taking flight in a biplane with Scenic Flights of Acadia
downtown Ellsworth.
Look for S to find recommended sights, activities, dining, and lodging.
S Woodlawn: This treasure-filled Georgian mansion has gardens, carriage houses, and walking trails (click here).
S Kisma Preserve: Splurge on a behind-the-scenes tour of this preserve dedicated to conserving and protecting rescued and retired exotic animals (click here).
S Flightseeing: Get a proper introduction to Mount Desert Island by gliding with the hawks or getting a bird’s-eye view from a small plane (click here).
S The Great Maine Lumberjack Show: A must for kids, this show demonstrates all the old-time logging skills (click here).
The punch line to an old Maine joke is “Ya cahn’t get they-ah from he-ah.” And the truth is, you can’t get to Mount Desert Island without going through Ellsworth and Trenton.
While there are ways to skirt around a few of the worst traffic spots, both Ellsworth and Trenton have a few surprises that invite exploration. Historic homes, a grand theater, a delightful bird sanctuary, an inviting downtown, fun shops and galleries, and good dining options make Ellsworth worth more than a pit stop. Trenton, linked by a bridge to Mount Desert Island, is little more than a 6-7-mile strip of tourist-oriented businesses, but this stretch of road provides the first glimpses of the prize: the rounded peaks of Mount Desert Island.
Other pluses for the area include inexpensive lodging, an oceanfront state park with camping, and the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce Information Center location on Route 3 in Trenton. If you’re day-tripping to Mount Desert Island, you can leave your car here and hop aboard the free Island Explorer bus, eliminating driving and parking hassles.
Most people pass right through Ellsworth and Trenton, never stopping to visit the handful of sights. Ellsworth is a thriving year-round community that doubles as a suburb for people employed on Mount Desert Island. It’s also the Hancock County seat, the region’s shopping hub, and home to the region’s most traffic lights, although that’s fewer than a half dozen. Don’t expect to whiz through on Route 1, but unless there’s a major accident or construction, it’s not a major time suck. It’s also the best spot to pick up necessities or even lunch before arriving on the island. Trenton is far more seasonal, but traffic often bogs down around the traffic lights and drivers rubbernecking the views. If you want to go car-free on Mount Desert Island, the Island Explorer’s Route 1 bus services Trenton.
Ellsworth (pop. 7,741), Hancock County’s shire town, has mushroomed with the popularity of Acadia National Park, but you can still find handsome architectural remnants of the city’s 19th-century lumbering heyday, which began shortly after its incorporation in 1800. Brigs, barks, and full-rigged ships—built in Ellsworth and captained by local fellows—loaded lumber here and carried it around the globe. Despite a ruinous 1855 fire that swept through downtown, the lumber trade thrived until late in the 19th century, along with factories and mills turning out shoes, bricks, boxes, and butter.
These days, Ellsworth is the region’s shopping mecca. Antiques shops and small stores line Main Street, which doubles as Route 1 in the downtown section; supermarkets, strip malls, and big-box stores line Routes 1 and 3 between Ellsworth and Trenton.
Frankly, if you’re here for Acadia, you’ll likely just pass through Ellsworth, perhaps stopping for food or supplies, before continuing onto the island.
Very little has changed at Woodlawn (Surry Rd./Rte. 172, 207/667-8671, www.woodlawnmuseum.com, 10am-5pm Tues.-Sat., 1pm-4pm Sun. June-Sept., 1pm-4pm Tues.-Sun. May and Oct., $10 adults, $3 ages 5-12, grounds free) since George Nixon Black donated his home, also known as the Black Mansion, to the town in 1928. Completed in 1828, the Georgian house is a marvel of preservation—one of Maine’s best—filled with Black family antiques and artifacts. House highlights include a circular staircase, rare books and artifacts, canopied beds, a barrel organ, and lots more. After taking an audio tour, plan to picnic on the manicured grounds, and then explore two sleigh-filled barns, the Memorial Garden, and the two miles of mostly level trails in the woods up beyond the house. Consider timing a visit with one of the frequent events: On several Wednesday afternoons July-August, Tea Time Tours ($15 pp) include a staff-led tour followed by tea and cookies in the garden (or in the carriage house if it’s raining); reservations are required. On Tuesday afternoons 2pm-4pm, visitors can learn how to play nine-wicket golf croquet on the tournament-sized court; $10 includes equipment. On Route 172, watch for the small sign 0.25 mile southwest of U.S. 1, and turn into the winding uphill driveway.
