I spent 3 days exploring Acadia National Park with my boyfriend. Next time, we'll do 4 things differently.
I was surprised by how much I loved my three-day trip, but there are a few things I wish I'd known.
Next time I visit, I'll pack lots of layers and make restaurant reservations ahead of time.
I'm many things, but I've never been a hiker.
A beach day spent in the sun with a good book and a quick dip in the ocean? Sounds perfect. A walk through the woods? Not really my speed.
So, when my boyfriend and I started planning a summer getaway to Bar Harbor, Maine, I was skeptical about visiting Acadia National Park. Still, Acadia is one of the town's main attractions, so we knew we had to check it out.
To my surprise, the three-day trip changed my perspective on the outdoors. I didn't become a hiking aficionado overnight, but the scenery was beautiful.
We enjoyed checking all of the touristy must-dos off our itinerary, from a beginner-level hike around Jordan Pond to a more challenging trek up the Gorham Mountain trail.
Although we had a great time, we definitely made some mistakes as total national-park newbies — and next time we visit Acadia, we'll do a lot of things differently.
I wish we'd packed better for the weather and terrain.
When we visited in June, I packed lots of shorts, tank tops, and my brand-new Hokas.
However, I quickly realized that layers would have been much more ideal for the changing and sometimes unpredictable weather in northern Maine.
The days started off cool but then turned muggy, especially when working up a sweat hiking.
My sneakers weren't optimal, either. After a few slips and near-falls on the park's muddy grounds and wet rocks, my boyfriend and I both agreed that we should've stopped at the store downtown for a pair of real hiking shoes with better grip.
We should have made reservations for restaurants and certain landmarks.
We arrived at Acadia National Park with a set itinerary, but we didn't realize how many restaurants — and even activities — required reservations.
One of these activities was watching the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard. While eating dinner at a restaurant, our server explained that we'd need a vehicle reservation in order to drive to the mountain.
A quick Google search taught us that, unfortunately, there were no available slots to watch the sunrise during our three-day trip.
Luckily, we were able to book a time to see the sunset — but catching the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain will be a top priority on our next trip.
We hadn't made a reservation to visit the historic Jordan Pond House, either. When we stopped by after a 3-mile hike, we were told we'd have to wait over an hour to be seated.
As much as we wanted to enjoy its iconic popovers and tea with a view of the pond and mountains, we just couldn't wait to eat.
Next time, we'll hike some of the less-crowded trails.
As first-time visitors, we hit many of Acadia's famous, tourist-loved spots: Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, and Bar Island.
Although the views were stunning and well worth the hype, these places were all quite crowded, which made it tough to find parking.
When visiting the quieter Gorham Trail, however, we were able to soak in the nature around us. We only saw a few other hikers as we trekked to the summit.
Now that we've seen all the big names in Acadia, we decided that next time, we'll try to find more secluded spots for picnics and more advanced hikes with fewer travelers.
We should have gone for more than three days.
Our biggest regret is not spending more time exploring the park and all of its beauty.
We saw and did a lot in three days, but there's still more we'd like to explore next time, like Schoodic Peninsula and Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.
Our national-park trip may have been spontaneous and out of my comfort zone, but it surprised me.
Despite our mishaps, regrets, and bona-fide tourist moments, my boyfriend and I have started talking about making it an annual trip — and luckily, we now know a lot about how to make our next visit smoother.
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