So – as many of you know (and if you don’t you can read about it here), I had to leave our Newburyport girls boat weekend early. Yes . . . I hung my head as I left the ladies and made the walk of shame down “B” dock to my car. Leaving the ladies was difficult, but it did help knowing that I was heading to Maine with my husband’s family. We have vacationed with them several times and I was really looking forward to this trip away. This time we all rented a large house to accommodate everyone. And when I say everyone, I mean for the week – we had between 15 – 20 people coming and going. So, the week promised to be eventful.
The Details
I have stayed in Maine several times – with Ogunquit being a particular favorite. This time we headed to Stockton Springs, which is about a half-hour south of Bangor, so it’s up there. It is a quintessential Maine coastal town and the large house we rented was only steps to our own private beach. Kayaks and paddle boards were rented for use during the day and for the evenings we played games – while the blenders worked overtime. We are a boisterous bunch and spending time with my husband’s family is always a great time.
Day Trips
We ventured out of the area two of the days we were there. Monday, we decided to go to Acadia National Park which was just over an hour away. The Park belongs to Maine’s rugged coastline and has carriage roads, bike paths and over 125 miles of trails to hike. We had a beautiful day exploring and were lucky to stay dry when visiting Thunder Hole. For those unfamiliar with it, Thunder Hole is a naturally formed inlet caused by the repeated erosion of the ocean waves. At the end of the inlet is a small cavern that forces water into the air, often making the sound of distant thunder. The entire park was beautiful. All that exploring left us hungry so we stopped for lunch and a little shopping in Bar Harbor. It is such a bustling active vacation destination and is full of shops, restaurants and bars. It was a great day, and I was exhausted once we got back to the house. I think I fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow
On Tuesday, we headed south to Belfast which is a small shipping town. Did a little more shopping and exploring as well as dinner at a local restaurant. The Front Street Pub was just what we were looking for. The food was great, they were extremely accommodating to our large party and the waitress made us all feel extremely welcome.
Beach by Day & Night
Most days, however, were spent relaxing at the beach and enjoying each other’s company. I love weeks away like this because it gives us all a chance to catch-up on what we all have been up to. Last year, because of Covid, many families spent little time outside of their homes, so it was nice to finally be around loved ones for an extended period. We went for walks on the beach every day and enjoyed a big bonfire at night with s’mores. I didn’t feel too guilty eating my way through Maine as there were 72 steps from the house to the beach 😳 so running back and forth a few times a day was just like hitting the gym. I was also, almost always, carrying a cocktail of some sort. Or food. So yeah – that’s like carrying free weights.
The entire week was perfect bar one exception. Don’t know if any of you have heard of the Browntail Moth Caterpillar. They are prevalent during May/June in mid-Maine and have tiny poisonous hairs that cause a rash like Poison Ivy on sensitive individuals. Sensitive individuals ie: fair-haired, fair-skinned, British ladies. 😳
Only one person got the rash. Yup, you guessed it. This girl.
Besides the one little blip that had me feeling as though I had taken a little bit of Maine back home with me, the week was perfection, and I cannot wait until our next family adventure.
Preferably to a place without moths of any kind.
– Sarah
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Sounds like the perfect family getaway! I’d like to do something like that next summer with my family! Thanks for the insight! 🤗
When you are back around these parts we will treat you to a night out! 😜