Woodlawn is one of Maine’s best-preserved Georgian homes.
En route to Bar Harbor, watch carefully on the right for the sign that marks Birdsacre (Rte. 3/Bar Harbor Rd., 207/667-8460, www.birdsacre.com, sunrise-sunset daily, donation), a 200-acre urban sanctuary. Wander the trails in this peaceful preserve, spotting wildflowers, birds, and well-labeled shrubs and trees, and you’ll have trouble believing you’re in prime tourist territory. One trail, a boardwalk loop through woods behind the nature center, is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.
Noted ornithologist Cordelia Stanwood once lived in the 1850 Stanwood Homestead Museum at the sanctuary entrance. The home, with period furnishings and wildlife exhibits, was badly damaged by arson in 2014. Restoration is in progress, and tours are available. Birdsacre doubles as a wildlife rehabilitation center, so expect to see all kinds of winged creatures, especially hawks and owls, in various stages of recuperation. Some will be returned to the wild, and others remain here for educational purposes. Stop by the nature center (10am-4pm daily June-Sept., volunteer dependent) for even more exhibits.
the Stanwood Homestead Museum at Birdsacre
The all-volunteer Downeast Rail Heritage Preservation Trust (245 Main St., 866/449-7245, www.downeastscenicrail.org) has restored a 1948 diesel engine and rehabilitated portions of the Calais Branch Line. Saturday-Sunday (late May-mid-Oct.) you can board the two vintage coaches, an open flatcar, or the caboose for a roughly 13-mile, 90-minute scenic excursion ($15 adults, $8 ages 3-12) from Ellsworth to Ellsworth Falls, and then back and on to Washington Junction. Work continues on the track to Green Lake, which will allow a 24-mile round-trip. Boarding takes place behind the Maine Community Foundation (245 Main St.). If you’re a train buff, ask about volunteer opportunities.
What was life like before cell phones? Find out at the Telephone Museum (166 Winkumpaugh Rd., 207/667-9491, www.thetelephonemuseum.org, 1pm-4pm Sat. July-Sept., $10 adults, $5 children), a hands-on museum with the largest collection of old-fashioned switching systems in the East. To find the museum, head 10 miles north on Route 1A toward Bangor, then turn left on Winkumpaugh Road and go one mile.
Kids love the Old Hancock County Jail, now home to the Ellsworth Historical Society Museum (40 State St., www.ellsworthme.org/ellshistory, 10am-3pm Thurs. and Sat. July-Aug., free). Built in 1886, the Queen Anne Revival building housed both the jail and the jail keeper’s residence, an interesting combo. Even more interesting is that each of the cells is named—a more contemporary twist, as the monikers refer to local accommodations. The residence is filled with the whatnots of Ellsworth’s history, a hodgepodge of antiques and artifacts. The decor reflects the Victorian period.
Approximately one million Atlantic salmon smolts and fall parr are reared annually at the Green Lake Fish Hatchery (Rte. 180, 207/667-9531, www.fws.gov/northeast/greenlake), which is open for self-guided tours (8am-4pm daily). The facility is located about 10 minutes north of downtown. Take Route 1A north to the junction with Route 179/180, then bear left on Route 180 and look for the sign on the left.
Frenchman Bay Conservancy (207/422-2328, www.frenchmanbay.org) oversees the 13-acre Indian Point Preserve. The reward for following the footpath through the woods and across bog bridges to the Union River shorefront is a lovely view of the city. To find the preserve, drive south on Water Street, cross Card Brook, and at the top of the next hill, look for Tinker Farm Way on the right. The road to the preserve’s parking lot angles off to the right.
