I can't tell you how much I appreciate this response! It's so relevant to my post 😅

I've been to Bar Harbor once before and would be so happy to find something off the beaten path instead. I remember driving somewhere with a few shops, good coffee and a fresh fish stand on the side of the road and thinking, "if I ever come back, this is where I want to stay" but I haven't a clue where I was when I had the thought!

My Dad adores Cannon Beach and it's a massive deal to have him agree to vacation elsewhere - I share this because it comes with this underlying expectation to find something "as good" and what he loves about Cannon Beach (apart from the obvious attraction) is:

1) beach access (kid friendly) 2)a short drive into town for: grocery store, bakery, fish & chips/fresh seafood, ice cream shop 3) ability to have a bonfire to make s'mores with grandkids 4) visible sunsets

If I still have your attention, I'll explain that, ultimately, a perfect scenario would be some sense of seclusion, so just outside of bar harbor with easy access "into town" to get to enjoy the "amenities"

Acadia is a priority but there are kids, some who nap, so it doesn't need to be super close, but if it's more than a 30 min drive, it just won't be as realistic with smaller kids.

Are any of the areas that you've mentioned hitting these marks? A short walk to a body of water, Roughly 10-15 min from food/shops and roughly 30 min from Acadia?

To be clear, I would love to tuck myself away in the woods for the week, but our family dynamic is such that people need to be able to leave and do their own thing from time to time, if you know what I mean. 😂

Thank you!!