We started our morning with a visit to Bass Harbor Lighthouse, where the kids especially enjoyed scrambling on the granite ledges below. It was foggy so we got to see the light and hear the bells in action.

Next up was an easy walk on the Wonderland Trail to a cobblestone beach, followed by lunch in Southwest Harbor – lobster reubens, yum!

The afternoon highlight was a horse-drawn carriage ride along the carriage trails – a perfect way to see the park as it was originally conceived. The Rockefeller family still owns a large section of land adjacent to the park, but they allow the public to access their trails too. We saw several granite stone bridges designed by Rockefeller, still in great condition. Rowan especially enjoyed visiting with the horses who pulled our carriage, two silver Percherons.

The folks in Maine have devised a brilliant concept: the combination of a brewery and barbecue. We thoroughly enjoyed a beer tasting at the Atlantic Brewing Company, followed by a tasty protein-intensive meal at the co-located Mainely Meat BBQ!

We rounded out the evening with a walk downtown so the kids could see the bar out to Bar Island and sample the native ice cream again. The local community band provided light summer entertainment in the Village Green bandstand – classic New England town.