Dogs on vacation in Winter Harbor/Acadia Maine
May 30, 2016 1:11 PM Subscribe
What to do with 2 hound mixes for a week in and around Winter Harbor, Maine, in July? We're booked into a dog-friendly tiny house on the ocean in Winter Harbor, and I've been reading up on Acadia. We'd like to include the dogs as much as possible in our jaunts around the area. One is reliable offleash and the other is probably not. (No intention of going offleash anywhere it's not legal or without permission from the owner/caretaker.) Hikes in Acadia are the obvious choice, but what else is there? How dog-friendly is the area in general?
Looking for specific restaurants/bars between Bar Harbor and Winter Harbor where it's pleasant to site outside with the dogs, hikes or other places to visit that aren't in Acadia, dog-friendly beaches, and anything else. Our rental has a fridge, toaster, and microwave but no cooktop/stove, so we'll be eating out a lot. Would also appreciate especially dog-friendly hiking recommendations in Acadia itself. When I say "hike" I mean we can walk 6-8ish miles at a time, on a good day, in moderately hilly terrain, carrying some water and maybe a snack, but will not be scrambling up/down steep hills or otherwise non-solid footing with dogs on leash. Likes: scenic views, quirky stories/people, places to get a beer and look at scenic views or people, waterfalls, mountains. Dislikes: burning sun.
Looking for specific restaurants/bars between Bar Harbor and Winter Harbor where it's pleasant to site outside with the dogs, hikes or other places to visit that aren't in Acadia, dog-friendly beaches, and anything else. Our rental has a fridge, toaster, and microwave but no cooktop/stove, so we'll be eating out a lot. Would also appreciate especially dog-friendly hiking recommendations in Acadia itself. When I say "hike" I mean we can walk 6-8ish miles at a time, on a good day, in moderately hilly terrain, carrying some water and maybe a snack, but will not be scrambling up/down steep hills or otherwise non-solid footing with dogs on leash. Likes: scenic views, quirky stories/people, places to get a beer and look at scenic views or people, waterfalls, mountains. Dislikes: burning sun.
Best answer: I've got a few places for you-
Seal Cove Farm Pizza. Maybe a favorite place of mine, like in the whole world. It's in Lamoine, which is in between you and Mt Desert Island. It's a road side (on out of the way road) pizza place/goat farm. Outdoor Brick oven Pizza. Amazing. Bring your own alcohol. They only are open for pizza a couple nights out of the week. Plan to go there BOTH times. While you are there you can get the name and address of a lobsterman house down the road (I don't have it anymore). You can order lobsters from him and he'll cook it up for you and you can go home and eat it. I love him, he's adorable and loves his job and loves to talk about it. I could have talked to him all day.
Jordan's Pond house in Acadia. The food is just decent to good but the place is historic, pretty, and very dog friendly (like Acadia in general). Parking is a pain.
The Galley by the Bridge- Sullivan, Maine. Doesn't look like much but is a really great family run place. If you time it right you can watch the husband pulling up lobsters while you eat from the picnic tables in the back. Out of several weeks of trying every lobster roll I could find (you know, for science) this place was the best.
Very near by you is Schoodic Peninsula. Frazer point is a park on the water with picnic tables, etc. If you pull in and park right away and go ALL the way to your right on a path there some secluded picnic tables which is awesome for a picnic and they have grills. I have seen people have a lobster bake. This is my fav spot
In Bar Harbor there are many places with outdoor seating that you can bring your dogs. You can also walk the shore path there which is pretty.
In Winter Harbor there is J.M. Gerrish's. They are a great old fashioned place with outdoor seating and I know they are dog friendly. They have water bowls for your dog. Sandwiches, chowder, breakfasts. All great. It might be your go-to place.
Have a great time! There's so much fun to be had up there and it all feels pretty doggy friendly.
posted by ReluctantViking at 4:35 PM on May 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Seal Cove Farm Pizza. Maybe a favorite place of mine, like in the whole world. It's in Lamoine, which is in between you and Mt Desert Island. It's a road side (on out of the way road) pizza place/goat farm. Outdoor Brick oven Pizza. Amazing. Bring your own alcohol. They only are open for pizza a couple nights out of the week. Plan to go there BOTH times. While you are there you can get the name and address of a lobsterman house down the road (I don't have it anymore). You can order lobsters from him and he'll cook it up for you and you can go home and eat it. I love him, he's adorable and loves his job and loves to talk about it. I could have talked to him all day.
Jordan's Pond house in Acadia. The food is just decent to good but the place is historic, pretty, and very dog friendly (like Acadia in general). Parking is a pain.
The Galley by the Bridge- Sullivan, Maine. Doesn't look like much but is a really great family run place. If you time it right you can watch the husband pulling up lobsters while you eat from the picnic tables in the back. Out of several weeks of trying every lobster roll I could find (you know, for science) this place was the best.
Very near by you is Schoodic Peninsula. Frazer point is a park on the water with picnic tables, etc. If you pull in and park right away and go ALL the way to your right on a path there some secluded picnic tables which is awesome for a picnic and they have grills. I have seen people have a lobster bake. This is my fav spot
In Bar Harbor there are many places with outdoor seating that you can bring your dogs. You can also walk the shore path there which is pretty.
In Winter Harbor there is J.M. Gerrish's. They are a great old fashioned place with outdoor seating and I know they are dog friendly. They have water bowls for your dog. Sandwiches, chowder, breakfasts. All great. It might be your go-to place.
Have a great time! There's so much fun to be had up there and it all feels pretty doggy friendly.
posted by ReluctantViking at 4:35 PM on May 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you so much, ReluctantViking! You've given us many things to explore. Can't wait to eat brick oven pizza outside at a goat farm! Even though I'm marking it as best answer, I welcome others.
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 3:47 PM on May 31, 2016
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 3:47 PM on May 31, 2016
You are very welcome and if you are from New England I'll be thrilled to swap dog friendly rentals. We LOVE searching every corner of NE and are happy to share.
posted by ReluctantViking at 7:14 PM on May 31, 2016
posted by ReluctantViking at 7:14 PM on May 31, 2016
Best answer: After dining at The Jordan Pond House ( You MUST try their famous popovers), drive down to Seal Harbor Beach where you can swim in the ocean. Across the road is perhaps the world's finest "leash optional" dog park, Little Long Pond. There are trails, carrige roads, fields, meadows, and dog swimming in a beautiful setting of over 100 acres.
posted by lobstah at 6:30 AM on June 1, 2016
posted by lobstah at 6:30 AM on June 1, 2016
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posted by ImproviseOrDie at 1:12 PM on May 30, 2016 [2 favorites]