Discover the Quiet Side of Acadia National Park

Published on March 8, 2024

By Amanda Dana, Travel Writer

Travel with seasoned guides who know where to find the best lobster rolls! The perfect walking experience awaits in Acadia National Park.

Off the beaten path along Maine's wild coastline, you can traverse winding paths along rocky cliffs and hike through dense pine forests. Experience the timeless charm of seaside villages dotted with colorful cottages and weathered docks. Travel with seasoned guides who know where to find the best lobster rolls; the perfect walking experience awaits in Acadia National Park.

Maine: Acadia National Park: A Guided Adventure

The VBT | Country Walkers Maine: Acadia National Park Guided Tour takes you to lesser traveled corners of this popular national park so you can soak in the coastal beauty of Maine with fewer crowds. Join your local guides for a trip back in time on an excursion to Little Cranberry Island. Board a chartered fishing vessel and spend an hour at sea, keeping your eyes peeled for seals and seabirds. When you arrive at this remote island, you'll meet a lobsterwoman who's fished the regional waters for decades and spins engaging yarns about this age-old vocation. Greet the island's handful of year-round residents as you wander through the traditional village of clapboard cottages and wooden piers. Explore the grassy bluffs and pebbled beaches alongside your local guides who direct you to the best places to spot shorebirds among the low-bush cranberries that give the island its name. After full days of exploring quaint seaside towns, trekking along ocean-edge cliffs, and keeping your eyes peeled for seals and ospreys, you'll be ready to spend your evenings relaxing at a charming local inn. Guests on this guided adventure spend all five nights relaxing to the sounds of ocean waves. "We take guests to the quiet side of the island to experience lesser traveled paths in the villages of Southwest and Northeast Harbor, but they get to return to the same inn at the end of the day. There's no packing and unpacking, so you get the opportunity to really settle in and get to know the excellent staff here," explains VBT | Country Walkers Trip Designer Joe Flynn. Relax with a good book by the outdoor fireplace, take a dip in the oceanside heated pool, or take advantage of the world-class spa facilities to rest and rejuvenate for your next walk. Head down to the inn's restaurant a little early to enjoy a performance from a local fiddler before tucking into a decadent seafood dinner.

"Our tours are designed with the benefit of immense local knowledge," explains Joe. "We've done so much research, and we leverage local resources—like the guides who lead our guided tours. Guests don't have to plan ahead; they can just decide what they feel like doing on any given day. All that information is right at their fingertips." With VBT | Country Walkers, you'll experience the best Acadia National Park has to offer.

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