Nature trails lace Birdsacre (289 Rte. 3/High St., 207/667-8460, www.birdsacre.com), a 200-acre sanctuary with three small ponds; one is accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. Two miles of mostly level trails can also be found behind the Black Mansion at Woodlawn (Surry Rd./Rte. 172, 207/667-8671, www.woodlawnmuseum.com).
Meander more than three miles of signed trails through 239 acres of woodlands to the rocky lakeshore in Branch Lake Forest, owned by the City of Ellsworth (207/667-2563). To find it, from downtown Ellsworth, take Route 1A 6.5 miles north to the signed access road on your left, and follow it for one mile to the parking lot.
If you’ve brought your own boat, you can launch it into the Union River at the Waterfront Park and Marina on Water Street, which intersects Route 1 at the traffic light on the lower end of Main Street. Also here are picnic tables and Scoops, a homemade ice cream kiosk. Another launch is on Graham Lake, just above the dam, on Route 180. To find it, take Route 1A north from downtown Ellsworth, then Route 180/179 to the split, then Route 180. Look for the boat launch sign on the right, just after the dam.
Ellsworth has three free summer series (www.downtownellsworth.com). The Ellsworth Concert Band performs at 7pm Wednesday evening at Harbor Park, 410 Water Street. Outdoor family movies are shown at sunset Thursday at the Knowlton Playground on State Street (donations appreciated). Concerts are staged at Harbor Park at 6pm on Friday.
The carefully restored art deco Grand Auditorium of Hancock County (100 Main St., 207/667-9500, www.grandonline.org) is the year-round site of films, concerts, plays, and art exhibits.
Ellsworth has an especially appealing downtown with a nice mix of independent shops.
Don’t miss Rooster Brother (29 Main St./Rte. 1, 207/667-8675 or 800/866-0054, www.roosterbrother.com) for gourmet cookware, cards, and books on the main floor; coffee, tea, candy, cheeses, a huge array of exotic condiments, fresh breads, and other gourmet items on the lower level; and discounted merchandise on the 2nd floor, open seasonally. You can easily pick up all the fixings for a fancy picnic here.
Downtown Ellsworth is lined with independently owned shops like Rooster Brother.
John Edwards Market (158 Main St., 207/667-9377) is a twofold find: Upstairs is a natural-foods store, and downstairs is the terrific Wine Cellar Gallery, a year-round space showcasing Maine artists.
Just a block off Main Street and worth the detour is Atlantic Art Glass (25 Pine St., 207/664-0222), where you can watch Linda and Ken Perrin demonstrate glassblowing and buy their contemporary creations.
Brothers Dave and Don Herrington are the creative goldsmiths who design the jewelry sold at Pyramid Studios (10 State St., 207/667-3321, www.pyramid.ws).
Union River Book & Toy Co. (100 Main St., 207/667-6604, www.unionrivertoys.com) is filled with books, toys, games, puzzles, dolls, stuffed animals, puppets, and more to keep the kiddos happy should the weather turn gloomy.
Curiosities, plants, fossils, bones, and home accents make it fun to browse The Rock & Art Shop (163 Main St., Ellsworth, 207/610-1300, www.therockandartshop.com).
Just south of downtown, at the corner of Court Street and Route 1, Courthouse Gallery Fine Art (6 Court St., 207/667-6611, www.courthousegallery.com) showcases works by some of Maine’s top contemporary artists. Gallery owners Karin and Michael Wilkes have restored the 1834 Greek Revival courthouse, listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In addition to nine interior galleries, artwork is also shown in an adjacent historic building and in the sculpture park on the front lawn.
You’re unlikely to meet a single person who has left Big Chicken Barn Books and Antiques (1768 Bucksport Rd./U.S. 1, 207/667-7308, www.bigchickenbarn.com) without buying something. You’ll find every kind of collectible on the vast 1st floor, courtesy of more than four dozen dealers. Climb the stairs for books, magazines, old music, and more. With free coffee, restrooms, and 21,000 square feet of floor space, this place is addictive. The Big Chicken is 11 miles east of Bucksport, 8.5 miles west of Ellsworth.
The 40-plus-dealer Old Creamery Antique Mall (13 Hancock St., 207/667-0522) fills 6,000 square feet on two jam-packed floors.
