Celebrating eight happy years of wedding bliss, it was time once again to choose our annual anniversary travel destination. Europe and international adventures remain high on our bucket list, but this year we wanted something simpler: no airports, no rushing through security, just the open road. Having explored Vermont in past autumns, we set our sights farther east and chose Maine, home to Acadia National Park and a place neither of us had visited before.
Acadia felt like an obvious choice for the landscape photography, hiking, and rugged coastal beauty we love. It also gave us a good excuse for a two-day stop in Boston to break up the drive, a quick detour to Lewiston, ME to track down family history, and a final stop in Mystic, CT, returning to the spot of our engagement. We try to limit long drives to eight hours, and with a few extra days off, this loop gave us the chance to explore several places without feeling rushed.
In this blog series, I’ll share our day-by-day itinerary, with Boston and Acadia categorized separately. They’re very different experiences, from the energy of a historic city to the quiet, rugged coastline of a remote island. While Acadia isn’t as permit-heavy as some national parks (as I covered in our Rocky Mountain National Park series), you will need advance planning if you want the Cadillac Mountain sunrise experience.
Whether you’re drawn to the historical charm of Boston or the dramatic coastal landscapes of Maine, you’ll find lessons learned, favorite stops, and plenty of food recommendations along the way. Ever tried the Lazy Lobster?
More posts in this Acadia series are on the way. Site maps for each destination will be available in our Free Resources section, and pinned locations will match each blog post to help you plan your own Northeast road trip. The full itinerary is coming soon, so stay tuned.
This 10-Day Road Trip Series Includes:
- Days 1–2: Boston Highlights (coming soon)
- Day 3: The Drive to Acadia & First Evening on Mt. Desert Island
- Day 4: Exploring Park Loop Rd. and the Bass Harbor Lighthouse
- Day 5: Carriage Roads, Hadlock Falls, Jordan Pond House & Thunder Hole
- Day 6: Bubble Rock Trails & Otter Cliff Sunsets
- Day 7: Downtown Shopping and Seal Watching (coming soon)
- Day 8: Cadillac Mountain Sunrise Guide & the Lesser Traveled Schoodic Peninsula (coming soon)
- Day 9: Great Head Trail and Beech Mountain Sunsets (coming soon)
- Trip Prep: What to Pack for a Fall Trip to Acadia (coming soon)
