Bar Harbor, Maine

​Maine here we come! Maine was our halfway point. It was our 25th state we slept overnight in (according to the kids, it only counts if we sleep there).

Camping
We arrived in Bar Harbor Oceanside KOA around 1 pm. Traffic through Boston was not bad at all, we were pleasantly surprised! We got set up and walked around our campground, it is right on the ocean! We got there in perfect time for low tide so we checked out the tide pools. Besides being right on the ocean, this campground has a lot to offer. There are lots of activities for the kids, they offer shuttles to Acadia and Bar Harbor, and they also have a little cafe that serves snacks and lobster dinner each night! 

Acadia National Park
Acadia has been on my to-do list for a long time! This year I think Acadia was on everyone's list, it was extremely crowded! Hikes and trips had to be pre-planned and it was a little overwhelming. We booked our campground stay 7 months in advance and Cadillac Mountain summit and whale watch tour 2 months in advance. Not all of our gambles with weather worked out, but we still found a lot to do and had a wonderful time. 

Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School
​This was definitely our favorite adventure! We got away from the crowds and pretty much had the cliffs to ourselves! We rock climbed Otter Cliffs with a guide through Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School. So cool!! This was the kids first time rock climbing outdoors and they did great. Mia and Travis were pretty nervous on their first repel, but were able to do it! It was so fun to watch them work through their fears and succeed! The scenery was amazing and our guide, Ron, was so great! Ron taught our family how to make the figure 8 knots, tying into belay, and how to belay each other. So it wasn't just an excursion, it was a fun learning experience! I hate heights, but am fine if I'm on belay! Something about the security of the harness and ropes allows me to enjoy the thrill of rock climbing without hyperventilating! 

Whale Watching
I would highly recommend this tour through Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company! We got there early to make sure to get a seat outside and on the top of the boat. The weather was beautiful, however, it was pretty cold when the boat was moving. Fortunately, we were prepared for the weather. I was a little worried about the possibility of sea sickness, so I had peppermint oil handy just in case. Travis has a history of motion sickness, but all of us were fine on the boat. Not all passengers were as lucky, so I would suggest being prepared with motion sickness remedies if you have a history of it.

We ended up seeing 6-8 different whales on our trip, a shark, seals, and lots of birds. Some whales were off in the distance and we could see the blows, but others were really close to the boat! There was tons of action and it was so cool to see! The kids were so excited. At one point we had whales all around the boat and a few came up really close! I feel like we got really lucky with this action, some reviews said they didn't see any whales or maybe one at a distance. The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company gives you credit for another tour if you do not see any whales your first time. 

Hiking Acadia National Park
If you enjoy hiking, Acadia is definitely for you! There are so many trails, that it was really overwhelming trying to plan without knowing the layout of the park. The park itself is huge and on multiple peninsulas so trying to coordinate multiple hikes took a lot of pre-planning. We didn't get to do all the hikes that I had planned, but the ones we did do were beautiful!
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Beehive Trail
This trail is a little scary looking, but just know there are two ways to get up to the summit. Jess and Travis hiked the ladder trail which is on the face of Beehive. There are sections that have steep ledges and you have to climb up metal rungs on the face of the mountain. Comparing it to Devils Lake, they said it wasn't hard. They said there were a few spots I might have had a hard time (ledges and heights), but they thought I would have been fine. They were a little disappointed because of the crowds. They had to wait a lot for people ahead of them.

Mia, Willow, and I took the trail around the backside of Beehive. Dogs are not allowed on ladder trails so that is why we split up. We started at the same trailhead, but there is a spot where you split off. Mia and I thought it was a pretty easy trail, lots of rock stairs and a lot of vertical spots, but definitely not scary. We met Jess and Travis at the summit of Beehive. 

The Bowl Trail
This is a fairly easy trail. We did the Beehive-Bowl-Gorham Mountain to make it a loop, but you could do each one separately. I think it was 4-5 miles total so really not that bad to hike all three trails at once.

Gorham Mountain
This is a really beautiful hike. It would be a great beginner hike to get you ready for the ladder trails. It offers some fun bouldering opportunities and walking through the crevices of rocks and there is a beautiful summit. 

Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole is a fun spot to stop a few hours before high tide. The waves roll up into this crevice and makes a thundering sound. We never really hit this at the "perfect" time, but we did get some fun thundering sounds! You definitely don't have to hike to this spot, you can just park and walk down. Or you could do the Ocean Path and get some miles in with this as a stop!

Sand Beach
It was definitely too cold to swim at Sand Beach, but the week before it was in the 90's and probably would have felt great after a long hike! We had to stop by for a few pictures because it is really beautiful! Star gazing is supposed to be wonderful here, we just didn't have the weather or the time to see the stars from here.

Cadillac Mountain at sunrise.

Cadillac Mountain
Well our gamble of dates for Cadillac Mountain did not work out. This year you had to make reservations months in advance. This was our view from sunrise. The 4:00 am wake up was not worth it, but it's a fun story!

Cadillac Mountain at sunset.

And here is our view of sunset! The kids renamed Cadillac Mountain to Cloud Mountain! Even though it was clear at the bottom this was our view at the top! Oh well, that is the gamble you take when you have to make reservations months in advance. 

Bar Island
On this rainy day, we headed to Bar Island at low tide. At low tide the land bridge opens up and you can walk and hike on Bar Island. Just make sure to get back in time so you don't have to pay for the ferry to come and get you! 

Jordan Pond
This is a beautiful walk. The pond had some great reflections. The trail itself is pretty easy with some spots with boardwalks. The hardest part about getting to this trail was the lack of parking. We attempted to get parking multiple times throughout the week, but couldn't find parking until the last day. 

Fireworks
According to www.visitbarharbor.com, Bar Harbor’s Fourth of July has been voted the #1 Fourth of July celebration in America by the Today Show, and recognized by National Geographic as one of the top ten in the U.S.

The Bar Harbor fireworks were well worth the wait! They cancelled them on July 4th due to weather, but were able to do them on July 5th. They were spectacular!

LOBSTA!!!
Of course when in Maine, you gotta try the lobster! So stinking good! We loved The Traveling Lobsta restaurant. It was all outdoor seating and delicious food. We also bought some live lobsters one night and steamed them back at camp.