Hey y'all! I recently spent a week in Maine for summer vacation and let me tell ya, it was amazing. Before going to Maine, I did not have very high expectations for it. There isn't a whole lot there that you hear about, but I want to go to all 50 states so I had to go at some point. Of course I went over the summer, because the winters in New England are miserable and freezing. And I loved every second of it. It was incredibly beautiful, all the food was incredible, and the crafts/vendors were very unique.
I took a week to just drive up the coast using Route 1 and I can not think of a better way to experience the beauty of coastal Maine. Route 1 winds through little towns that are exactly what you would expect: the big, old Victorian beach houses and the rocky shores with boats bobbing in the marinas. I stopped along the road in a couple of places to just take pictures and enjoy the scenery, but I spent most of my time around Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Some of the other places I stopped were Kennebunkport, Portland, and Freeport.
These were all places that I would suggest walking through if you have the time to do so.
The most charming town was Bar Harbor. This was a small area with really only one main street (and some small side streets) filled with shops and restaurants. The shops were a mix of touristy, almost beach shops, and higher-end boutiques. Some of the shops had decent souvenirs for pretty cheap but also there were more expensive, handmade goods shops if you want something a little nicer. Additionally, Maine is home to an incomprehensible number of antique stores if that is your thing! There were a large amount of restaurants, no chain brands, and they were a little bit more expensive but worth it.
Acadia National Park was certainly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It was very different from other places I have seen, with the steep cliffs and the pine trees. You maybe could find something similar across the country in Oregon or Washington, but nothing quite like this. There were many easy trails to walk as well as a lot of areas to just pull off the road and take in the view, so anyone can experience the beauty. One of the best parts was Cadillac Mountain. We did not experience the most famous aspect of this feature, which is that if you arrive before sunrise, you would be the first person/people in all of America to see the sunrise. We did go around four in the afternoon, however, and it was still breathtaking, so if you don't like early mornings, you can still enjoy it. One other famous part of the park is Jordan Pond, which features a restaurant overlooking the pond. Jordan Pond is completely, crystal clear. As appealing as a swim looks, it is a source of drinking water; therefore, people/boats are not permitted, but you can see pretty far out and still see the individual rocks on the bottom of the pond. We also did not eat in the restaurant, but it was lovely and had very highly praised reviews.
Picture Above: The first photo is from Cadillac Mountain. The second is a photo overlooking the popular Thunder Hole (a spot in the rocks that the water hits with force and makes a thunderous noise). And the third photo is a stunning viewpoint just off of a popular loop through the national park.
Overall, Maine was a wonderful experience and I cannot wait to go back and eat my body weight in lobster!
Speaking of lobster, here's a list with locations of some of my favorite places we ate. This is not in any particular order EXCEPT the first one, which is probably the home of the best seafood I have EVER eaten!
1. Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster: 36 Main Street, South Freeport Maine 04078. Very odd location so do not be thrown off driving there; you will drive through a residential neighborhood and then arrive literally on a dock and there it is. It is BYOB! I HIGHLY recommend everything but specifically the scallops.
2. Alisson's Restaurant: 11 Dock Square, Kennebunkport, ME 04046. I got a lobster roll here with sriracha mayo and bacon and it was amazing. We did have a 20 or so minute wait at around 2 in the afternoon so be prepared for a potential wait.
3. Geddy's: 19 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609. Really cute place close to the water and really great food. I had a blueberry beer here to match the blueberry building (and because Maine is all about their blueberries) and it was really one of the most delicious beers I have ever had.
4. Gateway Lunt's Lobster Pound: 1133 Bar Harbor Road, Trenton, ME 04605. This place was on the main road leading into Bar Harbor a little ways outside of town but totally worth it. The lobster was cheap and delicious, and it was family run so the service was very homey.
Becky's Diner: 390 Commercial St., Portland, ME, 04101. This little diner packs a big punch without the major price tag. The food here was classic American diner food but with a seafood section due to the location which is right on the water.
If you have the opportunity to take a short road trip up the coast of Maine, do not overlook this tiny but proud state! Each stop we made left an impression on us, despite the lack of discussion about it. Go to Maine, drive up the coast, go on a hike, drink blueberry beer, eat lobster rolls, and go antiquing.
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