Acadia

If you are planning a vacation in the Downeast / Acadia National Park region of Maine in 2008 and you have not secured lodging then I suggest you not hesitate much longer. Cottages will be hard to find now and B&Bs will soon be short on options. For my personal recommendations I suggest you visit my Acadia Vacation web site.

Hmmmmm, you mean there is more than one way to get to Acadia National Park. Yup, there are actually several routes you can take. For this discussion I am going to assume you will be traveling North from New Hampshire on route I95. And, I am also going to assume that you do not plan to take Route 1 from any location along the way.

The major decision point, in my mind, is when you reach Augusta on I95. There you can decide to stay on I95 all the way to Bangor and then Exit to 395 and go through Ellsworth to Mount Desert Island. OR, in Augusta you can choose to take Route 3 East to Belfast (best exit is 113). Which way to go??

If you want the fastest route then the best choice is to continue on to Bangor. If you want a more scenic route then I suggest you take the Belfast route. My recommendation - if you hit Augusta with plenty of daylight left (4-6 hours) in your day then the Belfast route is well worth taking. Otherwise you would probably be better served to take the Bangor Route.

The Bangor Route is pretty much trees until you get to Bangor and from there to Ellsworth is not a lot different. On the other hand the Belfast Route takes you through several quaint and scenic villages. And, you will see lots of non-shopping-center shops along the way. Antique shops, yard sales, craft shops, jams and jellies, gifts etc. In fact, Searsport has one of the highest density of antique shops in Maine. And, one of Maine’s newest attractions is the observation tower at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. Amazing views. Also, right next to the tower is a very interesting fort - Fort Knox, not the one with all the money. I highly recommend it - ask for a tour guide - it is very interesting and the stone work is simply unbelievable - check it out!

For additional information I call your attention my web site Acadia Vacations

Having been in the position of having to select a vacation destination I know how difficult it can be if you have not been there before or if you do not have a strong recommendation from someone you trust. That is why I started my web site www.acadiavacations.com and this blog.

I want you to feel comfortable with your decision when you choose to visit Down East Maine for your vacation. I am here to tell you that no matter what your age or the age of family members Down East Maine is hard to beat. However, this assumes you are looking for something other that a typical theme park - i.e. Disney World or Six Flags. Those kinds of vacations are OK once in a while but for me they tend to grow old fast - Acadia / Down East Maine on the other hand tends to draw people back year after year.

Miles of rocky coast, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, plenty of mountains to climb from easy to expert skill levels, canoing, kayaking, sailing, whale watching, bird watching, biking, camping, great photography, great paining subjects, relaxing, communing with nature, and the list goes on. If you want a refreshing, relaxing, educational, and exciting vacation that you will remember then I strongly recommend you plan a trip to Down East / Acadia Maine - you will be glad you did!!

For those of you planning your first trip to Acadia National Park (ANP) I want to offer some advice that is based on many years of chatting with visitors to the park. Acadia National Park is spread out over much of the island - it is NOT only on the East side and the Park Loop Road is NOT ALL there is to see. While it is true that many of the most well known attraction in the Park are located along the Park Loop Trail (Sand Beach shown below, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs) there is much more to see while visiting Acadia and Mount Desert (pronounced like what you eat after a meal) Island. Sooooooo, please be sure to visit what many refer to as the “Quiet Side”, the West Side of Mount Desert Island has a lot to offer. Southwest Harbor, Seawall, Bass Harbor, Bass Harbor Head Light (a very popular lighthouse because of how it is perched on a cliff right on the water) are some of the most beautiful areas on MDI. For more information take a look at my web site www.acadiavacations.com - it is a very popular site that has been helping people plan their visits to Acadia and Downeast Maine.

If you want to see Acadia National Park at its most beautiful winter splendor then head on up to Maine in the next few days. Covered with a beautiful light fluffy snow and some beautiful weather for the next week now is the time to come. Go to www.acadiavacations.com to find lodging - check out the comfy, cozy B&Bs and come relax and enjoy the beauty of the snow covered hemlocks and the beautiful rocky coastline with the wild winter surf. You will love it!!!