My wife, daughter (9) and I will be travelling to Acadia N.P., Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick for a 12 day road trip around July 1st. The plan right now is to fly in and out of Portland ME. We’ll be doing a loop starting with a ferry from Portland to NS then on to Cape Breton, PEI, NB, Acadia and back to Portland to fly home. We love the outdoors and are looking forward to hiking, kayaking, sightseeing, mtn biking and camping (among other touristy things). As of right now we’re not sure how much time we’ll be spending in each area, we need to do a little more research before we nail that down. Does anyone have recommendations for hikes, “don’t miss” places or “off the beaten path” kind of things to see/do. Critique of our travel plan? We’ve never been to Maine or this part of Canada so it’ll be a completely new adventure for us. Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

My favorite activities in or near Acadia were riding bikes (we brought ours but you can rent them in Bar Harbor) on the carriage roads and kayaking. We took a sea kayaking tour (there are several reputable outfitters) and rented kayaks at Long Pond.

Sounds like a great trip! Have fun.

I think you might be trying to cover too much territory if you want to spend time actually doing stuff like hiking and biking. They are all good, scenic places, but I think you'll be spending too much time in the car.

I would have a look at the drive times involved - some of them are very extensive - esp if you are there around the 4th of July when traffic can really build up in some areas.

We spent almost a month on a similar trip and still missed some great places like Peggy's Cove in NS. One thing worth finding on a short trip would be the beaches where the water is warm due to the Gulf Stream being so close to land. You don't expect north of Maine to have warmer water.

I think 4th of July crowds/traffic are a problem south of Portland which is why we tend to avoid that part of Maine. There is a splendid 4th of July/Heritage Days celebration in Bath Maine that I would highly recommend. Great parade, craft fair, midway etc. Find the tent where the church ladies are selling slices of pie. I think there's a used book sale, too.

This past summer we were in the Deer Isle/Stonington area which would fall under off the beaten path. The 4th of July parade in Brooklyn was small but kind of fun. The highlight of the trip was the once a year boat cruise around the island. The captain narrated modern things to see but someone from the historical society talked about this history with a lot about the native Americans and early settlers. One of the best day trips we've taken. But a boat trip from the Bath Maritime Museum to see lighthouses was also a terrific trip one year.

There won't be any crowds in the Harpswells area of Maine east of Brunswick. There's some great lobster shacks/restaurants plus the highlight would be visiting some of the conservation areas that are open to the public. You would need a high clearance vehicle to get to the isolated beach or walk in (road is very rutted). Other places are easy. One was a hike thru the woods to the shore. Some great picnicking opportunities. The Giant Steps is a short walk along the cliff. Not as high and long as the Marginal Way in Ogunquit but not crowded. You can get a map of these areas on the internet.

We haven't been to Acadia in years but don't bike or kayak so I would go along with recommendations from others. When we did go, we drove up Cadillac while our son rode his mountain bike up. MDI will be crowded for 4th of July.

I think there are plenty of great places to go in Maine for a 12 day trip. What people usually miss is inland Maine and logging museums. We really liked the Cole Transportation Museum in Bangor and timed a visit for a special event at the nearby logging museum. The Owl's Head Transportation Museum deals more with classic autos and planes but has interesting events on weekends. (near Rockland ME) It's amazing to see antique airplanes fly but it will be crowded. The hike to Owls Head Light is short and easy. Good views when you are at the light.

You would have some really fun hiking if you do a boat trip to Monhegan Island. Take a picnic lunch and binoculars. It's a long boat ride from Boothbay but that might be part of the fun.

I agree way too much territory for your time available. For 12 days I would stick to Maine. As described above there is much to see and do without going into Canada which is great, but I don't think it's worth a quick look which is what you would have in your timeframe.

We've been to Mt Desert quite a bit and while it can get crowded you can always find places to hike that are less crowded (Don't kayak so cant address that.) A couple years ago we spent a week there at the end of June into July leaving just before the 4th and it was not really crowded at all. SWHarbor is less crowded and makes getting around easier. There is a shuttle(s) that go around the island. Cadillac Mtn get a ton of visitors, but there are plenty of beautiful views throughout the island esp on hikes. this last trip in August we did the loop road at sunset and it was beautiful and no crowds on the road. There are also NPS events that you should check into. We did the Stars one and it was great fun and I think a 9 yr old would enjoy it. There are a variety of boat trips you can take.

Midcoast Maine as described above is wonderful and generally less crowds. Bath is a fine small town and I bet a 4th there would be fun. Agree that a boat trip to Meohgan would be a good thing to do.

I like Stonington and Deer isle, but not aware of what there is to do for a 9 yr old-others may know.

If you still want to do the trip into Canada, be sure to check on the ferry. It's had a checkered past -- stopping and then recently starting again. It is a great way to get to NS and save some driving.

From the Nova Star Ferry site:

The Province of Nova Scotia has announced that our contract to provide the ferry service between Yarmouth, Nova Scotia and Portland, Maine will not be renewed for the 2016 season. We would like to thank the people of Nova Scotia, our valued employees, our tourism partners, suppliers and, most of all, our customers who enjoyed sailing on Nova Star during the last two operating seasons. We sincerely appreciate your support.

Nova Star Cruises Ltd.

Too bad -- hopefully they will have another company run that route.

July 1-5 will be crazy busy @ Acadia so you are smart to save it for the end of your trip. Gear up for some heavy-traffic and slow going out of Portland on the 1st. Arrive a couple of days earlier if at all possible.

Except for the boat trip on 4th of July weekend, there probably isn't a lot for a 9 yo in the Stonington/Deer Isle area. There's not a lot of restaurants either. Beautiful area with very little commercial development. I think the Harpswells and Bath area would be much more fun or Acadia.

Our first stop several years ago in New Brunswick was historic St. Andrews. Wonder if the elegant Algonquin Hotel has opened after rennovaton. Especially enjoyed the whale watch by launch in Bay of Fundy. Oh yes, Peggys Cove and many other places we enjoyed. Not far away is Halifax...did you know that Halifax still delivers a Christmas tree to Boston whose volunteers came to the rescue following a 1917 harbor explosion?

Interesting sight is Reversing Falls at Saint Johns, affected by the tide. Lots of potato fields and dairy farms. Scenery and quaint towns. Also notably Cabot Trail. A feature on P.E. is the Anne of Green Gables house, including a little pony ride. P.E. has sandstone cliffs and wide beaches.

Ferry to Nova Scotia with lunch in Aulds Cove and on to Baddeck. Afternoon visit to Alexander Graham Bell Museum displaying his inventions. On Cape Breton Island is a native cultural center in Cheticamp. This is a fishing village and center of French culture. On along the Cabot Trail with stunning coastlines and stop at Neil's Harbour Lighthouse. Journey on the famed Evangeline Trail.

More to see...Acadia National Park and Thunder Hole but avoid touristy Bar Harbor. Do see the 34 room summer Roosevelt house on Campobello Island if you can. A stop at L. L. Bean might be a break...good little eateries around in Freeport.

You can cover a lot of ground in New Brunswick-Maritimes in 12 days if you don't stop off in Maine too long.