Serving Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood Counties
Maine beckons regularly … and I often listen.
I’ve never been disappointed, whether in the moose-friendly wilderness of the North Woods, in Baxter State Park anchored by Mt. Katahdin, or along the spectacular rocky ramparts that rim the Atlantic Ocean.
It’s against that backdrop that visitors can craft a wonderful experience.
Highest on the list is Acadia National Park, a hallmark for roughing it easy.
Miles of unbelievable Atlantic coastal scenery to be enjoyed on foot, on a bike, in a car, even horseback. When you’re done enjoying a day in the outdoors, it’s easy to find great dining and lodging, anything from full-on gourmet to comfort food you prepare at your own campsite.
Maine is perfect, too, for combining geography and history, modern and traditional. A place where picturesque fishing villages still thrive, and the boats still move in and out of scenic harbors guarded by venerable lighthouses, such as the Portland Head Light and the classic Pemaquid Point Light.
If you find yourself lacking the right outdoor clothing and gear, or even if you just want to see what’s available, a stop at L.L. Bean in Freeport is just right.
US 1 is sometimes a slow go, but it follows the rocky coast and offers great scenery, especially at Acadia National Park where visitors enjoy arguably the most beautiful two miles of coastline in America. Each year three million or so visitors confirm its lofty stature.
The look back from Otter Cliffs takes your breath away – past Monument Cove and Thunder Hole, past raging surf pounding pink granite cliffs, to Sand Beach where giant rollers curl and crash before exhausting themselves in a thin veneer of harmless foam.
Ocean Drive, it’s called, and it’s the most spectacular feature of Maine’s Acadia National Park, a natural national jewel that’s loaded with dozens of highlight features.
Located midway up the coast of Maine – down east in New England terms – Acadia encompasses 47,633 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds, and, of course, ocean shoreline. It’s small by standards set by western national parks, nevertheless its diversity of habitats make Acadia a rich haven for wildlife and plants.
Most of Acadia is located on Mt. Desert Island – spelled like the parched land but pronounced like dessert, the after meal treat.
The gateway town of Bar Harbor is as well-known as the park.
Once the haunt of the filthy rich, Bar Harbor is now a tourist town that manages to keep its dignity among streets lined with quaint shops hawking quality goods like scrimshaw and Native American crafts, and more standard fare such as T-shirts and plastic lobsters.
Bar Harbor is the staging area for the park, equipped with the most and best lodging, good restaurants and a deep-water harbor capable of handling the largest cruise ships. Winters are slow but the tourist season – May through fall color in October – is a steady stream of visitors.
It’s unwise to visit Maine without advance lodging arrangements. ‘No vacancy’ signs are commonplace throughout the season, particularly in Bar Harbor.
Sometime during your visit have a seat on Otter Cliffs, feel the sea breeze, and watch the surf roll in.
You’ll likely find Maine has a firm hold on you, too.
