Boston, Portland, Acadia National Park

   The people you're with make the trip!  Family by marriage, sisters by choice, we sisters-in-law, found a perfect opportunity to visit one of the most stunning shorelines in the United States.  My niece recently moved to Portland, Maine for her first job out of college. It didn't take much to convince us to come and visit her.  Maine has it all:  rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, stunning hiking trails, sunny skies and beautiful lighthouses shrouded in blankets of fog.

    One day in Boston  We took a flight to Boston to start a six day trip, and eventually found ourselves five hours north in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.  When we first landed at Logan International Airport, we immediately took a water taxi across Boston Harbor to Long Wharf. It was an ideal way to see Boston from the water and a great chance to appreciate the working harbor that it is. Long Wharf is just a short walk to the historic Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall Marketplace, a perfect place to find the best Boston has to offer in culinary delights and shopping. You'll experience one of the oldest most historic parts of Boston in a bustling market place that includes street performers and artists. You might want to stop for a cold beer at the infamous Cheers bar, and take a picture with Norm! The Faneuil Hall location is not the original Cheers (that's on Beacon Hill) but it's a great replica!
   We then meandered down the Freedom Trail through Little Italy where we stopped at a fabulous coffee shop, The Thinking Cup. The ambiance is cozy and comfortable with old newspaper stories on the top of every table. Unofficially, they serve the absolute best Macchiato in the United States! The bakeries, restaurants and smells of Little Italy will outshine the Freedom Trail itself, so plan on spending plenty of time in this area.  We walked through Paul Revere Mall to the Old North Church and then walked down Commercial Street back to Long Wharf.  After exploring the area, we took the metro back to the airport and drove to our home base in Portland.

   Our basecamp, Portland  The morning was soupy. It felt like we were walking in a misty cloud for most of the day, which turned out to be perfect for visiting lighthouses!  We first went to Cape Elizabeth and Fort William Park to visit my favorite lighthouse, Portland Head Light.  The fog horn and light are spectacular in these conditions! One can imagine that the lighthouse is a magnificent beacon for those out in the open water. The gift shop and small museum are worth a visit.
   We continued down the coast to our next lighthouse destination, Two Lights.  Located at the end of Two Lights Road, you'll find the award-winning restaurant, The Lobster Shack, where you can enjoy lobster rolls on the terrace, perched above the rocky coastline.  The fog horn blows. It's just....so Maine!
    In Portland, we spent an afternoon on the Eastern Promenade where you'll meet many locals, walking their dogs along the beautiful shoreline. In the Old Port area, we shopped in locally owned, unique businesses. There is a plethora of restaurants to choose from, but we chose to eat at  The Holy Donut.  I'm not much of a donut fan, but I'm now an official Holy Donut convert! Really?!? These donuts are like no other, anywhere! The secret ingredient is Maine mashed potatos! The flavors are ingenius (dark chocolate sea salt, ginger sweet potato, cheddar bacon, and Maine blueberry glazed to name a few). The donuts melt in your mouth! We bought a half dozen, split each one in fourths, and toasted our taste buds!

   Day trip to Ogunquit and Kennebunkport  These two coastal towns are just a short drive south of Portland and are definitely worth a visit. Ogunquit is known for the Marginal Way, a beautiful walking path along the rocks and crashing surf of the Atlantic Ocean. There are plenty of opportunities to go out onto the rocks and experience the waves in your own space of tranquility.  We had lunch at Jackie's Too! with a view that really can't be beat. Bring your jacket, as the ocean breeze can be quite cool! The clam chowder is hearty, some say the best in Maine, and the mussels were succulent! Ogunquit Beach was named by Travel & Leisure as one of America's Best Little Beach Towns and is perfect for a toes-in-the-sand walk.
   Kennebunkport is the home of The Bush Compound at Walker's Point. It's worth a drive along Ocean Avenue to see how the top .1% live in their summer homes.  The town itself is filled with Indy shopping opportunities. It's quite touristy, but at the same time, the shops are very unique and are stocked with work of local artisans. But my favorite artisan? Rococo Artisan Ice Cream! Along with the Holy Donut, flavors are insanely yummy...my choice, after trying several, was Banana Salted Almond Caramel.

   Road trip to Acadia National Park, Desert Island and Bar Harbor  About three hours northeast of Portland is Acadia National Park and the quaint town of Bar Harbor.  We spent the night at the perfectly situated Grand Hotel, a 7-minute walk from the waterfront and 1.8 miles to the Cadillac Mountain entrance of Acadia National Park.  Park Loop Road offers a drive up Cadillac Mountain, the tallest on Mount Desert Island, to the most beautiful views of the area. At the top, you'll find a field of rounded off pink granite, perfect for picnics and energetic children. Another stop we made was Jordan Pond, which has a fantastic restaurant with a view of Bubble Mountains, a wonderful gift shop, and popovers that melt in your mouth. There is also an easy flat hike around the water, good for families.
     For our hike, we chose a moderate trail up Gorham Mountain. Hiking over the rounded mounds of pink granite was challenging enough for an afternoon hike with rewarding views on the way to the top. I hiked in tennis shoes, but it would have been a lot more comfortable with my hiking boots! I recommend this hike for agile hikers with no balance issues. We also stopped at the Asticou Azalea Garden for a walk through this beautiful Japanese garden of tranquility. Although the garden is not actually a part of Acadia National Park, it's definitely worth a visit.

    Our favorite meal of the trip was in Bar Harbor at The Blaze. The choice of beers and cider is beyond generous, and our waiter, Dylan, went above and beyond to find a beer for everyone's palate. The scallop tacos were divine, and the poutine, a messy mound of fries, cheese curds, and gravy, were as good as any I've had in Quebec.  The best fudge in town was at The Acadia Country Store. So many flavors to choose from!! Perfectly smooth and irresistable!  Worth every calorie.

    Traveling is such a joy when you get to discover new things and new places, and Maine is on just about everyone's bucket list of places to go.  Traveling with people that you love and adore brings a whole new dynamic to any trip. We will talk about our New England adventure for years to come, always with fond memories of stunning natural beauty, both in each other and in Maine!

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