Every year, Matt and I go on an anniversary trip – some years close to home and others further away. This year was Coastal Maine and it was truly a dream! We love the North Shore in Minnesota and this trip reminded us a lot of that spot, but on a grander scale.
Before the trip, I spent time researching on Pinterest and using ChatCPT to find the best spots to stay, eat, and hike. We spent 6 nights in coastal Maine and felt like it was the perfect amount of time to explore and rest.
The main destination of our trip was Bar Harbor, ME, which is the town next to Acadia National Park. To get there, you can fly into Bangor International Airport, which is a little over an hour drive or Boston Logan International Airport which is about a 5 hour drive. We chose to fly into Boston so we could explore the coastal towns on our way up to Bar Harbor. We split up the drive by staying in Portland, ME for two nights.
On our way to Portland from the Boston airport, we stopped in Ogunquit, ME and had an incredible meal at Ogunquit Beach Lobster House. It felt like a magical moment after traveling to be watch the sunset over the water while eating lobster, clam chowder, and blueberry pie.
Portland
Hotel
While in Portland, we stayed at the Portland Harbor Hotel, which was located in the Old Port district. The location was perfect for walking to the water, restaurants, and shops.
Although there was a $45 parking fee per night, it was worth it since parking in the area is expensive and we were able to walk many places from the hotel. They also have a $35 amenity fee per day, but it can be applied to the hotel’s restaurant and bar so we were able to eat breakfast and enjoy dessert & a drink as part of the fee. There’s also a pantry located on each floor that is stocked with snacks, water, and coffee & tea so that was a nice perk as well!
Activities
We spent one full day in Portland and visited 3 of the 6 lighthouses in the area. There’s so much history in the area, especially at Portland Head Light which is located by Fort Williams Park with picnic areas, hiking, historic buildings, and ocean views.
We went during the day to walk around and read by the water and then came back at sunset as well!
The other lighthouses we visited were Spring Point Ledge Light and Bug Light.
Eats
If you’re visiting Portland, you need to go to The Holy Donut! They have 5 locations and one was right down the street from our hotel. Their potato donuts are so good and there were a lot of unique flavors to choose from!
One of our favorite meals while in coastal Maine was at Luke’s Lobster Portland Pier! We got fried pickles, a blueberry ale beer, blueberry lemonade, blueberry salad, and lobster rolls. Matt chose the lobster roll flight, which included lemon butter, spicy honey butter, & truffle butter. All of the food was amazing and it was right on the water too!
Camden
On our way to Bar Harbor from Portland, we stopped in Camden, ME. It is such a cute coastal Maine town and we loved looking at the ships and wandering in & out of shops.
Bar Harbor
The second half of our trip was spent in Bar Harbor, which is such a beautiful area. The town of Bar Harbor is quaint and cute with a small town feel.
Hotel
While in Bar Harbor, we stayed at the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel. It has a charming historic feel and is located in the downtown area with free parking. Their continental breakfast was the best we’ve ever had, which was so nice to fill up on before hiking in Acadia.
We were able to walk to The Shore Path, souvenir shops, restaurants, and an ice cream shop from our hotel.
Sunset Cruise
On our first night in Bar Harbor, we went on a sunset cruise through Acadian Boat Tours. We learned a lot about the area including the history, geography, and sea & wildlife. It was the perfect way to see the island from the water. You can bring your own snacks and beverages so we packed a little picnic which was fun.
Bass Harbor Head Light
We tried to go to Bass Harbor Head Light at sunset, but it started raining on our drive over to the lighthouse. It’s one of three lights managed by Acadia National Park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Eats
Just outside of Bar Harbor, we ate at The Happy Clam Shack. It’s a casual spot with colorful lobster buoys that serves up lobster, clam chowder, and seafood dishes.
Another incredible meal we had while in Bar Harbor was at the Terrace Grill at Bar Harbor Inn. It’s located on the water and when we went at 4 p.m., it was quiet with quick service. We got clam chowder in a bread bowl, blueberry salad, and an incredible lobster pasta dish.
Our final meal in Bar Harbor was at Blaze where we had grilled lobster and a lobster pizza.
Our favorite treat was blueberry twist soft serve in a waffle cone from CJ’s Big Dipper.
Hikes
The hikes in coastal Maine are stunning!! We loved Acadia National Park.
During our first day of hiking, we hiked the Beehive Loop and Gorham Mountain. The Beehive trail has steep granite staircases, iron rungs, and exposed cliff faces, sp it’s not for everyone, but it was worth it!
We were able to loop around to also visit Thunder Hole and Sand Beach.
On our second day of hiking, we hiked Jordan Pond Carry to Eagle Lake and Bubbles Trails Loop. It had great views, but was also quite the rocky path.
Before we left Bar Harbor, we tried to watch the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, but it was so foggy that morning and we weren’t able to see anything. We came back up the mountain around noon and got to see the panoramic view.
Kennebunkport
Our last stop in coastal Maine was to Kennebunkport on the way back to the Boston airport. We ate at The Arundel Wharf on the water and got our final lobster roll with a salmon salad and sweet potato fries. The area is picturesque and the homes were so fun to see.
