Lawson Trip · Boston & Maine · Sept 25

Boston · Fri–Sat Salem · Sun stop Ogunquit · Sun–Mon Portland / Camden · Tue stops Bar Harbor · Tue–Thu Bangor · fly home 🍴 Eats 🎪 Events on while we're there ✅ Booked & paid 🏨 Where we sleep 🚗 Acadia Park Loop · Wed

Search box above the map finds any dot by name — or by what it is ("lobster", "lighthouse", "train"). Pick a result and the map jumps to it. Tap any big dot to open & highlight that day on the timeline. Small dots are things to do along the way; purple dots are restaurants. Scroll over the map to zoom, drag to pan. Zoom into Bar Harbor to see the green Acadia Park Loop Road drawn in — tap the line for the full 14-stop photo drive.

Where we'll be — at a glance

Color = where you sleep that night. Sun & Tue are travel days between bases.

Fri

Sep 25

Boston

🏨 Hotel Commonwealth · Night 1

✈️ Land 6:47 PM · dinner w/ Steve

Sat

Sep 26

Boston

🏨 Hotel Commonwealth · Night 2

⚾ Aquarium + Museum · Red Sox 7 PM

Sun

Sep 27

Ogunquit

🏨 The Meadowmere · Night 3

🚗 via Salem (day stop)

Mon

Sep 28

Ogunquit

🏨 The Meadowmere · Night 4

🏖️ Ogunquit / Kennebunkport

Tue

Sep 29

Bar Harbor

🏨 BW Acadia Park Inn · Night 5

🚗 Rt 1 north · 🧌 trolls · 🏰 Fort Knox

Wed

Sep 30

Bar Harbor

🏨 BW Acadia Park Inn · Night 6

🌊 Tide pools ~6:45 AM · 🏔️ Acadia day

Thu

Oct 1

Fly home

🚗 Bar Harbor → Bangor (BGR)

✈️ United 4702 · 4:43 PM

Fri25 Arrive Boston FLY IN 🏨 Commonwealth Hotel · Night 1 ›

🏨 The Commonwealth Hotel, Boston Fri night — booked ✓

Flight: ✈️ Delta 2816 ✓ · nonstop · ORD 3:00 PM → BOS 6:47 PM · conf HJCSUR · seats row 25 (B/C/D/E).

Plan: Land ~6:47 PM, head to the hotel & check in, then a late dinner with Steve & his wife near Kenmore (~8:30).

Sat26 Boston ⚾ GAME DAY Aquarium 9:20 AM ✓ + Museum of Science · Red Sox 7 PM · Night 2 ›

🏨 The Commonwealth Hotel, Boston Sat night — booked ✓ · with the Red Sox game package

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Morning — everyone together

🐠 New England Aquarium Whole group (Kate, kids, Chris, his brother + 2 more). ✅ BOOKED — 9:20 AM timed entry, $142 paid. Doors open at 9, so you are close to rope-drop. Giant Ocean Tank, penguins, seals (~2 hrs). It gets busiest midday, so this slot is exactly right.
🦞 then lunch at James Hook & Co. ~10-min walk from the Aquarium — classic harbor-side lobster roll at outdoor tables over the water. Casual, kid-easy, great value. After lunch the group splits.

👩‍👦‍👦 Then: Kate + Emily & Nate — no clock

🔬 Museum of Science Just you & the kids — ~10-min Uber from James Hook. Afternoon anchor — hands-on exhibits, dinosaurs, catch an afternoon Lightning Show. Stay as late as you like · tickets

🚕 Uber back to the hotel whenever you're done. Ducks dropped — this is a full, easy day. Early dinner near Kenmore after.

🧢 Chris + brother + 2 (game crew)

9:20 AM — 🐠 Aquarium (booked ✓) + 🦞 James Hook lunch with Kate & the kids
~1 PM — back to the hotel to get ready
4:00 PM — pre-game plans
7:00 PM — 🔴 Red Sox vs Cubs · Fenway Park

Fenway's a short walk from the hotel — easy to split off after lunch and regroup after the game.

Sun27 Boston › Salem › Ogunquit DRIVE + STOP 🏨 Meadowmere Resort, Ogunquit · Night 3 ›

🏨 The Meadowmere Resort, Ogunquit ME Itin #73475337018086 · check-in from 4 PM

10:30 AM — pick up the SUV at Enterprise, 200 Stuart St downtown, ~2 mi from the hotel — not Logan · conf 1694894384 · counter closes at noon Sunday
~11:15 AM — 🚙 drive to Salem ~30 min north of Boston — take Route 1A up the Lynn shore, not the highway; it runs right along the water
Day in Salem, MA — pick a couple: 🪵 Pioneer Village (weekends only, 12–4 — tours 12:30 / 1:30 / 2:30) · 🧹 Witch Museum · 🏠 House of the Seven Gables · ⛵ Maritime & the Friendship · 🖼️ Peabody Essex · 🕹️ Salem Willows arcade · 🗺️ guide
Late afternoon — 🚙 drive to Ogunquit ~1 hr on the highway, but take Route 1 / 1A up the coast instead (~1 hr 40) — Newburyport, the NH beaches at Hampton & Rye, Portsmouth, Kittery. Meadowmere check-in from 4 PM, no hard deadline.

Late-Sept note: Salem's Haunted Happenings is ramping up — fun decorated streets, but weekend crowds & prices climb. Book any timed-entry spots ahead and watch the clock for the 4 PM check-in.

Mon28 Ogunquit & southern coast EXPLORE 🏨 Meadowmere Resort · Night 4 ›

🏨 The Meadowmere Resort, Ogunquit ME Itin #73475337018086

Plan: Beach-town day. Marginal Way cliff walk, Perkins Cove, Ogunquit Beach, Nubble Light at York — or a short hop up to Kennebunkport. Relaxed day before tomorrow's long drive north.

Tue29 Ogunquit › Bar Harbor BIG DRIVE 🏨 Best Western Acadia Park Inn · Night 5 ›

🏨 Best Western Acadia Park Inn, Bar Harbor ME Itin #73475368210037 · check-in from 4 PM

🚙 ~200 mi · ~4 hr 30 min driving + Gardens & Fort Knox stops

🛣️ The scenic route: I-295 gets you from Ogunquit to Brunswick fast (that stretch of Rt 1 is strip mall and traffic, not coastline). From Brunswick north it's Route 1 the whole way — Wiscasset, Damariscotta, Camden Harbor, Belfast, Bucksport, Ellsworth. That's the pretty part, and it's the way the map line runs.

Plan: Make Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay) the centerpiece — hunt the 5 giant Thomas Dambo trolls on the woodland trails + the kids' garden. ~2.5–3 hrs; ~25-min detour off Rt 1 at Wiscasset; open daily thru Oct 19, ~$70/4. On the way up, grab a quick Portland Head Light photo or Old Port bite, and Wiscasset = Red's Eats lobster roll if open (Wed–Sun in fall).