When the building housing The Dream Catcher Antique and Collectibles (107 Main St., 207/667-7886, www.dreamcatcherellsworth.com) was constructed in 1933, it first housed Harry C. Austin & Co., furniture dealers and funeral directors, an interesting combination. Now its three stories house more than 75 vendors selling everything from genuine antiques to shabby-chic pieces, estate jewelry, and Native American art.
Forgot to pack a fleece or sweater for cool evenings? Need a rain jacket or shorts? Wish you had a beach towel or a cooler? You’ll find all that and more at the outlets and discount stores hugging the Route 3 strip in Ellsworth.
The L. L. Bean Factory Store (150 High St./Rte. 1, 207/667-7753) carries everything from clothing to sporting equipment, but don’t expect a full range of sizes or designs. That said, I’ve never left empty-handed.
Across the road is Reny’s Department Store (Ellsworth Shopping Center, 185 High St./Rte. 1, 207/667-5166, www.renys.com), a Maine-based discount operation with a “you never know what you’ll find” philosophy. Trust me, you’ll find something.
Marden’s (461 High St./Rte. 3, 207/669-6036, www.mardenssurplus.com) is another Maine “bit of this, bit of that” enterprise with the catchy slogan “I shoulda bought it when I saw it.” Good advice.
For an extensive sporting-gear inventory, plus advice on outdoors activities, stop in at Cadillac Mountain Sports (34 High St./Rte. 1, 207/667-7819).
If you’re camping, you might want to stop at Hannaford (225 High St., Ellsworth, 207/667-5300, www.hannaford.com, 7am-10pm daily), a full-service supermarket with a pharmacy (8am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-6pm Sat., 8am-5pm Sun.) to pick up food and other must-haves.
Order breakfast anytime at The Riverside Café (151 Main St., 207/667-7220, 7am-2pm daily, $6-15). Lunch service begins at 11am. And the café’s name? It used to be down the street, overlooking the Union River.
Equally delicious are the home-style breakfasts at Martha’s Diner (Reny’s Plaza, 151 High St., 207/664-2495, http://marthasdiner.com, 6am-2pm Tues.-Fri., 6am-1pm Sat., 7am-1pm Sun., $4-8), where lunch is also served 11am-2pm Tuesday-Friday. Booths are red leatherette and Formica, and the waitresses likely will call you “doll.” Cash only.
Downright cheap breakfasts are served all day at Sylvia’s Café (248 State St./Rte. 1A, 207/667-7014, http://sylviascafe.net, 5am-3pm Mon.-Sat., 6am-2pm Sun., $2-13), located in the Mini Mall strip plaza on the north side of town.
On the upper end of Main Street, Flexit Café and Bakery (192 Main St., 207/412-0484, 6:30am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 7:30am-3pm Sun.) serves breakfast and lunch daily, with vegan and gluten-free options available. Most sandwiches and salads are $7-8.
Big flavors come out of tiny 86 This (125 Main St., 207/610-1777, www.86thismaine.com, 11am-8pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-4pm Sat., $8-10), a wrap and burrito joint with seating. The flavors are rich, the portions are generous, and wraps are named after the owners’ favorite indie bands. Get it to go and walk the half block to the picnic tables on the shady lawn of the library.
Ice cream doesn’t get much finer than that sold at S Morton’s Moo (9 School St., 207/266-9671, www.mortonsmoo.com, 11am-7pm Mon.-Wed., 11am-9pm Thurs.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.), a family-run spot with a deservedly giant reputation for homemade Italian gelato and ice cream in creative flavors. It’s half a block off Main Street behind Flexit.
The Ellsworth Farmers Market sets up in the parking lot behind the Maine Community Foundation (245 Main St., 2pm-5:30pm Mon. and Thurs. mid-June-late Oct.) and in the Acadia Realty parking lot (190 Main St., 9:30am-12:30pm Sat. mid-June-late Oct.). It features fresh produce as well as jams, pickles, maple syrup, homemade breads, and homespun yarns.
Decent pub fare is served at Finn’s Irish Pub (156 Main St., 207/667-2808, 11am-9pm Sun.-Mon., 11am-10pm Tues.-Thurs., 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat., $8-15), and there’s a kids’ menu too.
