Acadia, Bar Harbor with a Senior Citizen in October

I will be traveling to Bar Harbor the first week of October with my mother who is 82. She is in good health but not up to a lot of walking. We are taking a driving vacation through Maine to Bar Harbor, then on to New Hampshire and Vermont to enjoy the fall foliage. Any suggestions for best way to see Acadia and surrounding area without much hiking? Are there any short, relatively flat walks with good scenery?

Also, any thoughts on how much time to stay in the area? We will fly into Boston and make an overnight stop somewhere on the way to Bar Harbor. Any suggestions on where to stay en route to Bar Harbor? Our flight will probably not get in until late afternoon. I want to drive up Maine along the shore. It is so hard to know how long different drives (like up route 1 to Bar Harbor) will actually take us.

I was thinking of staying 2 nights in Bar Harbor...having a partial sightseeing day after our drive up the shore and then one full day in the area. We want to travel leisurely so I am wondering if we should stay another night. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

THANKS!

Acadia, Bar Harbor with a Senior Citizen in October

Driving from Boston to Bar Harbor directly via highway will take at least five hours. If you take the more leisurely route, via route 1, it is hard to estimate the additional time. Except for a few exceptions, US 1 itself is not particularly scenic. The pretty views lie mostly on the roads which meander along the undulating coastline. October however will afford nice foliage views most everywhere.

There are some combinations of driving you might want to consider which would present both foliage and coastal views.

Interstate 95 to Augusta, then Route 17 to Rockland, then Route 1 onwards. OR, Route 3 from Augusta to Belfast, then Route 1.

Augusta is about 3 hours from Boston and has a few motels to choose from.

Bar Harbor itself is well seen via automobile. No hiking necessary. Driving the Loop Road, you will see falling leaves as well as seashore. Many stops to drink in the views. If it is a clear day, and you are in for an adventerous (but safe) drive, Cadillac Mountain is a nice trip.

I have seen Acadia in every season, and I think the first week of October is the prettiest.

Acadia, Bar Harbor with a Senior Citizen in October

The easiest way to see Acadia is to drive the Loop Road and stop along the way at the many overlooks and parking areas. At the top of Mount Cadillac there is a short loop walk from which the views are spectacular. The scenery is wonderful everywhere. You might stop in the Park Visitor Center on your way into Bar Harbor and get information from the rangers there.

A fun thing to do in the Park, for people of any age, is to stop at the Jordan Pond House and have tea and popovers on the lawn, or inside if it is chilly. It is a hundred-year-old tradition to eat popovers overlooking the pond and the Bubble mountains beyond. There was a time when visitors had to take a horse-drawn buckboard to the head of Eagle Lake, paddle a canoe the length of the lake, carry the canoe along an old Indian trail to Jordan Pond, signal the farmer%26#39;s wife to put the popovers in the oven, and then paddle the length of Jordan Pond to the farmer%26#39;s front lawn.

There is also a short walk right in the village of Bar Harbor called The Shore Path. It is flat and easily done. One sees the islands in the bay on one side and the mansions on the other. You pick it up in front of the Bar Harbor Inn, right on the water.

If your flight doesn%26#39;t get in to Boston until late afternoon, you shouldn%26#39;t plan on getting too far into Maine before stopping for the night. Boston traffic, even around the airport which is on the north side, is hell. Once you get out of Boston, it will be less than an hour on the interstate until you cross the Maine border. Perhaps you could stay at Stage Neck Inn in York. That would be very convenient, easy to find, and a wonderful view of the water with a restaurant on site.

When you leave York the next morning, my advice would be to stay on the Interstate until you get to Portland. That would be a little less than an hour. You might stop in Portland to look around the Old Port and have a coffee.

From there you could get on and stay on Highway 1. A straight drive through along 1 from Portland to Bar Harbor would take you about three and a half hours. But a stop in Freeport, home of L.L. Bean, and a stop in Camden might be nice. Freeport is just 20 minutes north of Portland. Camden is about two hours north of Portland.

Camden is a lovely walking town with a pretty sailing harbor, nice stores, and restaurants. Just north of Camden is a road up Mount Battie. The views from the top of Mount Battie in the autumn should be wonderful.

I%26#39;m not sure what else you are doing on your trip, but two nights in Bar Harbor might be enough. On the other hand, you could find things to do here for a whole week. There are whale watching boats and other excursions sponsored by the Park. There are two other sizable villages on the island in addition to Bar Harbor. Lots to see. Lots to do. Lots to eat.

The first week of October, Oli%26#39;s Trolley should still be operating:

%26lt;www.acadiaislandtours.com%26gt;

This is a good way to see the park (and have a narrated tour) if you don%26#39;t want to drive. The Island Explorer free shuttle system will still be operating on most routes in the park, but it doesn%26#39;t go to the top of Cadillac.

The shore path in Bar Harbor is an easy walk. Another relatively easy walk is Wonderland trail, on the southern end of the island--it is a little over a mile, round trip that takes you to a beautiful point.

Hemlock Road, accessible from Sieur de Monts Nature Center (and Wild Gardens of Acadia) is a lovely, easy stroll.

Were it me, I would take the extra day. As previously noted, you are coming at what many believe is the nicest time to be here.

I pretty much concur that the southern part of Rte. 1, until you get to about Rockland, is not that scenic, unless you want leave Rte. 1 and explore the various peninsulas. After Rocklland/Camden, the traffic also thins out a bit. Five hours and change for I-95 and add an hour for Rte. 1 (with no ';exploring';) is about right.

We are from the Des Moines area as well and planning a trip to New England in Oct. This will be our first time to New England. We, too, are flying into Boston. We%26#39;re planning on seeing some of Boston the first night, taking a whale watch tour in the morning, then drive up to Bar Harbor. Thanks to all who gave advice to IowaHawkgirll. We%26#39;ll be in Bar Harbor 2 nights, then drive to North Conway the next day %26amp; tour that area for 2 days, then off to Stowe, VT for a partial day, down to the Berkshires in Mass. and finally back to Boston.

There was mention of doing a whale watch in Bar Harbor. Does anyone know if we%26#39;d have a better chance of seeing whales in Bar Harbor or Boston?

I have never followed the whale-watching season that closely but my impression is that October is past the peak for seeing whales out of Bar Harbor. Also, depending on when in October you are coming here, the whale watch boats may be done for the year.

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