Off the Maine Road

Category: Places (Page 2 of 2)

Acadia National Park: Where Dreams Come True

January 19, 2015 /

I created Off the Maine Road with a vision to instill a journey in my readers. This is a journey through the Pine Tree State. This is a journey where dreams come true, and here’s where the magic happens.

We’ve travelled very far since we started this journey in Kittery. We’ve left I-95 in Bangor, and are now traversing Route 1A into Ellsworth. Finally, we have taken State Highway 3 into Mount Desert Island. It is the 6th largest island in the contiguous United States, and 52nd largest in the entire United States. Mount Desert Island has an area of 108 square miles, most of which is occupied by Acadia National Park.

It can be said that Acadia National Park is Maine’s crown jewel…and it certainly does not disappoint the 2.5 million tourists who visit the park each year. The park is also host to a running camp based out of Bar Harbor in July. In this post, I’ll focus on Bass Harbor-a small fishing village in the southwest corner of the park. It also has a lighthouse, which was automated in 1974 but is still home to a Coast Guard and his family. Camping is a prominent activity in Acadia, so Bass Harbor Campground is the place to go. Just pack your L.L. Bean camping gear (more on that later) and head out to the harbor!

Cadillac Mountain is located in the center of Mount Dessert Island, and is the highest point on the island. It has gained the title as the place to see the “nation’s first sunrise.” Well I’m here to prove to you that it’s not true. According to a detailed analysis in the 1972 issue of Yankee Magazine by Blanton C. Wiggin, Cadillac Mountain only sees the first sunrise from October 7 to March 6, when the sun rises south of due east. Most of the time the sun rises first in Mars Hill to the Northeast. In addition,  the first sunrise in the U.S. is seen at West Quoddy Head in Lubec, (the easternmost town in the United States) for a few weeks around the equinoxes.

On the day when I went up the mountain to see the “first” sunrise, clouds and fogged infiltrated the area, which made for a desert-type look. The next day I ascended the mountain, only to find the same weather conditions. It is said on a clear day, one can see Mount Kathadin, Maine’s highest peak, but I did not have such luck. Maybe next time.

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A disappointing sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain.

 

I’ll probably talk about this more in a future post, but Bar Harbor is a must-visit place. In addition to having one of 4 Cool as a Moose locations in Maine, Bar Harbor (or Baa Haa-baa as some call it) also features Ben & Bill’s, with their extensive chocolate selection and signature Lobster Ice Cream.

Cool as a Moose in Bar Harbor.

Cool as a Moose in Bar Harbor.

Acadia National Park is one of the many reason why Maine has a special place in my heart. (And it’s apparently also why GMC named an SUV after it). However, the places I described in this post are just the tip of the iceberg. Go to Visit Maine’s Acadia page and check out all of the other cool things you can do Downeast!

Check out the slideshow of pictures I took from Acadia below.

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Are You Adventure Bound?

January 12, 2015 /

We’ve moved way North in our Maine adventure, all the way to the North Woods. We’ve moved from the coast to the mighty Kennebec River. But I promise you…the long car ride was well worth it.

The moose tracks lead us to Caratunk, a small town with a population of just 69 people. Well why did I bring you here? Enter Adventure Bound. Its mission is to create “Maine’s finest youth and family adventures.” There are many activities you can do on their premises, but the main reason to trek up to this secluded town is for the whitewater rafting. It’s both perilous and quite exhilarating at the same time. Adventure Bound has top-notch facilities, from its cabins to a delicious breakfast every morning. On the day that we went rafting, we were given a quick safety briefing, and loaded vehicular transportation to take us up the river by the Harris Station Dam. The Kennebec River is dam-controlled, and this particular dam supplies power to locations as far as Boston! We were told that we would be rafting 12 miles down the river today, with a break in the middle for lunch. The morning rafting was indeed more eventful, as the largest rapids were located in that section. (For more information about Kennebec whitewater rafting and classification of rapids, visit this link). One of the most memorable rapids was called Magic Falls, as its descent ratio of approximately 5:1 (every 5 meters forward, you would go 1 meter downward) makes it quite daunting. After a few more scenes where our lives flashed before our eyes, we stopped at a place along the river bank with only a staircase in plain sight. We then walked up the countless amount of stairs only to be met by two pickup trucks carrying buckets of food. Man, these guys run a smooth operation (in sharp contrast to the roughness of the rapids)! We carried these buckets of raw steaks, salmon, chicken and veggie burgers (don’t forget rice!) all the way back down the stairs and back into the rafts. Shortly thereafter, we “docked” the rafts at a secluded spot along the river, with nothing but a metal fire pit and a log for a bench. The guides immediately got to work and whipped up quite a fantastic lunch. I’m not kidding when I say this, but it was one of the best lunches I’ve ever had. Your choice of freshly grilled steak, chicken, salmon or a veggie burger served with fried rice and a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. It was absolutely incredible.

