The Mount Desert Island Tick List

Last week saw Mum and Jim arriving in Maine again just in time for a long weekend so we headed up the coast (in fog) to Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. On the way, we stopped at the gorgeous coastal towns of Rockland and Camden, taking the time to poke around the boutiques and the wonderful Farnsworth Gallery. The gallery is home to 3 generations of Wyeth's paintings along with other artists who have at one point stopped here to be inspired by the craggy coast line.

As the name of this post suggests, we arrived on Mount Desert Island with a long list of 'must dos' so on Saturday we started to check them off, feeling much more inspired as the fog lifted and revealed the true beauty of the place.

Visit Sand Beach - check - although it will probably be too cold to swim...not for my mother (can you see the little head bobbing on the waves?) but definitely for me. Only the toes got wet!

Hike along some of the trails and see the vistas - check

Visit Bill and Ben's Chocolate Emporium for Grand Marnier ice cream - check

Visit Jordan Pond House for afternoon tea of popovers and jam - check. Popovers are basically Yorkshire puddings. An interesting combination but very yummy!

Climb Cadillac mountain (in a car, thankfully, as it was at 4:30am) to watch the sunrise over the bay - check

Bike the carriage trails around the park - 1/2 check...we walked instead. They are beautiful trails closed to cars. We headed off round Eagle lake then climbed Conner's nubble for fabulous views.

Eat Lobster at Thurstons on the far tip of the island - check. Mum's first (and I think last) full lobster experience. We ordered, practically picked the one we wanted to eat and then waited as it was boiled alive before it was  served to us in all its pink glory. Let the massacre commence...

We also walked across the causeway from Bar Harbor to Bar Island and took a mail boat ride to the Cranberry Isles. A wonderful way to spend a weekend!