Martha Stewart seems like she’s everywhere these days, from the Winter Olympics in Italy to her Netflix documentary to her restaurant in Las Vegas. When not gallivanting for business, she has name-checked Maine as her favorite travel spot, home to her 63-acre Skylands estate perched on the coastline of Mount Desert Island. She blogs about an enviable lifestyle of spending time boating, gardening, and hiking her favorite trail at the postcard-worthy destination of Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor. Called the Jordan Pond Path, the 3.3-mile loop hugging the shore of Jordan Pond is dog-friendly, a welcome bonus for Stewart’s many pooches. She writes that she walks the path “every time” she’s in Maine.
If you want to live the good life of Stewart, you may want to plan a visit to Acadia. While public lodging isn’t available at her 12-bedroom manor, you can find cozy stays, restaurants, and charming shops in adjacent Bar Harbor, one of America’s most affordable coastal vacation spots. The family-friendly Acadia Inn offers rooms with queen and king beds, along with complimentary breakfast, a swimming pool, and outdoor movie nights. Nightly summer rates start at $317, at the time of writing. Bar Harbor Inn offers a plusher stay, with oceanfront rooms, continental breakfast, and a luxury spa on site. Summer weekday rates start at $479, at the time of writing.
Getting to the uppermost regions of the North Atlantic may take a little while. Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport is about 10 miles away from Bar Harbor, with mostly direct flights from Boston. Bangor International Airport is a 50-mile drive away and serves cities like Orlando, New York City, Houston, and Chicago. For everyone else, Portland International Airport is about 175 miles from Bar Harbor.