Airline Brewing Company (153 Main St., 207/412-0045, www.abcmaine.beer, $7-13), a tasting room and cozy English pub, features Airline’s tap and cask brews and ciders, along with well-prepared pub favorites.
Mighty fine pizza is served at Finelli Pizzeria (12 U.S. 1, 207/664-0230, www.finellipizzeria.com, 11am-9pm daily, $7-20), a homey little spot where the pizza dough and focaccia are made fresh daily. The specialty is New York-style thin-crust pizza, which is available by the pie or slab. Other options include calzones, pastas, subs, and salads.
Serendib (2 State St., 207/664-1030, 10:30am-7:30pm Tues.-Thurs., 10:30am-8pm Fri.-Sat., 10:30am-3pm Sun., $12-18) serves authentic Indian-Sri Lankan cuisine prepared by owner Sanjeeva Abeyasekera, a native of Sri Lanka.
It’s hard to say which is better—the serene views or the tasty lobster—at Union River Lobster Pot (8 South St., 207/667-5077, www.lobsterpot.com, 4pm-9pm daily July-Aug., 5pm-8:30pm daily June and Sept.-early-Oct., $15-24). It’s tucked behind Rooster Brother, right on the banks of the Union River. The menu includes far more than lobster, with chicken, fish, meat, and pasta dishes, and a kids’ menu is available. Remember to save room for the pie, especially the blueberry.
For a lobster fix, head to the Union River Lobster Pot.
If all you want is a good bed in a clean room, the family-owned and operated Sunset Motor Court (210 Twin Hill Rd., 207/667-8390, www.sunsetmotorcourtmotel.com, $88-125), a pet-friendly tourist court facing Route 1 south of town, fits the bill. It’s also well situated for exploring the Blue Hill Peninsula region. Each of the renovated, rainbow-colored, one- and two-bedroom cabins has heat, air-conditioning, a TV, microwave, refrigerator, and in-room coffee with prepackaged pastries. French and Polish are also spoken.
Sunset Motor Court in Ellsworth
Bran and Kevin Buza are renovating a former in-town nursing home into The Sanctuary B&B (33 Birch Ave., Ellsworth, 207/602-0123, www.sanctuarybnb.com, $105-159). Some rooms have a shower or full bath; others have a half bath, with access to a private shower room; a few have kitchenettes. During the summer months, the continental buffet is augmented with hot foods.
It can be hard to spot the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce (163 High St., 207/667-5584, www.ellsworthchamber.org) amid the malls and fast-food places lining High Street (Rte. 1). Watch for a small gray building topped by an Information Center sign (close to the road, on the right when heading toward Bar Harbor, just before Shaw’s Plaza). Downtown Ellsworth (www.ellsworthdowntown.com) also has info.
Public restrooms can be found in City Hall (City Hall Ave.) in downtown Ellsworth, open 24 hours daily, seven days a week; the library (46 State St.); the chamber of commerce; and the picnic area and boat launch (Water St.).
Don’t miss a chance to visit one of the state’s loveliest libraries, the Ellsworth Public Library (46 State St., 207/667-6363, www.ellsworth.lib.me.us), listed in the National Register of Historic Places. George Nixon Black, grandson of the builder of the Woodlawn museum, donated the Federal-style building to the city in 1897.
Ellsworth is about 14 miles via Route 172 from Blue Hill. It’s about 20 miles or 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic, to Bar Harbor and about 25 miles or 35 minutes via Routes 1 and 186 to Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula.
Road-wise, Ellsworth is the epicenter of Acadia. Route 1, the main thoroughfare along the coast, and Route 1A, which connects to Bangor, meet in downtown Ellsworth. Route 172 connects Ellsworth to the Blue Hill Peninsula and on to Deer Isle, Stonington, and the mail boat to Isle au Haut. Route 1 continues north, providing access to the Schoodic Peninsula and a remote section of the park. Bar Harbor Road (Rte. 3), which funnels all traffic to Mount Desert Island, is often a summertime bottleneck. If you want to hit the region’s highlights, by all means stay on Routes 1 and 3, but if your time is limited and your goal is maximum park time, consider these shortcuts.
