Three Exhilarating Days In and Around Acadia National Park.

As a diehard New Englander, it’s a bit shameful that I’d never been to Bar Harbor, Maine. So, recently, I planned a reasonably epic three-day weekend that maxed out on coastal and Acadia National Park vibes while minimizing the hiccups associated with summer tourism.

The best part? This Zen-meets-adventure itinerary holds up like a champ for early Autumn, too.

During the Gilded Age, Mount Desert Island (MDI) rose to fame as one of the premier summer destinations for the absurdly wealthy. Fancy folk built their summer cottages here—and by cottages, I mean Tiffany glass-bedazzled mansions.

Unfortunately, in 1947, a catastrophic fire burned 17,188 acres of the island, including mammoth swaths of Acadia National Park and most mansions. Although most grand cottages were not rebuilt, the island recovered and remains a water-bound wonderland for would-be vacationers.