Saturday,
August 28 - Saturday, September 4, 2010
Saturday,
September 4 - Saturday, September 11, 2010
Acadia National Park, located on Mt. Desert Island off the coast of
Maine, is a magical place offering sweeping mountain views, rugged ocean
scenery, crashing waves, quiet woods, beautiful sunrises, peaceful
sunsets, quaint harbor villages, 120+ miles of hiking trails, 45 miles
of rustic carriage roads and fascinating flora and fauna. This is
one of our favorite places to pass the time, especially after the summer
crowds have left. Acadia is considered one of America's favorite
national parks. We invite you to join us for a week of fun, fellowship, exploration,
adventure and relaxation in a place seems to "have it all."
There are many ways to experience the scenic peaks, picturesque valleys, dramatic shorelines,
off shore islands and harbor communities of Acadia - on foot, bicycle, with
a paddle, horse-drawn carriage, auto, boat, ferry, shuttle bus and trolley tours.
With so many possibilities available, we have chosen to
offer an "ala carte" vacation package. We begin with lodging and you add on what you would like to
include in your package from there. Such allows flexibility for
budgeting needs, activity levels and weather considerations. You can choose to be as active or as relaxed as
you would like day to day based on how you feel. This format
provides opportunities for exploration on your own to areas and places
that interest you.
Throughout the week
active adventures excursions (hike,
bike and paddle opportunities, and combinations of such) will be offered.
We will also offer as a variety of sight seeing tours targeting the "must see" places in Acadia National Park.
These tours employ various modes of transportion including automobile,
ferry and fishing boats, shuttle and trolley buses and horse-drawn carriage
to mention a few. Our plan is to offer 2-3 experiences each day. You will be able to choose
the experiences that appeals to you most at the time. Below are
some of the experiences that we have offered in the past:
-
Hikes along wide-open granite
mountain and ridges with breathtaking scenery
-
Biking
on "vehicle free" roads (a 45-mile network of carriage roads
with 16 stonework bridges contributed by John D.
Rockefeller, Jr. in the 1920s and 1930s)
-
A stop by the Jordan
Pond House for popovers and beverage on the tea lawn, a special and unique Acadia
tradition
-
Ocean
side hiking and nature walks with opportunities to
explore the mostly granite shoreline with its many tidal pools and spectacular
views
-
Visit
to Historic Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
-
Greater and Small Cranberry Island
tour
-
Sunset sea kayak
tour
-
Quiet water paddling experiences on inland lakes, ponds, salt
water marshes or nearby harbors
-
Bar Harbor Whale Watch, Deep Sea Fishing, Historic Lighthouses & Acadia National Park
boat tours
We
have cabin reservations for
lodging
on the quieter southwest side of Mt. Desert Island in a secluded, wooded area in Bernard, ME
(near Tremont and Bass
Harbor). Southwest Harbor is less than 4 miles away. Each
cabin has 2 rooms (or a downstairs room and a sleeping loft) with a
combination of queen and twin beds and will accommodate 2 or 3 guests.
They are also
fully
equipped with just about anything you would need during your stay,
including a washer, dryer, beach towels, outdoor grill and lobster pot! The
cabins
are serviced by the Island Explorer Shuttle, which is a free shuttle bus
transportation system servicing much of Mt. Desert Island, allowing car-free
exploration of the island. For those flying to Mt. Desert Island,
nearby Bar Harbor/Hancock
County Airport has direct connections with Boston. Another option is to
fly into Bangor and use a shuttle or taxi service to Bar Harbor.
Both options allow car-free travel
to and from Acadia. Contact us if you would like more information
about the shuttle or taxi service.
You may participate in one of the activities offered each day or you may
opt to enjoy
time on the beach or sight-seeing on your own... maybe a visit to Bar Harbor or the
other harbors on the island, spend time browsing the shops, relax at
Echo Lake (a
fresh water beach) and/or Sand Beach on the ocean, experience a horse-drawn carriage
ride, ride a ferry to a nearby island, or visit museums and sites that
interest you.