If you’re approaching from the south on Route 1 and your destination is Mount Desert Island, you can avoid downtown and the strip. When you cross the bridge in Ellsworth, turn right at the traffic light onto Route 230 (Water St.) and follow it about 6.5 miles, turning left onto Goose Cove Road, which rejoins Route 230. (You can stay on Route 230; it’s just a longer route because it loops around the point.) Bear left on Route 230, then right at the T intersection with Route 3. The causeway connecting to Mount Desert Island is less than a mile away.
If your destination is the Schoodic region, at the intersection of Route 1A and Route 1 (Main St.) in downtown Ellsworth, stay on Main Street (east of the light called E. Main St.) and avoid the Route 1 strip. East Main Street morphs into Washington Junction Road and reconnects with Route 1 northeast of the Route 3 split for Mount Desert Island, avoiding the worst congestion.
Unless you’re arriving by boat, you can’t get to Mount Desert Island without first going through Trenton (pop. 1,481), which straddles Route 3 from Ellsworth south. Big-box stores, restaurants, motels, amusements, and gift shops line the congested six-mile strip, and some are worth at least a nod. If you’re traveling with children, count on being begged to stop. Rural Lamoine (pop. 1,602) provides a reprieve. Few discover this peninsula-tipping town, with an oceanfront state park and gorgeous views over Eastern and Frenchman Bays to Mount Desert Island.
I can’t stress this enough: Kisma Preserve (446 Bar Harbor Rd./Rte. 3, 207/667-3244, www.kismapreserve.org, 10am-6pm daily mid-May-late fall) is not a zoo; it’s a nonprofit educational facility, and everything revolves around preserving and protecting the animals, most of which are either rescues or retirees. Rules are strictly enforced—no running, loud voices, or disruptive behavior is permitted; well-behaved, quiet children are tolerated. The easiest way to view the animals is on a one-hour guided tour ($14). Guides educate visitors about the biology of the animals, how they came to be here, and whether they’ll be returned to the wild. For serious animal lovers, the preserve offers opportunities to meet a bear, wolf, or reptile. The best is the VIP tour, where you can join a zookeeper behind-the-scenes ($150pp, about 3 hours). It truly is a special place, home to more than 100 exotic and not-so-exotic creatures, with an emphasis on wolves and bears. Donations are essential to Kisma’s survival, and yes, it’s pricey, but so is feeding and caring for these animals.
Kisma Preserve is a sanctuary for retired or relocated exotic animals.
Two businesses provide options for getting an eagle’s-eye view of the area. Both are based on the Route 3 side of Hancock County/Bar Harbor Airport, just north of Mount Desert Island.
Scenic Flights of Acadia (Bar Harbor Rd./Rte. 3, 207/667-6527, www.scenicflightsofacadia.com) offers low-level flightseeing services in the Mount Desert Island region. Flights range 15-75 minutes, with prices beginning around $50 per person with a two-passenger minimum.
Scenic Biplane and Glider Rides (968 Bar Harbor Rd./Rte. 3, 207/667-7627, www.acadiaairtours.com) lets you soar in silence with daily glider flights. The one- or two-passenger gliders are towed to an altitude of at least 2,500 feet and then released. An FAA-certified pilot guides the glider. Rates begin at $150 for a 15-minute flight for one or two. Or ride in a biplane: A 20-minute ride in an open-cockpit plane is $250 for two. Or for a different twist, consider experiencing a World War II-era T-6 fighter plane, with flights beginning at $275 for 15 minutes. All flights are subject to an airport fee.
Scenic Biplane and Glider Rides offers daily glider flights.
Lamoine State Park (23 State Park Rd./Rte. 184, Lamoine, 207/667-4778, www.parksandlands.com, day use $4.50 nonresident adults, $3 Maine resident adults, $1 ages 5-11) features a pebble beach and a picnic area with a spectacular view, a children’s play area, and campsites. If you’ve brought your own boat, the park also provides a boat ramp for launching. Careful, though: the currents are strong here. Although the 55-acre park isn’t officially open in winter, it’s popular for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. This is strictly do-it-yourself fun, as there are no marked trails.
