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  • The Ultimate New England Fall Road Trip: A Six-State Foliage Loop (2026)

    I lived in New England for 7 years, which means I experienced 7 autumns. Seven rounds of watching the whole region turn absolutely feral with color for about three weeks and then go quiet for the ...

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    The Ultimate New England Fall Road Trip: A Six-State Foliage Loop (2026)
  • The Girls Trip Guide to Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park

    An honest, all-seasons guide from someone who lived there for six months I need to set expectations right up front, because I'd rather you hear this from me than find out at 9:30 on a Saturday ...

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    The Girls Trip Guide to Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park
  • Acadia National Park October Guide: Fall Colors, Weather & What to Pack

    What To Expect In Bar Harbor and Acadia in October - The Real Deal From Someone Who Survived It Okay, friends, let me tell you about October in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. When I say ...

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    Acadia National Park October Guide: Fall Colors, Weather & What to Pack
  • The Bar Harbor Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Before You Visit

    (2026 Guide From Someone Who Lived There For 6 Months) Bar Harbor, Maine, is one of those places that grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go. I've been visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia National ...

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    The Bar Harbor Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Before You Visit

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April 14, 2026

The Complete Guide to Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park

Schoodic Peninsula sunset in Acadia National Park Maine - wide panoramic view of orange and lavender sky over the Atlantic Ocean from pink granite ledges, with windswept spruce trees and the silhouette of Mount Desert Island on the horizon, capturing the stunning coastal scenery of the Schoodic District and why the Schoodic Peninsula is one of the most beautiful and least crowded areas of Acadia National Park

The Schoodic Peninsula is the only mainland section of Acadia National Park — and one of the most overlooked destinations on the entire Maine coast. Just 45 miles from Bar Harbor, Schoodic receives only about 8% of Acadia’s total visitors, which means no timed-entry reservations, easy parking, and access to some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in the park. From the jaw-dropping geology at Schoodic Point, 419-million-year-old pink granite streaked with black basalt dikes, to the cliff-edge sunset views at Ravens Nest overlooking Frenchman Bay and Cadillac Mountain, the Schoodic Peninsula deserves a full day on every Acadia National Park itinerary. This complete guide covers how to get there, how the one-way Schoodic Loop Road works, the best stops and sunset spots, dog-friendly trails, camping at Schoodic Woods Campground, and everything else you need to plan your visit.

April 1, 2026

The Foodie’s Guide to Bar Harbor, Maine

Iced coffee from Coffee Hound at The Stadium enjoyed at Agamont Park in Bar Harbor, Maine — a Stadium Bar Harbor branded iced coffee cup held up with Frenchman Bay, the Porcupine Islands, and anchored boats on a clear sunny day, highlighting Coffee Hound as one of the best coffee shops in Bar Harbor and Agamont Park as a scenic waterfront spot for eating and relaxing near Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, Maine

6 months of eating my way through this town I’ve done the research, the delicious, delicious research, so you don’t have to. This is your complete foodie’s guide to Bar Harbor, covering everything from 5 AM blueberry pancakes to hidden speakeasies, the best lobster roll actually in downtown Bar Harbor, and every must-eat spot in between.

March 10, 2026

Phoenix To Grand Canyon: The Ultimate Winter Road Trip Guide

Phoenix to Grand Canyon Winter Road Trip featured image - taking in the views at Bell Rock Vortex in Sedona, one of the stunning stops along the scenic route through Arizona's most beautiful landscapes

There’s something magical about the Grand Canyon in winter that most visitors never experience. Fewer crowds, snow-dusted red rocks, and crisp air that makes the canyon’s colors absolutely pop—January through February is secretly one of the best times to visit Arizona’s most iconic destination.

March 6, 2026

15 Best Dog Friendly Hikes at Acadia National Park

Three dogs hiking the Little Long Pond trail in Acadia National Park, Maine — a brown mixed breed and two huskies on leash on a sun-dappled wooded path along the turquoise shores of Little Long Pond, highlighting Little Long Pond as a peaceful and dog-friendly walk in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island near Seal Harbor, Maine, perfect for hiking with dogs in Acadia

Acadia is one of the most dog friendly National Parks in the United States, and honestly, it’s the reason we keep coming back. The first National Park east of the Mississippi boasts nearly 100 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads that you can enjoy with your pups…

February 24, 2026

The 18 Best Things to Do in Bar Harbor, Maine

18 Best Things to Do in Bar Harbor, Maine - sunset over a tranquil harbor near Acadia National Park captures the magic of Maine's coast, from lobster boats at anchor to pink granite shores and golden skies

Bar Harbor, Maine, is one of those places that grabs you and doesn’t let go…

February 17, 2026

The Ultimate Winter Guide to the Grand Canyon

Here’s a secret that most people don’t know: winter might actually be the best time to visit the Grand Canyon. January transforms the Grand Canyon into a serene, snow-dusted wonderland, and while you may need to bundle up, this time of year offers advantages over peak season.