The
base price for this package
begins with a cabin rental (7 nights lodging in wonderfully decorated,
maintained and fully equipped cabin). As mentioned above, each
cabin will sleep 2-3 people in their own beds. The cabin price is
for 1, 2 or 3 people. Bring a friend or
two along with you to share the cost of the cabin and you'll lower your
lodging cost 50% or 66%... and increase your fun. Note that the
cabin rates are higher the week of 8/28-9/4 as it is still peak season.
You have the option of providing your own food and meals
OR adding a meal package (explained below).
Each cabin has a fully functional kitchen with all the dining and
cookware necessary for meal preparations, an outdoor grill and lobster
pot. There are also grocery stores nearby. You may choose to
dine out at times and Mt. Desert Island offers a variety of dining
experiences.
An optional meals package
is available for your stay in the event you prefer to
leave the cooking to someone else for the week. We are fortunate
to have a wonderful cook on our staff who enjoys treating our guests to fresh home-cooked meals.
Meals begin with breakfast Sunday and end after breakfast the following Saturday.
Included in the meal package is an oceanside BBQ, a lobster bake, lunch at
the Jordan Pond House, and dinner out at a local restaurant one evening.
The other meals are served at our "social center" for the week. We
are able to accomodate those with dietary restrictions or
preferences. Milk, juices, coffe, tea, lemonade, ice tea and tap
water will be provided in the meals package. You must provide your
own bottled water, soda or "spirits" if you prefer such with your meals.
Please note that a gratuity is expected when dining out
and is not included in the meals package. Contact us with any questions
you may have in regards to this package.
A variety of adventure activities
and opportunities to explore the island, as well as transportation for such,
will be offered daily. The duration for most excursions is 4-5
hours and there will be 2 and sometimes 3 opportunities to choose from
each day, some more active than others. In regards to the
activities, we are offering an "ala carte" (pay as you
go) option and a 4-day activity package that you must
purchase at the time you make your reservations.
The "ala carte" option allows
you pick and choose which activities and opportunities you would like to
participate in.
This options give you the flexibility to join a group for activities
that appeal to you and allows more time, if desired, to explore on your
own. Payment for will be accepted
the night prior, for any opportunities that do not require advance
reservations. Note that payment on a day-to-day basis for the
hike, bike and paddle trips must be in cash. Tours that require
advance reservations accept credit cards. Many of the other tours
prefer cash payment when you arrive. Please
plan accordingly.
The 4-day activity package is valid for the
adventure activities only. This package option allows you
to choose the activities you prefer (hike, bike, paddle or a
combination) on any 4 of the 6 days.
The other 2 days are free days for you to explore on your own.
Should yo decide you would like to participate in an activity being offered
those day, you may pay at that time.
We intend to offer 2-3 opportunities for hiking, 2-3 opportunities for
biking on the carriage roads and 2-3 paddling opportunities. Please
note that bike rentals, which range from $22-27/day, are an additional
fee and NOT included in the bike trip fee or the 4-day
activity package. To save on bike rental fees, plan to bring your own
bike.
Boats & paddling gear are included in the tour price for the sea kayak
and quiet water paddling trips. Adventure trips and other tour fees
generally range from $65-$85/person per activity or tour.
Lodging cost
per cabin
8/28-9/4 - $950.00/cabin
(regular season rate)
9/4-9/11 - $700.00/cabin
(off season rates begin 9/4)
A 50% deposit is required to confirm reservations. Bring a friend
or two with you and reduce your lodging cost 50-66%. You must
provide your own cabin mate(s).
Optional Meal
package
- $375/person
A 50% deposit is required to confirm reservations. Does not
include gratuity when dining out.
Optional 4-day Activity
package
- $300/person
A 50% deposit is required to confirm reservations. Does not
include bike rentals for biking opportunities.
Contact us
to make reservations or for more
information about this trip.
