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Acadia National Park: A Natural History on Maine's Mount Desert Island

Program Number: 16429RJ
Start and End Dates:
5/28/2013 - 5/31/2013; 6/2/2013 - 6/5/2013; 9/3/2013 - 9/6/2013; 10/6/2013 - 10/9/2013; 10/15/2013 - 10/18/2013;
Duration: 3 nights
Location: Acadia National Park, Maine
Price starting at: $528.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: National Parks Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 9; 3 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners    
Meal Options: Gluten Free; Low Fat; Low Salt    

Enjoy an insider’s look at the jewel of coastal New England — Acadia National Park on Maine’s Mount Desert Island — as those who know the area best share their knowledge and insights. Hear the story of the park’s creation by America’s wealthy elite, including philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and visit Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor, the last two bastions of old-money wealth on Mount Desert Island. Trace the relationship between the park and the island, exploring the island’s history of ice harvesting and ship building. Year-round residents introduce the island’s seasonal rhythms and best-kept secrets.




Highlights

• Journey through the park over carriage roads and bridges to discover landmarks like Cadillac Mountain.
• Learn about Somes Sound, the only fjord on the east coast of North America.
• A Maine lobster expert shows you how the crustaceans are captured (with authentic gear and live lobsters!) after you enjoy a real Down East lobster dinner.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to one mile on mostly even terrain.




Date Specific Information

6-2-2013, 10-15-2013

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.




Acadia National Park

The first U.S. National Park east of the Mississippi River encompasses 47,000 acres of lakes, mountains and shoreline on Mount Desert Island and other small islands in the Atlantic. Some 40 different species of mammals live in the park. Acadia includes Cadillac Mountain, which in certain seasons is the first spot in the country to see sunrise.
Accommodations
Family-owned hotel in downtown Bar Harbor.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Steve Haynes
Steve Haynes is an expert on granite quarrying; Maine is renowned for the quality of its granite, which is featured in many buildings and memorials throughout the United States, including the gravestone of John. F. Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery. He not only discusses granite quarrying on Mount Desert Island but performs a spellbinding demonstration of granite cutting.
 
Linda Shingleton
Linda Shingleton is passionate about being outside and exploring the many hiking trails, carriage roads, sea kayaking routes and other attractions of Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island. She’s a six-year veteran of the outdoors scene on MDI. Like many of the participants who attend Road Scholar programs, she is a retired educator, having spent 30 years in that field, and her ability to relate to others is a major reason she’s such a well-liked Road Scholar group leader. Linda’s eager to share her passion for Mount Desert Island with Road Scholars and to birghten participants' days with her unfailing optimism and good cheer.
 
Julia Clark
Julia Clark works at the Abby Museum in Bar Harbor, which celebrates the Native American heritage of Mount Desert Island. She enjoys sharing her knowledge of the history of the Wabanaki tribe, who "summered" on Mount Desert Island long before it became famous.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Anchorage Motel
  Bar Harbor, Maine 3 nights
 Anchorage Motel
Type: Motel
  Description: The Anchorage Motel offers a convenient in-town location near the center of Bar Harbor. Fine restaurants, shops and waterfront activities are only a short walk away from this AAA-approved lodging facility. Also nearby is the Shore Path, a picturesque walking route that is flanked by old mansions and lawns and affords expansive views eastward across Frenchman Bay.
  Contact info: 51 Mt. Desert Street
Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA
phone: 207-288-3959
  Room amenities: Each rooms has a private bath with tub and/or shower, color cable television and direct dial telephone.
  Facility amenities: Rooms have two beds, private baths, air conditioning, telephone and cable television.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Additional nights prior: Available from the motel Additional nights can be arranged by calling the hotel office.
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Additional nights after: Available from the motel Additional nights can be arranged by calling the hotel office.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
3:30 p.m., hotel lobby You will be staying at Anchorage Motel that night.
  End of Program:
1:00 p.m., hotel lobby You will be staying at Anchorage Motel the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Free parking is available at the Anchorage Motel.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Bar Harbor, Maine
  Nearest city or town:  Bar Harbor
  Nearest highway: Maine Route 3
  Nearest airport:  Hancock County Airport
  From End of Program
  Location: Bar Harbor, Maine
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Bangor

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Bar Harbor-Bangor Shuttle
phone: 207-479-5911
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

35.00
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

1 hour, 15 minutes 
   

The Bar Harbor-Bangor Shuttle has several departures daily to and from the Bangor Airport.
 

Bar Harbor

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi
MDI Taxi
phone: 207-288-3333
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

30.00
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

20 minutes 
   

Taxi service is available to and from the Bar Harbor Airport.
 
