Have you looked at the webpage for Acadia National Park? A reasonably normal human could spend several days there. My family has spent several week-long vacations never leaving Mount Desert Island.

Here is a link that might be useful: Acadia National Park

Yes! That is the park I mentioned in the OP :) Good to hear there is plenty to do. Wife is calling the chamber of commerce today to get some ideas. If you have any particular activities there you recommend, I would love to hear them.

We are going to spend at least 1 day there. I love to golf, but I think I may just skip the golf day to enjoy the scenery in the area. Vacation is a week long, forgot to mention that in the OP.

John

Oh yes, my wife reminded me to ask if there are any lodging recommendations as well

Camden & Bar Harbor are pretty touristy/crowded so I avoid them but you might get lucky and see the Victory Chimes at dock in Rockland. The Chimes is the three-masted schooner that's depicted on the Maine state quarter. She's just one of several Maine windjammers that docks in Rockland. She was built in 1900 at Eggemoggin Reach in Pensobscot Bay.

I've sailed onboard the Schooner Nathaniel Bowditch out of Rockland most summers for over 25 years. The closest I ever got to Bar Harbor was actually when I was sailing onboard the Bowditch a couple years back. We'd sailed up into Acadia National Park and anchored for a night near an island named Sorrento.

I've attached a link below to the Victory Chimes' website but there's lots of Mid-coast Maine attraction information in the brochure as well.

Also in Rockland and well worth a visit is the Owl's Head Transportation Museum--think planes, trains & automobiles. Some friends/fellow Bowditch passengers and I toured the museum a couple years ago and they have an impressive collection. I copied their web address from Google: http://www.ohtm.org/

Can't help much with lodging recommendations since I stay on the boat but there are lots of B&Bs along the Maine coast.

Hope you have a fantastic Maine vacation!

Here is a link that might be useful: Victory Chimes

Some other diverse things of interest................Nubble Point Lighthouse, LOBSTER!, L.L. Bean.

As a Georgian who moved up here I think you'll have a great time. I'm reading this quickly, and have to answer quickly, but I'll try to post more later.

First, are you driving up to Bar Harbor? If so, then there are some nice things to see "on the way." Before I post any more let us know what you're doing--driving up, flying into a particular airport, sailing up from Florida, etc. Second, what are your interests?

Here is a link that might be useful: Ogunquit Marginal Way beachwalk

Thanks for all the responses! The wife and I will sit down and research all the contributions so far tomorrow night :)

Bill, lobster is not a favorite for either of us, BUT how can one take a trip to Maine and not try the lobster?

Deanna, as of now we will be flying into Bar Harbor. We are considering flying into Bangor and driving down to Bar Harbor in a rental car. The rental car would also allow us a day or two of travel to a site(s) within reasonable distance to our lodging.

Interests would include sight seeing, outdoors/nature/wildlife, some easy hiking, fishing, some touristy shopping for her, local cuisine, a few lighthouses, and historical landmarks to name a few. We do not enjoy 'night-life' activities like bar hopping/related. Not to say we are afraid of the dark, just not in that manner.

Thanks so much for the advice!

John

John, not everyone likes lobster, in fact some people are allergic to it (and maybe other shellfish). The only thing I wonder is if your experience is with actual cold-water lobster, such as we have here in New England, or the rock lobster, usually just sold as the tail. It's quite different from the "real thing". Enjoy the trip, even if you decide against the lobster dinner!

{{gwi:5901}}

I would definitely recommend the rental car. Even though it is the "hub" of activity, Bar Harbor is still very much a "small tourist town". You will definitely need a car to explore other areas of Arcadia, or other areas on the coast. For instance, Mt Desert Island is about 20 miles wide. Seal Cove is on the opposite side of Mt Desert, and is a wonderful place to go to watch the seals basking in the sun.

There are lots of carriage roads on Mt. Desert, so you may want to consider renting bicycles to explore the interior of the island.

