I like Milbridge. It is 45 minutes north or south of (on Route 1) of the nearest McDonald's or…read moreDunkin Donuts. There are a few decent places to get a bite, a national wildlife preserve, plenty of house rentals, good lobster availability, and a municipal pier from which you can launch a boat for free. There is even a lobsterman than will (for a fee) take you out to see the puffins on the Petit Manan Lighthouse island or out fishing. If you are a Bar Harbor type, this is NOT the place for you.

Willow knows her way around the forest! In our foray on Mt Desert Island we found and identified a…read moreton of mushrooms and got to take home the ones that were edible. Willow showed us what to look for and in no time we started seeing fungi literally pop right at us. We learned a lot and would not hesitate to go on another mushroom hunt with her!

I have wanted to forage for mushrooms for a good while and was so happy to learn that Willow gives…read morethese tours on MDI. She knows her mycology and also the ins and outs of what one might find on MDI at different times of the year. Willow was very flexible about where we would forage, so we went out on my property. Within steps of crossing in front of the house we found our first edible mushrooms! With her coaching, our eyes started to focus on what to look for. She clearly explains why particular mushrooms are found in different settings (relating it to the nearby trees, usually). The whole experience was fascinating and I learned a lot. Magical! Willow is the best! Highly recommend.

Welcome to the home of 300-ish full-time residents. This number grows to 1,000 during the…read moresummertime due to all the visitors looking to "get away from it all." They choose wisely as this little taste of heaven allows you to do exactly that. There is one food market that has enough basics to get you by in a pinch. The town library has wifi, computers, DVDs, a respectable selection of books, and a popcorn machine that's used on movie nights. Several nick nack shops are available to satisfy your souvenir craving. You have one place to get gas @ the Fisherman's Co-Op, but be prepared to spend $6.00/gallon. There are several ways to get lobsters, but you'll quickly learn that the best way to seal the deal is to order them fresh from The Island Market & Supply (TIMS), who will prepare them for an extra $1 per lobster. The main industry is computer chip manufacturing (kidding)....it's lobsters of course, and there are approximately 40 lobsterman who make their living doing so. The permanent residents are generally older, but there are families with younger children who live here. One elementary school provides their education up through 8th grade; afterwards, they must take the ferry each school day to attend 9-12th grade in Bass Harbor. The weather is warm in the summer days and cooler in the mornings and evenings. Wear thin socks to bed. I've never seen any house with an attached HVAC unit, but window fans abound. Winters are cold and snowy. Oil heat is the common denominator here. Wear thick socks. Thank you Colonel James Swan of Fife, Scotland, for purchasing this island during the 18th century. You made it possible for folks like me to enjoy the fruit of your investment.

You know how you make travel plans and all the information say "cool", "hip town", "artsy", etc? So…read moreyou make your plans and drive through middle America and get to it. But something about once you hit the state, you're unexpectedly and happily surprised. Even as we drove past the New Hampshire line into Maine, the whole state is pretty cool. Even tin-colorful roofs on top of century-old farmhouses seem cool. And I don't mean trashy. Forget about Antique/Book stores and large sculptures off the main road- there were so many- we lost track of them. I kid you not- the moment we left NH and into Maine, it felt like we literally walked into a freezer because it was cold AF (compared to the mild weather I left behind in NY). I would imagine Bar Harbor is an interesting town peak season or even off-peak in late summer. But we seriously wanted to get out of NY for my Spring Break. And since we visited beautiful Ogunquit in Summer of '20, this time, we wanted to explore the woods and capture northern Maine. When we do return, I'd rather hit Mt. Desert Island's Southwest Harbor or Bass Harbor areas as they're a bit more rural, still get that intense coastline BUT away from the town and..... people. Lots of Art Galleries, gift shops, people are super friendly and LOVE to talk to you. Tons of restaurants- however many are closed during March and don't open til April or May. On our first morning at 10:30, the area looked like a Western movie and only thing missing were the tumbleweeds rolling down the desolate streets. Maybe it was good that we wanted to get away from the crowds- but damn... I didn't think restaurants would go with them too! So they say- and from what you can find online, it looks like this place could be seafood pleasure-seeker heaven. But beware for those who dare to venture outside of the "season". Food pleasure-seeker heaven? Not so much and you're bound to end up selecting the best of the not-so-best. So be prepared to either plan ahead, search for a LONG TIME on Yelp, BYOF(Food) or- do the best you can- ESPECIALLY if you come during off-season.

