Shawn

HELP! I want to surprise my husband with a trip to Maine. Unfortunately, I haven't found much information other than regarding Acadia. Where is the best town to stay? And in what hotel or bed and breakfast? What are the best places to visit? What is the best time of year to go? A friend mentioned Bar Harbor and staying at the Ullikana. Would it be best to drive up from Portland or is that too much? We are only going to be there 4 days.
Any assistance is appreciated.

Donna F

I think it depends on what you like to do. Hiking is great in Acadia and the view from the top of Cadillac (auto road) is superb. If you don't want to drive so far, the Camden area is wonderful. If you like museums, there is the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Rockland, the Farnsworth Art Museum, and the Bath Maritime Museum. The best boat trip we ever took was from the Maritime Museum, a tour to see lighthouses. If you want to try sea kayaking, look for an area that offers that. The further north you get from Portland, the quieter it gets. I think some posts have mentioned some great small hotels. Did you do a search on Maine here on Fodors? Try the Yankee Magazine website for some ideas.
www.newengland.com
They have a b&b locator.

Deborah

I loved Bar Harbor. Absolutely one of my favorite places I've ever been. Acadia Park is great. I stayed at the Holiday Inn which is right on the Bay and the The Cat to Nova Scotia leaves from next door if you want to take a day trip there. Portland is about a 3 hour drive, but if you can fly into Bangor, it's much closer. Have fun.

Cindy

Shawn
Maine is awesome. We spent 12 days there in July 02..our first trip. FOr a 4 day visit, I'd definitely recommend Bar Harbor and Acadia. The hiking is easy to difficult and the driving tour is great as well. Go downtown to Bar Harbor at night to stroll the streets--very fun. Eat at one of hte waterfront restaurants.
We just loved, loved the place and can't wait to return. As for accomodations, we camped so I can't help you there. The Holiday Inn looks nice and a friend stayed there. Having driven 22 hours from OH to get there with 4 kids and a dog, I'd say driving from Portland is no biggie. It can be a very romantic trip for a couple, so you will LOVE it.

Craig

A room in the Oceanfront Lodge at The Bar Harbor Inn in Bar Harbor (www.barharborinn.com) would be an expensive but romantic treat for your husband. We drove there after visiting friends in southern NH and continued on to New Brunswick and PEI so I can't see where driving from Portland is a big deal (unless you are talking about Portland, Oregon). There is lots to do in the town and in the park and there is great scenery everywhere. I have heard that September is a good time to go (less crowds but still warm). We went on June 30, however and it seemed like places were just starting to open up. The crowds really weren't that bad. We thought the 3 days/4 nights we stayed there were plenty.