Outdoor Adventure, Gourmet Meals and Romantic Ecofriendly Inns in Down East Maine
When thinking of which states in our country would be the most environmentally friendly, there are certainly a few which immediately come to mind, Maine being one of them. But did you know just how important ecofriendly practices are to the great state of Maine? The Maine Department of Environmental Protection instituted the Environmental Leader program which is a self-guided process offered by the Department that encourages lodging facilities to implement selected initiatives to achieve points towards certification. Since the creation of the program in 2006, lodging leaders have saved more than $1 million from electricity reduction initiatives; more than 19 million gallons of water through installing low flow water fixtures and/or implementing towel and linen re-use programs; and eliminated nearly 300,000 plastic bottles by installing refillable amenity dispensers. When vacationing in Maine, there are now more options than ever for vacationers to choose a business that values the natural resources of the state.
Not only is Maine a great place to vacation if you’re concerned about protecting the environment, but it is also the only state on the East Coast that has a national park. So, on this Eco travel trip, we decided to visit Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park with a short jaunt down to Camden to break up the drive.
Our first stop brought us to the Mira Monte Inn and Innkeeper Marian Burns who operates this historic Bar Harbor bed & breakfast inn built in 1864 and named Mira Monte, “Behold the Mountains” for the beautiful surrounding peaks of Acadia National Park. The Mira Monte truly reflects the grace and beauty of the mid-Victorian time. Each room features a fireplace and/or balcony and is uniquely styled with antique and period furnishings. We stayed in the West End room and immediately upon entering were surprised at the expanse as typically the rooms in B&Bs are on the smaller side. If you are traveling with a child, you’ll be pleased to see one king bed and one twin which was tucked into a cozy alcove. There is a large, covered porch that overlooks the rear lawns and gardens, a gas fireplace with remote control, and a corner whirlpool bath/shower. And the best of all… a heated towel rack and bath robes! You can even send a video postcard to your loved ones at home!
The Mira Monte Inn implements green practices including: using environmentally preferable cleaners, local food, energy-efficient lighting and windows, a solar hot water system, native species for landscaping, allowing guests to request less frequent towel and linen changes to conserve energy use and detergent, and composting of kitchen waste. Marian told me, “Participating in the Maine DEP Environmental Leader program is consistent with the long held ethic of our business. Our customers are also interested in our green practices and we are very happy to have our certification to show them.” This was great to hear as I wonder how many travelers are truly concerned about the impact hotels and other lodging facilities have on the environment. Just think about the water you would use if you washed your towels every day. Multiply this by each and every lodging facility in the world and the number of guests in and out each day. The impact is staggering.
In addition to the ecofriendly initiatives listed above, we also found Marian to be implementing some very interesting environmentally friendly practices. She has a solar drying yard for sheets and towels, she uses vinegar to weed the driveway, she has a four season solar porch where she grows lettuce and herbs, and she’s been using cast iron pans for thirty years which bake foods faster thus reducing electricity! Marian is a natural and organic gardener and grows squash, watermelon and even kiwi on the property. The gardens are extensive and beautiful and have been featured on HGTV in “The Secret Gardens of Bar Harbor.”
Breakfast is a treat with a full buffet each day offering guests numerous options such as steamed eggs, homemade Belgian waffles, their famous oatmeal filled with Maine cranberries, homemade granola, their famous blueberry muffins (cooked in original black cast iron muffin pans that make them crisp on the outside and deliciously moist on the inside), egg & cheese strata, and much more.
But probably the most interesting thing we discovered at the Mira Monte Inn is Marian’s unique creativity in architecture design. She designed another lodging space on the property with two suites that is a 10-sided building. “The idea of erecting a 10-sided building came from my realizing that the Victorians built many Octagon houses in New England. These houses cost much less to heat each winter because this design offers maximum usable interior space with minimum exterior square feet of heat loss. By applying insulating foam during the initial construction, I was able to eliminate using oil!” Overall, the Mira Monte’s mission is to provide relaxation and comfort in beautiful, quiet surroundings of an elegant bed and breakfast inn and they certainly succeed on all levels.