~8:00 AM — leave Ogunquit (quick Portland Head Light / lunch optional)
~10:00 AM–1:00 PM — 🧌 Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens + troll hunt + lunch
~1:00 PM — 🚗 back to Rt 1 north — Damariscotta, Camden Harbor, Belfast (~2¼ hr)
~3:15 PM — 🏰 Fort Knox + Penobscot Narrows Observatory (Bucksport) Right on Rt 1, zero detour. Granite Civil War fort with tunnels & spiral stairs, then the glass elevator up the 420-ft bridge tower — the tallest public bridge observatory in the world, huge views up the Penobscot River. ~1 hr, ~$28/4.
~4:30 PM — 🚗 ~50 min on to Bar Harbor via Ellsworth
~5:30 PM — Best Western Acadia Park Inn check-in

Longest driving day — start early. Adding Fort Knox pushes arrival to ~5:30 PM, so this now runs on an 8:00 AM departure rather than 8:30. Check-in is "from 4 PM," not a deadline, so a later arrival is fine — but it does mean dinner in Bar Harbor around 6:30. Wear real shoes; the troll hunt is a 3-mi woodland walk.
⚠️ Check the observatory's closing time before you count on it — the last elevator up is late afternoon (roughly 4:30–5 PM in the fall). A 3:15 arrival works, but a slow morning would kill it. The fort grounds stay open later than the tower.

Wed30 Acadia National Park PARK DAY Nature cruise 10 AM ✓ · Park Loop afternoon · 🏨 Night 6 ›

🏨 Best Western Acadia Park Inn, Bar Harbor ME Itin #73475368210037

⚓ WEDNESDAY — only FOUR things are actually fixed. You have the SUV all day, so everything else below is a suggestion you can move. The four you cannot:
1. 🚢 Nature cruise 10:00 AM–12:00 PM (paid · boarding cut-off is earlier — check your confirmation)
2. 🌄 Cadillac Summit Road 3:30 PM entry — a gate time, they turn cars away
3. 🌊 Thunder Hole booms 11:45 AM–1:45 PM only (high tide 1:43 PM — nature’s schedule, not a booking)
4. 🥐 Jordan Pond House closing time — unknown, call and confirm (see Part 2)

MORNING
· 6:25 AM leave the hotel → 7:00–8:30 🐚 Wonderland tide pools (low tide 7:33 AM)
· 8:45 leave → ~9:30 at 119 Eden St (allow the full 45 min — it is across the island)
· 10:00–12:00 🚢 nature cruise

🍴 LUNCH — 12:10–12:55, downtown Bar Harbor (4 min from the dock). You will have been on the water since 10 and everyone will be cold and hungry; popovers at 5 PM is not lunch. Give it a real 45 minutes.

LOOP PART 1 — Ocean Drive, before the summit
· 1:00 PM enter at the Sieur de Monts entrance (5 min from town — skip Hulls Cove, it is the wrong end today)
· 1:10–1:35 🏖️ Sand Beach
· 1:38–1:55 🌊 Thunder Hole — 5 min before high tide, dead inside the boom window ✅
· 1:58 Monument Cove · 2:10 ⭐ Otter Cliff · 2:31 Otter Point
· 2:48–2:58 Little Hunters Beach
· 2:58 leave → 22 min drive → 3:20 at the gate, 10 min spare
👉 Room for one more, not two: you can fit either Little Hunters Beach or a quick Jordan Pond stop for the view (9 min on from Little Hunters, then 16 min to the gate) — not both. Pick on the day.

🌄 CADILLAC — 3:30 entry, a proper look, then move on
· 3:20 at the gate · 3:30 entry · 3:45 parked at the summit
· 3:45–4:30 walk the Cadillac Summit Loop Trail — half a mile, paved, easy, 360° the whole way. Forty-five minutes is plenty to see it properly.
· 4:30 back in the car and head west — you are not waiting up here for sunset.

🌅 SUNSET — 6:20 PM, on the west side of the island
Cadillac faces the wrong way and would mean sitting on a cold summit for two hours. Drive west instead. Real times from the summit:
· ⭐ Bass Harbor Head Light — 42 min · leave by 5:15 · 33 min home. The iconic Acadia sunset. Small lot, so arrive early.
· Seawall — 40 min · leave by 5:15 · 30 min home. Same corner, wide-open ocean, big easy parking, no crowd. The relaxed version, and 6 min from the lighthouse.
· Somes Sound (Sargent Dr) — 28 min · leave by 5:30 · 21 min home. Pretty, but the sun drops behind hills rather than open water.
· Thompson Island causeway — 30 min · leave by 5:30 · 9 min home. The low-effort option.
· Eagle Lake — 15 min · leave by 5:45 · 14 min home. Barely a detour; lake and mountains rather than ocean.
· ❌ Not the Bar Harbor pier or Shore Path — they face east over Frenchman Bay. Lovely at sunrise, useless at sunset.

⭐ The one I would do: leave the summit at 4:30 → 5:10 dinner at Thurston’s Lobster Pound, on the working dock in Bass Harbor (41 min from the summit) → 6:10 Bass Harbor Head Light, 10 min away → 6:20 sunset → home by about 7:15. Dinner and the best sunset on the island in one trip, and nobody is hangry. ⚠️ Confirm Thurston’s late-September hours before you count on it — it is on the Eats tab.

⚠️ Fair warning: that puts you back in the same corner as Wonderland, your 7 AM stop — two trips across the island in one day, ~40 min each way. If that is too much after a 6:25 AM start, take Thompson Island instead and be 9 minutes from your bed.

🧥 Either way, take layers. Sunset on the water at the end of September is cold, and you will be walking back to the car in the dark — bring a torch.

Full stop-by-stop detail on the 🚗 Acadia Loop tab. All drive times above are real road times, not guesses.

🌊 Wonderland tide pools — early start! Low tide Wed 9/30 is 7:33 AM (0.3 ft). Sunrise ~6:33 AM. It's ~35 min to the SW side of the island — leave the hotel ~6:25, be on the rocks by 7:00. The pools stay walkable roughly 6:30–8:30 AM. Easy 1.4-mi walk to rocks full of starfish, urchins, crabs & anemones. (Ship Harbor next door is another good pool spot.)
🌗 Tide chart — Bar Harbor, your three days Real NOAA predictions (station 8413320), local time:
Tue 9/29 — low 6:49 AM · high 12:58 PM · low 7:20 PM
Wed 9/30 — low 7:33 AM · high 1:43 PM · low 8:09 PM
Thu 10/1 — low 8:22 AM · high 2:33 PM · low 9:03 PM
What that means for the three tide-dependent stops:
🏝️ Bar Island land bridge — walkable ~1.5 hrs each side of low. Best: Thu 10/1, 6:50–9:50 AM — you don't leave for Bangor until midday, and it's a 2-min walk from downtown. Wed morning also works (6:00–9:00 AM) but collides with Wonderland, which wants the same window and is 35 min the other way. Do Wonderland Wed, Bar Island Thu.
🌊 Thunder Hole — booms 1–2 hrs before HIGH tide. Wed: aim 11:45 AM–1:45 PM, which drops neatly into the Park Loop drive.
⚠️ Evening lows are all after sunset (~6:20 PM) — morning windows only.
🚗 Park Loop Road Scenic spine — Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, the cliffs in one drive
🥐 Jordan Pond House Famous popovers + flat pond loop for the kids
🌅 Cadillac Mountain Drive to the summit; sunrise needs a vehicle reservation
🚎 Oli's Trolley park tour Narrated loop with photo stops — skip the driving & parking
🚢 Acadian Boat Tours nature cruise — BOOKED ✓ 10:00 AM–12:00 PM · $148 paid · departs 119 Eden St (Atlantic Oceanside Hotel), not the downtown pier. Eagles, seals, porpoises, Egg Rock Light and Acadia from the water. Dress warm. (This is instead of the Bar Harbor Whale Watch — same slot, and it was less than half the price.)
🎖️ Junior Ranger Free booklet + badge, perfect for 7 & 10
🍦 Bar Harbor town Shore Path + ice cream in the evening

