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Historical Inn Overlooking Phillips Lake

The first guests checked in to the Lucerne Inn nearly 200 years ago. It wasn’t necessarily an “inn” at first, though—the property’s clapboard estate, located along a 30-mile stretch of road between Bangor and Ellsworth, was once the only place in the area for food, drink, and lodging for weary travelers. Over the years, it evolved into The Lucerne Inn, a Georgian-style mansion now on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s since added on a few extra modern luxuries. Today, Fodor’s calls The Lucerne Inn “one of the most famous and respected inns in New England.”

The homey estate is furnished with various antique period pieces. The junior suite is equipped with a roaring gas fireplace and a queen-size poster bed. The executive suite has colonial wood furnishings that contrast with its jetted tub. An included bottle of wine or prosecco adds to the romantic ambiance, and a complimentary breakfast the next morning includes pastries, bagels, and fresh fruit.

Kick back on one of the inn’s patios and gazebos, and you can get a view of Phillips Lake and a forested mountain range. You’ll find some of the best vistas at the inn’s restaurant, where lace-trimmed windows frame sunsets over the lake. The restaurant cooks New England fare, from buttery Maine lobsters to filet mignon. You can also explore the surrounding countryside up close—the property has a walking path that runs past a lake, and a beautifully groomed nine-hole golf course.

Greater Bangor, Maine: Acadia National Park, Rugged Shorelines, and Historical Attractions

The quiet burg of Dedham sits just 13 miles south of Bangor, a populous city in Maine’s highlands region. There’s some beautiful coastal scenery here—the shores are lined with sprawling forests and waves crash against granite rocks.

About 40 miles south on Mount Desert Island is Acadia National Park. Its 35,000 pristine acres make it well worth the trip. Drive along the island’s famous Park Loop Road and you’ll see rolling mountains and rugged shores, with lovely ocean views along the way. Rockefeller’s famous carriage paths wind through the forests; on a hike through, you could see seals, deer, and songbirds.

It’s also worth it to get a view of the water from the water. You can take whale-watching tours and windjammer cruises out of nearby Bangor and Bar Harbor, or rent a canoe at Jenkins Beach 2 miles from Lucerne Inn.

Head into town in Bangor and you’ll find some key cultural institutions: The Bangor Symphony Orchestra hosts traditional ballets and classical concertos. Meanwhile, there are more than 10,000 prints dating to the 1840s are on display at the Bangor Museum and Center for History.

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