After leaving Boothbay we made our way toward Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. En Route we stopped at…you guessed it–another historic fort. This was my initial reaction upon realizing we were pulling into yet another fort parking lot.
This time we were at Fort Knox. {photo below from Trip Advisor.} According to the visitor’s center, it is supposed to be super haunted. I don’t understand where that idea comes from, because after reading the information I learned that this fort never saw action and only once had people stationed in it.
At Halloween time they hold “Fright at the Fort.” A big haunted house inside the fort after dark. Can you say awesome? Follow the link for info about 2014 dates.
It actually ended up being pretty cool. My favorite of all the forts we stopped at along the road. If you go to Maine and are into this kind of thing, I put my stamp of approval on Fort Knox. It really was cool.
Since I was injured on this trip I was a bit nervous about our time at Acadia National Park. I’ve never done the park thing without being fit to hike at least 10 miles at a time. I wasn’t even sure what people did at parks if they weren’t taking a physically exhausting trek through the wilderness.
Once we arrived, Acadia put my mind instantly at ease. I’ve never been to a more accessible park. There are loads of things that you can do, even if you aren’t fit {or allowed} to trek. We started by driving the Park Loop Road. It’s a beautiful scenic drive with plenty of overlooks and pull offs along the way at some of the parks highlights. Once pulled off the road, the park’s most famous destinations are just a short walk away. Ideal for a gal like me.
The following day we rented bikes in Bar Harbor {for the worry warts out there, biking is still an approved activity.} The cost was reasonable and the route to the park was only two miles. Acadia has an awesome trail system for biking. Once upon a time J.R. Rockefeller Jr. owned a big chunk of the land that is now the park. He installed an intricate system of “carriage roads” to use to tour through the scenic wilderness.
Because the roads were originally designed for horses to climb while pulling loads behind them, the grade is very consistent, with only slight gradual hills. It’s totally doable, even if you don’t consider yourself a biker. They are also perfect for families toting little ones along. We saw lots of kiddos strapped on booster seats, riding in pull-along buggies, or on a carrier. The roads are clearly marked and travel along some amazing parts of the park. Without the carriage roads there is no way I could have seen this much of Acadia, simply because my back won’t let me do much hiking these days.
After looping through the park, we headed back to Bar Harbor in time for low tide. Since the water was out, it was the perfect time to travel across to Bar Island, via a large, rocky sand bar that becomes exposed when the tide goes out. Most people walk. We rode. I don’t recommend biking across. Yes, it saved us some time, but the sand is deep and the rocks make it a tricky jaunt. Just walk.
Cars are allowed to try to cross over at their own risk. Definitely don’t do that. On our way back we saw a car stuck in the sand up to its front bumper.
After returning our bikes we decided I needed a good, long sit down. So we got in the car and drove around Mount Desert Island. We made our way down to Bass Harbor to see the iconic lighthouse. And boy was it worth the drive. Just seeing the “cottages” that rival Grayson manor along the shore was enough to make it worth the trip. But sitting on the rocks while waves crashed at our feet, one of Maine’s most iconic lighthouses at stage right–it really was magical.
I’ll leave you with some Bar Harbor-ish tips. Things we did {and might do differently} if we were to try again:
1. Don’t stay in Bar Harbor. We stayed in Trenton and saved a bundle. Even if you have your heart set on lodging on Mount Desert Island, there are plenty of places to stay at that aren’t in Bar Harbor. Save your money and spend it on lobster.
2. Stay up late and see ImprovAcadia. The setting is intimate and the talent is wonderful. Just don’t get a milkshake beforehand and think you can take it in. You’ll be asked to finish it on the patio…
3. Go to the Rock and Art Shop in Bar Harbor. Out of all the cute shops in all the cute towns we went to, this was my absolute favorite.
4. Eat at the Side Street Cafe and the Thirsty Whale. It’s where the locals dish and there is a good reason for it. Both are amazing.
5. Going early in the season was great for beating crowds, but bad for taking advantage of all the park had to offer. Some major features–like the free shuttle service and Jordan Pond House were closed and didn’t start up until June.
6. I mentioned this before, but walk–don’t bike or drive–to Bar Island.
7. Get some coffee from Coffee Hound.
8. Plan your day from Agamont Park and take advantage of their free Wi-Fi while you watch boats in the harbor.
9. Take a little down time to walk the shore path. It’s an easy stroll and there are some amazing historic homes to gawk at–oh yeah, and coastal views too. Just make sure you find a bathroom first, especially if you chugged down a Coffee Hound drink before embarking on the journey. There is no where to go and you are always in sight of homes…so it might {hypothetically, obviously} be a very uncomfortable last quarter mile.
10. Figure out the tide schedule and get to Thunder Hole at the right moment. We tried twice, but missed out. I hear if you get there at the right tide stage it is awesome. {Image below is from AcadiaMagic.com–since we were never there when the waves were doing this…}