Thu1 Bar Harbor › Bangor › Home FLY OUT ⏳ Cadillac sunrise (waitlist) · drop car at BGR · United 4702 home, 4:43 PM ›

✈️ United 4702 · BGR 4:43 PM → ORD 7:00 PM · nonstop booked ✓ — conf H74F6W

🚙 ~48 mi · ~1 hr

Plan: Check out by 11 AM and drive to Bangor (~1 hr). The flight isn't until 4:43 PM, so there's a real chunk of the day to fill — the Cryptozoology Museum (490 Broadway) and the 31-ft Paul Bunyan are both in Bangor. Drop the SUV around 2:30 PM and be at BGR by 3 PM.

⏳ WAITLISTED — Cadillac sunrise, this morning. You have a waitlist request in for the sunrise Summit Road reservation, Thu 10/1. Sunrise is ~6:35 AM and the summit is ~30 min from the hotel, so you would leave about 5:30 AM (confirm the exact entry window on the reservation — it opens before sunrise). Pack the night before.

✅ If it comes through, the whole morning still works:
· 5:30 AM leave → 6:00–7:30 🌅 Cadillac summit, sunrise ~6:35
· ~8:00–9:30 🏝️ Bar Island land bridge — low tide 8:22 AM, walkable 6:50–9:50, and it is a 2-min walk from downtown
· 9:45 back to the hotel → check out by 11 → drive to Bangor (~1 hr)
· 12:00–1:30 Bangor roadside stops — Paul Bunyan, the Stephen King house, the IT standpipe, Cryptozoology Museum
· 2:30 drop the SUV at BGR → 3:00 terminal → 4:43 PM wheels up

⚠️ It is a 5:30 AM start on a travel day with a 4:43 flight. If that is too much on the day, drop Bar Island — you will just have watched the sun come up from the highest point on the Atlantic coast, and it buys back 90 minutes and a second trip into town.

❌ If the waitlist does not clear: Thursday goes back to the relaxed version — Bar Island 6:50–9:50, check out at 11, Bangor stops, drop the car at 2:30.

💡 Remember you already have Cadillac confirmed for Wed 9/30 at 3:30 PM. So this sunrise slot is a bonus, not a rescue — you are getting up the mountain either way. Worth asking whether a second trip up, at 5:30 AM, on the morning you fly home, is actually what you want.

Trip logistics — tap to open

🚙 Driving legs ›

Boston › Salem
Sun · 10:30 AM pickup, day in Salem~17 mi · 0h30
Salem › Ogunquit
Sun · late afternoon → 4 PM check-in~55 mi · 1h00
Ogunquit › Bar Harbor
Tue · break in Portland / Freeport / Camden~190 mi · 3h30
Bar Harbor › Bangor (BGR)
Thu · leave airport buffer for car drop~48 mi · 1h00

~310 miles total — the bulk is Tuesday's leg, the one to plan stops around.

Things to do — family of 4 (ages 7 & 10)

BOSTON Fri eve – Sun AM

🐠New England Aquarium — 4-story Giant Ocean Tank (turtles, sharks, reef), penguin colony + feedings, seals, touch tank. ~2 hrs · ~$114 for your 4 · timed entry — book ahead · opens 9 AM · 12 min from the hotel. Ideal Sunday-morning stop on the way out to Salem.Adults $34.95 ea · Kids $25.95 ea · $121.80 total · timed entry
🦕Museum of Science — 700+ hands-on exhibits, dinosaurs, the lightning show. Easy half-day.Adults $33 ea · Kids $28 ea · $118 total · exhibit halls; +$6 ea for a show
⚾Fenway Park Tour — Walk the Green Monster; you're staying right there.Adults $30 ea · Kids $21 ea · $102 total · public tour
🦆Boston Duck Tours — Amphibious WWII vehicle, land + splash into the Charles. Kids love it.Adults $54.99 ea · Kids $39.99 ea · $189.96 total
🚶Freedom Trail + Public Garden — Follow the red line past Revolution sites; ducklings statue.Free
🏛️Beacon Hill — Boston's prettiest neighborhood — gas lamps, brick sidewalks, Louisburg Square, and the shops & cafés along Charles Street. Free, anytime · ~1 hr stroll · sits right at the top of the Public Garden, so it pairs perfectly with the Freedom Trail walk. 10 min from the hotel (Green Line to Park St).Free
📸Acorn Street — The narrow cobblestone lane inside Beacon Hill that's called the most photographed street in America — flower boxes, window shutters, glowing in fall light. Free, 15-min stop, best early morning before the photo crowds. Cobblestones are very uneven — sneakers, and no stroller.Free
🛍️Quincy Market / Faneuil Hall — The 1826 market hall — a long food colonnade (chowder, lobster rolls, Boston cream pie, cannoli) with dozens of stalls, plus shops and street performers out on the cobblestones. Free to walk in · open daily · a Freedom Trail stop and only a 5-min walk from the Aquarium. The easy Saturday lunch-and-wander after the Aquarium.Free to walk in
⛵Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum — Costumed-guide tour, board a replica ship & throw the tea overboard. ~1 hr · timed-entry reservation required · tickets.Adults $35 ea · Kids $26 ea · $122 total · peak days $39 ea adult = $130
⚓USS Constitution & Museum — "Old Ironsides," the Navy's oldest commissioned ship, in Charlestown. Museum is pay-what-you-can, open daily 9–6 · pairs with a harbor ferry ride.Pay-what-you-can · suggested $15 adult / $7.50 kid · ~$45 total

Right around the hotel (optional / easy):

