RoamingRushka

Paloma and I have been really enjoying our stay in Yarmouth, a quiet suburb about ten minutes north of Portland, ME. We’ve been here for about 3 weeks now enjoying a more serene and peaceful vibe than our previous down-town stays. From our upstairs apartment, we get a great view of this quaint town with the autumn leaves gently falling from the sky like snowflakes with every gentle breeze.

Last week, we took a road trip with my parents, who came to visit us. We packed up and hit the road for a weekend in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It was a beautiful three-hour drive through Maine’s legendary autumn landscape, with the trees just starting to lose their leaves. Centuries-old colonial towns made guest appearances every half-hour or so as we carried on up the East Coast’s Highway 1. We couldn’t have asked for a better backdrop.

Arriving in Bar Harbor, we could feel the shift from Portland’s coastal bustle to the charm of this small town, which is perfectly placed on the edge of the Atlantic and just minutes from Acadia’s expansive wilderness. Our first stop? Margaritas. I know. Margaritas? Not the most New England option but it was a long drive and everyone was particularly thirsty.

Acadia itself was a revelation. The park’s mountains and turquoise beaches were unlike anything we’d seen before. We started with a hike that wound up one of the more accessible trails, giving us a sweeping view of the mountains. Every turn gave us new sights: rugged cliffs meeting the sea, turquoise waves crashing onto rocky shores, and golden hues lighting up the horizon. I love scrambling up rocks, and this hike did not disappoint. I was able to scramble down a cliff to get to the tide pools below and back up again to surprise my group.

Another unexpected gem was finding the “closest Irish pub to Ireland in the USA,” Leary’s Landing: a cozy spot to unwind after hours of exploring. It had all the warmth and authenticity we hoped for and added a touch of Irish charm to our New England adventure.

The highlight, though, was sharing this experience with my parents, who came all the way from the West Coast to be with us. Having them there to explore Acadia with me and Paloma made everything so much more special. For anyone considering an autumn trip to Maine, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are places that simply must be experienced firsthand—every memory we made there felt like it came out of a storybook.

-RoamingRushka