Our next stop led us to a quiet side street in Bar Harbor where we found a retreat from the everyday at the Graycote Inn. The innkeepers, Pat and Roger Samuel, have taken a Victorian style traditional B&B, implemented as many environmentally friendly practices as possible and still pamper you and make you feel like this is your home away from home. Taking an existing private residence built in 1881 and making it ecofriendly is no small task, but the Samuels have done an amazing job and their dedication to protecting the environment while providing a comfortable and luxurious B&B experience shows through and through. And they offer free off-street parking, which is a hot commodity in Bar Harbor.
The accolades for their perseverance in creating an eco-friendly B&B are numerous. In April 2006 the Graycote Inn became the first business and lodging property on Mt. Desert Island to receive the Environmental Leader Certification from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. This certification was renewed in 2008 and again in 2011 in recognition of the Inn’s improved performance. In the spring of 2012 the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce designated the Graycote Inn an Environmental Business Leader. Of course the Innkeepers at the Graycote Inn follow all of the traditional environmentally friendly practices relating to water and electricity conservation and recycling, however, some of the more unique things we saw were the following: using floral decorated paper for recycled wastebasket liners; providing soap wrapped in paper not plastic; reusing old makeup towels as cleaning cloths; and using tubes instead of bottles for lotion and hair care as you can squeeze everything out.
The rooms are spacious and decorated in the traditional Victorian style. Many have bright and airy sunrooms, cozy wood-burning fireplaces and private balconies. The king and queen size beds with luxurious linens and comforters are as comfortable as it gets. We stayed in the Sand Point room with beautiful French doors leading to a private balcony overlooking the gardens that is large enough for two chairs, two people, and two wine glasses!
And if that isn’t enough, wait until you hear about the breakfasts. The Graycote Inn is a true supporter of Maine farmers and food producers in their menus. Benbow’s Coffee Roasters of Bar Harbor is the source of their organic, shade-grown and fair trade coffee. The delicious Maine wild blueberries, grown on the neighboring Blue Hill Peninsula, come from Allen’s Blueberries. The maple syrup served at the Graycote is the finest, 100% pure Maine syrup from Smith’s Maple Products in Skowhegan. Some of the delicious breakfast offerings include: Broiled Half Grapefruit with Banana Muffin and Maine Wild Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes with Pure Maine Maple Syrup; Sliced Seasonal Melon with Lime Marinade and Eggs Florentine with Fruited Couscous and Whole-grain English Muffin; and Fresh Ginger Fruit Compote with Cranberry Graham Gem Muffin and Orange Ricotta Stuffed French Toast with Wild Maine Blueberry Sauce.
All in all, the Graycote Inn brings you back in time to an easier way of life where at the end of a busy day you can relax in the parlor, on the veranda, or in the side garden in an Adirondack chair or a hammock.
But before you leave Bar Harbor, you don’t want to miss a few of the amazing gastronomic finds we experienced. Fathom is a casual, yet fine-dining restaurant that uses primarily Maine produce, proteins, and products from local farmers and fisherman. Fathom lets “local and fresh” dictate the menu. And Mache Bistro which is an unassuming foodie favorite with classic French bistro-style cooking. A locavore’s delight, the menu changes daily or weekly depending on the availability of local fresh produce, fish and meats. But probably the coolest place we found was the Cottage Street Pub, a tiny little spot with a speakeasy feel. All of the cocktails are hand-crafted with local, fresh ingredients. The blueberry martini is to die for!
A day goes by quickly with all of the opportunities for fun and outdoor adventure at Acadia
National Park. To make the most of a short trip to the park, start with a scenic drive around the
20-mile Park Loop Road and up the mountain road to the park’s peak at Cadillac Mountain. If
you’d prefer to stick to 2 wheels, rent a bike to explore the 27-mile paved carriage road system.
If you prefer to stay by the sea, explore the tide pools at Sand Beach; while there’s a lifeguard on duty, the sea’s frigid temperatures – averaging 55 degrees Fahrenheit – are not for the faint-hearted.
