Maine – The vacation Land
Maine, the northeastern most state in US, entails one of the most unique travel experiences in US. It’s long rocky coastline overlooks the beautiful Atlantic ocean and includes an array of around 65 magnificent lighthouses. The lighthouses, most of them built in 19th century, are so picturesque, it’s hard to believe they are real. The naivety of this place takes you back couple of centuries to a calm and serene place, away from the 21st century clutter.
We made a short trip to Maine from New Jersey in 2016 along with few other friends and it was probably one of the most enjoyable trip we ever made in a group. We packed our bags and a tent (more to come on this) in my Honda Civic and went on this 7 hour trip to Portland, Maine.
For the next 4 days, we drove through the state of Maine starting from Kennebunkport, south of Maine, up till Acadia National Park in the north. This post captures some of the most picturesque places we visited and the experiences we had.
Hike the edges of beehive trail
Beehive travel, a moderate to difficult trail, provides a spectacular view of the Acadia national park on one side and Sand beach on the other.
It involves quite a bit of climbing on the mountain edges so if you have fear of heights or can’t climb, you might want to avoid and explore other options. However, if you can, this hike will provide you one of the most scintillating views of the Atlantic ocean and is a great experience.
Set up a camp and roast some marshmallows
We told you about carrying a tent with us. We had planned to stay at a camping site in the Acadia National Park. If you have never done camping before or have done it in the past, this is one of the must do activities if you are visiting Acadia.
You can stay overnight here, enjoy a peaceful retreat, drink, setup barbecue and enjoy roasted marsh mellows. Not to forget, you can wake up early and enjoy the view of sunrise at the Cadillac mountains.
Go Birdwatching
Take a ferry to Casco bay and spend a day
We took a ferry to Casco Bay from Portland for a one day trip to this island. You can leave your car at mainland Portland and enjoy the ferry ride to Casco Bay. You can just enjoy the beautiful ride through islands and come back but we stopped at Casco Bay and spent the day there.
Rent a bike or a golf cart (or, you can just walk!) to soak in the view of the beautiful beaches and marina and enjoy local cuisine at the restaurants.
Catch the first glimpse of the sunrise in the United States from Cadillac Mountains!
Are you a morning person? I am not and even as a photographer, it’s hard for me to wake up before sunrise! But, you don’t want to miss being the first in US to get a glimpse of the morning sun. All of us woke up at 4 am to catch this sunrise and it was mostly because we wanted to capture a picture of the sunrise from the Cadillac mountains!
Watch the sunset at Bass harbour lighthouse
Maine is famous for it’s beautiful lighthouses and it’s hard to cover them all. Nevertheless, all of them are unique in their own way and provide an amazing experience.
Bass Harbor lighthouse, is very close to Acadia National park and is famous for it’s view of the sunset. Must visit!
Taste local root beer
If you are in Maine, you have got to try the locally brewed root beer.
Beware of the honey bees though which will surround you as soon as the bottle opens up!
Soak in the basking Sun
Most of the Maine coastline is jagged and rocky. so it’s okay if you forgot the towel!. But it’s not okay if you missed visiting places like Cape Elizabeth and clicked some pictures here.
Spot the Porcupine Islands in the far
Surreal view of the Porcupine islands from the top of Acadia National Park.
We spent most of our time exploring Acadia Mountains and it was totally worth it. Beautiful hikes, lighthouses, beaches, ports and the list goes on.
Try to find the most picturesque lighthouse in the state
The pictures speak for themselves. The lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth is probably the most photographed lighthouse in the state of Maine. We covered around 5 lighthouses but there are so many which are yet to be explored. It probably deserves a dedicated trip to just cover all the lighthouses in Maine.
Climb up a cliff for perfect selfies
Enjoy tea and popovers at Jordan Pond House
Jordon Pond House in the middle of Acadia National Park is THE most amazing outdoor restaurants we have ever been to.
Don’t miss having lunch (and definitely don’t miss having Popovers!) at this beautiful restaurant.
Explore Maine’s coastal preserves
Admire the beauty of Maine
Try your hand at long exposure photography
If you are a night photography enthusiast, you can stop at the Penobscot bridge to capture this beauty. If you are not, you can visit the observatory here. The Penobscot bridge observatory is the tallest public bridge observatory in the world and provides a 360-degree view of the Penobscot river and the Bay.
If you have few days and are looking for a peaceful retreat, Maine should definitely be on top of your list. And, if you are a photography enthusiast, this place is a gold mine for you.
I will share more experiences from Maine in some other post but this post probably has already got you excited about this place. Do tell us about your experience if you have visited already!
