We left early Saturday morning for our drive up the coast of Maine from Portland to Bar Harbor, with a stop to see Pemaquid Point, my mom’s summer vacation spot. We actually just drove through Pemaquid on our way to see the PP lighthouse…another beauty.
So, in researching our drive I came across this article about a “Perfect Maine Coastal Road Trip”. Because the article referenced that the Maine has “5000 miles of coastline, more than California” I assumed it would be a gorgeous drive with beautiful views of the water. It’s not at all! Okay, it’s pretty, but the drive itself might as well have been in the middle of the country…also a gorgeous place…but not a coastline. Hwy 1 in Maine is lined with tall trees and unless you venture into the towns, as we did, you won’t see any coastline. If you want to get from Portland to Bar Harbor, or vice versa, straightaway take Hwy 295 to 95…it’s about 3 hrs.
On to Pemaquid….right after leaving Portland we came across a store that had so much STUFF outside that you could barely see the store. Val and I wanted to bring back a cool, vintagey, colorful lobster buoy and there were a ton here. So, I made a U-turn and we stopped in….it was closed. We were bummed, but when we went up to the front door there was a sign that said (I’m paraphrasing) “If were closed please pull the tag on the item and put cash in an envelope and drop in the box.” What?!! Yep, that’s what we did and for $20 we had our cool lobster buoys.
We also made a quick stop at a flea market along the way and I got this fun sign…
Here are some pics of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and views from the top…
A few pics of Rockport, Camden and a little cove we found when we ventured off the main road…
The quaint little town of Bar Harbor reminds me of a larger version of Balboa Island out here in Newport Beach, with little shops, restaurants…and an even more gorgeous harbor. We arrived at our hotel, The Bar Harbor Grand (I’d recommend…basic/close to everything/free breakfast), in the late afternoon/early evening and walked down a nearby street, which led to a walkway along the water. We were on a nice stroll when we came upon The Bar Harbor Inn and Spa, with it’s adirondack chairs beckoning us to sit and have a happy hour cocktail….so, of course, we did.
Sunday plans took us to beautiful Acadia National Park, stopping at Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, popovers at Jordan Pond House and looking for sea glass at Sand Beach.
We got back in time to walk the sand “bar” of Bar Harbor at low tide, did some wandering and met up for dinner on the patio at McKay’s, right next to our hotel.
…..and then had a nightcap at Leary’s Landing Irish Pub
The next morning our plan was to leave at noon to head back to Portland….but there was a bit of time in the morning to wander….
Loved Bar Harbor and definitely see myself going back someday. We had one more lobster roll place on the list before we left Maine, High Roller Lobster, in Portland. I think that may have been my favorite. There are numerous sauces to choose from, but I chose ghee, which was just perfect!
Goodbye lighthouses and lobsters….’til we meet again! On to NY to see this adorable doll….
Oh sweet memories… our twins were born when we lived in Kittery Maine. We loved our time there…albeit short. Just a year 1/2. Your travel stories & photos make me so excited to visit there again. We arrive in Portsmouth NH for a 2week exchange this Sept. yay 😃
Have a great trip…the one in Hawaii looked pretty spectacular too! Never been to NH, so look forward to seeing your pics.