The afternoon consisted of floating in inflatable kayaks, and just simply drifting down the (slightly freezing) but peaceful river. Finally, we pulled the boats out of the water and headed back to Adventure Bound for an evening under the stars. All in all, it’s was quite a well-coordinated operation by every single member of the extremely friendly Adventure Bound team, delivering the signature Maine hospitality (more on this to come in a future post).

Ok, I’m running quite high on my word count. If you’re in the mood for a fun, adventurous way to spend your weekend/summer/beginning of school activity, Adventure Bound may be the place for you!

I’m Adventure Bound. Are you?

(Note: You may notice that in the above gallery, there are absolutely no pictures of the actual rafting experience. This was because at the time, Off the Maine Road did not possess such sophisticated waterproof photography equipment. However, Adventure Bound had us covered. Guys in inflatable kayaks showed up at random locations along the river, taking pictures of us. It honestly felt like the paparazzi. Literally 20 minutes after we arrived back at the lodge, they had a slideshow full of pictures and videos from the day’s trip. They’re crazy efficient.)

New Beginnings at Kittery

January 4, 2015 /

Hello again! Happy New Year!

Off the Maine Road has been on vacation for the past two weeks, but we’re ready to bring you more exciting posts!

In the spirit of the New Year, I thought I would devote this post to talk about Kittery. When one crosses the border from Portsmouth, New Hampshire into Maine, the first place that they see of I-95 is Kittery. It’s a new beginning in one’s pilgrimage to Vacationland. Indeed, Kittery is the first blast of Maine goodness one gets when entering from the South. It’s a small town that if you’re in the mood for a detour (or a bathroom break!), it’s worth the visit. Beaches, cobblestone streets and a lighthouse are what makes this town “The Gateway to Maine”. Two of the best spots there are the Kittery Trading Post (in order to get stocked up on all your outdoor equipment) and Robert’s Maine Grill, if you need to get that first bite of lobstah in preparation for many more.

Although not in Kittery but just outside, Flo’s Hot Dogs are a must(ard)-eat (see what I did there?). It definitely has a real cult following, and is only open during lunch hours. Its house-made relish is available in various locations across the state.

(Tip of the hat to Barbara N.)

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The “Welcome to Maine” sign on I-95 around Kittery. Photo taken from Flickr and used with permission.

Well, that’s it for now. I hope to get back into the swing of things and start digging deeper into the Pine Tree State’s must-visit places. Please remember that any suggestions are welcome, so please fill out the form on the “Contact” page!

Camden Hills: Coastal Sightseeing at its Finest

December 15, 2014 /

You may notice that this blog has been following a linear track up Route 1. First Portland, then Freeport and Brunswick, and we have now arrived at our next destination on our whistle-stop tour of Maine’s coast: Camden. I describe many towns in Maine as quaint, and Camden is no exception. Main Street is teeming with shops and small restaurants (and an active harbor), but I would like to take a quick look at shop selling frozen treats. Throughout my travels in Maine, I have had the opportunity to sample many different ice cream shacks. On this blog, you will hear about many of them. Camden has its own clear winner on the ice cream front – River Ducks Ice Cream. It’s a simple shop in a quaint town – just the way people like it.

