Where do sheep go on vacation?

We booked our airline tickets, scoured travel sites, and chose Bar Harbor as our destination. . .

According to NOAA ranking, Maine has nearly 3,500 miles of coastline, ranking 4th in US states and territories, with more coastline than even California. Which is pretty amazing when you consider the state is only ranked 39th for land area. While statistics are usually pretty boring, these are intriguing as they put the scope of the role which the shoreline in Maine lives into perspective.

Acadia National Park encompasses shoreline, mountains, beaches, and entire islands. Coastal towns scattered in and around Mount Desert Island (MDI) serve as cozy starting points or destinations for those 'from away.' While the French version of the name for MDI, Isles des Month Deserts, means "the islands of barren mountains, it is anything but.

For our jumping off place in Maine, we chose Bar Harbor, known as 'the gateway to Acadia,' because it is home to some of the largest parts of the park, including Cadillac Mountain. We were yet to learn that the natives, in their unique local dialogue, call it "Baah Habah." You know, the place where sheep go on vacation!

This small, yet scenic, town boasts a long history as THE summer spot for glitterati at the turn of the 20th century. The posh-est families included the Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Rockerfellers and Astors. Even today, celebrity elite such as Martha Stewart, John Travolta, and Barak Obama vacation in or around Bar Harbor, Maine.

“Maine is a beautiful place that I paradoxically want to hoard to myself and share with everyone I meet.” -- John Hodgman, Vacationland: True Stories from Painful Beaches

So what exactly is it about Bar Harbor which makes it so alluring?

Seashore, sunrises, and seafood

Historically, Bar Harbor once hosted dozen of hotels and resorts, horse-racing, yachting, and carriage rides. Its official naming in March 1918 was obvious, as the towns wide sand bar appears at low tide, leads across the water to Bar Island, and forms the rear of the town harbor.

Despite several disasters, including drought, wildfires, and hurricanes, the town has rebuilt and thrived over two hundred years. IT even plays host to dozens of famous ghosts! The quaint downtime streets are crisp and cool on summer days, and seaside walks sparkle mysteriously in evening fogs. Delicious eateries - from lobster stands to ale houses -- serve delicious meals, and charming bed and breakfasts serve blueberry pancakes and local syrup.

Neighboring villages serving gourmet ice creams, lobster rolls, and everything from hand-crafted ceramics and nature photography beckon visitors to browse and take home a souvenir of their stay.