Acadia

I just came back from a short trip on Route 1 South of Belfast and I was amazed at how easy it was to drive this route. For those of you planning a visit to Downeast/Acadia you may want to consider taking the coastal route. I would suggest starting in the Brunswick area not the Kittery area. However, if you have plenty of time then do start in Kittery and enjoy the ride. Plan a couple days to go from Kittery to Mount Desert Island or maybe even several days.

It appears the impact of the fuel prices has reduced the traffic considerably and as a result you might even consider traveling without reservations - stop and secure a lodging around 3 pm and enjoy a quiet evening and a great meal without rushing.

RVers will not find many Wal-Mart parking lots but there are plenty of other places for boondocking - Shaws and Hanniford grocery stores etc. And, there are several very nice campgrounds along the way as well.

Not for everyone, sporting camps, or wilderness camping in Maine provide a great way to really get away from ones “normal” routine. In places like these you don’t run out for a loaf of bread or quart of ice cream. Trips to town take the better part of the day and you had best have a complete shopping list!

One of the oldest and most respected wilderness camping locations is north of Oxbow Maine. The Oxbow checkpoint, where the pavement ends, is your point of departure for the Libby Camps. Oxbow checkpoint is one of ten checkpoints operated by the North Maine Woods - Multiple Ownership - Multiple Use Management Area organization. The private forest landowners and state governmental agencies cooperating in this program are dedicated to helping visitors have a safe and pleasant trip in the area, plus provide valuable information on forest resource management and recreational use.

Once passing Oxbow checkpoint it is a 25 mile trek over logging roads to Libby Camps. Libby’s is on the shores of Millinocket Lake north of Baxter State Park. Libby Camps is a multi-generation operation that has catered to hunters, fisherman, naturalists and families for well over 100 years.

If you want a unique and memorable Maine experience then I highly recommend it - its not for everyone but it just may be for you - go for it.

Good question!! Easy answer. How much time do you have?

I am going to list but a few of the activities one can enjoy in the Downeast and Acadia National Park (ANP) area of Maine………

* sit on a rock or lawn chair and watch the tide come in and/or go out
* bike a carriage trail in ANP
* hike a mountain trail
* browse through antique shops (there are thousands in Maine)
* explore art galleries (there are thousands in Maine)
* take photographs at almost every turn of the road
* explore tag/yard/lawn/garage sales - they sprout like wild flowers
* enjoy a theater show
* enjoy Bar Harbor night life - quality entertainment is easy to find
* kayak lakes, ponds and/or ocean coves
* visit beautiful public gardens
* dine at world class restaurants
* eat lobster on a dock at a lobster pound
* sail the coast of Maine in a tall ship
* fish in the ocean or a stream, pond or lake
* fly a kite on a beach
* attend a country agricultural fair
* go birdwatching
* go water skiing
* go wakeboarding
* rent a sail boat
* visit one or more of the off shore islands
* go whalewatching
* visit a museum (there are many very interesting museums in Maine)
* browse juried art shows (there are many such shows throughout the Summer)

To mention a few ………….

Hope this gives you a feel for the environment we enjoyed while visiting Nova Scotia during May 2008 - cool, crisp, no bugs, brisk wind, warm enough to not need jackets but cool enough to not need our A/C.

Another feature we enjoyed/appreciated was the condition of the roads. Sure, we did find some road conditions that were not perfect but those spots were few and far between. I drove hundreds of miles in Canada (New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) and am simply amazed at how smooth they are - no frost heaves, no cracks, no cold patches - they look like a Zamboni had followed the huge vacuum cleaner that had just gone through. I would love to see folks from the Maine DOT visit Canada for a few months and watch them build and repair their roads!!

Above you see what a 30 foot tide does to the boats tied up in Parker’s Cove - a common sight throughout Nova Scotia.