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Hi! I'm Vanessa, a 30 something, sunset chasing traveler. I'm here to inspire you to travel wherever, whenever, and with whoever you can. My Huskies, Loki and Freya are usually along for the ride. I have a soul that likes to wander, a desire to experience the unknown, and a curiousity to discover things off the beaten path. I hope you'll stick around for awhile!

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Let's be friends! I know e-mails can suck but mine won't and I promise cute pup photos too!

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Recent Posts

  • The Ultimate New England Fall Road Trip: A Six-State Foliage Loop (2026)
  • The Girls Trip Guide to Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park
  • Acadia National Park October Guide: Fall Colors, Weather & What to Pack
  • The Bar Harbor Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know Before You Visit
  • The Complete Guide to the Best Bars in Bar Harbor, Maine

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10 Best Things to Do at Badlands National Park

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The Ultimate New England Fall Road Trip: A Six-State Foliage Loop (2026)

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It’s the most hauntingly beautiful thing in the Ro It’s the most hauntingly beautiful thing in the Rockies and it’s happening right now.

Everyone goes to Moraine Park for rut, and it’s great, and there are 300 cars. This was the top of Trail Ridge Road, above treeline, one bull, his harem, and us.

For about a month every fall, the bulls barely eat or sleep and lose up to a fifth of their body weight holding their cows together and warning off every other bull in earshot. The sound carries for miles.

If you go: Trail Ridge Road closes for the season in mid-to-late October, so the rut window up top is short. 

In Yellowstone, head to Mammoth Village to see the elk (I’m hoping to get back this fall) 

And in Grand Teton, just keeps your eyes open 👁️

🚫 Stay a 75 feet minimum. This is the one month they’re looking for a fight.

✨Save this for your trip to the Rockies from mid-September to early October ✨
105 miles of overlooks on Skyline Drive…gorgeous i 105 miles of overlooks on Skyline Drive…gorgeous in fall! 🍁🍂🍁

I made a joke in a post during National Park week that Shenandoah was really just a great scenic drive. While I WAS joking, I would see the same thing year after year. Every October it’s the same: pull in, take the photo, pull out, repeat. 

What you’re driving past is over 500 miles of trail, and your dog is allowed on all but about 20 of them. After Acadia, it’s got some of the best dog-trail access on the East Coast.

The catch: the two trails you’ve heard of, Dark Hollow Falls and Stony Man, are on the short no-dogs list. So skip them. 

Rose River gets you a waterfall in under four miles, Hawksbill gets you the highest point in the park in 1.5, and both take the dog.

I lived an hour from this park for 5 years, and I’m telling you, while it’s totally ok if you only drive the Skyline Drive, you’re missing out in some of the true beauty of Shenandoah if you don’t take a short hike. 

Peak on the Drive usually runs mid-to-late October, north end first. Go on a weekday. Bring the dog 👌🏻

🍁🍂 Save this for your fall Shenandoah trip 🍂🍁
Last summer, someone visiting for a few days would Last summer, someone visiting for a few days would find out we were on the island for the season and ask the same thing: if I only have time for one trail, which one?

6 months. Same answer every time. And it’s probably not the one you would think. Here’s the thing, Acadia’s most popular trails are phenomenal, and I kind of understand why every single list you see has the same 5 hikes, BUT, personally I don’t like waiting in a line to hike. 

So my answer: 

⛴️⚓️ Ship Harbor - It’s on the quiet side past Southwest Harbor, a 1.3-mile (so perfect for every age and fitness level) figure-eight that starts in spruce forest and opens onto pink granite, tide pools, and the actual Atlantic. No scramble, no reservation, no iron rungs. Flat enough that everyone in your group can do it. Dogs on leash are welcome. Go at low tide if you can swing it, because the tide pools are 👌🏻

✨ Save this for your Acadia trip ✨
Hi, I’m Vanessa. I turned 40 this year (Millennial Hi, I’m Vanessa. I turned 40 this year (Millennial 90’s kid here), I have 3 dogs, and I live in a 40-foot travel trailer named Betty with a man I met in the woods in 2022.

We’ve been full-time on the road since 2023, Idaho is technically home base at the moment, and I’ve been to 22 of the 63 national parks with 41 to go.

What you get here: honest park guides, dog-friendly trails that are actually dog friendly. No hidden gems that turn out to be closed on Tuesdays. No telling you to quit your job.

Mostly I just want you to have a better trip than the one you’d have without me.

Glad you’re here 💚

Tell me where you’re headed next, I probably have opinions 😉
Most people plan Acadia and Bar Harbor in the fall Most people plan Acadia and Bar Harbor in the fall off a blog post written by someone who visited once in July. I know I did on my first trip to the park in fall. 

BUT last year, I stayed on Mount Desert Island for 6 months and watched the whole season happen. The guide is what I’d hand a friend: when the leaves actually turn, (or are predicted to, what’s open and what’s closed after peak foliage, the trails and drives worth doing in October and the ones to skip, where to take the dogs once summer rules lift! 

Not on the blog. Not anywhere else. Acadia & Bar Harbor In Fall the 16 page guide written by someone who has both visited in fall and lived there in fall 🍁🧡🍁

Comment FALL and I’ll send you the link.
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