You may also want to consider flying into Portland. It's about 160 miles from Portland to Bar Harbor, but lots of interesting places to stop on the way. The drive up Rt 1 is wonderful - lots of interesting places to stop and visit. You could easily spend a day in Portland, then spend a day in Freeport on your drive up to Bar Harbor.

The little bus that we have taken to get around Acadia doesn't start running until June 23. That means you really do need a car. It's too bad since one of the things the little bus lets you do is point to point hikes.

If you h aven't already booked flights I would definitely recommend flying into Portland and allowing for one day of driving up Rte 1 along the coast.

Portland is a mecca for foodies, so many great eateries. You could start there with dinner at a great restaurant.

As a Floridian, one thing that will really strike you is the extreme difference between the oceanside of Maine and Florida. No big white sandy beaches, but miles of beautifully rugged rocky shorline with a real magic all their own. Never anything but a beautiful view along Maine's coast. One view that is definitely recommended is the Marginal Way (a very easy one mile walk along the top of the rocky coast) in Ogunquit on the southern end of Maine's coast. It's in the opposite direction, but it's not far from Portland.

North of Portland all the towns along the coast are picturesque--one charming town after another you can see on your way to Acadia. They are all literally like postcards. Amazingly beautiful and inviting. This area is called "Downeast" even though it's north--I guess because compared to the rest of Maine is really is "down" and "east"! On your way you can stop at Boothbay Botanical Gardens (see link below) at Boothbay Harbor.

If you want a real food experience (and are willing to pay for it) go to Primo in Rockland. It's a rare 5-star restaurant. It's unique in that nearly everything is grown or harvested on site. You can see the chicken house, the pig pen, the gardens and greenhouses, etc., and the food is supposed to be excellent. I will be going this year! To see a little of it, Primo is featured in the first 2 minutes of this video with Anthony Bourdain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsOqbWLE7mo

North of Bar Harbor for the history buff is Campobello island. Not fancy, still small and rugged, with a historical tour of Roosevelt International Park. It housed the summer home of FDR. It's barely over the Canadian border, so check to see if you need a visa. US funds help maintain the park so they might have an arrangement where you can go from the US coast to the island without any problem.

Last thing, islands island islands. Do some research about islands in the area. Maine's coast is full of them, and they might have the beautiful hiking and scenery you would love.

That far north of Maine the attractions are undoubtedly on the coast. Not much happening inland, and not many people populating the inland areas. Stick to the coast.

Here is a link that might be useful: Boothbay Botanical Gardens

You could time your visit when the wild lupines are blooming. There's a town on the Blue Hill peninsula just before you get to the MDI area that has a lupine festival. It's a small town thing but they give out maps so you can find the best areas of bloom.

Or, time your visit to coincide with the Camden Garden Club tour. Definitely take a picnic lunch to the top of Mt Battie overlooking the harbor.

We have been on a great lighthouse tour that starts at the Maritime Museum in Bath. Although we stay in one place when we visit Maine, we travel around each day.

So much good information to consider.

We read through the replies yesterday and have indeed decided to fly into Portland and get a rental car for the vacation. We should have the lodging and plane tickets booked by the end of the week. The Boothbay Botanical Garden will get 1 day of the trip for sure. The Ogunquit beach walk looks beautiful, too! Please feel free to post any more suggestions if something springs to mind.

Thanks again for all the help! The wife and I are very grateful for all the recommendations... I don't know how we will stand the wait between now and the trip with all of these scenic landscapes calling out to us ;^)

John

Deanna, we checked out the video (s) of Anthony Bourdain eating his way through Maine. They were great and eventually bookmarked this page as I think we'll take another trip "down east" next fall. This thread had so many great tips on places to go that next year we'll definitely spend more than just a few days.

