Nicole Meets Wrld

- ACADIA NATIONAL PARK - BELFAST - PORTLAND -

My first trip to the New England coastline was a truly remarkable experience. Sam and I added yet another national park to our list, marking the fourth one we've explored this year: the beautiful Acadia National Park. We also enjoyed a couple days in the Portland area exploring charming small towns, eating the most delicious seafood, and hunting for lighthouses.

Day 1 - SEASCAPE MOTEL & COTTAGES

We flew into Portland International Jetport, picked up a rental car, and drove about two hours to our first destination. We contemplated lodging accommodations in Bar Harbor (closest to Acadia), but we ultimately chose the more economical option of staying an hour away from the park, in the charming town of Belfast.

Our choice, the Seascape Motel, welcomed us with its tasteful decor and modern amenities. If we stay in the area again, I would opt for the cottages instead of the motel room for a little bit more space. It was logistically challenging to keep everything in our two large suitcases. Although our motel room was tiny, it proved decently suited for our three-night stay.

We enjoyed our first taste of seafood at Harborwalk Restaurant. Of course, I had to indulge in a Maine-style lobster roll to kick off the trip, and Sam enjoyed the Haddock fish and chips. At dinner, we found a blog detailing all the food we needed to try while in the area; Lobster rolls, blueberries, haddock, whoopie pies, maple syrup, potatoes, and fiddleheads were noted in the blog. We managed to try them all over the course of the trip, with the exception of fiddlehead ferns.

Day 2 - ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia National Park was established as Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916 and later renamed Acadia in 1929, making it one of the older national parks in the United States. Acadia was the first national park created by private land donations from citizens who were conservation-minded. It is one of the top 10 most-visited national parks with 4 million visits each year and offers a unique blend of coastal, mountain, and forest environments.

To make the most of our day in the park, we opted to drive along Park Loop Road, which offers a scenic journey through the heart of Acadia. Along the route, there were many places to visit and pull-offs to enjoy the views of the rugged coastline.

Unfortunately, the Wild Gardens of Acadia were closed due to a storm that came through before we arrived, but we still walked around the surrounding area and snapped a few cool pictures of buildings. We stopped at Thunder Hole, a rocky inlet where the waves crash with such force that they create thunderous roars. Otter Point also offers a great view of the coastline, and we stopped here for snacks and a few pictures.

Wild Gardens area

Thunder Hole

Otter Point

📸 by Sam!

We then hiked the Jordan Pond Loop, which took about 2 hours for just over 3 miles of hiking at a leisurely pace. There was an awesome boardwalk to protect some of the wetlands along the path, and you can enjoy some great views of the iconic Bubble Mountains. It was a relatively easy hike, but it still offered a challenge with the rocky terrain on the west side of the pond.

After our hike, we drove to the southwestern tip of the island to visit Bass Harbor Head Light, our first lighthouse of the trip! Its tower is perched on a cliff, and a short walking path leads to a viewing area where visitors can take in the coastal scenery.

On our way back to the motel, we stopped at Peter Trout’s Tavern & Inn. Sam had the most amazing crab cake, and I enjoyed what I think is the largest fish sandwich I’ve ever seen. We also enjoyed some local brews! An amusing tidbit Sam stumbled upon in the tavern's restroom was the age-old mystery of "over or under" resolved, thanks to the toilet paper patent's clear depiction of toilet paper rolling over the top. Kudos to the tavern bathroom for shedding light on this long-standing debate!

Bubble Mountains

Boardwalk

Jordan Pond Loop bridge

📸 by Sam

Bass Harbor Head Light

Peter Trout’s Tavern & Inn

Over or under?

📸 by Sam

Day 3 - EXPLORING BELFAST

Our third day in Maine greeted us with rainy weather, so we spent some time exploring the charming town of Belfast. Our morning began at a quant restaurant, Bell the Cat, where we enjoyed delicious coffee and breakfast. We can highly recommend the pancakes with Maine maple syrup and the blueberry French toast!

We spent some time walking along the Passagassawakeag River, affectionately referred to as the “Passy” by locals, and we enjoyed seeing the many shipyards along the coastline.

