Cycle Maine & Acadia National Park

You'll travel by private vehicle this morning (about an hour) to the lovely harbor town of Damariscotta after stopping at Freeport, the 110-year-old home of the outdoor retail juggernaut L.L. Bean. This sleepy yet endearing town—dubbed "the oyster capital of New England"—is the ideal spot to begin riding. Today's trip winds its way east through peaceful rural roads through forested areas. Before reaching Rockland, you'll drive by the numerous "ponds" that the region is renowned for before coming to the West Penobscot Bay shore. You have the majority of the day to explore this picturesque port town at your leisure. You may take a stroll along the Rockland Breakwater to its distinctive lighthouse, check out the Maine Lighthouse Museum, or go to the Project Puffin Visitor Center. Visit the Center for Maine Contemporary Art or the Farnsworth Art Museum as well. This evening, you have free rein to savor any meal selections in neighboring Rockland.

The longest ride of the trip takes place today as you go north along Penobscot Bay's coast and occasionally inland to the town of Bucksport on the Penobscot River. Ride your bike through state parks and preserves to picturesque coastal towns like Camden, where the mountains and the sea meet, and old-world Belfast, which has recently had boatbuilding resurgence. The continual gorgeous coastal vistas, with occasional glimpses of yachts' white sails and some of the numerous islands that dot the spectacular coastline, are the real highlight of the journey. Arrive to the little riverfront community of Bucksport after crossing the Penobscot Narrows Bridge with views of Fort Knox State Historic Site nearby.

The route today is a little easier as you travel east on Toddy Pond's waterside tree-lined roads and then enjoy a mainly downhill ride to Patten Bay through the mostly empty countryside. Following the Union River from here, the landscape changes as you depart the peninsula and traverse the Mount Desert Narrows to Mount Desert Island, the biggest island in Maine.
Just 10 more beautiful miles will take you to Bar Harbor, the entrance to Acadia National Park. Arriving at our hotel will give you plenty of time to freshen yourself before taking a stroll down the charming Bar Harbor Shore Path for stunning views of the several little islands that dot Frenchman Bay. You are free to eat supper alone tonight, and if you haven't had some fresh Maine lobster yet this week (or even if you have!), here is the ideal place to do it.

Today, ride through Acadia National Park, the first national park east of the Mississippi and one of the most adored places in the country, to experience a cycling loop unlike any other. Discover the wild, rocky coast while taking in legendary sights like Thunder Hole and Sand Beach's crystal-clear, turquoise sea. Acacia is not only about the coastline though, as the views of the glacier-carved interior of the island as you ride beneath Cadillac Mountain and through the wonderfully beautiful Jordan Pond and Eagle Lake are equally breathtaking before you return to the quaint Bar Harbour

Even though your last riding day will probably be one of the shortest, it will undoubtedly be one of the best. Cadillac Mountain is renowned for being the highest point on the North Atlantic seacoast and the first place in the United States where the sun's rays strike the ground at the crack of dawn. Drive to the 1,530-foot top early in the morning to arrive before sunrise so you can enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views of the sun rising over the Atlantic. Enjoy the free-wheeling descent to Eagle Lake and follow the well-paved Park Loop Road to quickly reach the renowned "carriage lanes" and the magnificent stone bridges that John D. Rockefeller Jr. planned, constructed, and donated. Before returning to Bar Harbor after winding through the woodlands, stop at the Jordan Pond House and its breathtaking reflection across the lake, which is scattered with boulders. After saying farewell to Acadia National Park, head back to the hotel to clean yourself before taking a car back to Portland, where the vacation comes to an end.