A short drive down to Camden brought us to the Hawthorn Inn. Owned by Maryanne Shanahan and Bill Amidon, the Inn is an elegant, Queen Anne-style Victorian mansion situated on 1.2 acres of lawn and gardens steps from the beautiful sailing village of Camden. The Inn has 10 spacious and beautifully appointed guest suites and rooms, some with Jacuzzis, soaking tubs, fireplaces, private decks and seasonal harbor views. Spacious common rooms in the Main House include a library, a front parlor and a dining room. From the dining room is a door to a two-tiered deck and dining terrace with abundant plants and patio garden and breakfast is served on the terrace in good weather during spring, summer and fall.
Upon entering the Inn, we couldn’t help but gaze up at the glorious winding staircase and to our delight, MaryAnne had placed us in the third floor suite which extends the full length of the house. You couldn’t ask for a better room with a king bed in the bedroom, a daybed in the living room, a claw-foot Victorian slipper tub in the bath, and gorgeous views of the gardens and harbor.
The Hawthorn Inn has been striving to be a green inn since November 2001 when Maryanne purchased it. An environmentally friendly oasis for sure, the innkeepers practice the three Rs: recycle, reuse and reduce. They have been committed to creating a new benchmark for the Inn through a series of environmental initiatives implemented throughout the Inn since inception, such as:
- Sourcing and using environmentally sustainable and sensitive products and services locally, and purchasing organic, environmentally friendly and recycled supplies.
- Up to 85 percent of the foods used are local and seasonally grown and purchased. They compost the scraps from all prep to make a nourishing fertilizer for the gardens. And in season they grow herbs, edible flowers and other garnishes, and some greens.
- Shopping at Farmers’ Markets in summer and members of a CSA in winter and spring.
- Creating partnerships with other organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to preserving the environment.
- Retrofitted the property with energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems where possible, water-saving shower devices, and Energy Star kitchen and laundry equipment.
- Converted electric kitchen ranges to propane gas.
- All of the unused toiletries are given to homeless shelters and sheets or towels that need to be disposed of are donated to animal shelters.
But let’s get to the food as it was quite possibly the best breakfast I’ve ever had in my life! MaryAnne prides herself on being the only vegetarian inn in Camden – which is certainly an ecofriendly practice in and of itself. She prefers a simple, wholesome and natural menu with no sugar or refined products. And the presentation of the meal is exquisite. Served in beautiful crystal martini glasses our first course of fresh and local peaches and blueberries with edible flowers was delicious. Following that was a simple egg and asparagus dish with heirloom tomato that really hit the spot. MaryAnne told us she offers a fixed menu daily which cuts down on the waste and cost of food, however, she is always willing to modify based on guests’ special needs or requests.
Maybe the best thing at the Hawthorn Inn is that MaryAnne offers wine for purchase and what a selection she has! You can enjoy your bottle on the terrace and decks in summer and in the sunny dining room or cozy library in winter or from the privacy of your beautiful room. Experiencing the romance of this luxurious Midcoast Maine retreat in pampered luxury is a must.
And don’t forget to take some time in Camden while you’re there. As a picturesque town in midcoastal Maine, nestled at the foot of Camden Hills on Penobscot Bay, its slogan is “Where the Mountains Meet the Sea” and is considered by many visitors to be one of the most beautiful places in New England. Shops in Camden’s compact downtown offer clothing, jewelry, gifts, art supplies, toys, home furnishings, and more–all within walking distance of the harbor, dining, and lodging. As they say in Maine…this is the “way life should be.”
Dr. Diane Hindman is the owner and publisher of Natural Nutmeg Magazine and founder of Dr. Diane Speaks. She is a speaker, writer and workshop facilitator. For 20 years, her work has focused on inspiring individuals to learn about the power of thought and emotion and how it shapes their lives. She holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Connecticut, a Ph.D. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Maryland and is a Certified Empowerment Life Coach. Her passion centers on helping people bridge the gap in understanding and using spiritual, sustainable and natural living tools to achieve their personal and professional goals. You can learn more about her online at www.essentiallivingmaine.com or www.drdianespeaks.com.
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