Claremont

A road trip up to Mount Desert Island (M.D.I.) is essential for any summer visit to Maine, as the massive island boasts a range of quintessential attractions: Acadia National Park, the only national park in the northeast; the charming town of Bar Harbor; Cadillac Mountain, the tallest seaside mountain on the eastern seaboard north of Rio de Janeiro; Somes Sound, the only fjord on the east coast; along with all the usual Maine attractions, including lobster, ice cream, and whoopie pies. When you’re here, it’s easy to understand why this has been a popular summer destination since the 1870s.