When I’m scrolling through social media, I see all the destinations in the Unites States we all dream about. Hiking the Grand Canyon, driving along the coast of California, gambling in Las Vegas, seeing a broadway show in New York City, there is so much to see and do within my own country of the United States. There is so much of the U.S I want to explore that I haven’t yet, and I got to explore a whole new region with my mom and sister on a girls trip to Maine! 

Maine is a state I had never been to before, and am already dying to return! We explored through Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park and it was a dream! From the incredible hikes, lighthouses, blueberry heaven, and lobster shacks, I fell in love with Bar Harbor Maine. If you are looking for a non traditional girls weekend getaway, look no further than Bar Harbor, Maine! 

Acadia National Park

If you’re a fan of hiking, biking, and cliff side beaches, Acadia will be your best friend. This park offers a little something for everyone! While in Acadia, you must:

• Go to Sand Beach
• Drive the Loop (there are countless stops to park and explore the viewpoints)
• Rent bikes
• Eat at Jordans Pond (the only restaurant in the park- order the blueberry lemonade!)
• Hike Cadillac Mountain- This is the most famous hike in the area, it is tough but worth it! There are many different routes to get there, so just do your research!
• If you cannot hike the mountain, don’t worry! There is a road that you can take straight up to the top of the mountain with a parking lot and bathrooms up there. Many people choose to do this at sunset, which I highly recommend! Grab a bottle of blueberry wine and enjoy the sunset.
• The park is opened 24 hours a day, so if you’re up for it- drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain at 1 or 2 in the morning for the most amazing star gazing!

Photo by Angela Winsor Photo 

Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor made all of my New England dreams come true. Every corner has a cute lobster shack, adorable bed and breakfast’s, sail boats are literally everywhere, and the town itself offers the cutest mom and pop shops. From Bar Harbor, there are many excursion options like whale watching, sailing, and lighthouse tours. If you are wanting to take a trip to Maine, a stay in Bar Harbor is a must!

 

When staying in Bar Harbor, there are many options for accommodations. From the bed and breakfast cottages to boutique hotels, you have choices! For our girls weekend, we wanted to save some money and go with a more affordable option. We stayed at the Bar Harbor Regency, and it was everything we needed! It was in a gorgeous location right on the water with a heated pool, hot tub, and a pool bar. The hotel is located about 5 minutes by car to the main town. We even had a lobster shack on property down by the water! It was the perfect choice for us for under $150 a night.

Must Eat:

Everyone told us before our trip that we had to eat a lobster roll. There are countless lobster shacks everywhere you look and almost every single restaurant you’ll find yourself at, you’ll see a lobster roll option.

We had the most AMAZING blueberry cobbler at West St. Cafe. Get there early or make reservations because this place gets busy and it was our favorite spot! This restaurant is located right on the main strip in downtown Bar Harbor. There are old times ice cream shops and gift shops all around. Make sure you get some blueberry soft serve! We also had a great lobster meal at The Blueberry Patch! 

Photo by Angela Winsor Photo

Cadillac Mountain

Of all the things to do in the Bar Harbor area, hiking Cadillac Mountain takes the gold medal. It was a semi difficult hike with the most rewarding views! There are many different routes to get up to the top. Do some research before you hike to see which routes is best for you! We did the north ridge trail and thought it was perfect for us! The majority of the hike is all up hill and there is definitely some climbing, but we crushed this hike and loved the final view!

If you do not want to hike it, there is a road that leads you to the very top view point. This place is the ultimate place to watch a sunset. It is the tallest mountain in the area and we watched the clouds dance with color as the sun went down.

Photo by Angela Winsor Photo

If you need a break from all of the adventuring and hiking, take a break at the Bar Harbor winery! For $12 per person, we did a full wine tasting. They let you pick the selections of your choice and all of the bottles are there to purchase for a reasonable price. Of course, we had to try the blueberry wine! It wasn’t bad! I think I’d stick with my blueberry mojito, blueberry mimosa, or blueberry punch though 🙂

Being that our trip was surrounded by gorgeous sail boats, we had to take one out for the day! We went with Sail Acadia and had such a unique experience sailing around the harbors sipping our wine and eating cheese! Dress warm as it can be very windy!

When we were choosing our girls weekend destination, Bar Harbor wasn’t even on my radar. I had no idea this part of the world was so charmingly beautiful and different. I am so glad we explored this part of the United States and cannot wait to go back! I’ll forever remember jamming out to my favorite songs with my mom and sister in those northeastern mountains!