New England – Bar Harbor Day 2

September 14, 2023

The day began with a torrential downpour that lasted until late morning. The rain did not stop a senior couple that was in the hot tub with their umbrella. They were having fun making out, putting on a show while we were having breakfast. Wonder if it was a tender date????

About 9:00 the rain cleared enough for us to take the bus into the town of Bar Harbor and walk around a bit. Bar Harbor is a typical small town with lots of touristy shops and busy with cruise ship passengers. The costal walkway was beautiful especially in the soft rain. The bay was filled with boats as they were preparing for the coming hurricane. We stopped for a cup of clam chowder at a Route 66 inspired restaurant. It was so yummy, perfect for a rainy day in New England!!

In the afternoon the skies cleared and the sun decided to grace us as we headed to Acadia National Park. Acadia National Park is mostly located on Mount Desert Island, the largest island off the coast of Maine. The park stretches across about half of the island, roughly divided by Somes Sound to create east and west sides.

Our adventure in Acadia began at the Wild Gardens of Acadia, where there are over 400 native plant species in thirteen sections designed to represent natural plant communities found within Acadia National Park. It was the first sign of the changing leaves at the garden!! Fall is on its way!

Next stop was Thunder Hole where we witnessed the power of ocean tides. Thunder Hole is a carved out inlet along the rocky eastern shoreline of Mount Desert Island. The strong tide forces waves into this narrow channel, the air escapes with a thunderous reverberation that is both deafening and thrilling. One major wave hit and everyone squealed!! Love witnessing the power of nature!!

Jordan Pond is has the most iconic vistas of Acadia. Jordan pond lies at the base three picturesque peaks: Pemetic, the Bubbles (AKA the Boobs), and Penobscot. The pond is a remnant of glaciers and is the deepest of the lakes in the park at 150 feet. We hiked the Jordan Pond Loop (3.3 miles) and from every angle the views were spectacular. After the hike we shared a blueberry soda…. yep we are in Maine and everything is blueberry!!!

Just when I thought that the views could not get better we arrived at Cadillac Mountain!!! The clouds cleared and the sun was shinning as we arrived. Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. The Cadillac Summit Loop Trail has magnificent views of a glaciated coastal and island landscape. The summit is where the sunrise happens first in the U.S. We will be retuning tomorrow morning to experience the sunrise!! European settlement on Mount Desert Island begin in the 1600s, and soon after the summit was used for mapping the coastline.

The tour ended at a local restaurant that has the best lobster roll in the area. This was my first ever lobster roll and I am hooked! We had a blueberry martini and ended the meal with blueberry pie and ice cream. Yes, everything blueberry. The perfect way to end to a “Best Day Ever”!