Day 6: Bar Harbor, Maine

Mount Desert Island Island offers such a variety of attractions / activities that you will probably have to leave some things for your next visit! Here are some of your choices for the day:

If you are an early riser you can treat yourself to the experience of sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain. At 1,530 feet this is the highest point on the island and the place first touched by the sun in the United States during much of the year.

Drive the Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park. This is the park's premier attraction. The 20-mile road will give you a feel for the lay of the land. Stop frequently and leave your car behind while you explore trails and coastline. Don't miss Thunder Hole, a shallow ocean-side cavern into which the surf surges, compresses, and bursts out with explosive force and concussive sound. You will find yourself applauding nature's "thunderous" concert.

If hiking is your passion, we recommend the Dorr Ladder Trail or the easy lowland hike around Jordan Pond. At the north end of Jordan Pond, consider heading up the oddly symmetrical mounds of rock called The Bubbles. If you time it right you can enjoy a delightful teatime with oversize popovers and a pot of tea at the Jordan Pond House. (Teatime is 2:30-5:30 P.M.)

Acadian Whale Watcher will delight you with a 3 ½ hour whale-watching cruise if you are visiting June - mid-October.

Whatever you choose for your day on Mount Desert Island, be sure to include a feast of Maine's famous boiled lobster served ocean-side at one of the several lobster pounds. The best places are those right on the water, where there is no pretension or frills. We recommend Abel's Lobster Pound on Rt. 198, five miles north of Northwest Harbor. Then it is just a short drive over to Wildwood Stables (Park Loop Rd., near Jordan Pond House) for a romantic sunset ride in a traditional horse-drawn carriage to the summit of Day Mountain.