Tempe, AZ (home base)
USA
From Portland to Bar Harbor, ME
Strap on your scenic seatbelt, I’m about to give you a crash course on driving up the east coast. Man oh man, did the TGTGs cover a lot of ground today so try and keep up, huh?
Against our own rule, we slept in a bit at the Extended Stay America in Portland, Maine; I was still trying to recover from a wicked case of tonsillitis and Ali, well, she likes to sleep… so after some last minute blogging with guaranteed internet service, we took off from Portland and went north on Route 1 to embark upon whatever came our way.
The first town we came across was Freeport, which we quickly discovered was an unexpected shopper’s paradise. Every store ranging from Coach to The Gap were all embanked on Freeport’s downtown streets and though Ali and I decided to keep cruising in the Mercury (without stopping to see), it appeared to be yet another comfortable, beautiful town on the constantly stunning coast of Maine.
From there, we hit up Bath and it was here we agreed to stop based solely on the small harbor we saw from the highway. When I think of Bath, another four-letter word comes to mind . . . slow. There is an incredibly noticeable pace change in this little town and it’s comparable to that of sap dripping down a tree. Not that there’s anything wrong with a little quiet, but there’s something to be said about more than two people walking around in a place that looks like a store-bought Christmas village, and I thought the town to be on the heavy side of strange. But there was a really neat - and by neat I mean totally disorganized and cramped - used bookstore that sold English teachers’ dream birthday presents. I purchased a $4 copy of Oliver Twist, gave the place one last inhale, and told Ali it was time to go.
With the ocean on our right and gorgeous forestry on the left, Ali and I continued into a town named something the Brits and Aussies might recognize - Newcastle (see Ali in the top picture). And what a surprising treat this place was! Not mentioned in our East Coast book (by Frommer), Ali and I realized quickly this tiny underrated town was one of our favorites. The cool, crisp weather only added to the appeal of Newcastle and we didn’t hesitate one second to stop for some extra pictures. Like a lot of Maine towns, this one has a harbor and any time we saw one, it seemed necessary to retrieve our cameras. So will anyone who drives through this overlooked town.
Once we got back in the car, both Ali and I realized how hungry we were and read in our book that Rockland is “the lobster capital of the world”. Since both our stomachs had lobster-shaped holes in them, we pressed on towards said capital hoping our lobster dreams would come true. Upon arriving in Rockland, however, we were hard pressed to find the expected hundreds of restaurants, pubs, or shacks displaying giant lobster signs, big arrows that pointed to the giant lobster signs, or the bright lights enhancing the big arrows that pointed to the giant lobster signs.
We drove through town, stopped at a red light with a long line, which I mistook for the drive through lobster line (it wasn’t) so we finally came back to the only seafood restaurant we’d seen earlier; satisfied that the Landings Restaurant was near a harbor overlooking the water. Two crab cakes and a few lobster wontons later, our main course arrived and as they say, when in Rockland, you order the red crustacean made famous for its meaty insides and how it tastes slathered in melted butter. And oh how it did. Ali - who’s not one to get her hands too “dirty” - watched as I graciously finessed the meat from every orifice of its large shell and with a lot of help from two local guys - thanks Ken and Jerry! - we filled our tummies with true Maine lobster until every last bite was gone.
Per recommendation by Ken and Jerry (listen to the locals!), Ali and I agreed to make Bar Harbor - sorry, that’s Bah Hawbah - our resting stop for the night, knowing the drive there would bring more new experiences and new towns too.
Sure enough, the stop in Camden was short and sweet. With its variety of cute inns (TGTG recommended for both budget and authentic purposes) all along Route 1, Camden — like almost all the towns we stopped in - proved why taking an east coast road trip was the right choice, especially in mid-September.
Half an hour later, we arrived in Bar Harbor exhausted, tired, and pooped, but the urge to continue our adventures still within. We checked out a couple inns and upon arriving at the Acadia Pines Motel, gave in to our fatigue. And so, I write this with a full stomach (the lobster-shaped hole now filled), with drooping eyes, but with high hopes of another great adventure in Acadia National Park tomorrow where Ali and I believe will enliven more Maine wonder.
TGTG Photo Op: There’s a bridge outside of Bucksport. If you’re going on Route 1, you’ll drive across it, the pullout before it provides pictures that are worth a thousand words.
TGTG Tip: Tomalley in New England is not the same as a tamale in Phoenix. It’s so much more than the opposite! Despite Jerry’s local opinion that the Tomalley is delicious and should be spread on crackers, Ken, Ali and I agreed it deserved to be in the waste bowl with the empty shell. In other words, I’d avoid the green gook that’s inside a lobster (which we learned was the liver…ewwwww!).
Local Tip: If you can spare a little bit more on lodging, Ken and Jerry recommended The Atlantic Oaks, just a couple miles into Bar Harbor.
TGTG Reminder: We weren’t so much opposed to Bath or Freeport, but some towns are okay just as a cruise through!
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