🪧CITGO Sign — Iconic glowing Kenmore landmark — a 1-min look-up from the hotel. Free. (Was being relocated within the square in late 2025 — confirm it's back up.)Free
🌳Charles River Esplanade — Riverfront park ~10-min walk — paths, a playground, pretty fall light. Free, anytime. Great post-dinner energy-burn.Free
🌐The Mapparium — Walk inside a 3-story stained-glass globe with a wild whisper effect. ~45 min, ~$10/adult, 15-min walk. A hidden-gem kid hit.Adults $6 ea · Kids free · $12 total · under 18 free
🖼️Museum of Fine Arts — Mummies, armor, Impressionists. Kids 17 & under FREE, 12-min walk. (Wed after 5 PM = pay-what-you-wish.)Adults $30 ea · Kids free · $60 total · 17 & under free
💐Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum — A Venetian palazzo around a glass-roofed flower courtyard. Under-18 free; next to the MFA.Adults $25 ea · Kids free · $50 total · under 18 free
🧱LEGOLAND Discovery Center — ~15 min, Somerville — indoor LEGO playground (MINILAND Boston, 4D cinema, ride, build zones). Right in the 7–9 sweet spot. ~$95/4, daily 10–5.$27.99 ea (ages 3+, online) · $111.96 total · $29.99 ea at the door
🦍Franklin Park Zoo — ~20 min — gorillas, giraffes, Australian outback + kids' zone & carousel. Half-day, ~$80/4, daily 9–5.Adults ~$21.95 ea · Kids ~$14.95 ea · ~$73.80 total · dynamic pricing, varies by date
🎠Greenway Carousel + North End cannoli — ~20 min — waterfront carousel ($4/ride), then walk 10 min into the North End for Mike's vs Modern cannoli. Cheap & delightful.$4 ea (per ride) · $8 total · kids only
🦖Harvard Museum of Natural History — ~15–20 min, Cambridge — the famous Glass Flowers, dinosaurs, a whale skeleton & giant crystals. Far fewer crowds than downtown. ~$50/4.Adults $20 ea · Kids $15 ea · $70 total · includes the Peabody

SALEM Sun PM

⛵Salem Maritime & the Friendship — Free national historic site; board a full tall ship on the waterfront.Free — national historic site
🧹Salem Witch Museum — The classic. Dramatic & dim but not gory — fine for 7 & 10.Adults $19 ea · Kids $16 ea · $70 total
🏠House of the Seven Gables — Hidden secret staircase the kids can climb.Adults $26 ea · Kids $18 ea · $88 total
🪵Salem 1630: Pioneer Village — ⭐ America's oldest living-history museum (1930) — a recreation of Salem in 1630 at Forest River Park: thatched-roof cottages, dugout shelters, wigwams and costumed interpreters. The 1693 opening scenes of Hocus Pocus were filmed here. 32 Clifton Ave · weekends only, 12–4 PM, guided tours at 12:30 / 1:30 / 2:30 · your Sunday works. ~1 hr. Tickets at the gate or online · 978-744-8815.$5 ea (all ages) · $20 total
🕹️Salem Willows Park — Old-school arcade, mini-golf, kiddie rides & seaside popcorn.Free to enter — arcade is pay-per-game
🏚️The Witch House (Corwin House) — The only standing structure with direct ties to the 1692 trials. Open daily to 5 PM; day-of tickets in the gift shop (online-only once October starts).Adults $12 ea · Kids $8 ea · $40 total
🏴‍☠️New England Pirate Museum — Guided walk through a dockside village & an 80-ft pirate-ship cave. Fun, light scares — good for 7 & 10.Adults $14 ea · Kids $11 ea · $50 total
🍫Harbor Sweets — Watch chocolates made, then taste. Quick & sweet.Free to watch — candy extra
🛣️House of Metal Creatures — RoadsideAmerica find — a house on the way to the ferry with a yard full of fantastical scrap-metal creatures by artist Herb Mackey. Free, quirky, 5-min photo stop.Free
😱International Monster Museum — RoadsideAmerica find · scary — a lantern-lit interactive walk past the Wendigo, Slenderman & other global creature legends (Witch City Mall). Fun for horror-loving older kids; likely too intense for Nate.Adults $15 ea · Kids $9 ea · $48 total
😱Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery — RoadsideAmerica find · scary — life-size horror & sci-fi movie monsters from Nosferatu to Hellraiser. Genuinely creepy.Adults $15 ea · Kids $8 ea · $46 total
😱Salem Wax Museum of Witches & Seafarers — RoadsideAmerica find · scary — tour a recreated 1692 dungeon complete with hanged "corpses." The creepiest of the Salem bunch.$15 ea (all ages) · $60 total · combo w/ Witch Village from $25 ea
😱Witch History Museum — RoadsideAmerica find · scary — lurid wax-figure dioramas of the witch hysteria in a dark basement, with live narration & lighting effects.Adults $13 ea · Kids $10 ea · $46 total
🐋Cape Ann Whale Watch — ~20 min away in Gloucester — Stellwagen Bank trip; late Sept is prime humpback feeding. Open daily. ~4 hrs, ~$210/4. Note: you already have Boston & Bar Harbor whale options — pick one.Adults $60 ea · Kids $45 ea · $210 total

SOUTHERN MAINE Ogunquit / York · Sun–Mon

🌅Marginal Way Cliff Walk — 1.25-mi paved path along the ocean cliffs to Perkins Cove. Free, dramatic, easy with kids.Free
🦞Finestkind lobster-hauling cruise — A real lobsterman pulls traps off Perkins Cove; kids hold live lobsters. ~75 min — book ahead.Adults $32 ea · Kids $20 ea · $104 total · 1-hr lobstering trip
🚤New England EcoAdventures RIB ride — Fast Coast-Guard-style inflatable past lighthouses & harbor seals (Kennebunkport). Big thrill.From ~$119 ea for the Ultimate Whale Watch · ~$476 total · shorter lighthouse runs cost less — call for the family rate
🗼Cape Neddick "Nubble" Light — Picture-perfect island lighthouse + ice cream across the road (York).Free
🐠Seacoast Science Center — ~20 min south in Rye, NH — touch tanks & oceanfront park. ~90 min, ~$55/4. Open Wed–Sun (closed Tue) — do it on the drive down.Adults $15 ea · Kids $10 ea · $62 total · incl. $12 Odiorne Point park fee
🎡York's Wild Kingdom — York Beach, ~10 min off Rt 1 — small zoo (tigers, bears, lemurs) + classic rides. ⚠️ Season may end mid/late-Sept — call 207-363-4911 to confirm.Adults $19.50 ea · Kids $12.75 ea · $64.50 total · zoo only; zoo + rides = $91
🏖️Footbridge Beach — Right by the hotel — quieter north end of Ogunquit's beach, over a wooden footbridge (~10-min walk). Free; lifeguards off by mid-Sept.Free
🚎Ogunquit Trolley — Narrated open-air loop — beaches, Perkins Cove, museum. Stops by the hotel; ~$3/ride. Runs daily thru Oct 15 — skip the beach-parking hassle.$3 ea (per ride, all ages) · $12 total · each way
🖼️Ogunquit Museum of American Art — Small museum on 3 oceanfront acres — sculpture gardens + cove views (the real draw). Under-12 free, 10-min walk. Open daily thru Nov 12.Adults $15 ea · Kids free · $30 total · under 12 free
🌾Wells Reserve at Laudholm — ~10 min N in Wells — easy trails through marsh & meadow to the beach on a historic farm. Trails free, ~$5 parking. Quiet nature walk.Adults $6 ea · Kids $2 ea · $16 total · includes parking
🏘️Strawbery Banke + Portsmouth NH — ~25 min — 10-acre living-history village with costumed interpreters, plus Portsmouth's gorgeous walkable Market Square & waterfront Prescott Park. Great half-day. ~$67/4, closed Tue.$60.50 family ticket online (2 adults + kids) · $62.50 at the gate · good for 2 consecutive days
⛰️Mount Agamenticus — ~20 min, York — drive most of the way up, then an easy 1.6-mi loop to big 360° summit views. ~$2/hr parking. Best Sunday (hunting season).$2/hr parking · ~$4 total · no admission charge
🍯Stonewall Kitchen Flagship — ~20 min, York — big specialty-food store + café with tons of free tastings. Fun quick stop; pairs with Mt. Agamenticus.Free — tastings included
🏖️Goose Rocks Beach — ~30 min, Kennebunkport — 3 mi of unspoiled barrier-beach sand, gentle waves, sand-dollar hunting. Quiet in late Sept. Day parking pass required.Day parking pass ~$30 per car · beach itself is free

