A Leisurely 4-Day Journal of Acadia, Maine

Maine truly lives up to its reputation as "Vacation Land"! Acadia has great food, fun places to explore, and some of the best scenery in the East—it’s just so delightful! 😊 🏠 Accommodation Highly recommend Acadia Cottages! Tucked away in a wooded area of Southwest Harbor, it’s a 10-minute walk or less from the town center. The place is quiet, spotlessly clean, and cozy. A studio costs around $200 per night, and you can book directly by searching for their official website on Google. It’s run by a friendly couple—they even help with starting a fire if you need it! 🏕️ 🍽 Restaurants & Supermarkets 🦞 Thurston's Lobster Pound: They pick and cook the lobster fresh on the spot. A 3lb jumbo lobster is about $50, with tons of meat that’s incredibly delicious—totally different from what you find at metro supermarkets. 5/5, highly recommended! 🦞 🛒 Hannaford Supermarket: The largest supermarket on the island, with regular prices. Grab a blueberry soda and Fox chips—plus, their $10 lobster roll is such a steal! 4/5, great value! 💰 🍔 Rodick's Takeout: Their lobster burger is super filling, and the sandwiches are tasty too. 4.5/5, a solid choice! 👍 🍕 Colonel's Restaurant and Bakery: Their seafood pizza is amazing—the seafood pairs perfectly with the cheese, and the seasoning is spot-on. It might get a bit salty or greasy if you eat too much, though—pair it with a margarita for balance! 4.5/5, worth trying! 🍹 🍟 Eagles Nest Restaurant: My partner was dead-set on having fried clams, so we tracked this place down on a Sunday. Their lobster roll is also delicious and hearty—only downside is no freshly steamed options. 4.5/5, nice find! 🦪 🫐 Bonus bites: The blueberry pie is moderately sweet—pair it with coffee for a perfect breakfast! Their popovers have a simple taste but feel so special, especially with the "sunset band" (local old-timer band) playing in the background—it totally gave me a renewed zest for life! The blueberry kombucha tastes like sparkling wine—I regret not bringing a few dozen bottles back with me! 😭 Itinerary 1️⃣ Day 1: Departed from Montreal heading to Acadia. After leaving Sherbrooke, there are no big cities or highways until Bangor—you can’t drive fast, and cell service is spotty, but the scenery makes up for it. We stopped in Stratton for lunch, passed a tiny lavender farm in Newport, picked up some supplies at Hannaford, and then took the ferry to the island. 🚗 2️⃣ Day 2: Perfect weather! We hiked Beehive Mountain, wandered around Bar Harbor, and soaked up the sun while eating blueberry ice cream. In the afternoon, we walked across Bar Island during low tide—it was so relaxing. We even got lucky with a last-minute spot to drive up Cadillac Mountain at 5:30 PM, where we took in the stunning views of the blue sky and ocean (so lucky—these next two days were cloudy!). It was a perfect day! ☀️ 3️⃣ Day 3: Visited the iconic lighthouse—parking is limited, so go early! Even on a cloudy day, the Japanese garden is beautiful in summer; it must be even more photogenic on a sunny day. In the afternoon, we hiked Jordan Pond + South Bubble—no difficult terrain, but walking through the misty forest was such an immersive, fun experience! 🌫️ 4️⃣ Day 4: The fog lifted just in time for us to hike the Ocean Path—we walked from Thunder Hole to Otter Point and even sat on the rocks to sunbathe for a bit. The fog rolled back in as we headed back—talk about good luck! We set off around 2 PM and got back to Montreal by 9 PM. 🌊 For now, only travel can heal my worn-out mind. Hoping this little boost will get me through the busy lab work and funding season! 💪 #InternationalStudentTravel #WorkingHoliday #MontrealDayTrips #PhDStudentLife