Acadia Hiking Guide: Dorr Mountain

Acadia Hiking Guide: Dorr Mountain

Named after the Father of Acadia, George B. Dorr, Dorr Mountain is one of the more popular and yet overlooked mountains on Acadia. There are four different ways to head up and around the mountain with a couple of paths that connect with others to get to the top: The Schiff Path has lots of … Read More

Acadia Hiking Guide: Ship Harbor, Wonderland, Seawall, and Bass Harbor
Acadia Hiking Guide: Grindstone Neck

Acadia Hiking Guide: Grindstone Neck

  OK, we admit that Grindstone Neck isn’t really a hiking trail per se, but we at the Mira Monte Inn strive to help our guests see not only the mandatory highlights but also the not-so-well-known areas to hit. Yes, Schoodic Peninsula and Winter Harbor have been frequented much more often the past few years, … Read More

Acadia Hiking Guide: Jesup Trail

Acadia Hiking Guide: Jesup Trail

Sometimes the park is furiously busy. I’ve been in a car on the Park Loop Road, just past the Precipice parking lot before the toll booths, that has taken over 1.5 hours to get to Sand Beach. That’s less than a mile in that time. Yes, Acadia is magical, and it is one of the … Read More

Lobsters on the Sound

Lobsters on the Sound

Another fun event that we enjoy attending is Lobsters on the Sound over at Hinkley in Southwest Harbor. It’s a casual lobster bake that starts with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from 5:30-7:30 along with a silent auction. Then the fun really begins at 7:30 when the lobster bake (and other yummy crustaceans) begin right before the … Read More

Acadia Hiking Guide: Eagle Lake Carriage Trails

Acadia Hiking Guide: Eagle Lake Carriage Trails

    Looking for some thing easy but has length? I walk my dog around the Eagle Lake carriage trails every now and again, and she’s often quite ready to eat dinner and go to sleep afterward. A solid two-hour hike, this is one of those “walks” that will give you exercise without hurting the … Read More

Southwest Harbor Flamingo Festival

Southwest Harbor Flamingo Festival

One of the craziest festivals we have on the island is the Southwest Harbor Flamingo Festival, sponsored by the Harbor House. Flamingos on MDI? Come on! Well, no, we don’t have any native flamingos waltzing around, but there is a lot of pink! This is one of the best family-friendly events all summer long, and … Read More

Somesville Strawberry Festival

Somesville Strawberry Festival

One of our favorite summer traditions is the Somesville Strawberry Festival. Now in it’s 43rd year, the festival offers fresh strawberries to buy, but that’s not what most people go for: They go for the homemade strawberry shortcake (believe me, it’s good!). This is one of the most popular events of the summer season, and … Read More

Bass Harbor Lobster Boat Races

Bass Harbor Lobster Boat Races

Lobster boat races are a part of the tradition of lobstering along the coast of Maine, and have been since the introduction of powered boats in the early 1900s. There are professional lobster racing boat builders, and then there are the amateur, real-life working lobstermen and women who take the day off to have some … Read More

Maine Lighthouses near Bar Harbor

Maine Lighthouses near Bar Harbor

Bass Harbor Head Light is the only lighthouse located on Mount Desert Island, but there’s several others nearby and within and easy drive from the Inn. All these great old lighthouses can be viewed and photographed on boat tours that tell of their incredible histories. Bass Harbor Head Light, located within Acadia National Park in … Read More