My love for supporting independent bookstores led us to a downtown gem, Left Bank Books. I picked up “The City We Became” by N.K. Jemisin, an author that Sam highly recommended. Then, we drove to Fort Point State Park to see our second lighthouse of the trip. We finished the day by driving to Camden for dinner at Sea Dog Brewing Company for delicious Haddock dishes and local brews. The Shipyard Pumkinhead Ale is, by far, the best pumpkin beer I’ve had!

Boats on Passagassawakeag River

Belfast Rail Trail

Fort Point Light

Fort Point State Park

Sea Dog Brewing Company

Left Bank Books

Day 4 - VOYAGE TO PORTLAND

On day four, we said goodbye to Belfast and made our way back to Portland with a couple of stops along the way. Our first adventure was finding Stone Broke Bread & Books, a charming downtown shop in Gardiner that showcases a delightful fusion of artisanal, naturally leavened breads and small press books. We picked up a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, and it was DELICIOUS.

Sam surprised me with another stop at unique place called Black Crow Bakery. It is located in a rustic farmhouse in Litchfield. This charming establishment operates on the honor system for purchases, so be sure to have exact cash or Venmo at the ready when you visit. We left with a tasty haul, including the most amazing chocolate chip cookies and a loaf of sesame rye sourdough bread.

All love is welcome here :)

Delicious bread from Black Crow Bakery

Sunflowers at Black Crow Bakery

We visited the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport. In front of the store stands a huge, 16-foot-high L.L. Bean Boot statue. It has become an iconic symbol of the brand and is a popular spot for visitors to take photos. One interesting aspect of the L.L. Bean flagship store is that it's open 24/7, 365 days a year.

Then we made our way to Pineland Farms, which is a working farm that also welcomes the public to enjoy its facilities. The farm is committed to education and offers various programs and workshops for visitors to learn about farming, gardening, and recreation. For me, this was an absolute trip highlight, as it seamlessly blended learning with enjoyment.

Dairy Barn

Tomato

Lettuce

Pineland Farms

Sam and Tango

Tango

Sugar House

Hugo

Educational Barn

Our chosen adventure at the farm was a cheese-making experience, something I definitely recommend. It was not only incredibly fun but also incredibly informative. It was a delightful fusion of education and hands-on engagement, making it a must-do activity for anyone visiting.

We made our way back to hotel at the Doubletree near the Portland International Jetport. Our room was super spacious and comfy! Amenities include a 24-hour shuttle to and from the airport, which was perfect for our stay since we had to return the rental car the day before our flight home. Also, I can’t forget to mention the awesome, iconic cookies! We have quickly become fans of the Doubletree hotel chain after several stays in various locations.

We enjoyed dinner in downtown Portland at Butcher Burger. This place had an awesome selection of burgers, brews, and seafood. Sam enjoyed the Hawaiian burger, and I had the lobster grilled cheese. The salt and vinegar fries were also incredible!

Day 5 - LIGHTHOUSE HUNTING

On our final day in Maine, we embarked on a lighthouse-hunting journey. First, we made a pit-stop at Speckled Ax in Downtown Portland for coffee. We also took a stroll to The Holy Donut for potato donuts to fuel our adventures for the day. A memorable incident unfolded when I was briefly chased by bees, vying for a taste of our apple cider donut. A sweetly amusing memory, to say the least!

Our first lighthouse destination was Bug Light, which is located in a beautiful park with scenic views. In addition to the lighthouse, Bug Light Park is home to the Liberty Ship Memorial. This memorial pays homage to the Liberty ships built in the nearby South Portland shipyards during World War II and provided historical context to the area and educational depth to our exploration.

Next on our list was Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, nestled on the edge of campus at Southern Maine Community College. The lighthouse sits at the end of a 950-foot long granite breakwater that visitors can carefully walk to reach the lighthouse. It quickly became my cherished favorite, thanks to its unique architectural style and the thrill of reaching it. We walked around the back of the lighthouse and enjoyed the panoramic view of the harbor.

We then visited Portland Head Light, which is the oldest lighthouse in Maine, being completed in 1791. It’s located in Cape Elizabeth, and it has a coastal setting with rugged cliffs, picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean, and the scenic shores of Fort Williams Park. It's a photographer's paradise.

Next, we attempted to visit Two Lights, but there was no parking available. We drove over to Two Lights State Park, instead, and enjoyed amazing views and listened to the smooth melody of the waves for a while before heading back to the hotel. It was the best conclusion to our vacation.