Our Dr. Laura Friedman interviews Grand Classroom New England's Gregg Wachtelhausen to get highlights of our Acadia National Park trip. Check it out!

Q. Acadia National Park isn't the most well known of the national parks, especially if you are not from the East Coast. Tell me a little about Acadia - where is it located? and why is it a worthwhile destination?
 
A: Acadia is in coastal Maine about 5 hours from Boston, MA. It has a beautiful landscape - forests, beaches, and mountains - to explore. It was the first National Park on the east coast and has a lot of history - this was where wealthy New Englanders like the Rockafellers built their summer getaways.
 
Q. What are some of your favorite activities on the Acadia trip? What are the highlights?
 
 
A.  Acadia has lots of highlights - fall foliage, swimming in the summer, hiking at Gorham Mountain, biking the historic carriage roads, taking a lobster boat ride with an experienced fisherman, sea kayaking, and whale watching to name just a few!
  
Q. It sounds like an active outdoorsy trip - can anyone do it or is it really only for the super athletic?
 
One of the best things about Grand Classroom trips is that they are 100% customizable so they suit all levels of fitness and interest. The average 7th grader, for example, would be able to do all the regular activities. If it was an outdoor club, though, you could make the trip more adventurous by including rock climbing or a 7 mile hike over Cadillac Mountain among other possibilities.
 
Q. Is Acadia a place you can go anytime of year? Or are there certain times you'd recommend?
 
Fall and summer are really the best times to go. Fall foliage is amazing and it's still warm enough to enjoy all the sites. Summer is peak season and a wonderful time to be able to enjoy everything from swimming to biking.
  
Q.  Most groups who go to Acadia will end up in Boston, MA or Portland ME at some point on their tour - what kind of things could a group add on to their Acadia adventure in these other areas?
 
A. Portland, Maine is a great stop at the end of the trip. It's a beautiful town where you can walk along the waterfront, take a whale watch, and enjoy some souvenir shopping for things like maple syrup. It also has a great art and food scene - groups love to get their lobster rolls in Portland!
 
A lot of groups going to Acadia also fly in and out of Boston, and a day or two in the city is a great way to start or end a trip. There is so much history - you can explore Revolutionary War sites like Paul Revere's house and the Old North Church on the Freedom Trail for example. Other groups choose to spend a day in Salem learning about the witch trials or at Plymouth Plantation seeing how the pilgrims lived. 
 
Q. You've traveled with student groups to Acadia as a guide - what is a favorite moment you've had with a group on tour in Acadia?
 
A. One favorite moment was bringing a group of midwestern kids to Acadia. It was the first time a lot of them had seen the ocean! It was also their first taste of Maine water! They had a chilly swim at the beach but it was perfect after getting so hot and sweaty on the hiking trail. Another favorite moment was with a group at the lobster dinner - another first for a lot of them; there's nothing like a delicious lobster dinner after a day out and about in nature.