PORTLAND / MIDCOAST Tue drive

🌊Portland Head Light — Maine's iconic lighthouse at Fort Williams Park — playground, tide pools, grassy grounds. Free.Grounds free · keeper's museum $2 adult / kids free · parking $6 first 2 hrs · ~$10 total
🦞Lucky Catch lobster cruise — Haul real traps in Casco Bay; they buy back your lobster. 80-min kid favorite.Adults $60 ea · Kids $45 ea · $210 total
🚂Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad — 40-min narrated vintage-train ride along Casco Bay from the Portland waterfront. ~$10.50 kids / $16.50 adults · buy tickets. The easy "do a train" stop.Adults $18.85 ea · Kids $14.65 ea · $67 total · coach class
🧒Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine — Indoor backup if it rains.$20 ea (ages 1+) · $80 total
🍦Old Port — Cobblestone streets, ice cream, easy strolling & dinner.Free — food & ice cream extra
⛰️(Camden) Mt. Battie Auto Road — Drive to the summit for Penobscot Bay foliage views; then Camden Harbor.Adults $6 ea · Kids $1 ea · $14 total · Camden Hills day-use fee
🦌Maine Wildlife Park — ⭐ Top pick. Walk-through native-wildlife park in Gray (right off I-95, ~20 min N of Portland) — moose, black bears, lynx, eagles up close. Open daily, ~$35/4, ~2 hrs. Cash only.Adults $15 ea · Kids $10 ea · $50 total · cash or card at the gate
🧌Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens — ⭐ Hunt 5 giant hand-carved Thomas Dambo trolls on woodland trails + a kids' garden (Boothbay, ~25-min detour). Open daily thru Oct 19. ~$70/4, 3+ hrs.Adults $28 ea · Kids $8 ea · $72 total · online; +$4 ea at the gate = $88
🚂Boothbay Railway Village — Ride a real narrow-gauge steam train around a 19th-c. village + antique cars. Open Tue–Sun thru Oct 11. ~$46/4, ~1.5 hrs. Pairs with the Gardens (5 min away).Adults $20 ea · Kids $10 ea · $60 total · train rides included
🏰Fort Knox & Penobscot Narrows Observatory — ⭐ Right on Rt 1 (Bucksport) — zero detour. Explore a granite Civil War fort (tunnels, spiral stairs) + a glass elevator up a 420-ft bridge tower for huge river views. Open daily thru Oct 31. ~$28/4.Adults $9 ea · Kids $5 ea · $28 total · fort + observatory, on-site only
🍫Lenny the Chocolate Moose — RoadsideAmerica find — a life-size moose sculpted from ~1,700 lbs of solid chocolate, standing in the Len Libby Candies ice cream shop in Scarborough (just south of Portland). Get a cone too.Free — ice cream extra
🥾Giant L.L. Bean Boot — RoadsideAmerica find — a 16-ft-tall Bean Boot (size 410!) out front of the 24/7 Freeport flagship. Free photo op; pairs with the Desert of Maine.Free

ACADIA / BAR HARBOR Tue – Wed

🚗Park Loop Road — The scenic spine — Sand Beach, Thunder Hole & the cliffs in one drive.Acadia park pass $35 per vehicle · good 7 days · covers the whole family, all park stops
🏖️Sand Beach + Thunder Hole — Toes in the cold Atlantic; the "hole" booms loudest ~1.5 hr before high tide.Covered by the $35 park pass
🥐Jordan Pond House — Famous warm popovers + jam on the lawn; flat pond loop for the kids.No admission · popovers & tea ~$11 ea · ~$45 for the 4 of you
🌅Cadillac Mountain — Drive to the summit; sunrise needs a vehicle reservation (first U.S. sunrise in fall).$6 per vehicle timed reservation (recreation.gov) · plus the $35 park pass · 🚩 still unbooked
🚎Oli's Trolley — Acadia Park Tour — Fully narrated 2.5- or 4-hr loop with photo stops at Cadillac, Thunder Hole, Sieur de Monts & Jordan Pond — no driving/parking hassle. The "let-someone-else-drive" tour.Adults $65 ea · Kids $55 ea · $240 total · 2.5-hr tour
🐋Bar Harbor Whale Watch — Fast catamaran out to the whales, puffins & lighthouses. ~3–3.5 hrs · runs through Sept · book ahead. Dress warm.Adults $93 ea · Kids $73 ea · $332 total · the priciest single item on the list
🤿Diver Ed's Dive-In Theater — Live underwater-camera boat — the #1 kid hit here. Confirm late-Sept sailings.CLOSED for the 2026 season — not running this year
🪶Abbe Museum — Smithsonian-affiliate Wabanaki (Native Maine) art & history in downtown Bar Harbor. Quiet indoor option / rainy-day pick.Adults $10 ea · Kids free · $20 total · 10 & under free
🎖️Junior Ranger Program — Free booklet + badge; perfectly pitched for 7 & 10.Free

In & around Bar Harbor town (optional / easy):

🚶Shore Path & Agamont Park — Flat 1.75-mi oceanside walk from the town pier past grand cottages & harbor views. Free, anytime. Easy morning/evening stroll.Free
🌊Bar Island Land Bridge — At low tide a gravel bar appears and you walk to Bar Island. ⚠️ Window ≈1.5 hrs each side of low tide — check the Sep 29–30 chart or you'll be stranded ~9 hrs. Free.Free
🦴Dorr Museum of Natural History — Maine wildlife mounts, marine-mammal skeletons & a whale skull, at College of the Atlantic. ~1 hr, donation. Check day-of-week hours.Donation · ~$5 ea suggested · ~$20 total
🍦Ben & Bill's Chocolate Emporium — Downtown fudge, candy & ice cream — including dare-worthy lobster ice cream. Fun walkable evening stop.No admission · cones ~$7 ea · ~$28 for 4
⛳Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf — Pirate-themed mini golf on Rt 3, ~½ mi from the hotel. ~$50/4, open thru mid-Oct. Effortless kid hour.Adults ~$14 ea · Kids ~$12 ea · ~$52 total · call 207-288-2133 to confirm
🚲Eagle Lake carriage-road bike loop — Flat 6-mi car-free loop on Acadia's crushed-stone carriage roads — stone bridges & lake views. Rent bikes downtown (~$80–120/4). One of Acadia's best.Bike rental ~$30/day adult · ~$25/day kid · ~$110 total
🌸Asticou Azalea & Thuya Gardens — ~20–25 min, Northeast Harbor — two beautiful gardens 2 min apart (Japanese-style Asticou + hilltop Thuya). Peak fall color, $5 pp donation.Adults $5 ea · Kids free · $10 total · suggested donation, kids free
🚨Bass Harbor Head Light — ~25–30 min — Maine's most photogenic lighthouse on pink-granite ledges; short trails + rock scrambling. Free. Go AM (small lot).Covered by the $35 park pass
🦞Oceanarium & Education Center — 5–10 min, Trenton — hands-on: hold lobsters, sea stars & crabs + a lobster hatchery tour. ⚠️ Wed–Sun 1–5 only — Tue closed, so do it Wed (Sep 30) PM.Adults $18 ea · Kids $12 ea · $60 total
📷Somesville Historic Footbridge — ~20 min — the most-photographed white arched footbridge in Maine in a postcard village. Free 20-min stop; pairs with Bass Harbor / the gardens.Free

