Acadia, Bar Harbor, and Bellies Full of Lobster

The drive to Maine took about 7 hours, but was a scenic one. We left around 10:30am and took some mountain roads into a couple small towns. The roads took us right through the White Mountains which was pretty cool. We stopped at a McDonalds for breakfast in one of the towns, sat down, and ate. I got a hot fudge sundae which was heaven. I was going to use the wifi to post some stuff on the blog, but didn’t want to delay our arrival in Maine any longer.

When we finally crossed into Maine we could tell a difference. Even though it was the same type scenery, it just seemed more picturesque. Rivers and winding roads started to pop up and we just so happened to have been lucky enough on all of our drives to have beautiful sunny weather and this was no different. 

At one point Finnley and I were jamming out in the car to some music when we felt a thump and a loud noise come tunneling from the back wheel. We thought we were having a blow out, but when we pulled over Finnley discovered a 12in nail sticking out of  the plastic around my tire well that had been grinding the asphalt as we drove, literally an inch away from my tire. It was a close call there, but he just pulled it out, I kept it, and  we kept on driving.

The previous night I looked up some campgrounds in the Acadia area and found one that seemed suitable or so I thought. We arrived around 3:30pm and drove to said campground. At this point I could already tell we were on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island, which is a polite way to say boring. I was whining to Finnley about a hotel and being in Bar Harbor, but he made a good point about conserving funds and that we should just take a look. It didn’t help either that it was grey and gloomy out.

Suffice to say my suspicions were confirmed when we pulled up to what looked like someone’s backyard. The campsites were bare with no trees around. It was teeny tiny, all RVs and to top it off at the back where all the tent campsites were, there was a brown fence that on the other side literally bordered someone’s backyard. I made Finnley turn right around and even though he was pissed about it, he knew that was not what we were looking for. 

What really sucks about camping in the fall and winter season is tons of campgrounds close. So that makes finding one twice as hard. Along the way we’ve found out that many State Parks that close actually let you camp still and for free after closing, but with no amenities. And while that is a good option for many, for me being the chicken that I am, camping where there aren’t at least a couple people around freaks me out. 

We drove off to a nearby famous lighthouse to brain storm. There we parked and I started getting very upset after this because Finnley was mad and got out of the car and I tried calling my mom for help because I had no internet on my phone, but she was busy. It was getting late and I just felt alone. Finnley realized after a minute and decided to try and comfort me and help me find somewhere for us to stay. My mom also called me back later to try and help us find a place. Before that though we walked over to check out the lighthouse and take some pictures. We drove by a couple campgrounds, but many were closed or of the same type as the other one. 

After an hour of this and finding the cuteness that is Bar Harbor, we gave in and got a nice hotel right on the ocean. Which turned out to be just what the doctor ordered because a shower and a heated room never felt so good. We felt like different people after that, like normal society people and it was refreshing. We booked it for two nights opposed to the week we were supposed to spend there, but it was enough time.

On the drive in earlier we had decided that we needed to eat lobster and well we go big. After our showers we walked into Bar Harbor to get some dinner. We found a nice restaurant and sat down. Both of us ordered to 1 1/4 LB lobster and had our feast. It was good, but I think I like Florida lobster better. Plus, I prefer to not eat anything while it’s still wearing it’s face. The rest of the night we just relaxed, laid around, watched TV, and I blogged a little.  

The next morning we woke up and had our complimentary continental breakfast. Then we headed off to Acadia National Park, which literally just opened from the shutdown the previous day. It was a rainy morning, so we decided to drive Park Loop Road, which is exactly what it sounds like: a road that takes you through most of the park. I also purchased my National Park Annual Pass there so from now on we can get into all the parks for free.

It took us about 3 hours to drive the loop which included the many stops we made to get out and take pictures or do short hikes. It was very beautiful there and reminded me of Big Sur in California how the cliffs met the ocean and the great burst of waves that proceeded from each meeting. 

We drove up to the top of Cadillac Mountain as well, but it wasn’t very scenic due to immense fog. The wind was barreling it in and I was freezing, but we did a short hike around the top any way, every once and while seeing into the distance when the fog would temporarily subside. While not much to see, it was a cool experience because it felt like we were in the clouds, almost other-worldly. 

Leaving at about lunch time we stopped at a Hannafords along the way to pick up something to eat. We ate lunch in the room and relaxed for a bit. After that we decided to go on this famous walk called the Shore Path which was right behind our hotel. It ran along the ocean from a raised boardwalk. By this time the cloudy weather was no more and it was sunny and perfect out. Every now and again amidst strolling the path we would climb down to the beach below and check out the rocks and the washed up whatnots. 

When done we went back to the hotel and got ready to walk around town. I instantly fell in love with Bar Harbor when I first saw it. To me it was like a mixture of Key West and San Francisco. Little unique shops and restaurants line the road and they also have a little park. If looking down the road you can see the ocean and the harbor as well. Finnley and I browsed some of the shops, but didn't find anything but some hand and feet warmers which I knew I was going to need for future camping. We did meet some cool girls in the North Face and Patagonia stores though. 

By nightfall we went back to the hotel and ordered some room service. I ended up spending the rest of the night blogging and trying to find a place to go next. We settled on a State Park in upstate New York called Allegany State Park. The next morning we woke up, had our breakfast, and were on the road once again. 

Before completely leaving the state we decided we needed more lobster. We stopped at this random restaurant along the road out of Mount Desert Island and had a feast. This time Finnley had a 1 3/4 LB lobster and I had a 1 1/2 LB lobster. Granted it was a good idea at the time, but I got a belly ache from it. No more Maine Lobster for me :-).

On to the next...