Long Weekend in Maine: Acadia, Coastal Towns & All the things Lobster & Blueberry
There’s something about Maine in the summer that makes you want to slow down. The rocky coastline, little harbor towns, blueberry everything, vintage shops, lobster rolls, and endless ocean views.
We flew into Bangor and spent four days exploring Acadia National Park and the surrounding coastal towns, with Northeast Harbor as our home base. The trip was a mix of hiking, antique shopping, good food, art galleries, and plenty of time simply taking in the scenery.
Saturday: Arriving in Maine
We flew into Bangor and made our way toward the coast, driving through Ellsworth along the way. Naturally, our first stop had to be the L.L.Bean Outlet for a little Maine shopping.
From there, we headed to the Union River Lobster Pot in Ellsworth for our first taste of Maine seafood. We ordered mussels and a lobster roll and enjoyed a glass of wine while we waited, sitting outside overlooking the river. It was the perfect introduction to the trip.
After dinner, we continued on to our Airbnb in Northeast Harbor, where we would be staying for the next few nights.
Sunday: Jordan Pond & Exploring Northeast Harbor
We started Sunday morning with a walk to Saltwater Market for coffee before stopping at Pine Market to pick up a few things for the week.
Then we headed into Acadia for a hike around Jordan Pond. One of the highlights was stopping for the famous popovers afterward. We also had blueberry tea and chicken salad for lunch—a very Maine combination.
The afternoon was spent wandering around Northeast Harbor and popping into the local shops and galleries. A few favorites were Artemis Gallery, Isola, Shaw Jewelry, Swallowfield Stationery, where we found beautiful wood art and antiques.
For dinner, we went to the Asticou Inn and ate at Dalia’s. The food was delicious, but the martini and halibut were particular standouts. And, of course, we had to order the blueberry pie for dessert. It was so good and definitely something I would recommend.
Highlights of the Trip To Coastal Maine
Monday: Bar Harbor, Sand Beach & Bass Harbor Light
Monday took us to Bar Harbor. We wandered through Island Artisans and browsed some of the shops.
For lunch, we stopped at Terrace Grill, which has beautiful views overlooking the harbor. Their lobster roll was one of our favorites of the entire trip—definitely one to add to the list if you’re visiting Bar Harbor.
After lunch, we headed back into Acadia for a hike starting at Sand Beach. We walked toward Thunder Hole and then hiked back to Sand Beach, where we spent some time enjoying the beach and the ocean.
From there, we drove down to Bass Harbor Lighthouse. The lighthouse sitting against the rocky coastline is one of those Maine scenes that feels almost too perfect to be real.
We grabbed ice cream at Salt and then spent some time wandering through the shops in Southwest Harbor. Of all the towns we visited, we actually preferred Southwest Harbor to Bar Harbor. It felt a little quieter and more relaxed, with the same beautiful coastal charm.
That evening, we picked up dinner from The Colonel in Northeast Harbor and ate outside overlooking the harbor. It was one of those simple vacation moments that ended up being one of my favorites.
Paintings I Created in Maine
Tuesday: Cadillac Mountain & One Last Day in Maine
On our last morning, we woke up early to get a time slot for the Cadillac Mountain summit. If you’re visiting Acadia, make sure you plan ahead for this—the summit requires a timed reservation. The views from the top were incredible, with the ocean stretching out in every direction.
After Cadillac Mountain, we drove down toward the Bubble Mountains and hiked to the viewpoint overlooking Jordan Pond before continuing up toward Bubble Rock. The hike was short but definitely uphill, and the views were worth the climb.
From there, we said goodbye to Acadia and made our way toward our Airbnb in Hermon, about 15 minutes from Bangor, where we would stay before our flight home the next morning.
We stopped for lunch at The Happy Clam and made a few antique shop stops along the way. My favorite was Two Old Goats, which had the kind of eclectic mix of vintage finds that makes it impossible to leave empty-handed.
Of course, we needed one last Maine dessert, so we stopped for cheesecake at Momo’s. The restaurant is open 24 hours and operates on an honor-system payment setup, which felt like such a charming little road-trip discovery.
We grabbed pizza for dinner and brought it back to the Airbnb, where we ate overlooking the dock.
My Favorite Parts of Maine
This trip was exactly the kind of escape I had been craving: a little adventure, a lot of beautiful scenery, and plenty of time to wander without a strict agenda.
My favorite parts were probably the quieter moments—the glass of wine overlooking the river on our first night, wandering the shops in Northeast Harbor, blueberry pie at Asticou, hiking around Jordan Pond, discovering Southwest Harbor, and ending our last night with pizza overlooking the water.
If I were to do the trip again, I’d spend even more time in Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor. Bar Harbor was beautiful and definitely worth seeing, but I loved the slower pace and local charm of the smaller coastal towns.
And, of course, I would happily return for another lobster roll, blueberry pie, popover, and hike through Acadia. Maine, I’ll be back.
My Packing List