Bar Harbor, Maine is a wonderful little seaside town. It's nestled right next to Acadia National…read morePark. I was visiting Acadia a few weeks ago for an extended weekend getaway. After hiking and touring Acadia during the day, I came over twice to Bar Harbor afterwards for dinners. There's plenty of local restaurants here offering iconic Maine seafood flair and more. Along with walking the charming streets and hanging out by the pier, spending time in Bar Harbor was the perfect way to conclude my evenings. Two restaurants where I had dinner were the Thirsty Whale Tavern and Side Street Café. Both places had plenty of reviews on Yelp and received positive comments. Also, both eateries had similar themes offering casual, traditional, American food. Prices at the restaurants were pretty standard for anyone. I did have an opportunity to hang out in Bar Harbor during the daytime as well. I got real lucky with the weather and had picture perfect sunny days that lent to ideal settings for browsing around and exploring. This was a nice way to divide up my time taking a break from all the hikes I was undertaking at Acadia. Btw, Acadia is a 5 minute drive away from Bar Harbor and reception works fine in the area using GPS on your phone to navigate around. I'd like to mention one of the BEST HIGHLIGHTS about Bar Harbor. There's a little stroll called the SHORE PATH right next to the pier. It's a simple half mile walk each way that truly defines what this town and the Maine coastline is all about. As you walk this path, there's plenty of great scenery of the water, boats and rugged terrain of the coastline harbor all the while passing by residents' beautiful summertime mansions. This Shore Path is a terrific hidden gem and it starts right next to the Bar Harbor Inn. Don't forget to stroll the quaint streets of Bar Harbor. There's gift stores for souvenirs and trinkets like, Cool as a Moose, and homemade ice cream and fudge shops such as Ben and Bill's Chocolate Emporium. There's a small park close to the pier with grass and benches. It's a nice area to relax in, and to sit down and soak up the surroundings. Lots of tourists were taking photos from the park as you look upon the harbor. As you approach the pier, I noticed plenty of boat outings and day excursions starting from this area if you're interested in getting on the water. For myself, I was okay venturing on my own and taking pictures leisurely without doing a tour. Finally, don't forget as you walk along the pier, gaze out onto the water from the dock. For a moment I was reminded of the true essence of the Maine seashore. It was pretty soothing taking a step back, realizing how far away I was from my normal routine, having the chance to immerse myself in the rustic waterside setting of Bar Harbor.

Located in front of the local firehouse near the Gouldsboro Town Hall, you'll find this scale model…read moreof the nearby Prospect Harbor Light. Only about three feet tall, it's a perfect copy down to the windows and the shingle roof. Totally cool! "Replica of Prospect Harbor Light. Built by Bill Kearns and members of Naval Satellite Operations Center, Detachment Alpha. Donated to the town of Gouldsboro." It is located around the corner and down the street from the actual lighthouse. Don't miss it! There are also a few captions "When the ocean was the great highway for travel" and "Down East Lighthouses" that detail the history (past and present) and purpose of the lighthouses. [Review 14874 overall, 376 of 2021, number 57 in Maine.]

It was a rainy day in Bar Harbor so we were looking for some inside things to do. We headed to this…read moremuseum and enjoyed it. We were warmly greeted upon entering. It's a donation museum, so chose your entry fee to support the work here. Students built the dioramas and they were very well done. They depicted the animals in action whether it was hunting, flying, or eating, the dioramas gave a life like view of animal behaviors. There is also a touch tank which gives you an up close and personal experience with clams, starfish and even a crab. A few stations allow you to feel the fur of different animals. We learned several new things and enjoyed the artwork of the students.

We are from Michigan and thoroughly enjoyed walking the bog. It's good exercise and just the right…read moreamount of walking to make it fun. Only thing I would change is to either walk earlier in the day or later in the day. We unfortunately picked the middle of the day and it was extremely hot. Would definitely do again.

Drive out of your way to come here!! It will be a highlight of your visit to Maine. Amazing bog…read morewalk! I was stopping constantly and commenting out loud, "oh wow," or "oh my god." It's accessible for all, too! Just stunning.

We thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to this village that features a beautiful harbor bustling…read morewith lobster men departing and returning with their catch. There was not an overabundance of restaurants due to off season closures but you won't starve either. I stopped in a few galleries and enjoyed the mini village with doll sized buildings as well as the Stone Cutter monument. Each day I took one or more walks around town discovering more historic buildings, piers, galleries, a granite museum, opera house and scenic vistas of the harbor. Lodging is limited, but the Inn on the Harbor was outstanding both for its setting, hospitality and breakfasts.

I love this small island town. Stonington is a small quaint…read moretown that has a teeny tiny Main St. Yes, it is really called Main Street. It's located on Deer Isle, a large island connected to the mainland by a large bridge. There is something amazing about approaching it. Like it takes you back in time- well it sure as hell does for me since my cell phone (AT&T) had VERY limited service. So this is how I can disconnect from the rest of the world. Anyway, the town has a small strip of stores at its southern point, where you can connect to Isle Au Haut with a ferry. There are a few restaurants, stores, and a tiny museum in the main part of town. I suggest checking out Ames Pond, which is not far from Main Street during the summer between 9:30-2:30. Lily flowers bloom then and make for great photos.

On a very small plot of "downtown" every summer the town places Everette Knowlton's (1901-1978)…read morehandcrafted small scale village of freestanding structures. Modeled from a picture of the "perfect village" beginning in 1947. Following his death, the actual residents of Stonington each safely house one of the modeled structure through the winter, then each Summer Season they are put back on display on a small plot of park land along Main Street. We enjoyed watching a couple of families and the young'ns walk the miniature "grassed" streets. Each child couriousily kneeling and peeking insides and each with a comment or observation. Very cute, in fact, so cute, we had to do the same when the little giants cleared out - leave the Little Village and it's Villagers safe and sound.

I knew there was a giant Paul Bunyan statue in Bangor. I had no intention of making a special…read moretrip, but it turned it was a mile away from where we had lunch and it was generally in the direction we were traveling. If you find yourself in that situation, you may get 4 Star enjoyment out of looking at the Paul Bunyan statue. I'm no PB expert, but it seems consistent with images I've seen. Based upon quick internet research, it seems to be tied with Portland, OR for the second tallest PB statue in the US. The tallest is 49 feet and is in Klamath, CA. I've got to downgrade one star for the absence of Babe the Ox.

We just drove by. A fun sight in Bangor but parking can be challenging since he faces a busy street.read more