Four days in Maine just isn’t enough

Bright buoys on Monhegan Island, Maine

Lobsterman's rope on Monhegan Island, Maine

Shore stones on Monhegan Island, Maine

Wharf On Monhegan Island, Maine

On Monhegan Island, Maine

On Monhegan Island, Maine

Lupine On Monhegan Island, Maine

On Monhegan Island, Maine

On Monhegan Island, Maine

Lobster Cove on Monhegan Island, Maine

Whitehall Cliffs On Monhegan Island, Maine

Whithall Cliffs On Monhegan Island, Maine

Erysse at lighthouse on Monhegan Island, Maine

On Monhegan Island, Maine

View from lighthouse on Monhegan Island, Maine

Lobster traps on Monhegan Island, Maine

On Monhegan Island, Maine

Iden on Monhegan Island, Maine

Red house on Monhegan Island, Maine

On Monhegan Island, Maine

City of Rockland, Maine truck.

Street front at our On the Water in Maine Vacation Rental, Rockland, Maine

Cottage at our On the Water in Maine Vacation Rental, Rockland, Maine

Column at our On the Water in Maine Vacation Rental, Rockland, Maine

Wreath at our On the Water in Maine Vacation Rental, Rockland, Maine

You thought our house was yellow! Rockland, Maine

Neighborhood, Rockland, Maine

Neighborhood, Rockland, Maine

Neighborhood, Rockland, Maine

Bay at Rockland, Maine

Dingy dock. Rockland, Maine

Board walk. Rockland, Maine

Abandoned lobster trap. Rockland, Maine

Beneath the pier. Rockland, Maine

Barnacles and brine. Rockland, Maine

Maine Lighthouse Museum. Rockland, Maine

Lobsterman mural. Rockland, Maine

Seagull painting. Rockland, Maine

Downtown, Rockland, Maine

Clouds above a building in Rockland, Maine

The kids, the car and the Capitol in Augusta, Maine

Hiking path.

My brother on the rocks.

All of us.

Low tide on Monhegan Island.

Monhegan Island.

Our vacation rental in Rockland, Me.

We had only four days in Maine. It wasn’t enough.

Fortunately On the Water in Maine found us an amazing rental cottage, the Waterside Retreat, in downtown Rockland, Me., overlooking the bay. We walked to the Rock City Cafe for coffee and Sweets & Meats Market for terrific sandwiches.

When we visited Monhegan Island the following day, we lucked out with the weather. Mostly misty but not rainy. And we caught calm seas in both directions on the Monhegan Boat Line from nearby Port Clyde.

Lucky us. Conditions can get dicey out in the Atlantic, and I get seasick in a bathtub.

A word to the wise: pack everything you’ll need – including water. This is a very rustic island located far into the Atlantic with limited access to supplies.

And after your hiking, give yourself time to shop in the more than 24 art studios on the island.

The next day, we were visited by our friend Hilary Nangle, who as it turns out wrote the book on Maine. Well, actually, she’s the author of three Moon Handbooks: Maine, Coastal Maine and Acadia National Park. No wonder she’s known as the Maine Travel Maven!

On our last day we drove to Augusta to see the State Capitol. The kids met the state treasurer, Bruce Poliquin, while they toured the historic building.

If you go, be sure to look for the state butterfly exhibit and the Klir Beck dioramas of moose, deer, bear and beavers beneath the entrance. Also, if you have time, walk over to the Maine State Museum located across the complex in the library.

As we headed south to Massachusetts we stopped in Hallowell for lunch. Don’t leave too soon; just above the main thoroughfare, there’s an amazing historical district that you absolutely have to see.

I wish we had more time to drive around and step into some of the eclectic shops along the river.

Maine is a place of surprising natural beauty and rich history. We can’t wait to come back and continue our adventure.

Kari Haugeto

Kari is a serial entrepreneur with an education addiction and a profound curiosity that, more often then not, fuels some pretty incredible adventures. Currently her attention is focused on social and digital media technology and she is developing a project with her family of five and a variety of sponsors to share their cross-country adventures online in an interactive, socially responsible, educational and authentic manner.