Email a friend about VBT Bicycling Vacations. VBT   614 Monkton Road, Bristol, Vermont 05443-0711 1-800-245-3868 Mon-Fri 8:30 am to 5:30 pm EST Visit our Web site at www.vbt.com.

Maine Coast: Purely Acadia 2008 - Detailed Itinerary

tba

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Arrive Bar Harbor

The group meets at the Bar Harbor Inn. After settling in, explore this lovely seaport town until mid-afternoon. At 3 p.m., join your VBT Trip Leaders for a safety and bike-fitting session, followed by a short warm-up ride. At 5 p.m., meet up with the group for a tour orientation and welcome reception before a 7 p.m. dinner at the inn.

Meals: D  Hotel: Bar Harbor Inn

Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Cycle carriage trails to Jordan Pond

Today, cycle on Acadia's famed car-free carriage roads, which were established by John D. Rockefeller. Your loop takes you around Eagle Lake to Jordan Pond. Lunch is on your own. The park's Jordan Pond House serves elegant fare and their famous popovers. The afternoon ride offers exceptional views of Bubble Pond and Cadillac Mountain. Savor the flavors of Maine tonight during a lobster dinner at the inn. Afterward, there are sometimes free band concerts on the town green.

Meals: B,D  Hotel: Bar Harbor Inn

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR DISCOVERY DAY! Cycle to Sand Beach/Optional sea kayaking, whale watching or a sunset cruise

Spend the morning riding on the Park Loop Road to Sand Beach, where you can relax on the shore or take an easy hike. After lunch at the Fabbri Memorial Picnic Area, cycle back to Bar Harbor or, for additional miles, continue on the Park Loop Road past Cadillac Mountain Summit Road. This afternoon, you may choose among optional activities (at your own expense): guided sea kayaking in Frenchman Bay (about $45 per person), a whale-watching excursion (about $40 for 3 hours) or a sunset cruise on the schooner Margaret Todd (about $28 for 2 hours). Or, browse in Bar Harbor's charming gift shops and boutiques. For dinner, enjoy the fine restaurants in town.

Meals: B, L  Hotel: Bar Harbor Inn

Day 4 of BIKE TOUR Explore Northeast Harbor

Today, cycle to the quiet side of Mount Desert Island with plenty of time to check out the local microbrewery and enjoy lunch. Then continue cycling to Northeast Harbor, with views of the spectacular fjord of Somes Sound. In Northeast Harbor, you will find many attractive boutiques, galleries, gardens and eateries. Asticou Inn overlooks the beautiful protected harbor full of sailboats and luxury yachts. Take advantage of the amenities at the inn, including heated outdoor swimming pool and clay tennis courts Dinner will be at a local restaurant tonight. Alternate itinerary - when staying at Harbour Cottage: Stroll around the Nature Conservancy, where you might see harbor seals sunning themselves on the rocks in the bay. Ride past Echo Lake to Southwest Harbor. Once in Southwest Harbor, you may visit the Wendell Gilley Museum or visit the shops in the village. Dinner tonight is at the inn.

Meals: B,L,D  Hotel: Asticou Inn Alternate Hotel: Harbour Cottage Inn .   Built in 1852, the inn was the original lodging facility in Southwest Harbor. It served as a sea captain’s house from 1870-1881; at that time, it was named the Island House. Today, it has a serene atmosphere with a very light and airy interior.

Day 5 of BIKE TOUR DISCOVERY DAY! Explore Little Cranberry Island and Northeast Harbor

After a leisurely breakfast at the inn, we board a car-free ferry to Great Cranberry Island (15 minutes) and continue on by ferry to Little Cranberry Island (10 minutes). Cycle this pristine hamlet which hosts a year-round community of lobstermen, boatbuilders, craftsmen, and “rusticators”. Low-bush cranberries grow profusely in the fall and the berries are about the size of green peas. They grow right on the dry ground, not in bogs. Enjoy lunch at a rustic dock restaurant. Visit the Isleford Historical Museum before boarding the ferry back to Northeast Harbor (30 minutes) and meeting our local expert for a discussion on the area. Enjoy an optional visit to the azalea and the Thuya gardens before our final farewell celebration dinner at the inn. Alternate itinerary - when staying at Harbour Cottage: We ferry to Swans Island and enjoy quiet cycling to Hockamock Head Lighthouse —where we may spot dolphins and lobster boats. Here we stop to relax and enjoy a VBT picnic lunch. Afterwards we take the ferry back to Bass Harbor and transfer to the inn. If you choose the longer route, you can cycle an additional 9 miles of peaceful island roads. Later we return to the inn with time to freshen up before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: B,L,D  Hotel: Asticou Inn Alternate Hotel: Harbour Cottage Inn .   Built in 1852, the inn was the original lodging facility in Southwest Harbor. It served as a sea captain’s house from 1870-1881; at that time, it was named the Island House. Today, it has a serene atmosphere with a very light and airy interior.

Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Enjoy the Carriage Trails before departing

From here we will cycle up to Acadia National Park and enter the carriage trails one last time, enjoying the views along the west side of Jordan Pond on our way back to Bar Harbor. As we bid adieu, you'll agree with the state's motto that this is truly “the way life should be.” VBT has arranged facilities for you to shower and change before leaving between 2 and 4 p.m. The innkeepers of the Bar Harbor Inn ask that you depart by 4:00 p.m Alternate itinerary - when staying at Harbour Cottage: During a cruise around the Great Harbor and Somes Sound Fjord, on the way to Northeast Harbor, you learn about lobster fishing. Afterward, spend time in Northeast Harbor, perhaps shopping and eating lunch, before cycling to Bar Harbor for showers and departure. Along the way, admire Northeast Harbor and its many summer mansions.

Meals: B