Maine is famous for its lobster and its lighthouses, but there is a multitude of things to see and do in the state. Here were a few highlights from our recent trip.

Moose Safari

Our moose safari was arranged by the co-owner of our hotel, Blair Hill Inn, on Moosehead Lake. Ashley, from Lone Wolf Guiding Services, a registered Maine guide and accomplished musher, picked us up at 6 a.m. and drove us along logging roads in hopes of seeing a moose at dawn. It was rutting season, and females were not hard to spot in the clearings. We would get out of the truck, tiptoe a bit closer and Ashley would rustle the brush to mimic a male moose (fooling them isn’t difficult, as their eyesight is quite poor). During our four-hour tour, we learned much about moose: their gestation periods, eating habits and the differences between Maine moose and their Alaskan counterparts (the former are much less aggressive). By the end of our journey, we’d seen eight of these gentle giants, along with twin calves, in the brush, staring back at us in the soft morning light.

Mount Desert Island

Mount Desert Island (pronounced “dessert”) is the largest island off the coast of Maine. It is home to Acadia National Park, one of the most visited national parks in the United States; Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard; the town of Bar Harbor; and the lesser-known Land & Garden Preserve, which consists of 1,400 acres of forest, gardens and trails adjacent to the park. To get the most out of your visit here, drive the 27-mile-long Park Loop Road (open mid-April to December, weather permitting), hike one of the park’s 125 miles of trails or cycle on its quaint carriage roads, which were created from 1913 to 1940 by John D. Rockefeller. In the adjacent preserve, we recommend walking the gentle 2.2-mile Little Long Pond trail, just west of Seal Harbor. It will take you through meadows, marsh and forests to the picturesque pond. If you have time, visit the preserve’s lovely Asticou Azalea Gardens and Thuya Gardens, both free. The Asian-inspired Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Gardens, which has an English-style garden at its center, is by reservation only. Acadia National Park is open year-round; the gardens are closed for the season and opening dates vary.