🚌 The free Island Explorer bus runs thru ~mid-Oct and links the hotel to downtown — use it; parking in town is a pain.

BANGOR Thu — fly-home day

🦶International Cryptozoology Museum — RoadsideAmerica find — Bigfoot, Nessie, Mothman & the Mongolian Death Worm. The only museum of its kind — a hit with curious kids. Relocated from Portland to Bangor (490 Broadway) in 2026, so it's now a fly-home-day stop.Adults $10 ea · Kids $5 ea · $30 total
🪓31-Foot Paul Bunyan — RoadsideAmerica find — a giant lumberjack statue (the very one Stephen King brought to life in IT). Perfect quick photo stop before dropping the car at BGR.Free
🦇Stephen King's House — RoadsideAmerica find — the famous red Victorian with the wrought-iron bat & spiderweb gate. A slow drive-by only (it's a private home); fun for the grown-ups.Free
😱Weird Water Tower from IT — RoadsideAmerica find — the Thomas Hill Standpipe, said to be the inspiration for the standpipe in Stephen King's IT. For the fans.Free

⭐ Flagged attractions — a proposed fit

Loading the shared list…

Tap the ☆ next to anything on Things to Do, Eats, or in a map popup to flag it. This page then shows where each flagged pick could slot in. Nothing here changes your real itinerary — the Itinerary tab is untouched until you decide.

Where to eat — local gems, lobster & great value

Late-Sept note: most spots are still open in shoulder season, but a few seasonal shacks run reduced fall hours — call-ahead flags are noted. 💲=cheap · 💲💲=moderate · 💲💲💲=splurge.

BOSTON Fri–Sat · Kenmore/Fenway

🦞Eventide Fenway — 💲💲 · ~10-min walk — the famous brown-butter lobster roll on a bao bun + chowder & oysters. Counter-service with a "Lil' Shuckers" kids menu. Open year-round.
🦪Row 34 — Kenmore — 💲💲 · 5-min walk — top oyster program, fried clams, lobster roll. Polished but family-OK. Sat lunch from 11:30.
⚓James Hook & Co. — 💲💲 · 15-min ride — Boston's no-frills waterfront lobster institution since 1925. Classic cold lobster roll at outdoor harbor tables. Best casual lunch.
🍱Time Out Market Fenway — 💲💲 · 12-min walk — 15+ vendors under one roof; everyone picks their own (pizza/burgers for the kids, something nicer for you). No-reservation easy dinner.

SALEM Sun lunch

🍲Turner's Seafood at Lyceum Hall — 💲💲💲 — Salem's top seafood: chowder, oysters, lobster bisque, in a grand 19th-c. hall. Sit-down; good for 7+. Open year-round.
🍳Ugly Mug Diner — 💲 — the easy, beloved local diner — chowder, crab-cake sandwich, big breakfasts. Best low-pressure family lunch. Open year-round.
🥪Red's Sandwich Shop — 💲 — Salem's classic breakfast/lunch institution in a 1698 building. Hearty, cheap, full of locals. Great if you arrive hungry — expect a weekend line.
🛸Flying Saucer Pizza Co. — 💲💲 — sci-fi-themed pizzeria with nerdy named pies + build-your-own; nut-free kitchen, GF crust. A big hit with kids.
🦞Finz Seafood & Grill — 💲💲 — Salem's best harbor-view seafood on Pickering Wharf — chowder, oysters, fresh fish, plus easy kid options. The view spot.
🍬Ye Olde Pepper Companie — 💲 — America's oldest candy company (1806). Grab the original Salem Gibralters & Blackjacks — fun, quick treat stop for the kids.

OGUNQUIT / KENNEBUNK Sun–Mon

🦞Barnacle Billy's — ⭐ The view spot. 💲💲 — wraparound deck over the lobster boats at Perkins Cove; steamed lobster, roll on a buttered bun, fried clams. Counter-service, burgers for picky eaters. Open through ~Oct — confirm.
🥪The Clam Shack — Kennebunk — ⭐ 💲💲 — routinely named one of Maine's best lobster rolls (¼ lb, simply dressed). Tiny walk-up window on the bridge. Open thru mid-Oct.
🦞Nunan's Lobster Hut — Cape Porpoise — 💲💲 · cash only — classic show-up-at-5 lobster-dinner tradition. Open 5 PM nightly thru Oct 17.
🍤The Lobster Shack at Perkins Cove — 💲💲 — the lower-key, lower-cost shack right next to Billy's. Pick one for the cove lobster meal.

DRIVE NORTH Tue · Rt-1 midcoast

🦞Red's Eats — Wiscasset — ⭐ Legendary. 💲💲💲 — a whole lobster's worth of meat piled on a bun. Roadside window; expect a line. ⚠️ Fall hours are Wed–Sun — your Tue may miss it; call (207) 882-6128.
🗼Bite Into Maine — Cape Elizabeth — ⭐ Best view. 💲💲 — food truck at Fort Williams with Portland Head Light right there; 6 lobster-roll styles. Open thru Nov. (Great Red's backup.)
🚢Luke's Lobster — Portland Pier — 💲💲 — the gold-standard classic Maine roll, eaten dockside by working boats. Open year-round.
🦪Damariscotta River Grill — 💲💲 — prized Pemaquid oysters from the river out the window; pretty midcoast town. Early dinner (from 3 PM). Confirm hours.

BAR HARBOR / ACADIA Tue–Wed

🦞Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound — ⭐ Top pick. 💲💲 — lobster boiled in seawater over wood fires as you watch; you pass it driving in. Picnic tables on the water. Open thru Columbus Day.
🥐Jordan Pond House — ⭐ Must-do. 💲💲 — warm popovers + jam on the lawn with mountain-and-pond views since the 1890s. Reserve ahead. Open thru late Oct.
🎪Bar Harbor Lobster Pound — 💲💲 — string-lights, lawn games, full lobster dinners. Festive & very kid-friendly. Open thru Oct.
🚤Thurston's Lobster Pound — Bass Harbor — 💲💲 — often called MDI's best pound, on a working dock — but ~30–35 min across the island. Worth it if you have the energy.

