July 8-14, 2019 — During this second week of July we continued on our trek south along the eastern coast of Maine and then made our way inland to central Massachusetts.
We’ve been to the New England area on a brief vacation years ago but were so pressed for time that exploring was limited to a few touristy type highlights. During our visit this time in the RV, we have been enjoying the luxury of going off the beaten path exploring the backroads and finding lesser known gems along the way.
Another huge benefit of traveling in an RV full-time as we do versus being “on vacation” is that we can take a few days off of exploring to rest and regather ourselves. It’s tiresome and almost chore-like to go day after day without a break. Since we left Wisconsin in mid June we’ve been going steady and were in dire need of time off. This week we did take time off while at a Boondockers Welcome location in Maine and had two days of quiet relaxation where we stayed “home” in the RV.
After our few days rest we were refreshed and ready to hit the pavement again. We continued our travels through Massachusetts and ended the week at the home of some new friends. Follow along below for a pictorial of our travels during this second week of July.
All nights this week were free stays with one night at a Walmart, two nights at a Boondockers Welcome host site, three nights at three separate Harvest Hosts locations and the final night at the home of friends
Last week we visited the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park and this week we explored the main section of the park. Both areas are unique but very picturesque. We especially loved the deep blue waters of Jordon Pond and listening to the Atlantic Ocean waves crashing against the rocky shoreline.
Cruise ships frequent Bar Harbor, Maine bringing lots of traffic to the local businesses and nearby Acadia National Park. Tender boats bring passengers to the shore as there is no dock large enough to accommodate the massive ships. During the fall foliage season this year the amount of ships arriving increases substantially from 10-13 a month during June, July and August to 51 in September and 43 in October.
After visiting Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, we continued our trek south along the Atlantic coast of Maine stopping to overnight at Boothbay Craft Brewery in Boothbay as it is a Harvest Hosts site. What a great place! They offer a variety of craft beers, brewery tours, a fun atmosphere and the best wood-fired pizza we’ve ever had. Yum!
The Maine State House in Augusta serves as the state capitol building of Maine. The building was completed in 1832, one year after Augusta became the capital of the state. Portland served as the capital from 1820 until 1832 when it was moved to the more centralized location of Augusta.
A sign telling us no signs are allowed. Apparently this sign doesn’t count as a sign??
Billy the Buffalo served as the greeting committee for our arrival at Kimball Farm, a Harvest Hosts location in Haverhill, Massachusetts. The farm is a fall destination for visitors with a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hay rides, etc. The owners kindly welcome RVers anytime of year, even during the off-season when their store is closed. It’s a fun stop where you can enjoy the buffalo antics right outside your window.
It seems like every day along the coast is foggy but that didn’t deter us from stopping to walk the beach and sticking our feet in the Atlantic Ocean. Nice flip flop tan lines, huh?
Another great Harvest Hosts find in Massachusetts! Red Apple Farm in Philipston is a 4th generation 100 year old farm that grows a variety of fruits and vegetables including over 50 different types of apples. They also have a brew house featuring beer from Moon Hill Brewing Co., farm animals, hay rides and much more. On Fridays and Saturdays they have BBQ dinners and live music. The farm also serves amazing apple cider slushies that are very refreshing on hot, humid summer days. Yum!
Such a beautiful setting in south central Massachusetts to call home for a few days. Thanks to our new friends Ron & Barbara for the invite and wonderful hospitality! We met them through this blog as they reached out to us via a post comment which then led to multiple conversations about different aspects of full-time RVing. They invited us to visit after we posted our travel plans and they discovered we would be near their area of Massachusetts this summer. It may seem like an unconventional way to meet new friends but regardless of how it came about, we’re glad it did!
What a great week full of fun, new sights, and relaxation. Follow along next week as we spend a few more days with friends followed by a return trip to the Atlantic Ocean to visit Cape Cod. See you then!