Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park offers plenty of hiking trails, including the one that goes up and over scenic Cadillac Mountain. Echo Lake has sea and lake beaches, but note that the North Atlantic waters off Maine are quite cold even in summer. The 45 miles of old carriage roads in this park are ideal for mountain bikers. The only accommodations within the park are campgrounds, so those not looking to rough it would do well to stay at a hotel or quaint bed and breakfast in the nearby resort community of Bar Harbor. The Bar Harbor marina is a good place to go for sailing, boating and saltwater fishing, and the local waters offer sea kayaking opportunities.
Acadia National Park
P.O. Box 177
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207) 288-3338
http://www.nps.gov/acad
Baxter State Park
If you want to vacation in the vastness of a deep forest, or take in the rich autumnal colors of Maine, go to the 200,000 acres of Baxter State Park in the northern highlands of Maine. The park is home to Katahdin Mountain, a collection of peaks, the highest of which is Baxter Peak at 5,267 feet. Katahdin serves as the northern end of the Appalachian Trail, and the park itself is home to over 200 miles of hiking paths. Katahdin is also a magnet for climbers. There is no lodge at the park; the only accommodations are camping out. Accommodations may be found in the nearby town of Millinocket.
Baxter State Park
64 Balsam Drive
Millinocket, ME 04462
(207) 723-5140
http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com
Kennebec Valley
Kennebec Valley is the place to go for whitewater rafting, rivers and creeks in summer, and for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing during the winter. You can access scenic hikes via the Appalachian Trail, which passes through the area. Autumn means gorgeous colors and apple picking. Finally, relaxing after a hard day of outdoor fun is easy at one of the three area microbreweries, followed by breakfasts of pancakes covered with delicious locally produced maple syrup.
Kennebec Valley Tourism
P.O. Box 289
77 Water St.
Hallowell, ME 04347-0289
(207) 623-4883
http://www.kennebecvalley.org
Article Written By Edwin Thomas
Edwin Thomas has been writing since 1997. His work has appeared in various online publications, including The Black Table, Proboxing-Fans and others. A travel blogger, editor and writer, Thomas has traveled from Argentina to Vietnam in pursuit of stories. He holds a Master of Arts in international affairs from American University.