⚠️ Stewman's Lobster Pound (on many lists) is permanently closed — don't plan on it.

BANGOR Thu · fly-home

✈️BGR terminal café — 💲 — post-security café with blueberry muffins, coffee, even a lobster roll. The stress-free pre-flight option with kids.
🍳Tailwinds Grille — Bangor Aviator Hotel — 💲💲 — proper hot breakfast near the airport if you have 45–60 min before TSA.

Trip budget

🔒 This page is password-protected — enter the password to view the budget.

Confirmed bookings

The Meadowmere Resort — Ogunquit CONFIRMED

Itinerary #	73475337018086
Address	74 Main Street, Ogunquit, ME 03907
Check-in	Sun, Sep 27 — from 4 PM (ends midnight)
Check-out	Tue, Sep 29 — by 11 AM
Room	2 Queens, Seagrass · booked for Kate Lawson
Guests	2 adults on reservation — kids are fine (2 queens, sleeps 4)
Deposit	Paid at booking
Due at check-in	Balance due Sep 27 (amount in 🔒 Budget)
Cancel	Fee before 4 PM Sep 22; after = night 1 + tax
Note	Contact property ≥24 hrs before arrival for check-in; call if arriving after 9 PM. Min age 21.

Best Western Acadia Park Inn — Bar Harbor CONFIRMED

Itinerary #	73475368210037
Address	452 State Highway 3, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Check-in	Tue, Sep 29 — from 4 PM
Check-out	Thu, Oct 1 — by 11 AM
Room	Suite, multiple beds · fridge & microwave · full breakfast
Guests	2 adults + 2 children
Payment	Prepaid — collected by Expedia
Cancel	Free until 4 PM, Sep 26
Note	Front desk 6 AM–9 PM. Min check-in age 18.

Hotel Commonwealth — Boston BOOKED ✓

Fri 9/25	Extra night — booked ✓ (from trip budget)
Sat 9/26	Booked ✓ — Red Sox game package (paid separately)
Neighborhood	Kenmore / Fenway — steps from Fenway Park
Note	Red Sox package is non-cancellable once booked.

Flight out — Chicago › Boston BOOKED ✓

Airline / #	Delta DL 2816 · nonstop · Delta Main (Classic)
Date	Fri, Sep 25, 2026
Depart	Chicago O'Hare (ORD) — 3:00 PM
Arrive	Boston (BOS) — 6:47 PM
Confirmation #	HJCSUR
Seats	Row 25 together — Chris 25B · Kate 25C · Emily 25D · Nate 25E

Flight home — Bangor › Chicago BOOKED ✓

Airline / #	United UA 4702 · nonstop · United Economy (T) · operated by SkyWest dba United Express
Date	Thu, Oct 1, 2026
Depart	Bangor (BGR) — 4:43 PM
Arrive	Chicago O'Hare (ORD) — 7:00 PM
Confirmation #	H74F6W
Seats	Row 22 together — Nate 22A · Kate 22B · Chris 22C · Emily 22D
Total	$865.60 — $216.40 × 4 · Visa ••4219 · purchased Jul 13, 2026
Bags	1st checked bag $50 · 2nd $60 (not included)
Cancel	Nonrefundable — free cancel within 24 hrs of purchase (by Jul 14)

Rental SUV — Enterprise BOOKED ✓

Company	Enterprise · 617-449-7362
Confirmation #	1694894384
Itinerary #	73500394892013 (Expedia)
Vehicle	Standard SUV — Chevrolet Equinox or similar · 5 passengers · automatic · A/C
Driver	Christopher Lawson
Pick up	Sun, Sep 27 — 10:30 AM Enterprise, 200 Stuart St (5th & 6th floor), Boston 02116 Downtown — not Logan. Sunday hours 9 AM–12 PM.
Drop off	Thu, Oct 1 — 2:30 PM Enterprise, 299 Godfrey Blvd, Room 117, Bangor 04401 On the Bangor airport grounds — walking distance to the terminal.
Total	$514.55 — $458.39 rental + $56.16 taxes & fees
Payment	Pay at pick-up — nothing charged yet
Cancel	Free cancellation
One Key	Earns $10.29 OneKeyCash after the rental

New England Aquarium — Boston BOOKED ✓

Date	Sat, Sep 26, 2026
Entry time	9:20 AM · timed entry
Address	1 Central Wharf, Boston MA 02110
Guests	2 adults + 2 children
Total	$142.00 — paid
Confirmation #
Note	Doors open at 9:00, so a 9:20 slot is close to rope-drop — exactly right, it gets busiest midday. Giant Ocean Tank, penguin and seal feedings, about 2 hrs. Then James Hook for lunch (~10-min walk) and the group splits.

Acadian Boat Tours — nature cruise BOOKED ✓

Date	Wed, Sep 30, 2026
Time	10:00 AM – 12:00 PM · 2 hrs
Departs	119 Eden St (Atlantic Oceanside Hotel), Bar Harbor — not the downtown pier. About 2½ mi from your hotel, straight down Rt 3.
Guests	2 adults + 2 children
Total	$148.00 — paid
Confirmation #
Phone	207-801-2300
Note	Narrated Frenchman Bay cruise — eagles, seals, porpoises, Egg Rock Light, the summer mansions, and Acadia from the water. Confirm the boarding cut-off (usually 20–30 min early). Dress warmer than you think; open water at the end of September is cold and windy even on a nice day.

Cadillac Summit Road — vehicle reservation BOOKED ✓

Date	Wed, Sep 30, 2026
Entry time	3:30 PM · daytime (non-sunrise) reservation
What it is	Required to drive the 3.5-mile Summit Road. Separate from the park entrance pass — you need both.
Where	recreation.gov · gate is off the Park Loop near Eagle Lake
Amount
Confirmation #
⚠️ Hard gate	3:30 PM is an entry time, not a suggestion — they turn cars away. Leave Jordan Pond House by 3:10; it is ~15 min to the gate.
Good to know	The reservation controls when you drive up, not how long you stay — so you can hold the summit through sunset (~6:20 PM) if the kids are up for it. Confirm on your reservation.

💵 Heads-up: The Meadowmere has a balance due at check-in (Sun 9/27) — the amount's in the 🔒 Budget tab. Everything else lodging-wise is prepaid.

🚗 Pickup moved downtown: The SUV is not at Logan — it's the Enterprise office at 200 Stuart St, about 2 miles from Hotel Commonwealth. Check out Sunday morning and take a short rideshare or the Green Line over; you never go back out to the airport. Note the counter's Sunday hours are 9 AM–12 PM, so the 10:30 AM pickup has a narrow window — don't be late.

✅ Car drop timing — solved: The 2:30 PM Thursday drop at the Bangor airport counter lines up with the 4:43 PM flight, and you return the car right where you fly out of. That leaves Thursday morning free for the Cryptozoology Museum and Paul Bunyan in Bangor.

