Our Fall Break Adventure in Maine
This October, we took advantage of Carly’s fall break and headed to Maine for a little family adventure! The trip was absolutely beautiful, full of gorgeous coastal views, delicious food, and plenty of outdoor exploring (and a few puddle-jumping moments, of course).
We started our trip in Portland and then made our way up the coast to Bar Harbor, spending time in Acadia National Park. Here’s a little recap of our itinerary and favorite moments!
Saturday – Exploring Portland
We arrived in Portland and started our day with breakfast at the hotel. We stayed at the Residence Inn. After that, we headed to Fort Williams Park to see the Portland Head Light and spent time at the Children’s Garden to let the kids run around and play. Next, we went to The Lobster Shack at Two Lights, which was the perfect spot to enjoy lunch outside with an ocean view.
That afternoon, we did some shopping, and stopped into The Holy Donut, famous for their potato donuts. Our kids love an indoor pool, so we spent some time swimming, then enjoyed a relaxing dinner at Rigby Yard, while Hayden napped in his stroller.
Sunday – Road Trip to Bar Harbor
After another breakfast at the hotel, we began our drive toward Bar Harbor (about 2.5 hours). Along the way, we made a stop at L.L. Bean in Freeport. It opens at 7 a.m., which made it the perfect early stop! We grabbed lunch at Camden Deli, which had great food, and a nice ocean view. We always love an afternoon coffee, so Ryan and I picked up lattes from Zoot Coffee, before getting back on the road.
The main event of the day was a train ride to a pumpkin patch on the Downeast Scenic Railroad. The kids loved it! Our family loves taking train rides, so we always try to find one on our trips. This one was quick, and fun for everyone!
We arrived in Bar Harbor later that day and checked into our Airbnb on Cottage Street. We grabbed dinner at Atlantic Brewing Midtown, where I’m pretty sure I had the best grilled cheese ever! It was kid friendly, and not too crowded. After dinner, we enjoyed ice cream from Jordan Pond Ice Cream & Fudge.
Monday – Acadia National Park Adventures
We started the day with a delicious breakfast at Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast, conveniently located downstairs from our rental. After that, we spent the morning on the Ocean Path Trail, taking in the incredible ocean views. We also went down to the beach, where the kids played in the sand and we saw a sea lion!
Next, we drove up to Cadillac Mountain for our reservation. Unfortunately, it was very foggy, and we couldn’t see anything, so we went back down the mountain, and enjoyed a picnic lunch.
Then, we visited Wonderland Trail to explore the tidepools. It was very rocky, but the kids enjoyed it because they were able to take the shoes off, and step in the water. They also found lots of snails! Of course, we needed an afternoon coffee, so we stopped at Saint Dreux’s for lattes. Dinner that night was at Route 66 Restaurant, which was fine, and not crowded.
Tuesday – More Acadia + A Playground
Our morning started with a hike on the Jordan Pond Path in Acadia National Park. It was a great family-friendly trail with beautiful scenery. The kids found lots of puddles to jump in, and even walked in the pond with their rainboots on!
We were planning to do a lobster boat tour that afternoon, but it got cancelled due to rough waters, so we found a playground instead, and also walked along the water. That night, we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Geddy's. We ended the trip with candy and ice cream for all!
Wednesday – Heading Home
We left early for the Portland airport around 6:30 a.m. for our flight back to St. Louis. It was such a memorable trip full of beautiful views, great food, and fun family adventures!
Maine truly exceeded our expectations. Between the coastal charm of Portland, the family-friendly hikes in Acadia, and the relaxed pace of Bar Harbor, it was the perfect fall getaway. We can’t wait to go back someday!