Seal Cove holiday

Last year I stayed at the Stanley Ranch when my rental plans in Bar Harbor fell through at the last minute. I was skeptical at first of going over to Seal Cove, but we loved it - this place is amazing.

I walked out the front door and couldn't believe the perfect view looking across Seal Cove Pond to Western Mountain. The property the house sits on is beautiful (and quiet) with a large yard and you can smell the lilacs when they bloom. Inside, the house is quaint and comfortable - genuine wood paneling, a beautiful stone fireplace, large living room. Bedrooms are quaint, no frills, but comfy. A deck on the house includes a grill, but it's also the perfect place to drink your coffee in the morning.

The Stanley Ranch is a good base camp for people who want to explore Acadia National Park and the local area, then come "home" to cook and grill in a quiet, semi-secluded setting. The young-uns can play in the yard while you grill steaks and the wife relaxes on the deck.

The park is wonderful, but right out your front door is Seal Cove Pond, which is great for canoing too (as is Long Pond just up the road - which has rental canoes). Also, on the way to the Stanley Ranch we passed the Seal Cove Auto Museum. We visited it later and our jaws dropped. It's one of the best vintage car collections in the US for pre-WWII-era cars.

In short, for people looking for the perfect Maine house to use as your base camp for an Acadia vacation, you can't do much better. It's only a 15-minute drive from just about everywhere you'd want to go. I've vacationed up there many times and trust me, the perfect way to go is to rent a nice house where you can have a relaxed breakfast before going out for a day of hiking or sightseeing. Then you can return at night to a place where you are guaranteed peace and quiet and can cook and grill at your own pace. This place is perfect for that.