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River Ducks Ice Cream in Camden.

All that aside, I would like this post’s focus to be on Camden Hills State Park. Located slightly outside of the Main(e) thoroughfare (I know…too many puns), the Park (as its name suggests) is on a hill. One of the camp’s primary features is a pristine campsite, suitable for both tents and RVs. However, the signature place to be in the park is atop Mt. Battie, with a 26-foot tall stone structure. This was originally constructed in 1921, and designed by Camden summer resident, Parker Morse Hooper. A plague in front of the tower reads: “In grateful recognition of the services of the men and women of Camden in the World War, 1914-1918.” One can still climb this tower, and after reaching the top of the spiral staircase, the views are incredible. To quote the old Broadway musical:

“On a clear day, you can see forever.”

This quote is certainly true from Camden Hills, as the views are endless. Camden, Penobscot Bay, Isle au Haut, even Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park – you name it, it can be seen from Mount Battie.

This little gem on Route 1 (basically Maine’s equivalent to Route 66) is definitely worth the detour (Off the Maine Road…get it?) on your trip up to the ultimate pilgrimage site: Acadia National Park. But more on that later.

Structure atop Mount Battie, which visitors can climb.

Structure atop Mount Battie, which visitors can climb.

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Penobscot Bay from the top of Mount Battie.

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The town of Camden from on top of Mount Battie, with its working harbor.

 

The Old Port: A Peek into Portland’s Past

December 2, 2014 /

I thought I would start this post with a brief lexicon for non-Mainers.

Portland – the largest city in Maine. An active shipping port for lobster, hence the name. (Oh, and did I mention that it’s on land?)

The Old Port – a district of Portland, Maine, known for its cobblestone streets, 19th century brick buildings and fishing piers. (Source: Wikipedia).

That’s all you need to know for now. So let’s dive into why this small area has become one of my favorite places in Maine.

I like lists. So I’m going to list the top 10 reasons why The Old Port is the best place to visit in Maine. (Reference to The Late Show with David Letterman.)

  1. You get to walk around feeling like you’re in the 1800s. How cool is that?
  2. Let’s go back for a second. You can walk. No need for Uber (although there is Uber in Portland), just your own two feet.
  3. You can take a ferry and explore islands such as Peaks Island and Great Diamond Island.
  4. There’s a crazy festival at the beginning of June where you can savor food, enjoy live music, and even ride a ferris wheel.
  5. There’s hibachi and sushi at Fuji Restaurant. And it’s pretty darn good.
  6. It’s the perfect stop on the way to Freeport, Brunswick, or Acadia. Or if you’re stopping on your journey south, you can have a bite to eat before heading towards Kennebunk and Kittery.
  7. There’s Cool As A Moose, one of 4 locations in Maine. What are the other 3, you may ask? Well, there’s Brunswick, Freeport, and Bar Harbor. (Good trivia question, by the way). I’ve had the privilege to visit 3 of them – Brunswick is still on my to do list. And of course, there’s a Life is Good shop as well, because who dares to despise a store with the main focus of happiness?
  8. There’s the Flatbread Company, which is known for their thinly-crusted goodness.
  9. It’s the home of the Portland Sea Dogs, at Hadlock Field. Enough said.
  10. There’s not one gelato place, but two. (Read more about the “Gelato Wars” here.) For the past couple years, Gelato Fiasco (my personal favorite – more on this to come in a future post) has risen to become a gelato superpower, extending their empire from their flagship store in Brunswick. There’s also Gorgeous Gelato, if you want to sample more than one serving of this Italian treat. (I once told a friend who was visiting Portland to head to Gelato Fiasco as a must-visit place. Sure enough, they stopped at Gorgeous Gelato and settled for their frozen delicacy. We spent the next few months recreating the “Gelato Wars,” basing our arguments on articles like the one above.)

 

The greatness that these 21.31 square miles of land has cannot be contained in a single blog post. So, there will definitely be more of the different attractions in this classic Maine city!

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Cool As A Moose in Portland.

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