Hi guys!

If you have been following along with my Instagram feed, you may remember my stories from last month’s solo road trip up to Maine! Aside from my big cross-country trip last summer (which I don’t fully count as an OFFICIAL solo trip, since I had friends join me throughout) this was my first experience of road tripping completely by myself. And now that I’ve done it, I can’t recommend it enough!

After a couple dreamy days of glamping at Sandy Pines campground outside of Kennebunkport, I made my way up to Portland. My original ‘plans’ were to just bypass the city and continue on up the coast, but given that I was the only one MAKING the plans, I realized the first joy of solo travel - making the itinerary work for me, and not the other way around! I really enjoy exploring new cities, and just playing the tourist. Portland has some really amazing shops and cafes, and countless charming spots on the water!

My Portland Picks :

1. Judith - a chic and airy upscale clothing boutique

2. Tandem Coffee Roasters - the perfect place for a morning cup and quick bite!

3. Portland Head Lighthouse - just one of MANY lighthouses in the area.

After a day of exploring and good night’s rest, I was ready to continue on to Acadia National Park. This was my third time visiting the park, so I had a bit of an idea on what I wanted to see again and what new things to add to my itinerary. This time around I stayed on Mt. Desert Island (where a majority of the park is located) for two nights, and my third night on the Schoodic Peninsula. For the duration of my stay, I camped in the park's designated campsites. Since it was June, I was able to snag walk-in sites, but I highly recommend making reservations if you’re heading there in the busy summer months! With my three days in the park, I was able to see all the highlights. If you just have a long weekend here, know you can still have time to see a ton of the park!

My Acadia Itinerary

Night One :

• Check in Blackwoods Campgroun

• grab a quick bite in Bar Harbor

• sunset at Bass Harbor Head Light

Day One :

• sunrise on Cadillac Mountain

• hike to North and South Bubble Mountain

• drive the Park Loop Road - stop at Otter Cliff, Thunder Hole, and Little Hunters Beach

• ‘hike’ Jesup Trail

• sunset at Blue Hill Overlook

Day Two:

• explore and grab breakfast at Bar Harbor

• hike to Beech Mountain fire tower

• stop at Beech Hill Farm

• drive to Schoodic Peninsula and check in to Schoodic Woods campground

• sunset at Schoodic Point

Day Three :

• explore along the Schoodic Peninsula Loop Road - stop at Frazer Point

By the time I left the Schoodic Peninsula, I was going on a full week of solo travel! Some things I learned along the way :

• Carve out time each day to RELAX. During the afternoon, I would read, write, and catch up on work. I remember telling V that these daily “breaks” made the trip feel like an actual vacation! (P.S. I was shooting for clients on this trip, so every day did have work involved. But this was the first trip that didn’t feel like a WORK trip, if that makes sense!).

• Get very familiar with a tripod and remote control if you’re shooting portraits! I get asked quite often how I take photos with myself in them if I’m traveling alone. It’s a pretty simple process of using my tripod and live view mode on my camera! You just have to ignore people inevitably watching as you do this ;)

• Listen to your body and know not every day has to be full adventure mode. This trip I definitely let my mental and physical health call the shots. Some mornings I slept in and took it easy, and that was totally OKAY!

• Talk to strangers, tourists, locals… Okay this is a BIG one, especially when coming from a place like New York where you never do this! But one thing I loved about this trip was just striking up conversations with other visitors. It’s always amazing to connect with others who you obviously share a passion for the outdoors (why else would you both be enjoying a sunset on a mountain, right?!).

After my week + of solo travel, I felt so refreshed and inspired. It was honestly such a breath of fresh air knowing I could make every day its own adventure, with no expectations or stress getting in the way. I can’t recommend it enough, and am already planning out my next solo trip for the end of summer (a secret for now!). Have any of you done a solo trip? Would love to hear your stories!

xo

J.