a rising tide, whenever we meet up. 🙂 The challenge would make a good contest on TV or a “Truth or Dare” game.
Duck Fat is the name of a famous restaurant in Portland. They – apparently – fry their fries in duck fat. I have to admit that I like the Belgian fries better! We were actually hoping to eat on their patio with Maya, but this place is so unbelievably popular that there was an hour-long wait for lunch. And, quite a bit of waiting for take-out as well. Our hungry stomachs (and meeting my parents) weren’t up for that, hence the take-out decision. But I like your reasoning about “anti-diet” promotion. 🙂
November 3, 2019 at 01:12
How lovely to have your parents visiting you Liesbet. You certainly kept them busy!
November 3, 2019 at 11:54
Hi Denzil! It was nice to have my parents visit in the US again. It had been over a decade! Our travel pace and mode was quite different than usual, but we had a good – albeit exhausting – time!
November 3, 2019 at 02:49
It all looks great. Your dad is adventurous! And 60 different flavours of ice cream!!!
November 3, 2019 at 11:55
That was indeed a lot of ice cream flavors to pick from. I managed to restrict myself to two scoops. 🙂 And yes, my dad is a character – with principles – more than an adventurer.
November 3, 2019 at 07:19
I’m so happy to see you had a wonderful time with your parents. Thanks so much for sharing your gorgeous photos, Liesbet. I love the sign about the children being sold to the circus…LOL! I would have definitely joined your father!
November 3, 2019 at 11:58
Alright Jill! I’m glad you’d take on the challenge of this wet breakwater walk as well. I seem to be the only one (except when actually on the pier, where no other visitor risked the walk) here being worried about the rushing in water sweeping me away. 🙂
That sign was pretty hilarious!
November 3, 2019 at 07:21
Dig the sign about selling children to the circus.
What a beautiful area and how special you spent the adventure with your parents.
November 3, 2019 at 12:13
Hi Alex! That sign cracked us up as well. It was nice to have my parents join us on this particular adventure. They had a memorable vacation, for sure!
November 3, 2019 at 14:50
I see your mum and Maya had bonded! We had a couple of nights in Portland on our New England trip and enjoyed it.
November 3, 2019 at 21:45
Hi Anabel! I could have stayed longer in Portland as well. Luckily, it’s not too far away from Newburyport, our “home base” in Massachusetts. So, hopefully, we can splurge again for a weekend there, one year. 🙂
November 3, 2019 at 16:50
Thanks for opening your scrapbook pages for us. Maine is picture perfect!
I’ve never been to Acadia National Park, but I’d love to hike there.
The sign? Sensational!. We parked at the Chili’s restaurant and the The “To Go” sign had a threatening notice: Drivers who park here will be minced or sliced.
November 3, 2019 at 21:48
That Chili’s one is an awesome sign as well, Marian! And, what a good memory you have. I love signs like these. They are almost as good as famous quotes. I wish I could remember more of them. As writers, these funky sayings sure draw our attention. 🙂
November 4, 2019 at 11:01
Hi Liesbet,
So glad you enjoyed Maine…it is so close to us and we end up taking a quick trip there just about every year. Only got as far as Kittery this year, although Dan took his aunts from Michigan up into Kennebunkport.
I hope you had lobster…
LOVE Camden and the Windjammers, and have launched our boat at the Rockland Harbor public ramp and cruised Penobscot Bay. We also have cruised Casco Bay (near Portland)…it is rocky and the tides are extreme, so anchoring is tricky but we managed.
Kind have been MIA…we’ve winterized the NH cottage and the RV and are back in FL. Hope to do a little motorboat cruise of the Caloosahatchee from Okeechobee to FT Myers and cruise from Flamingo in the Everglades to Key West. Dates TBD.
November 4, 2019 at 16:02
Hi Nancy!
Kennebunkport is quite cute. I debated whether to take my parents there as well, but felt that they’d seen enough typical coastal villages by then. Yes, Maine is quite close and I hope you and we can make many return visits in the future!
We had a lobster roll, this time. In general, I like the taste of crab better than lobster, though. So cool you visited these highlights by boat.
I guess it’s time for your “second” life down south. Snowbird season! You truly have the best of two worlds and I’m envious of your current Florida life and temperatures. Enjoy your winter boating adventures and – who knows – maybe we run into each other there early next year! 🙂
November 4, 2019 at 17:06
I like the sound of your Dad. My kind of man 🙂 🙂 So nice to see you all relaxed and happy together, Liesbet. They must be proud of you.
November 6, 2019 at 11:00
Oh, my dad is a character, Jo! Not sure whether my parents are proud of me – we live on the road (one might call it “homeless”) after all – but they seem to have enjoyed their visit and time with us. 🙂
November 4, 2019 at 19:17
Your summer was fabulous, Liesbet! As always, wonderful images capturing all the beautiful sights and fun leisure time activities you have enjoyed. You’ve given me much to think about when Hans and I retire and can at least pull our trailer during summers for long stretches at a time!
November 6, 2019 at 11:01
Oh Terri, you will have such a good time exploring the US and Canada in your trailer during the summer months. Time went by way too fast and I didn’t get to work much, so I have to catch up and make some money the following months. Good times never last. 🙂
November 4, 2019 at 20:41
Thanks for this beautiful guided tour. At least I now have a taste of Maine – somewhere else I’ve never been, lol. But if I was there – definitely the lighthouse. 🙂
November 6, 2019 at 11:03
Maine has so many lighthouses, Debby. A bit like the Maritimes in Canada. But, knowing how much you like warm weather (especially in the winter), you’d have to visit Maine in the summer. Although… Toronto was much hotter and humid than Maine this past summer! 🙂
November 7, 2019 at 01:09
Lovely photos, and how nice that you were able to travel with your parents! How is Maya settling in?