Follow Route 184 to the end (about a mile beyond the park), and you’ll arrive at Lamoine Beach, a town-owned sand swath with picnic tables, a boat launch, and spectacular views of Mount Desert Island. For freshwater swimming, try Bloomfield Park (on Bloomfield Park Rd., off Asa’s Ln.), a town-owned park with picnic tables on Blunt’s Pond. Both have toilets.
Edging the ocean at Mount Desert Narrows is the Thompson Island Picnic Area (Rte. 3, Thompson Island, Trenton). It has picnic tables, fire grills, a water fountain, and restrooms. At low tide, you might see locals raking the mudflats for clams.
Acadia 1 Watersports (1564 Shore Rd., Lamoine, 207/667-2963 or 888/786-0676, www.kayak1.com) rents solo sea kayaks for $45 per day or $155 per week; tandems are $55 per day or $215 per week. For rentals over one day, delivery is free to Lamoine Beach and can be arranged throughout the Acadia region for a fuel fee. Be careful if paddling the Mount Desert Narrows, as the currents can be tricky.
Try to keep your eye on the ball rather than the views at the challenging 18-hole Bar Harbor Golf Course (Rte. 3 and Rte. 204, 207/667-7505, www.barharborgolfcourse.com). Despite the name, it’s not in the island community, nor even on the island.
Ace lumberjack “Timber” Tina Scheer has been competing around the world since she was seven, and she shows her prowess at The Great Maine Lumberjack Show (Rte. 3, 207/667-0067, www.mainelumberjack.com, 7pm daily mid-June-late Aug., $13 adults, $11 over age 62, $8 ages 4-11). During the 75-minute “Olympics of the Forest,” you’ll watch two teams compete in 12 events, including ax throwing, crosscut sawing, log rolling, speed climbing, and more. Some events are open to participation. (Kids can learn some skills by appointment.) Performances are held rain or shine. Seating is under a roof, but dress for the weather if it’s inclement. The ticket office opens at 6pm.
One of the best-known and longest-running (since 1956) lobster joints is Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound (Bar Harbor Rd./Rte. 3, Trenton, 207/667-2977, www.trentonbridgelobster.com, 11am-7:30pm Mon.-Sat. late May-mid-Oct.), on the right next to the bridge leading to Mount Desert Island. Watch for the “smoke signals”—steam billowing from the huge vats.
Mosey through Lamoine to Seal Cove Farm (202 Partridge Cove Rd./Rte. 204, Lamoine, 207/667-7127, www.mainegoatcheese.com), a working goat farm best known for its handcrafted artisan cheeses. Adjacent to the small post-and-beam farm stand is an outdoor wood-burning oven (noon-7pm Fri.-Sat., noon-5pm Sun.). Ten-inch handcrafted pizzas ($12) are made not only with Seal Cove’s fresh goat and mixed-milk cheeses, but also with seasonal, farm-fresh produce. For dessert, don’t miss the goat gelato. There’s a small picnic pavilion. Human kids will get a kick out of watching the goat kids romping in the pasture or visiting them in the barn.
Seal Cove Farm bakes pizzas in an outdoor oven.
Most of the motels and cabin complexes along the Trenton stretch are small, family-owned operations—not fancy, but their rates are usually far lower than what you’ll find on Mount Desert Island, and many are on the Island Explorer, so you can ditch the car. Those in Trenton are on Route 3, so expect traffic noise; the B&B in Lamoine is off the beaten path.
The Kelley family’s Isleview Motel (1169 Bar Harbor Rd./Rte. 3, Trenton, 207/667-5661 or 866/475-3843, www.isleviewmotelandcottages.com, $65-99) comprises a motel, one- and two-bedroom cottages, and a few “sleep-and-go” rooms above the office, all decorated in country style. At these prices and with this location—eight miles from the park entrance, on the Island Explorer shuttle route, across from a lobster restaurant, and just 0.5 mile from the Thompson Island Picnic Area—don’t go looking for fancy, but wallet-conscious travelers will be tickled with it. Although small, most guest rooms are equipped with a mini-refrigerator and a microwave. Outside are picnic tables, grills, and a fire pit.