Driving Directions
  From south: You may take I-95 to Bangor, then Route 1A to Ellsworth, and then Route 3 to Bar Harbor; or you can take scenic Route 1 all the way up the Maine coast.
Equipment Requirements: No special equipment is required for this program.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1:
(Sunday, October 6)
   
 Afternoon: Check in to motel and register with Road Scholar group leader between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. The Anchorage Motel is located in downtown Bar Harbor and is within a short walk of downtown shops and attractions. We’ll have our first gathering at 3:30 to get to know each other, then we'll head to the Acadia National Park Visitor Center for an introduction to the park and Mount Desert Island. Following that, we'll do a Victorian walking tour, focusing on the era when Bar Harbor was the country's most exclusive and illustrious resort.
 Dinner: We'll dine at the Portside Grill in downtown Bar Harbor, with a Down East lobster dinner highlighting our program on the last night. Each evening there will be a designated entrée; Portside will also offer a "light" alternative every night of Chicken Caesar Salad or grilled portabello mushroom. Tonight we'll have baked haddock with boiled new potatoes and veggies; rolls and butter; dessert; and choice of beverage.
   
Accommodations: Anchorage Motel
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2:
(Monday, October 7)
   
 Breakfast: We’ll start our day at a convenient downtown restaurant, where we'll enjoy buffet selections along with juice and coffee.
 Morning: We'll begin the day's activities with a trip to the ruins of Oldfarm, the estate of George B. Dorr, who's considered the father of Acadia National Park. We'll learn the fascinating story of how Acadia came to be the only national park in which the land was donated rather than purchased by the government. Then we'll move on to our first classroom session, hearing from Anne Warner of Acadia National Park. Our final morning session will feature Steve Haynes discussing the history of granite quarrying on Mount Desert Island. Each session will be followed by a question-and-answer period.
 Lunch: We'll picnic today with sandwiches and the trimmings, probably stopping at the scenic Bear Brook picnic area as we start our tour of Acadia's Ocean Drive.
 Afternoon: We'll board the "Green Machine" for a tour of Acadia's Park Loop Road, including the famed Ocean Drive section. We'll include stops at Thunder Hole, where under the right conditions the sea sends flumes of spray skyward and produces a booming sound, and Jordan Pond, a glacial lake nestled between two mountains.
 Dinner: Tonight we'll have a green salad; meatloaf; mashed potatoes and veggies; rolls and butter; and dessert. Our light alternatives will also be available.
 Evening: We’ll take a scenic drive up Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard, taking in the marvelous 360-degree views from the summit.
   
Accommodations: Anchorage Motel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3:
(Tuesday, October 8)
   
 Breakfast: We'll choose from a variety of breakfast entrees, including juice and coffee.
 Morning: Our morning will begin with a trip to the Somesville Museum, located in the oldest town on Mount Desert Island, and a stroll through that lovely community; C. H. Breedlove will be our guide. Then Tim Garrity, executive director of the Mount Desert Historical Society, will talk about the Civil War and its effect on the island. Finally, the delightful Ruth Grier will do a presentation on the flora and fauna of the island.. A question-and-answer period will follow each session.
 Lunch: We'll pick one of the island's prettiest spots for today's picnic.
 Afternoon: After delving deeper into the morning topics, we'll tour some of the high spots of the island, including Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor, the last two bastions of old-money wealth on Mount Desert Island; Bass Harbor Head Light, perhaps the most photographed lighthouse in Maine; Wonderland, a level walking trail which features breathtaking views looking south towards the open ocean; and "The Old Stone Barn," a landmark of Mount Desert.
 Dinner: Before hearing from a lobster expert about Maine’s most famous crustacean, we’ll have an old-fashioned Down East shore feast. We'll start with a cup of clam chowder, then wej'll have boiled lobster served with drawn butter; boiled red potatoes; cole slaw; rolls and butter; dessert; and beverage
 Evening: A lobster expert will demonstrate, using authentic gear and live lobsters, how Maine's most famous sea creatures are caught and what the future of the industry looks like.
   
Accommodations: Anchorage Motel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4:
(Wednesday, October 9)
   
 Breakfast: We'll choose from a variety of breakfast entrees along with juice and coffee.
 Morning: This morning we'll hear from Julia Clark of the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, who'll talk about the Wabanaki Native American heriteage on Mount Desert Island. Finally, Abe Miller-Rushing of Acadia National Park will discuss climate change in Down East Maine.
 Lunch: Our time comes to an end as we enjoy a farewell picnic and say goodbye to our newfound Road Scholar friends.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Discover Acadia National Park: AMCs Guide To The Best Hiking, Biking and Paddling


Author: Jerry and Marcy Monkman


Field Guide To Acadia National Park, Maine


Author: Russell Butcher


Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park: An Informal History


Author: Sargent Collier




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