Travel day to Portland, ME (Check out What to do With a Long Layover at Dulles)
Pick up rental cars
Overnight Hampton Inn Portland Airport
The hotel had a swimming pool to allow the kids to burn off some travel energy!
Note: From Austin, Texas flew through Dulles with a layover and then into Portland. Due to this being such a long travel day for six children under the ageas of 12 we did not attempt to make the drive to Acadia.

Grocery shopping prior to departing Portland
3-hour Drive to Hillside Shorefront House in West Tremont on Mount Desert Island
Hillside is located on Latty Cove, West Tremont and is a gorgeous property on the edge of Frenchman’s Bay. Hillside was once owned by the famous explorer, Admiral Richard Byrd. Every building has a view and access to the ocean. The waterfront is a gravel beach with granite rocks and the property includes a dock, tennis court and swimming pool.
The main house has a ping pong table, DVD player and satellite cable. Wireless internet is also available. There is an outdoor grill. Acadia National Park is 10 and 30 minutes away, depending upon the specific park destination. Check out The Hunt for a Mattress in Acadia for more background on our arrival!

Picked up a lobster dinner feast from Thurston’s Lobster Pound. We got a real sense of the importance of lobster trapping as we made the brief trip to pick up dinner. While we were gone the Grands played in the pool and explored Frenchman’s Bay coastline.

Day on your own to chase squirrels, hold new nieces, play guitar or tennis, or whatever you desire to do.
My husband and I drove the Park Loop Road with his sister and enjoyed the beautiful vistas of Acadia National Park.
Dinner rotation for one of the kids: Prepared paella with fresh clams and other seafood along with Maine blueberry pie that is still talked about to this day.

Sleep in
Attended a lobster boat tour demonstration put on by the Downeast Lobsterman’s Association where we learned the craft of trapping lobsters.
Dinner rotation for one of the kids: Menu of their choosing
Family team charades – We divided into two teams and played charades. We’re all still talking about this night together.

Family Outing: Diver Ed’s Dive in Theatre on the Starfish Enterprise to learn about, see, and touch the sea animals.
Acadia National Park Carriage trail ride where we enjoyed a leisurely horse-drawn tour through the park. In hindsight, I should have checked to see if there were bike tours through the park as it would have been more interesting for the older Grands.
Dinner rotation for one of the kids: Menu of their choosing

Sleep in
12:00PM Girls outing to take to have tea and popovers at the Jordon Pond House
Dinner rotation for one of the kids: Menu of their choosing

Day on your own
Dined on lobster (again) at Thurston’s Lobster Pound

Drive to Portland
Return rental cars
Return flights home