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Bar Harbor Family Vacation

Our family just got back from Bar Harbor, Maine and we had a great time. The weather was absolutely perfect! It didn’t rain one single day and everyday it was in the mid 70s. Perfect weather for this pregnant mama! The car ride was less than desirable, but we made it. It took us over 12 hours on the way up and 11 hours on the way back. Let me tell you, our almost 2 year old didn’t sleep for one second on the ride home. Praise God that we made it without any major screaming fits or meltdowns (there were a few, but I wouldn’t call them disastrous). 

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We recently traveled to Maine and enjoyed a wonderful Bar Harbor Family Vacation. Read all about our favorite sights and food!

I prepared a big bin of toys and activities for Izzy before we left. It included some of her favorite books, small toys and stuffed animals. We also bought some new toys for the trip: a talking Elmo doll and a Crayola My First Touch Lights. Recently, she has become obsessed with putting her “neigh, neigh” (horse) to sleep in her blanket so that kept her busy for a while as well. By far the best thing ever, was the iPad Headrest Mount we bought so Izzy could watch movies. Her favorite is to “watch melmo” (Elmo or Sesame Street). I’ve said before I don’t love giving her electronics or screens to pacify her, but for an 11 hour car ride it was totally worth it. 

Sisters

Acadia National Park was one of the big highlights. God’s creation is so beautiful! I loved the trees, water and rocks. I didn’t do many hikes since I am 8 months pregnant, but the trails I did walk were breathtaking. My favorite was the ocean trail by Sand Beach. We were fortunate to find a hiking backpack for Izzy at a yard sale for $10. She didn’t always LOVE being in there, but it was so much easier to handle her in a backpack.

Hiking

Hiking-Acadia

We also drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain and walked around. It was a gorgeous view! Izzy needed to be in the backpack for safety reasons. As long as she had a snack she was okay. Parking was somewhat of an issue in Acadia National Park so try to go early in the morning. They also have a bus system if you prefer not to drive.

Mountain-Top

We were surprised that we didn’t see much wildlife in Maine. I was hoping to see a moose, but instead I saw lots of moose statues! We did see a few deer and lots of chipmunks, but that was pretty much it. One morning we took a boat ride on Diver Ed’s Dive-In Theater. It was wonderful and perfect for small children. Izzy got to touch lots of sea animals and we saw dolphins! 

Diver-Ed

Moose
We had lots of good food in Maine. I’m sure I gained weight, but maybe I can just blame it on the baby? One of my favorite restaurants was McKay’s. They had a great outdoor seating area and it was a relaxing atmosphere. I had the Portobello Picatta and it was delicious. We also loved the blueberry soda in Maine. If you didn’t know, Maine seems to be famous for lobster and blueberries. We did have a few delicious lobster dishes and the blueberry pie at the Side Street Cafe was absolutely delicious. I could have licked the plate. We had great ice cream at the Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream shop. I had Lemon Poppyseed and Blackberry Swirl. It was so unique and tasty. We learned this trip our daughter has an interesting palate. She typically asked for grilled cheese or chicken when we ate out, but she also enjoyed many pickles and lemons. 

Bar-Harbor
LemonsIzzy loved spending time with her Auntie Kate and Mia/Pop. Whenever she woke up from a nap she would ask “Where is Kate? Find her!” She enjoyed riding on Kate’s shoulders and pulling on her long hair. Izzy also learned how to roll down the hill by Bar Harbor (probably Izzy’s highlight of the trip). The grassy areas near the harbor were perfect to walk on and lounge on after dinner. She did great with naps and sleeping at night. I think all the walking around and rolling tired her out. Overall, we had a wonderful time in Bar Habor. It’s a great place to take a family vacation. 
Playing-with-Kate

Rolling-Hill

We recently traveled to Maine and enjoyed a wonderful Bar Harbor Family Vacation. Read all about our favorite sights and food!

Have you been to Bar Harbor? What was your experience like?  

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2 Comments

  1. Looks like a great family vacation! I don’t really like the screen time, either, but on a long trip…you gotta do what you gotta do! Our oldest went through a Melmo phase, too!

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