Coast of Maine Tour
Lobster boats, peaceful fishing villages, quiet harbors, dramatic crashing seas, whitewashed lighthouses perched on rocky shores, evergreen forests and open meadows, fresh seafood, artist galleries, whales and seals - these are images of a Coast of Maine that does, in fact, exist, and this tour takes you there.
This Coast of Maine tour is based on the island of Mount Desert, the third largest island on the eastern seaboard (connected to the mainland by a bridge) and surely the best place for gentle cycling in all of Maine. Spend the first two days on the island's "quiet side" enjoying breathtaking ocean scenery and exploring villages such as the boatbuilding center of Southwest Harbor, the yachting mecca of Northeast Harbor, and the commercial fishing village at Bass Harbor. Visit Bass Head Harbor Lighthouse and take bikes by ferry to Swans Island where you cycle past picturesque Burntcoat Harbor on the way to a picnic at Hockamock Head Lighthouse. In the evening, Bike Vermont treats you to a real Maine lobster feast at Beal's Lobster Pound, which you enjoy as you take in the grand view of yachts, sailboats, and fishing boats out on their moorings.
Next, ride into Acadia National Park, truly a cyclist's paradise. Over 50 miles of carriage roads wind gently through pine scented forests and lovely stands of beech and maple, curving around sparkling freshwater lakes, secluded ponds, meadows and marshes, and offer spectacular views of the surrounding granite peaks and cliffs. The cycling also takes you past miles of seascapes and shoreline, past Thunder Hole, and around Otter Point, and Hunter's Head. Visit deep quiet coves and rocky points with pounding surf, see all sorts of ducks, geese, and puffin while in the distance seagulls dive along the wake of fishing boats heading back to port. In addition to all the superb cycling, Bike Vermont also includes an afternoon of professionally guided kayaking along the islands and quiet inlets of Pretty Marsh Harbor.
For many, a highlight of the tour will be the town of Bar Harbor. Situated on the shores of Frenchman's Bay, "downtown" Bar Harbor is brimming with stores, craft shops, museums and galleries, including the famous Robert Abbe Museum with its fine collection of local Native American artifacts. One of your nights you are "on your own" to select from the wide variety of excellent restaurants and after dinner you may be treated to a band concert on the town green, take in the varied nightlife, or enjoy an evening stroll along mile-long Shore Path while looking at the boats, the ocean vistas, and the handsome estates that border the ocean.
Finally, enjoy all this while staying at two superb inns. Sunday and Monday, you are a guest at the renowned Claremont Hotel, located on a lovely harbor on Sommes Sound. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, stay in the town of Bar Harbor at the Manor House Inn, a former 22-room mansion perfectly situated on a quiet tree-lined street that is within easy walking distance of all that Bar Harbor has to offer.
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