Our First Official Adventure: 22 Hours to Acadia National Park
Every couple has that trip—the one that quietly sets the tone for everything that follows. For us, it was our first official adventure together, just after we started dating: a 22-hour drive north to Maine, chasing coastlines, national parks, and a feeling that maybe—just maybe—we were building something special.
That road trip became the beginning of The Roamsteaders.
From the Road to the Roots
There’s something bold (and slightly unhinged) about committing to a 22-hour drive with someone you’re newly dating. No shortcuts. No flights. Just coffee, playlists, gas station snacks, and the open road.
Before reaching Maine, we made a memorable stop in Salem—a place steeped in history, mystery, and just the right amount of eerie charm.
Salem, Massachusetts: Witches & History
In Salem, we visited the Witch House, the only remaining structure directly tied to the 1692 witch trials. Built in 1675, it once belonged to Judge Jonathan Corwin and stands as a sobering reminder of one of the most infamous chapters in American history. I am a diehard Halloween/October girlie, and I couldn’t wait to see one of the houses from Hocus Pocus.
We also explored the Salem Witch Museum, which offers historical context behind the trials and the hysteria that fueled them. Salem was the perfect prelude—history-rich, atmospheric, and a reminder that travel is as much about stories as destinations. Warning: its incredibly creepy and feels like its from the 80s. That makes it though.
Then it was back in the car, heading farther north toward the rugged coast of Maine.
Falling for Acadia National Park
Located along Maine’s Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park is one of the most diverse national parks in the U.S.—where granite mountains rise straight from the Atlantic Ocean. Established in 1916, Acadia protects over 49,000 acres of coastline, forests, lakes, and historic carriage roads.
It’s a place where the mountains meet the sea—and where we both realized how much we loved exploring together.
The Beehive Trail: A Leap of Faith
One of our most memorable hikes was the Beehive Trail. Known for its exposed cliffs and iron rungs bolted into sheer rock faces, this short but intense hike is not for the faint of heart.
Climbing the Beehive felt symbolic—trusting each other, facing a little fear, and being rewarded with sweeping views of Sand Beach and the Atlantic below. It was exhilarating, humbling, and absolutely unforgettable.
Tidepools & Coastal Magic
Acadia’s coastline is alive with movement. We spent time exploring tidepools, where sea stars, crabs, mussels, and anemones thrive in shallow pockets carved into the granite. Timing your visit around low tide reveals a hidden world—quiet, colorful, and constantly changing.
It was one of those slow moments that balanced the adrenaline of hiking with stillness and wonder.
Bar Harbor & Fourth of July Fireworks
We based much of our time around Bar Harbor, a charming coastal town just outside the park. Coincidentally, our visit lined up with Fourth of July, and that night we watched fireworks light up the harbor—reflections dancing on the water as boats bobbed in the distance.
It felt celebratory in more ways than one.
Cadillac Mountain Sunrise: Starting Something New
No trip to Acadia is complete without sunrise on Cadillac Mountain—the first place in the United States to see the sunrise for part of the year.
Important Reservation Info 🚗
If you plan to drive to the summit for sunrise, vehicle reservations are required through the National Park Service. These reservations are released in advance and often sell out quickly, especially during summer and holiday weekends. You’ll also need a valid Acadia National Park entrance pass.
Hiking up is an alternative, but either way, standing at the summit as the sky shifts from deep blue to glowing orange is pure magic—and a moment we’ll always associate with the beginning of our story.
A Bird’s-Eye View: Flying Over Acadia
One of the most unforgettable moments of our trip didn’t happen on a trail or at sunrise—it happened in the air.
We booked a small plane tour over Acadia National Park, and seeing the park from above completely changed how we understood it. From the sky, the rugged granite peaks, deep green forests, winding carriage roads, and jagged Atlantic coastline all came together as one breathtaking landscape.
Flying over Mount Desert Island gave us a true sense of Acadia’s scale—how the mountains rise straight from the ocean, how isolated some of the coves are, and how wild the coastline still feels despite its popularity. We could spot familiar places from earlier in the trip: the curves of Park Loop Road, the rocky shorelines where we explored tidepools, and even the summit of Cadillac Mountain standing proudly above it all.
For a trip that already felt big and meaningful, the plane tour added a sense of awe—and a quiet moment to take it all in together. It was one of those experiences where you don’t talk much afterward because nothing really needs to be said.
If you’re visiting Acadia and want a perspective that goes beyond the trails, a scenic flight is absolutely worth adding to your itinerary.
The Trip That Started It All
That 22-hour drive wasn’t just our first trip—it was the foundation of how we travel together: curious, adventurous, rooted in nature, and always chasing experiences over convenience.
Acadia gave us more than views and hikes. It gave us clarity. And years later, it still feels like the place where The Roamsteaders truly began.
Sometimes the best journeys don’t just take you somewhere new—they quietly show you where you’re meant to go, together.
