Back in 2012, my family took a vacation (in fact, our last full-family vacation before marriages, busy jobs, etc) to the coast of Maine with my aunt and uncle. We rented a house just steps from the beautiful rocky shoreline. As you read, I share why Maine's coast made my favorite US travels list.
Our Rocky Backyard
I mentioned that the shoreline was steps away out the back porch, and it was a beautiful place to be. I love climbing on rocks, so this was naturally a perfect place for me. I also enjoy finding private areas to relax alone in, which didn't take long for me to find in all of those rocks. So yes, I found the perfect little rock cut-out to hide in. My sister and I enjoyed walking up and down the coast on the rocks and seeing what pretty rocks, creatures, and tide pools we could find. (I admittedly took too many rocks home...and then discarded in our stone driveway.) It was great to see the foggy mornings and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
Picturesque Coastal Villages and Food
We drove through, biked through, and meandered through a myriad of quaint little villages along the coast. Some had strange restaurants, such as one that looked (literally) like a blueberry; others had cute little farmer's markets on a Saturday; some were so small they were just some homes and back roads and lobster cages on the piers. However, if you're a seafood fan, there's an abundance just waiting for you. I am not a seafood fan, but even I enjoyed a few tastes of clam chowder, lobster and crab. Also...just to set the record straight: the people of Maine claim that they created the whoopie pie, which is a lie - Pennsylvania totally started it first (I mean come on, who was a state first anyway? And PA's are much better). So don't be taken in by their shenanigans.
Schoodic Point
A place we decided to check out one day for some hiking and exploring, Schoodic Point turned out to have some good areas for both activities. The hiking paths were very rocky and full of unique plant life, and made for a good hike. The area by the ocean was full of lots of rocks to walk and climb around on and was, in general, a good place to stand, stare out to sea, and ponder life.
Acadia National Park
We weren't all that far from Acadia, so of course we had to go there (the rest of my family had been there before, and technically I was too if you counted in-the-womb transport, and they wanted to see it again). My suggestion, though, is to get there plenty early, before all the tourist crowds start jamming up the nice spots. We started very early because my dad wanted to see the sunrise...so we drove up Cadillac Mountain to see the sunrise and just so got there in time. It was beautiful, though photos hardly do it justice. From there, we hiked - and there were some great places for it there! We came across beautiful lakes and inlets, a giant boulder balanced on the edge of the rocks, a gorgeous coastline view, and more.
All in All...
If you enjoy seeing the coast and want to see it in a new way that's not the plain old beach you always visit, Maine's unique rocky coast is a good place to start. Even if hiking is not your thing, there are cute little towns with gift shops and antique stores and lots of yummy food. And if hiking and nature exploring is as high on your list as it is on mine, it's totally a win-win!
Our Rocky Backyard
I mentioned that the shoreline was steps away out the back porch, and it was a beautiful place to be. I love climbing on rocks, so this was naturally a perfect place for me. I also enjoy finding private areas to relax alone in, which didn't take long for me to find in all of those rocks. So yes, I found the perfect little rock cut-out to hide in. My sister and I enjoyed walking up and down the coast on the rocks and seeing what pretty rocks, creatures, and tide pools we could find. (I admittedly took too many rocks home...and then discarded in our stone driveway.) It was great to see the foggy mornings and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
We drove through, biked through, and meandered through a myriad of quaint little villages along the coast. Some had strange restaurants, such as one that looked (literally) like a blueberry; others had cute little farmer's markets on a Saturday; some were so small they were just some homes and back roads and lobster cages on the piers. However, if you're a seafood fan, there's an abundance just waiting for you. I am not a seafood fan, but even I enjoyed a few tastes of clam chowder, lobster and crab. Also...just to set the record straight: the people of Maine claim that they created the whoopie pie, which is a lie - Pennsylvania totally started it first (I mean come on, who was a state first anyway? And PA's are much better). So don't be taken in by their shenanigans.
Schoodic Point
A place we decided to check out one day for some hiking and exploring, Schoodic Point turned out to have some good areas for both activities. The hiking paths were very rocky and full of unique plant life, and made for a good hike. The area by the ocean was full of lots of rocks to walk and climb around on and was, in general, a good place to stand, stare out to sea, and ponder life.
Acadia National Park
We weren't all that far from Acadia, so of course we had to go there (the rest of my family had been there before, and technically I was too if you counted in-the-womb transport, and they wanted to see it again). My suggestion, though, is to get there plenty early, before all the tourist crowds start jamming up the nice spots. We started very early because my dad wanted to see the sunrise...so we drove up Cadillac Mountain to see the sunrise and just so got there in time. It was beautiful, though photos hardly do it justice. From there, we hiked - and there were some great places for it there! We came across beautiful lakes and inlets, a giant boulder balanced on the edge of the rocks, a gorgeous coastline view, and more.
All in All...
If you enjoy seeing the coast and want to see it in a new way that's not the plain old beach you always visit, Maine's unique rocky coast is a good place to start. Even if hiking is not your thing, there are cute little towns with gift shops and antique stores and lots of yummy food. And if hiking and nature exploring is as high on your list as it is on mine, it's totally a win-win!
Comments
Post a Comment