Still to book

Cadillac Mountain sunrise — vehicle reservation WAITLISTED

What	Acadia NP Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation — required to drive up for sunrise
Where	recreation.gov (small per-vehicle fee, separate from park admission)
When	Sunrise, Thu Oct 1 — your fly-home morning. Sunrise ~6:35 AM.
Status	⏳ Waitlist request submitted — not confirmed.
Confirmation #

✅ The fallback is done — you have Cadillac confirmed for Wed 9/30 at 3:30 PM. So you are getting up the mountain either way, and this Thursday sunrise slot is now a bonus, not a necessity.

❓ Worth deciding: do you still want it? If the waitlist clears you would drive the summit twice, and Thursday becomes a 5:30 AM start on a fly-home day with a 4:43 PM flight. Sunrise from Cadillac is a genuinely different thing from a mid-afternoon visit — but it is not free. Timing is in the ⏳ box on the Thu Oct 1 day card.

✅ Everything is booked. Both flights, all three hotels, the SUV, the Aquarium, the nature cruise and now the Cadillac Summit Road reservation (Wed 9/30, 3:30 PM). Nothing is outstanding — the only open item is an optional sunrise waitlist for Thu 10/1.

💡 Editable: click any underlined field, type, and click away — it saves in this browser.

Booking checklist

Flights — live fares from Google Flights (auto-updated)

OUTBOUND Chicago → Boston

Fri Sep 25, 2026 · ORD → BOS · nonstop, one-way · evening (~4–8 PM) · 2 adults + 2 kids · standard Main Cabin Economy (NOT Basic) · total for all 4

✅ BOOKED — Delta 2816, 3:00 PM → 6:47 PM, conf HJCSUR. Live fares below are reference only now.

No live data yet — run “Update Trip Prices”.

Book on Google Flights Southwest (MDW)

Avoid Basic Economy — Delta Basic, United Basic, American Basic and JetBlue Blue Basic all block free advance seat selection, so a family of 4 gets scattered. When booking, choose Main Cabin / standard Economy (on Google Flights set Filters → Bags & fare type).

＋ Log a price manually

Lowest logged: —

RETURN Bangor → Chicago

Thu Oct 1, 2026 · BGR → ORD · one-way · 2 adults + 2 kids · standard Main Cabin Economy (NOT Basic) · total for all 4

✅ BOOKED — United 4702, 4:43 PM → 7:00 PM nonstop, conf H74F6W · $865.60 for all 4. Live fares below are reference only now.

No live data yet — run “Update Trip Prices”.

Book on Google Flights Kayak

Booked the nonstop United Express run — no connection, and it beat the morning options on total travel time. The trade-off is a late-afternoon departure, so Thursday stays open for Bangor stops.

＋ Log a price manually

Lowest logged: —

🔄 Fares pull from Google Flights via the launcher and the daily background task. Say “refresh my trip prices” to update on demand.

Rental car — Boston → Bangor (one-way SUV)

CAR Enterprise · Standard SUV BOOKED ✓

✅ Booked — Enterprise, confirmation 1694894384, $514.55 total, pay at pick-up. Standard SUV (Chevy Equinox or similar), reserved for Christopher Lawson, free cancellation. Full details on the Booked tab. The search links below are kept only as a price cross-check.

Pick up: Enterprise, 200 Stuart St, Boston (downtown — not Logan) · Sun Sep 27, 10:30 AM · counter open Sun 9 AM–12 PM
Drop off: Enterprise, 299 Godfrey Blvd Room 117, Bangor (on the airport grounds) · Thu Oct 1, 2:30 PM

Car is booked — live quotes are reference only now.

Expedia · Bundle + Save (Flight + Car) Expedia · SUV BOS Logan → BGR airport Kayak · airport-to-airport

What changed from the plan: the original plan was a Logan-to-Bangor airport one-way. The drop-off is exactly as planned — the Bangor airport counter — but the pickup is downtown Boston at 200 Stuart St instead of Logan, which is actually easier: it's ~2 miles from Hotel Commonwealth, so you skip the trip back out to the airport on Sunday morning. The one thing to watch is the Sunday 9 AM–12 PM counter hours against your 10:30 AM pickup.

＋ Log a price manually

Lowest logged: —

🚗 Acadia Park Loop Road — the photo drive

Wed Sep 30 · afternoon, straight off the 10 AM–12 PM nature cruise · drive, stop, shoot, repeat

12:05 PMstart, post-cruise

3:30 PMCadillac gate ✓

6:20 PMsunset, west side

27 mithe loop itself

36 miwith the Cadillac spur

1 hr 35 minpure driving time

5–6 hrsrealistic with these stops

14 stops11 of them in the Maps link

🗺️ Open the whole drive in Google Maps

Loads all 11 navigable stops in road order, start to finish. Google caps a single route link at 11 points, so three roadside pull-offs (#2, #4, #13) are on the map here but not in the link — you drive right past them anyway.

⚠️ Read this before the day

✅ Cadillac Summit Road is BOOKED — Wed 9/30, 3:30 PM entry. Still separate from the park pass; you need both. Treat 3:30 as a hard gate — leave Jordan Pond House by 3:10. It controls when you drive up, not how long you stay, so you can hold the summit through sunset (~6:20 PM). Wednesday runs: stops #5–#10 (Ocean Drive) → summit at 3:30 for about 45 min → then west for sunset (~6:20 PM), which Cadillac is the wrong direction for. Bass Harbor Head Light is 42 min from the summit. ⏳ A separate sunrise waitlist for Thu 10/1 is still outstanding; if it clears you would go up twice and start Thursday at 5:30 AM on a fly-home day.
The road is one-way from Sand Beach around to Otter Point, so the stop order below is not optional — the road decides it. Parking is right-side pull-offs; you can stop almost anywhere along Ocean Drive.
Park entrance pass: $35 per vehicle, good 7 days. Buy it at Hulls Cove or online ahead.
Thunder Hole is a tide gamble. It only booms with swell running, roughly 1–2 hours before high tide. Check the Bar Harbor tide chart the night before and build the day around that one stop.
This is now an AFTERNOON loop. Your nature cruise runs 10 AM–12 PM and departs 119 Eden St — which is 2 minutes south of Hulls Cove Visitor Center, stop #1. So you step off the boat and start the loop at about 12:05 PM.
⏱️ Thunder Hole is the clock. It booms 11:45 AM–1:45 PM on Wed (high tide 1:43 PM), so from the visitor center drive past Paradise Hill (#2) and Sieur de Monts (#3) without stopping and be at Thunder Hole by about 12:50. Sieur de Monts is easy to pick up Tuesday evening or Thursday morning — Thunder Hole is not.
If the Sand Beach lot is full, do not circle — the road is one-way and you cannot come back. Carry on to a pull-off past it and walk back along the Ocean Path, which links Sand Beach, Thunder Hole and Otter Point. Late-September midweek is far quieter than summer, so this may be a non-issue.
Free Island Explorer buses run the loop if anyone is done driving — they also stop at your hotel out on Rt 3.

Photo stop (numbered, in road order) Roadside pull-off — not in the Maps link Park Loop Road Cadillac Summit Road

The stops, in the order the road takes you

Tap the big blue button once now and check that all 11 stops land where you expect in Google Maps. Once you are happy with it, star the route in Maps and it will be waiting on your phone on Sep 30 — cell service in the park is patchy, so load it before you drive in.