Witch Hole Pond, October 2, Courtesy of Clyde W. Voigtlander
I’ll never forget the flight I took to Maine when, upon landing, the little boy behind me looked out the window at the evergreen forests and gleefully screamed, “It’s Maine! It’s Maine!”
With exactly the same excitement, I’m going to Acadia the weekend of October 16th. But I’m eager to see trees of crimson, orange, and gold.
As I sit here in New York City, I keep checking the “official” fall foliage site for Maine. This week, although two northern zones are already at peak, Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island has only seen moderate color change in the leaves.
My fingers are crossed that a wildly windy day won’t blow them all away before my visit. As Robert Frost says, autumn’s gold is “her hardest hue to hold.”
Weather.com says the October temperatures range from an average low of 38 to a high of 58. However, I’m hoping for the golden days in the 70s that we experienced two years ago. Still, I’ll pack plenty of fleeces and maybe even light gloves for hiking.
The next thing I have to worry about: Which restaurants will be open when I visit?
I checked around since many close after Columbus Day. On its Facebook page Thurston’s, my favorite lobster pound, says it’s open through Columbus Day weekend. But when I called, they told me they will be open through Sunday, October 18, this year.
Many of MDI’s other top restaurants will also still be open. Town Hill Bistro, rated #1 of 133 Bar Harbor restaurants by the TripAdvisor public, is open year-round. Chef Kyle Yarborough is looking forward to bringing fall flair to lamb, scallops, and hanger steak at Mache Bistro in Bar Harbor. And James Lindquist will surely offer seasonal temptations at Red Sky, although doesn’t this appetizer staple sound perfect for fall: Shitake and Crimini mushrooms and sautéed locally grown Swiss Chard layered with crispy polenta and finished with a balsamic reduction and Parmigiano-Reggiano?
Full reviews of all of these restaurants can be found at this round-up of the best restaurants in Bar Harbor and the other villages on Mount Desert Island.
And you’ll also want to check out these other tips for fall trips at OUR ACADIA!
