June Friday, 26
After we ate a quick hotel breakfast, we left Brattleboro, Vermont, about 7:30 and headed toward our next adventure location. It was time to head up to Bar Harbor, Maine!!
It was a long drive, but we made some fun stops along the way that were definitely memorable!
On the way into Maine, we stopped at the Visitors Center to get some quick information about the best route to take and can’t-miss stops along the way. That’s where we met Nigel, a British native who had worked in the tourism and travel industry all his life. He was so helpful and gave us great recommendations for places we needed to visit. He even gave us some free postcards!
We jumped back in the car and routed the GPS to his first recommendation: Claws, a seaside restaurant in Rockland, Maine. According to locals, this is one of the best places to get the quintessential Maine lobster roll and seafood.
Oh my goodness, was he right. I would rate my first lobster roll experience a 10/10, hands down. I haven’t seen a table of food that looked that good in a long time.
Their food came in generous portions, and the crab meat was meaty and sweet. In other words, it was perfect. Then, to make it even better, they serve it on toasted bread with warm, drawn butter. On the side, I had THE BEST Parmesan truffle fries I’ve ever had… Anna agrees!
After lunch, we continued up the road, stopping at a small coffee shop called Kiro Coffeehouse shortly after. It was a renovated house- or church-like building with beautiful natural lighting, stained glass, and great coffee.
Along the way, we passed through more small seaside towns before reaching Bar Harbor, Maine, about 4:00. The streets were tight but lined with cute shops, restaurants, and seaside inns. I loved this town and would definitely go back, but maybe stay just a little outside of town because it was definitely crowded.
Our first stop was Bar Island. This beach becomes fully submerged during high tide, but 90 minutes before and after low tide, it forms a natural walking bridge to Bar Island. We were lucky enough to catch it at just the right time. There was a heavy fog over the ocean, which definitely limited our views, but it was still beautiful and so peaceful… the seagulls agreed.
We walked back up the hill to the main area of town with the shops to get some souvenirs before heading back to the car. It’s pretty amazing how much they can fit into such a small area. Also, the weather was chilly in late June, which we all enjoyed. Being up north has been SUCH a nice break from the Tuscaloosa heat.
I ended up getting a sweatshirt and a sticker, of course.
When we got back to the car, we all decided it was time to head to the hotel and check in before getting some dinner.
Our home for the night was the Kimbrel Terrace Inn. It was an older property but very clean and well kept. We even had a balcony to watch the boats and fog roll in!
For dinner, we walked to the Nor’Easter Pound & Market next door for another fill of seafood. My mom and I split the lobster-stuffed haddock (a local fish), Anna snacked on some appetizers, and my dad had “goodness”—the lobster, as we called it. SO GOOD.
Once we finished eating, Anna and I browsed through the small store to see some fresh-caught seafood before heading back to the hotel. We needed to get some rest because our wake-up call in the morning was coming early… really early.
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