I haven’t properly introduced the new category I added to my blog a few months ago. Most of what I post is a little deeper, so I needed a place for the fun stuff I love to share, too.

Introducing…

The Shallow End.

I love the play on words, from Deeper Waters to The Shallow End, all in one place.

With that said, I want to tell you a bit about our trip to Maine.

Oh. My. Word.

Other than our trip to New York City a couple of years ago, I had never been to the Northeast. Jeff, my husband, and I have always wanted to go but, until now, hadn’t had the chance. We love history and old buildings that tell a story, so what better place to explore than the thirteen original colonies? Since we didn’t have time for all of them, although I would love to visit each and every one, we decided on Maine, ending in Boston, MA.

We originally had a different trip planned for our vacation, but last-minute complications forced us to change it. We had a quick discussion before deciding on Maine. Changing our trip left us only three weeks to put it all together, and for this “planner’s” heart, it was a close call!!

First, we opened the Hopper app and found accommodations. My husband is amazing at this; he finds the best deals and great places to stay. Once that was done, we had to book our transportation. If you’ve been around Deeper Waters for long, you know I am a nervous flyer. It’s something I’ve prayed about and worked on for years. Thankfully, I am improving in this area, and that makes for a better trip because the dread of flying is diminishing. I still get nervous but not like I used to.

Something else I did this trip was try to pack light. I am a hopeless overpacker. I bring way more than I will ever need and lug suitcases around the whole time. Well, this time I challenged myself to pack a capsule and stick to it. Basically, nine pieces that match, and you make outfits from them the whole time. Fewer clothes and less fuss.

It was hard for me because I kept thinking I needed this or that, but ultimately, I found my nine pieces, three pairs of shoes, and two light jackets. Travel outfits don’t count. I hope to get better at this. Doing it this time made the trip so much easier! I still hope to one day use only a carry-on suitcase, but not this time; I still had to check my bag. But at least there was only one!

The flights were uneventful, thank goodness! We landed in Bangor, ME, and immediately rented a car. Northeast Harbor was our first stop, but first we were hungry!

I’d heard about something called lobster rolls. And honestly, I assumed it was a sushi roll with lobster meat inside. The road to Northeast Harbor took us right by a dive named Eagles Nest. I’d heard about it, but driving up to this extremely small house right on the river was not what I expected. We were so hungry it didn’t really matter; as long as they had food, we were stopping.

We were seated with a view of the water and immediately ordered lobster rolls. The waiter asked if I wanted an extra roll because we were planning to share, and I didn’t really understand what he meant. He told me most people order extra bread. I was thinking, why would a sushi roll need bread? But hey, when in Rome, right?!

Oh! I am so glad he did!

When he brought our food, it was NOTHING as I expected. About six ounces of shredded lobster meat and two pieces of thick bread dipped in butter and toasted. I remember thinking, OH! It’s a literal roll with lobster. Ha!

IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!

I will go ahead and tell you it was the BEST lobster roll we had on the whole trip!!! And we had several.

We were off to a good start.

Our stay in Northeast Harbor was nothing short of pleasant. A small town on the water with all the charm of a Hallmark movie. We loved the inn where we stayed. It was an old home that had been renovated. Because of that, there was no elevator. So, my sweet husband lugged my suitcase up three flights of stairs to our room. Good thing I’d packed light! Light for me anyway. Ha!

We explored the small town and had a delicious seafood dinner before turning in for the night. We had a big day ahead.

We planned to cover a lot of ground on this trip, so there wasn’t much time in each place we stayed. We had to cram a lot into each day.

Our first big excursion was Acadia National Park. Heads up if you want to go there, you’ll need an Acadia National Park pass. You can’t just drive in without one.

Our first stop inside the park was Sand Beach. The perfect little stretch of sand tucked into the rocky coastline. It’s like God scooped out the rocks in this one small area so we could enjoy the water and a sandy beach. The view didn’t disappoint.

Our next stop inside Acadia was Thunder Hole. Basically, you walk, or hike, from Sand Beach to Thunder Hole, following the trail that will open up to spectacular views from time to time on the mile or so it takes to get there.

Side note: when I packed, I didn’t account for hiking. I didn’t know what to expect, but hiking wasn’t on my radar. Well, thankfully, jeans and a T-shirt work just fine!

Thunder Hole was gorgeous, with a breathtaking view of the ocean. I still can’t get over all the sailboats and lobster boats; such a different way of life than what I am used to. So interesting to see it!

By the time we finished our “hike,” it was close to lunch. I’d read that Jordan Pond was a great place to eat. We saw a lot of bicycles as we drove around the park, both e-bikes and regular ones. It is a great way to see the park and take in all the nature. We needed to hurry, so biking was out for us. It looked very fun, though.

Lunch was really amazing. It was here I had my first “popover.” It was much bigger than I thought it would be and basically tasted like a delicious roll. it was great with butter and jam. But honestly, Jordan Pond was more about the views than the food. We enjoyed looking over the “pond,” which looked more like a lake.

Then there was the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden in Seal Harbor. I cannot imagine what it must’ve been like to stroll the gardens knowing it was your own backyard. We were told there was once a huge home there, but it was torn down years ago; the gardens remain. You have to have tickets to get in, but it’s totally worth the effort and the money. You can thank me later.

After a short rest back at the inn, which I highly recommend, we headed to what would be my favorite part of the whole trip. And that’s saying something, because I LOVED this trip.

To be continued next week…

Oh, and welcome to The Shallow End. I hope you’re enjoying it!