Where do you even begin to review a national park as gorgeous as Acadia?…read more Sand Beach and Thunder Hole are a must see. Beautiful sights. Cadillac Mountain is worth it.

Acadia National Park has been on my list of "must visit" parks for years. I've been talking to…read morevarious friends about a trip there for a while. While searching for a last-minute 4-day weekend birthday trip - the timing seemed to work out to visit Bar Harbor and Acadia. I was here from 30 April - 03 May and loved it. Not everything was open, but enough was open that I was able to explore and see most of what I wanted in Acadia (Cadillac mountain opened ON 30 April so, we were able to drive to the top, park and walk around without a permit/pass before season starts in a few weeks. We hiked Beehive, Jordan Pond, Ocean Path, Homan's Trail and a few other short park and walk items. By far, my favorite was Beehive as it's just scary/steep enough to give you a thrill, gorgeous views. I also loved Homan's trail - easy and short, but beautiful rock work. The ranger also told me that one of the women who originally donated a ton of the land for Acadia and wanted to do so anonymously was last name Homan, so this is honor of her. And what a beautiful trail it is! The visitor's center is small but as always, friendly and helpful rangers who helped me prioritize my must-sees and map out the best use of time/driving to get to everything I wanted to do in two short days. Schooner Point lookout is also an easy/quick stop off before entering one of the park entrances - and a beautiful view of the ocean. Bar Harbor is charming and fun and welcoming and at that time in late April/early May - no waits for anything as season is just beginning. Can't wait to come back!

There is no parking nearby, but we managed to take a spot in the art gallery at the top of the…read morepark. If you're here, you may have better luck on a side street. The small triangular park is quite sloped from top to bottom and I can't imagine that anyone does anything here which may be why there's no parking. The centerpiece is a tall granite Soldiers Monument that was dedicated in 1887. The main inscription reads, "In Honor of the Men/of/Ellsworth/Who Served and to the/Memory of those who fell on land and sea/In the War for the Union/Their Grateful Townsmen Have Raised This Memorial/1861 1887" [Review 14854 overall, 356 of 2021, number 40 in Maine.]

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes. Loop trail? Kind of. Well marked signs? Not really. Element of surprise? No. For Cumberland County folks, Moose Point feels like a combination of Fort Williams Park and Mackworth Island. It's got grassy knolls to picnic on with views of Penobscot Bay, evergreen groves to meander through via wide and well maintained trails (some of which have benches, some of which have little staircases leading down to the pebbled water's edge), a gazebo for events, and during low tide there are tidal pools to explore (during high tide it's much more difficult to navigate because it's mostly just uneven rocks and not much of a shore). I think this is a beautiful spot in midcoast Maine, and I'm glad there are locations like it throughout the state. Personally, I don't necessarily feel the need to come back (except to get my Maine State Parks Passport Stamp!!!), just because we have something soooooooooooo similar so close. But I can see how it's a draw for so many!

A hidden in plain sight gem of Maine! Moose Point State Park is sandwiched between route1 & the…read moreocean. We visited just before the season &, as such, parked outside the gate & walked in. There are many picnic table to enjoy lunch, a group pavilion, a playground & hiking trails to enjoy the ocean views. It would be well worth the $3/person fee in-season to enjoy this park. In particular, go in to the right ocean corner of the open area past the playground & there's a level easy walking path along the ocean out to a point with 270' water views. Give enough time to take pictures. We met the park ranger & had a lovely conversation about the local birds & the park's resident fox. Allot 1-2 hours, bring a picnic lunch & bring your camera.

Nice sandy beach ! Nice view ! Nice picnic area across the street with out houses . Not a huge…read morebeach .

This is a great spot. Parking , bathrooms and a long empty beach. Lapping waves. Very cold water…read more Lots of sea birds This is a pay to park beach, honor system.

Loved this little butterfly park. There are such beautiful signs and explanations of what a certain…read morecollection of bushes and trees support in the butterfly life cycle. The park has a Venmo and the suggested donation is $5. There is a small play area for children under 6. There is wonderful view of the water and a picnic area for those who want to enjoy an outdoor meal.

This place has a beautiful garden. We went on a very overcast day and did not see any butterflies,…read morebut we did see hummingbirds! It's definitely worth a stop if you're driving by, and it's a good place for kids.

Spectacular view of Penobscot Bay, the surrounding islands, and the Town of Camden. Well…read moremaintained and clean park, we walked a few of the trails on our visit today. $6 per person for non residents of Maine. That pretty much says it all, a short review, but this is a "must visit" if you are in the area.

I always try to visit a park when I'm traveling. Camden Hills State Park is a must see while…read morevisiting Maine. There is a small $6 fee for entry. You can camp, walk, bike or drive the park. The park guides are very helpful. We went straight to Mt Battie Rd for a beautiful scenic view of Camden Harbor. Penobscot Bay and Megunticook Lake. The views are out of the world! We spent 2 days going in and out of the park to see daytime versus sunset across the bay. We actually had a small picnic while visiting. This was a very calm relaxing experience. I highly recommend especially if you like wandering and hiking in parks. There is two sides to park, so dont forget to drive across the street.

Super nice place for a break. There are places for a blanket picnic. There are plenty of parking…read morespots. There's a nice water fountain there but no longer in service. They have a short trail around the park. A hidden gem in the area.

Super cute little park with tons of benches and picnic tables. Only a short .5 mile trail, but…read moreconnects to another park with longer walk. I would love to bring my dog here. Warning lol, bring some bug spray for the mosquitos

I love this place! The attention to detail at this park is incredible. There's a big, well kept…read moreplayground, a sweet little mud kitchen, life sized Lincoln logs for getting creative, musical instruments (I particularly love these, haha), not to mention a little walking path, and a massive community garden. The garden is amazing, and I love the idea of providing the community with organic produce. This has been the place of many a play date, and will continue to be! Make sure to stop by the Crows Nest Cafe for your coffee treat before coming to the park!!

Milbridge Commons Wellness Park is an amazing community gathering place, play area for children and…read morecommunity gardens. There are signs as to what is ripe and ready so you can pick your own produce. The views of the Narruagusus Bay are beautiful with picnic tables and Adirondack chairs in this peaceful location. Well worth taking your book and pausing for a chapter or so!

Playground has something for everyone. Equipment is all new and well taken care of. Nice wood chips…read moreno dogs allowed so no pee or poop to worry about. Kids could complete a whole obstacle/ninja course. Kids are 7 and 5.

This is the nicest playground I have ever seen. If I could rate it 10 stars, I would…read more It was so clean, well kept and huge. Plus, it's all fenced in which is a must have in my opinion for a perfect park. The equipment was great for a variety of ages - my two year old had a blast! There are restrooms across the street by the baseball field that also has a water fountain and a place to refill water bottles, which is so handy. There are trash cans, plenty of benches and a couple of picnic tables to use while your kiddos burn some energy. There is a small parking lot by the park, or I'm assuming you could park across the street by the ball field. There are also hooks to hang jackets or diaper bags. No dogs allowed - which even as a dog owner/lover, I prefer for kid parks because not everyone cleans up after their fur kids, and I don't want to have to worry about that nonsense when letting my kid play. Also, there is one of those "free library" cases out front. Love seeing these pop up all over the place. I didn't get to peek at what was inside, but love the idea. But anyway, great park! Wish I would've stumbled upon it earlier in our week here!