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Things To Do
Actively Seeking The Sun
As the dawn breaks on another year, it might be the perfect time to start dreaming of a fresh adventure for 2025. My husband and I started planning the trip we took this past fall with a cycling group to Acadia National Park in Maine about a year before it happened, and it was worth the wait. We were reminded that one of the greatest joys of traveling is connecting with others. I’m excited to share about the places we went with you — and I hope it will inspire you to start planning a trip, whether it’s to Maine or another place on your bucket list.
Two things led us to choose this destination. I was inspired by my book club’s selection of On The Trail by Conor Knighton, which highlighted features of our national parks. Turns out Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park is known as the spot where one can first see the sunrise in the United States. That sounded amazing.
In addition, since my husband’s retirement last year, we have taken up cycling together. We came across an opportunity with Vermont Bike Tours to see Acadia and Bar Harbor over five days on bicycles. Sign me up!
Of course, all the sites I’ll share with you are available and accessible all on your own if that’s your preferred way to travel. Always be sure to check the National Park website for up-to-date information and to see if you need to make reservations for any of the popular sites.
Our group consisted of 18 people: 12 of retirement age, a multigenerational family of six, and two local guides who shared all the insider info about Acadia and Maine. Electric bikes leveled the playing field, giving all of us an opportunity to comfortably enjoy the day-long excursions into Bar Harbor and Acadia.
Bar Harbor is a town of about 5,500 on Mount Desert Island along Maine’s Frenchman Bay, and it serves as the gateway to Acadia National Park. The town was settled in 1763 and incorporated in 1796. La Rochelle, a 1903 shorefront estate and one of the best preserved Gilded Age “cottages" in northern New England, is home to the Bar Harbor Historical Society. With three floors of exhibits, La Rochelle displays the history of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island.
The Abbe Museum in downtown Bar Harbor highlights the history of the island’s original inhabitants, the Wabanaki people. The museum encapsulates Wabanaki art, culture, and stories within its exhibits.
Bar Harbor’s Shore Path is an easy trail along the coastline of Frenchman Bay. It starts at the Town Pier, leads past the historic Bar Harbor Inn, and follows the eastern shore of Mount Desert Island, making it the perfect spot to catch the morning sunrise.
The namesake of Bar Harbor is the sandbar that connects the town to Bar Island, part of Acadia National Park. Visitors can walk across the sand and gravel path, also known as the Land Bridge, for only about two hours throughout the day, before and after low tide. Otherwise, the path will be underwater. Visitors are cautioned to know the tide schedule to avoid incurring a water taxi fee, or being stranded on Bar Island!
Acadia offers more than 125 miles of interconnected and looping hiking trails that appeal to explorers of all skill levels. To simply relax and enjoy your vacation on a scenic yet casual walk, try some local favorites that can all be reached from the Island Explorer Bus Service.
Forty-five miles of rustic carriage roads weave around the mountains, valleys, and waterways of Acadia. The roads, a gift of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., were developed between 1913 and 1940. Approximately 16 feet wide and open only to hikers, bikers, and horses, the roads are an example of broken-stone roads commonly used at the turn of the 20th century. Along the carriage roads you will find 17 stone-faced bridges.
There are many scenic and well-known stops to enjoy along the carriage roads. Jordan Pond House is a restaurant and shop where one can sit outdoors on a beautiful lawn overlooking Jordan Pond. The original
Jordan Pond House originated on this very site in 1893 when proprietor Nellie McIntire first began serving up her famous popovers. Popovers (along with a delicious full menu) remain a popular, not-to-be-missed tradition of Acadia. Jordan Pond is one of the park's most pristine lakes, with outstanding surrounding mountain scenery. Glaciers carved the landscape, leaving behind numerous geological features.
Park Loop Road leads visitors to many natural sites, all accessible by the Island Explorer Shuttle Bus or, in our case, bicycle. Thunder Hole is a naturally formed inlet. When the right-sized wave rolls in, a deep, thunderous sound emanates, and waves may reach as high as 40 feet. Nearby Sand Beach has sand made of shell fragments, formed from the pounding surf over thousands of years.
The Wild Gardens of Acadia is home to over 300 native plant species featured along interwoven paths and water features.
The crown jewel for me was Cadillac Mountain, the reason I was initially drawn to visit Acadia National Park. At 1,530 feet, this is the tallest mountain on Mount Desert Island and the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard. From October 7 through March 6 of each year, it is the first place to view a sunrise in the United States. Largely composed of pink granite, Cadillac Mountain is covered with spruce and pitch pine forests, tiny sub-alpine plants, short gnarled trees, wild blueberries, and boulders of all sizes and shapes. Reservations are currently required to make the 3-mile drive up the mountain. Fortunately, our tour group had made those arrangements. As we ascended, parked our van, and headed out over the granite rocks to settle in, we felt part of a pilgrimage, joining the many small groups of people gathered to see the rising sun.
Our final night in Bar Harbor consisted of a farewell dinner with our bike group, featuring Maine lobster, of course! This group of strangers had become friends over the last five days. As people shared their stories of what prompted them to make the trip and what they had gained from being there, we learned of retirements, health challenges, and hurricane devastation left behind. For many, this cycling trip was a personal challenge, a gift to themselves — which led to the gift of connection with each other.
Story and Photos by Patti Hartog
Today's Transitions | Winter 2024-2025
