Maine! The great vacationers destination—plus the headquarters of L.L. Bean! When my mum was a kid, she and my grandparents would spend a few weeks of the summer visiting a lakeside cottage. Now, my parents like to steal a few days of the summer to go revisit the memories and visit friends. This trip included stays at two friend’s houses in East Blue Hill and on Vinalhaven Island.
Our adventure included mountain biking, hiking, and much lobster gobbling. We began with a visit to East Burke, VT to the infamous Kingdom Trails. You can find the site here. The three hour biking adventure resulted in a few scars on my part. One is shaped like a Nike Swoosh on my left leg. I think it makes me look tough. Nonetheless, our crew had a blast and the soreness lasted for the rest of the trip.
After our jaunt to VT, we crossed into Maine and to visit friends of ours who live at the Pentagoet Inn in Castine. The owners, Jack and Julie are the most darling people. Julie owned a pastry shop in Philadelphia where my mum worked in her youth. The two of them moved in together in South Philly before mum moved abroad. Jack worked with refugees in desperate situations and has the most fascinating stories to tell. The two of them make a fantastic duo and the best hosts a guest could ask for. Jack mans the Passport Bar, which is decorated by portraits of world leaders and transplants you to another place and time. Julie is the executive chef and whips up incredible flavors with the local produce as the centerpiece. I wish I had taken more photos to share, but the rooms are just darling with antique furniture and a homey, loved feeling about them. We were sad to spend only one night.
The next morning after a brisk walk to the lighthouse and back, we headed off to Acadia National Park. The views were breathtaking, and the hike fairly mild. Acadia is crowned by Cadillac Mountain—a rocky, mossy landmark. We took the two hour hike, parking at the top to expedite the trip.
Good friends welcomed us into their homes with a tour of the recently constructed Kiln and a great firewood-stacking endeavor. Nothing like industry to pique hunger!
After a grand meal and a night’s sleep, we left for Rockport and the Vinalhaven ferry. Vinalhaven is an old mining and fishing island, which hasn’t changed much over the years. Since the car we took across the ferry was loaded with supplies, all but two of us rode our bikes the twenty minutes to the house.
The island was just beautiful. Below are two pictures I took while out on a walk. One showcases the greenery and the other is of a house resting in the middle of an inlet.
Two nights and three lobsters later, we said goodbye to the island and headed back to PA.
To see what became of the lobsters, check out my instagram below!
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This Grand Venture 
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