Perks at the pet-friendly Acadia Sunrise Motel (952 Bar Harbor Rd./Rte. 3, Trenton, 207/667-8452, www.acadiasunrisemotel.com, $85-120) include an outdoor heated pool, fire pit, patio, pirate-ship playground, and a guest laundry. Some rooms have kitchenettes. Ask for a room at the back, away from the street noise and overlooking the airport with the ocean and Acadia’s mountains in the distance.
Clean, cheap, convenient, and charming describe the family-owned Open Hearth Inn (Bar Harbor Rd./Rte. 3, Trenton, 207/667-2930 or 800/655-0234, www.openhearthinn.com, year-round, $90-150). Choose an inn room or opt for a 1950s tourist-court cottage, a motel room, or an apartment with a kitchen. Also on the premises is an enclosed family hot tub. Kids under 12 stay free, and free pickup at Bar Harbor Airport is offered during business hours. On most mornings, homemade muffins are available in the office, along with tea and coffee. It’s on the Island Explorer bus route, less than 0.25 mile from the bridge connecting Trenton to Mount Desert Island and within walking distance of four lobster restaurants.
cottages at the Open Hearth Inn
Chocoholics, take note: The Chocolate Chip Bed & Breakfast (720 Lamoine Beach Rd., Lamoine, 207/610-1691, www.chocolatechipbb.com, $135-160) treats guests to all kinds of chocolate treats, from muffins in the morning to cookies at night. Eric and Sue Hahn’s lovingly rebuilt, early-19th-century, pond-side farmhouse has four comfy guest rooms decorated in country style, all with hardwood floors and beds topped with handmade quilts.
Equally convenient to the Schoodic region and Mount Desert Island is the 55-acre, oceanfront S Lamoine State Park (23 State Park Rd./Rte. 184, Lamoine, 207/667-4778, www.parksandlands.com, day use $6 nonresident adults, $4 Maine resident adults, $1 ages 5-11). Park facilities include a picnic area with a spectacular view, a boat ramp, children’s play area, treehouse, and dump station. Camping (mid-May-mid-Oct., $30 nonresidents, $20 Maine residents, reservations $2/night) is available at 62 sites. Most are wooded and several are oceanfront. No hookups are available (except for one site designated for the disabled), and the minimum stay in July and August is 2 nights, with a 14-night maximum. The campground has a modern bathhouse with free hot showers. Reserve online with a credit card, or call 207/624-9950 or 800/332-1501 weekdays within Maine. Leashed pets are allowed; cleanup is required.
The Thompson Island Information Center (Rte. 3, Thompson Island, 207/288-3411, 8am-6pm daily mid-May-mid-Oct.) represents the Mount Desert Island Regional Chambers of Commerce, which includes the Trenton Chamber of Commerce.
The Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce (207/667-5584, www.ellsworthchamber.org) also covers Trenton.
En route from Ellsworth on Route 3, on the right shortly before you reach Mount Desert Island, you’ll see the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce (Rte. 3, 207/288-5103 or 888/540-9990, www.barharbormaine.com). You’ll find all sorts of info on the island and other locations, plus restrooms, phones, and helpful staff.
Trenton is about 8 miles via Route 3 from Ellsworth. It’s about 12 miles or 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic, to Bar Harbor.
Route 1 of the free Island Explorer (www.exploreacadia.com) bus system connects the Hancock County/Bar Harbor Airport in Trenton with downtown Bar Harbor. The Island Explorer runs late June-mid-October.
Before or after visiting Mount Desert Island, if you’re headed farther Down East—to Lamoine, the eastern side of Hancock County, and beyond—there’s a good shortcut from Trenton. About five miles south of Ellsworth on Route 3, just north of the Kisma Preserve, turn east onto Route 204, bear left at the T intersection, and then take your first right, following Route 204/Pinkhams Flats Road. Turn right onto Mud Creek Road, which wiggles through a salt marsh and eventually spits out on Route 1 just west of Franklin.