Molie

John, if lobster isn't a favorite go for lobster rolls. They're like the chicken salad of lobster dishes and the lobster flavor isn't quite as pronounced. Saying you've had a Maine lobster roll is about the same as eating Maine lobster, and the competition to have the best lobster roll can get pretty fierce and serious. Multiple articles on who has the best lobster roll, etc., etc. I've included a link to one article, but you'll find many others with different diners/restaurants/fish shacks listed. #4 on the included list is in Wiscasset, is very famous, and you'll drive by it heading up Rte 1 to Bar Harbor. Be prepared for a traffic jam! (I prefer more mayo on my lobster rolls than Reds does.)

Do some internet searching for lobster rolls and pick your poison! Lots to choose from.

Here is a link that might be useful: Travel & Leisure lobster shacks

Oh, and John...remember to pack some warm clothes, it could get chilly at night.

Thuja Gardens and Asticou Azalea Garden are near Acadia National Park and would be worth visiting if you are in the area, especially if the azaleas are blooming.

I'll second singleton's suggestion. In spring it can be quite cold and windy along the coast, and not just at night. Expect to need wind jackets, fleece, a warm hat and maybe gloves, depending on how hardy you are. The ocean is cold off the Maine coast, and it keeps temperatures fairly chilly until real summer.

Although you might have cooler temps, one advantage of an earlier trip is that you should beat some of the summer crush, especially in Bar Harbor and (if you go) Freeport, which can be a zoo at the height of the summer crowds.

Just wanted to second the WARM clothing advice! We sometimes rent a house on a (sheltered) cove on North Haven Island (reached by the Rockland ferry), and the owners actually discourage renting it before the Fourth of July because they say people who do come earlier complain that it's just too cold. The winds off the water will be "bracing" -- definitely bring good windbreaker jackets, fleeces, sweaters and of course, good hiking shoes! I grew up in the mid-Atlantic and my family used to pack the car and drive up Route 1 to Acadia every summer to camp; it is just exquisitely beautiful country. Be sure you don't miss Thunder Hole in Acadia! (Frankly, I can't imagine "doing" Acadia in one day -- I bet you'll want a second day there at least.) I do agree that Bar Harbor is very tourist-y. A beautiful setting and still charming in many respects, but definitely tourist-oriented.

Depending on what kind of shopping your wife likes, I'd plan some time in Freeport; in addition to the awesome LLBean flagship store, there is every outlet store you could dream of there.

You will love Maine ... and I'm betting this won't be your last trip to Acadia. There is no place quite like it!

Maine is beautiful, just explore around, you can't go wrong. And it's worth going to Maine just to see the lupines. It's beautiful, it's clean, it's not crowded and it's usually cool. Before the 4th it's still off season less crowded and cheaper, but it's never really crowded there. Endless beautiful opportunities to explore. And how about the mountains around Camden and Mt Desert Island? It's tremendous to be able to see mountains right on the coast. And fun to walk up too. And look down. Nice view of Camden, never been to Acadia Have a nice trip, I'm sure you will.

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Our trip to Maine was the most enjoyable vacation I've ever experienced! We definitely plan on a return trip in the near future =D

We make an annual journey to York, ME, and just soak up the salt air, walk the beach, eat clams, and just chill out in our hotel room overlooking the water. We always go in the off season when it's less crowded and the rates are lower.

Good grief, I didn't realize the original post was 2012! Did you read Seal Called Andre? I loved it and it really puts you in touch with the local culture.

Sped, not this year, but many years the Garden Conservancy Open Gardens includes a bunch of York, ME, gardens. You might want to plan one of your trips around that if DH could stand touring gardens. (Mine would be bored in short order, though he enjoys our home garden.)

Johd03, so glad to hear you had a great time! I took my first trip to Acadia in 2014, and had a wonderful time.

I found a YouTube video about Portland's pocket gardens tour but my schedule hasn't been cooperating .The ladies doing the video are comical but knowledgeable gardeners. We're just back from visiting Maine Coastal Gardens in Boothbay. Really a nice time to go. Also drove all over the place and went further north to Rockport.

Garden tours would disrupt our agenda of total decompression. We go to Maine to do three things: relax, eat seafood, and soak up the salt water and salt air!