Coastal Maine, including Acadia National Park and the less crowded Schoodic peninsula offer many possibilities from scenic drives to outdoor adventures. Birding, biking, hiking, fishing, kayaking, sailing, stargazing and just relaxing!
Acadia National Park:
Pretty sure I don’t need to say much here – everyone knows how fabulous Acadia is! So I’ll let maps and a few pictures speak…
Carriage Roads: Bicycling and hiking options! Explore some, or all, of the forty-five miles of carriage roads. Hiking – Acadia National Park is full of great hikes for all skill levels. These include The Precipice, Jordan Cliffs, or Valley Cove Trails for more advanced hikers, or Wonderland Trail, Great Meadow Trail, or Jordan Pond Path for less strenuous options.
Birding in Acadia:
Stargazing in Acadia
Maine is fast becoming one of the top states in New England for stargazing! Acadias Sand Beach isn’t quite a secret stargazing spot – but it’s far less popular than other spots. You can park at the lot near Sand Beach, and walk out onto this unique sandy strip of land. The reason this is a great stargazing spot is that it’s protected from light pollution in Bar Harbor, and looks out toward the southern part of the night sky.
We could consider booking a bioluminescence night kayak tour with Castine Kayak or Acadia Park Kayak. They will take you out in a kayak after dark to see the bioluminescent plankton and the night sky too! Tho it is kinda pricey at 110 per person…
Below is a link to a gallery of night sky photos from Acadia.
https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?pg=6603638&id=E15EDC72-0F6D-4F7C-9303-7D0231312932
The Schoodic Peninsula
On the Schoodic peninsula there are tons of hiking, biking and kayaking trails. The maps below are copied from Schoodic Chamber of Commerce
Fisher Folks: There are plenty of ships for half day fishing adventures – both saltwater and fresh. As an example there is Island Glow which takes 6 fishing folk, provides all gear, potty, ice cooler with water and snacks, your saltwater licenses, then cleans & fillets your catch for around 130 per person. From their website (link below):
“Fish Acadia Deep Sea Fishing Charters is located in Northeast Harbor, Maine and is ready to take you on an exhilarating adventure where the scenery will fill your senses and revive your soul!
Capt. Luke is here to get you on some fish and to make sure you have fun doing it. You’ll be using techniques like bottom fishing, trolling, drift fishing, jigging, and kite fishing, depending on what you’re going after. As part of their 3 to 12-hour trips, you can target local species.
Your fishing adventure starts on the F/V “OpporTunaty,” a 42′ Bruno Stillman working fishing vessel that can safely take up to 6 anglers. This boat features a toilet and an ice box. The price of your trip includes all the rods, reels, and terminal tackle you’ll need for a productive day on the water, as well as all the necessary fishing licenses for the day. There will be complimentary water onboard, and you’re welcome to bring your preferred drinks for the trip.”
https://fishingbooker.com/charters/view/29586
Scenic Boat Trips: Tall masted sailing schooners from Bar Harbor can take us around Acadia to see puffins and enjoy the scenery.
Additionally there are multiple groups offering whale watch tours departing from Bar Harbor. Running about 88 a person these tours take you approximately thirty to fifty miles offshore where you can expect to see humpback, pilot, finback and minke whales as well as toothed whales such as Atlantic white-sided dolphins and harbor porpoises. Other sightings may include Sei and right whales. In addition to these gentle giants, this part of the East Coast also sees plenty of harbor and grey seals.
IceCream!
https://musthaveicecream.com/best-ice-cream-in-bar-harbor-maine/
There are a myriad of options for camping around the area, as well as VRBOs galore. So I’ll just leave you with the official Visit Bar Harbor and Acadia NP website:
https://www.visitbarharbor.com/
https://mainesmidcoast.com/free-midcoast-guidebook/
Yellowrock & Roll! 