Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park was our goal on this trip.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard about Acadia for years and it’s long been on my list of places-to-go.  Our first day was rainy and foggy.  It seems like Maine should be like that, so it wasn’t a real problem. We saw a lighthouse that is still in use.  Given how foggy it was, it was definitely needed!

There’s a lot about Acadia that I didn’t know.  Yes, I knew it was it Maine, but I didn’t know it was on an island.  The island is called Mount Desert (pronounced dessert) and has both the National Park and private property.  So as you are driving around the island you are entering and leaving the park.  That also means that the island is full of shops for tourists.  They don’t seem extremely “touristy”, but it’s different.  The good news is that you are close to seafood restaurants, a brewery, wine tastings, etc.

The one thing that has surprised me was the crowds.  It turns out that Acadia is one of the top 10 most popular national parks.  We’re visiting at one of the least crowded times.  I heard summer is packed and then the crowds return for leaves.  Even now, parking lots are full. We circled several parking lots multiple times to get a parking spot.  Reservations are pretty much required for campgrounds, though we were able to get a site this time.  I had pictured private time enjoying the views and hiking.  Instead there were very few times that people weren’t around.
 

Morning walk.  It’s hard to see, but there are buoys for marking lobster pots in the water everywhere.  As you drive around, you see lobster pots stored in people’s yards.  After tourism, fishing is the main industry on the island.