Visiting Maine in a New GMC Acadia

September 16, 2016

Every summer, I make several trips to one of my favorite places - Skylands, my home in Maine. While there, I do a lot of entertaining, and spending time with my daughter, Alexis, my grandchildren, Jude and Truman, and our many good friends who visit. I also love touring the area’s gardens and shops, and hiking the many trails at Acadia National Park. Acadia is filled with pristine woodlands, rocky beaches, clear ponds and so much more.

This year, all those who love Acadia National Park are celebrating its centennial. Acadia is very important to me and my family, and I feel strongly about preserving and protecting the beautiful space and its surrounding communities. On a recent trip to Maine, I visited Acadia again - to enjoy the stunning views and tranquility.

Here are some photos from our drive up. This time, we used two brand new vehicles from GMC - a Sierra and of course, an Acadia.

: There’s always a lot to do at my farm before every trip to Skylands. The crew loaded the trailer with everything I needed for my stay including my Shew and Burnham Whitehall skiff rowboat.

: Because there is so much to bring, we’re taking two new GMC vehicles with us this trip – a new GMC Acadia Denali and a new GMC Sierra Denali. http://www.gmc.com

: The Sierra Denali has the best fuel economy out of any full-sized pick-up and can haul my trailer with ease. The Acadia is very handy as a mid-sized SUV – we will get a lot of good use out of both these cars up at Skylands.

: The drive takes about nine-hours, so we always try to leave my home in Bedford as early as possible.

: The Acadia’s built-in navigation system is dependable and easy to follow. I know all the routes to my home in Maine, but it’s still nice to use this feature to see where we are on the map – just type in the final destination and points of interest along the way and it’s set. We are approaching Maine.

: A few hours later, we hit Piscataqua River Bridge, a through arch bridge that crosses the Piscataqua River, connecting Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Kittery, Maine on Interstate -95.

: Soon after the bridge, we hit a long anticipated sign welcoming us to the state of Maine.

: Here we are at one of our favorite stops, the Kittery Trading Post. It’s fun to shop through their vast selection of outdoor gear. I love getting supplies here for all the outdoor activities we enjoy, such as hiking and boating. http://www.kitterytradingpost.com/

: Another popular stop in Kittery is Bob’s Clam Hut where we get some of the best seafood combination platters – clam strips, oysters, shrimp, and calamari. http://www.bobsclamhut.com

: Bob’s Clam Hut was first established in 1956 before this section of Route-One became so busy. It continues to be one of the most popular seafood stops for both locals and travelers – we love eating here.

: We stopped at another favorite shop, Stonewall Kitchen, which is celebrating its 25-anniversary this year. Stonewall is a great producer of homemade oils, jams and mustards, and I often pick up groceries at Stonewall for use at Skylands. http://www.stonewallkitchen.com/

: We made it! After the long drive, it’s always a welcome relief to arrive on Mt. Desert Island. I always look forward to my journeys to Maine, especially Acadia National Park.

: And this time, in a GMC Acadia Denali – how appropriate.

: This year is very special for Acadia – it is the park’s centennial year, and everyone who loves Acadia is celebrating 100-years of conservation and community at this 47-thousand acre Atlantic coast recreation area.

: One never tires of the beauty of Acadia National Park – I come here every time I am in Maine.

: It started to rain a bit during our drive, but the views are still so magical.

: One of my favorite treks is around Jordan Pond. The pond covers 187-acres, with a maximum depth of 150-feet. It’s flanked on the west side by Penobscot Mountain, and to the northeast by two mountains called “The Bubbles”.

: This is one of two carriage road gate lodges – just south of Jordan Pond. Originally built to keep automobiles off the carriage roads created by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., today they stand as part of the park’s rich history and charm.

: I love taking in the scenery of the Maine coast. Here we are at the harbor picking up our lobsters for dinner.

: These are lobster traps that were just hauled in for maintenance.

: I met my teenaged friends, Grace and Matthew, who love to fish – thanks for the lobsters!

: The two are working hard on their boat, “Steppin Stone”.

: Back at Skylands, we’re putting the GMC Sierra to work transporting some flowers. I use a lot of flowers whenever I entertain at Skylands. Most of them are grown right here in a large cutting garden.