November 9, 2019 at 20:52
Good question about Maya, Diane. She is a great dog that has adjusted well to us and our lifestyle – she is VERY attached to Mark and has a level of separation anxiety – but, since we’ve had her, she’s been itchy and we have been trying to find the cause for months. It has been tough on us and her, as she is frantic and fanatic in her scratching and chewing to ease the itchiness, so we can’t leave her alone as she might destroy her skin. We eventually saw a vet and she’s on prescription medicine right now, which helps some.
November 10, 2019 at 00:45
Oh, poor Maya! I hope you’re able to figure out what’s bugging her soon. But it’s good to hear that she’s adjusted to your lifestyle!
November 11, 2019 at 20:36
Hi Diane! The hope is now that the freezing cold spell that is upon us takes away all the allergens in the air – which, of course, would be what Maya is allergic to – and Maya will miraculously be itch-free and we will – miraculously – be excited about 10F nights. I don’t even know what that is in Celsius as we didn’t have those kinds of temperatures in Belgium.
November 7, 2019 at 20:40
I forgot about the term, “Indian Summer.” We often said this phrase when we lived in the North, often an Indian Summer. I admire your flexibility when finding places to stay. You obviously have had lots of practice, Liesbet. I wish more parks would think about a free shuttle bus. It makes perfect sense. Too funny on the sign about selling children to the circus:) You come from amazing genes, Liesbet! Your parents look very young. I appreciate all of the great photos again!
November 9, 2019 at 21:08
Hi Erica! Thanks for swinging by again and commenting.
Quite a few national parks in the US offer free shuttle bus service. Place like Zion NP and Yellowstone NP (and Acadia NP) have become so crowded that it’s in everyone’s best interest to take the bus and not the car, as parking lots fill up quickly, lines for a spot are huge, crowded roads are dangerous and then there is the environmental impact. The problem with most parks, however, is that dogs are not allowed on the shuttle buses, so we have to drive ourselves Not that we have done any of these popular parks with Maya yet! And, Acadia allows dogs in their buses, which was awesome.
November 8, 2019 at 13:37
Me too! I would have made the trek to the light house – but then again I have a waterproof camera.
Maine looks beautiful. Hopefully we will get a chance to visit Acadia NP some summer. Love the pic of the skinny building. Cape Neddick Light looks exactly the way I picture Maine in my imagination.
November 9, 2019 at 21:24
Based on all the comments here about that wet walk to the lighthouse, I obviously should have joined my dad. Everyone turned around after a few steps, but I accompanied him for 1/2 mile and stopped short at the last stretch of the breakwater. Yep… too bad.
You will make it to Maine one of these summers! Acadia will probably be overrun that time of the year, but you could stop there at the end of spring or beginning of autumn, like we did twice. The lighthouses are extremely picturesque. And then, you can continue on to the Canadian Maritimes! 🙂
December 2, 2019 at 07:09
Glad that you got to experience a bit of our home state, but disappointed we missed you when you were in Rockland! Our newly rebuilt house is just 2 kilometers from the breakwater light, we could have shown you our favorite spots in town – or at least exchanged hugs!
Glad you enjoyed your visit, anyway. The breakwater is usually more cooperative, but the changes in climate have made submerging more common these last few years…
December 2, 2019 at 20:31
Hi guys!
Sorry we missed you up in Maine as well. To be honest, though, we had my parents with us and were on a relatively tight schedule, so I don’t know whether it would have worked out to meet up in person. We actually ran into our tall ship friends Dan and Jaye (I think you know them) in Boothbay Harbor and barely got to say hi! That being said, now that we know where you are located, we will surely keep this hug exchange in mind for the future.
I think our breakwater experience in Rockland was very poorly timed. Actually, it was not timed at all since I had no idea it would ever be under water. Blame the guide (me), who is very used to not planning anything. 🙂
December 3, 2019 at 09:41
My last reply seems to have gotten lost! Anyway, we must have just missed you in Boothbay Harbor, we went to visit Dan & Jaye too. Funny!
Usually the breakwater is more staid… but new and full moon can swamp it by a few inches if there’s a swell running, or significant easterly wind. You’ll have to visit again, and we’ll walk it with you!
December 4, 2019 at 12:27
Oh, wow! That is incredible that you two went over to see Dan and Jaye as well. If only we knew all this ahead of time… Did you get a tour of the Santa Maria? Yes, we will have to return and spend more time in your area!
December 4, 2019 at 18:38
I know, right? Yes, got the tour, then out for lunch and a nice visit. Good folks!
December 4, 2019 at 23:08
They certainly are. We might meet up again with them in St. Augustine next month…
December 22, 2019 at 14:54
Beautiful little coastal towns. I especially like the photos of the lighthouse in York. I’ll have to go to Maine someday.
Jude
December 22, 2019 at 18:17
Hi Jude! If you love lighthouses, Maine’s Coast is the place to go. Or, you can stay in the country and check out coastal Nova Scotia and/or PEI. If you haven’t been there yet…