Heading to Maine

Next week I am headed to Maine with my son, daughter and 3 dogs. We are staying in the Bar Harbor area and plan on time at Acadia. Any suggestions for good places for seafood, not the fancy restaurants. Also any good places we should see, son plans on hitting antique shops looking for old duck decoys. We are stopping at Cooperstown on the way home.

Thanks for any suggestions
Db

I have a very good friend that is a Registered Manie GuideHe has been guiding fishermen every summer for longer than I know him And that is 30 plus years now He spends his summer time in Forest City If you where thinking of doing some fishing he might be able to either guide for you or hook you up with some other guide If you are intereste let me now and I can provide his contact info.

If you have time to go out of the way a little I would suggest a tour through the Adirondacks. Adirondack museum at Blue Mountain is great.

https://www.adirondackexperience.co...erience-the-museum-on-blue-mountain-lake

Howe's Caverns is just off the interstate south of Albany, on the way to Cooperstown.

https://howecaverns.com/

Besides the Baseball hall of fame there's a boat tour of Otsego lake.

https://www.cooperstownlakefronthotel.com/boat-tours

If you are planning on staying in Cooperstown and don't have prior, reservations you probably won't get anything this time of the year. And unless you are dead set on going to the Hall of fame I would avoid Cooperstown at this time of the year.

Get off of the Maine Turnpike and Rt.1 and take the side roads to see the coastal fishing villages. There is a section of Acaidia National Park north of Bar Harbor less visited.. Drive up Mount Washington in N.Hampshire. Come down through central Vermont to see the real New England.. Go west on Rt.7 into New York. See Lake George (take a tour boat ride). As suggested the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain is a must. Also Cooperstown, the finger lakes, and Niagara Falls.

Kittery Trading Post is always fun to stop at.

Thanks for the good suggestions. W side, thanks for offer of guide for fishing, I dont think I will have enough time for that, but it got me thinking !!

Any suggestions for good seafood and lobster ?

Thanks
Db

The Maine Dinner in Wells has the best seafood chowder around. Many places to ger lobster.

X2

This guy is into the whole old fashioned day on the lake fishing experience He can provide all the fishing gear bait etc And for anyone wanting to fish the entire day his takes his cooking gear and uncooked food At lunch you go ashore and gets some heat going and cooks a full course meal One day we had pork chops a baked potato and fresh brewed coffee As long as he knows that is what you are interested in doing it it is the way the fishing for the day includes Because we have been friends we stayed at his house At least in the past he would put people up in his house Well one night he ordered lobster and clam and he made supper with all the fixings .It really is a more than one day experience I you are into a couple days of canoe fishing for bass and landlocked salmon it can be a very nice way to kick back and relax .I am not a big fisherman So the fishing was not my reason to go Havin said that the weather was really wet and dreary for July and the fishing was rather slow . But I was really glad to go .

I was in bar harbor last summer. It seemed hard to find a place that wasn’t fancy, but we didn’t look to hard since we were just there for the day. We ate at a place called “ Geddys” I believe. It was very good but cost and arm and a leg. With that being said, seemed like everything up there was expensive lol. Have fun, Maine is an awesome state.

On rt3 between ellsworth and Acadia there was a greasy spoon looking joint called Maine Luai
It was bbq and seafood.
Wonderful food and affordable.
Last summer when we were at the park, the place looked cleaned up and now called Acadia lobster house or something like that

We didn't stop cause we had reservations at an Irish pub in bangor that day.


Cooperstown ,was there today, the crowds are on the light side right now, but hearing that the weekends are almost impossible to go thru the village. As soon as schools close for summer, it will be pretty much the place to avoid until fall

I’ve lived and worked in the greater Acadia my whole life. I’m a Maine forest ranger so I patrol the area for wildfire and deal with most of the outdoor recreation laws other than fish and game which belong to the warden service. I don’t have a ton of info to offer but feel free to message me if you want my cell number should you get in any sort of messes up here. Vehicle problems, etc.The Acadia region is a blessing and a curse for us locals. It’s very busy in the summer months and most tend to avoid it from May to September due to traffic and general chaos but I know you’ll have a great time. I’d get some food at Geddys and Side Street Cafe in Bar Harbor as well as Helen’s Restaurant in Machias. If you pass through Bangor around meal time Id hit Timber Bar and Grill. Some of the best hikes are away from the flood of tourists. I’d climb the Tunk Mountain trail in Township 10 SD and hike the Bold Coast Trails on the ocean in Cutler. Both are on State if Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands property and will be an hour to an hour and a half from Bar Harbor but you’ll appreciate the top of the line hikes without hundreds of visitors around you. Downeast Adventures in Machias rents side by sides for 400ish a day and you could ride the sunrise trail for a day which has some great trail conditions and views. You’ll have a blast but don’t be afraid to bump a little north along the coast to enjoy a more authentic Maine trip.

https://thetravelinlobster.com/

Thanks again to all the suggestions. I live pretty much between Chicago and Milwaukee so I am somewhat used to dealing with crowds. This is a trip we planned 3 years ago and had to cancel due to covid. At 74 I dont know how many long trails I will be hiking

Also heading for Maine on the 16th of this month. Will be staying in Kittery. Would love to fine some old Lobster trapper and work on the boat for a day. He would have to be old and have a slower pace. I will be 81 shortly. I am more of a doer than a looker. Can't wait.

If you are going out on the open ocean for any kind of excursion, like whale watching or light house tours. Bring a heavy sweatshirt! That ocean water is 50-55 degrees and once your out of the harbor, the temperature on the boat will be as cool as the water.

Baah Haabah...is a tourist trap. The Tranny watching should be interesting anyways.

Bass Harbor south of Acadia has a couple good lobster shacks. Close enough to BH without the hustle and bustle

Eagles Nest in Brewer for seafood.

Hope you have a great time. I have not been up that way for years but I do recall Acadia state Park was awesome. The Maine coast is incredibly beautiful, you will enjoy seeing that. Lots of folks in the summer but that is to be expected.
Have fun.

Mac

Beware of very heavy traffic on Rt.1 and in the National Park. Like said,the coast is spectacular.Bar Harbor and Boothbay are tourist traps.