Maine in Fall - WOW! ...and what the heck is wrong w/ 45?!
While I was off exploring the beautiful fall colors of Maine, the prez was off embarrassing the USA to the whole world. Seriously. I have thoughts...
I haven’t been able to do a newsletter for a few weeks because I’ve been traveling and then coming home to all the stuff that inevitably waits for you for when you get back from a trip. And we’ve been busy with school stuff and house stuff and all that. I’m excited to share some articles that I’ve been working on because it is why I do what I do and why we get to enjoy travel so much.
And yes, I have been paying attention to the news and I have lots to say about what is going on in the world right now. It’s absolutely wild and super frustrating to be an American at the moment. Do I even want to write about it? Well, we’ll see what I end up sharing as I roll. What I am excited to talk about is Maine though. I just had an amazing trip from Portland up the coast to Acadia NP and then up into the Highlands so read on for that.
In the meantime, here’s what’s new on the blogs:
2TravelDads.com - The highlight this month has been writing about Maine. My bff and I got to do some really cool glamping in Freeport, Bar Harbor and Millinocket. We visited the Portland Museum of Art and the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow House, toured through apple country, spent 9.5 hours on a boat seeing lighthouses and whales all the way up into Canada, and then had several days in Baxter State Park enjoying the wilderness and looking for moose. Road Trip through Maine in Fall here!!! Also, in case you missed it, I put together a guide for choosing your own adventure in Alaska, whether you’re looking to do the Anchorage area or the Inside Passage.
MyAlohaTrip.com - This month was a milestone for me with our Hawaii website. I am proud to say I published my 100th (and then 101st) article on MyAlohaTrip.com and I still have lots more to complete. If you’re wondering what beach in Hawaii is the BEST one, the most beautiful, remote paradise, it’s live on the blog now!!! For Oahu, we’ve got the full scoop on hiking Diamond Head and the reservation system. On the Big Island you can see where to get the best malasadas on the island AND read all about the Mauna Loa Birding Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. So much to read up on!
MaineExplored.com - By the end of October our Maine site is going to be super loaded with all of the info and tips from our trips this year… because I’m heading back tomorrow! What I have been able to write about so far though has been glamping at the Terramor Outdoor Resort at Acadia NP, visiting the Bass Harbor Lighthouse at Acadia, geodesic dome glamping at the Desert of Maine in Freeport, and then how to visit the Squirrel Point and Doubling Point Lighthouses in Arrowsic, which are both very unique on the Kennebec River. Coming soon there’ll be all kinds of info on apple picking, leaf peeping, Baxter State Park and the New England Outdoor Center, so stay tuned!
MyAlaskaTrip.com - Yep, I’m still writing about all of the stuff we did and saw on our two weeks in Southeast Alaska earlier this summer, with a lot about Ketchikan up on the site now. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, Kiwanti Adventures Black Bear Express in the Rainforest Reserve, and visiting the Saxman Native Village are just a few of the things I’ve been able to publish. Also, in Juneau the DIPAC Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and the beautiful Chilkat State Park in Haines have made it onto the blog.
World-scale Embarrassment - Sept 2025
So, like, did you see or read the transcripts or the accounts of 45/47’s UN speech? If you aren’t familiar with what I’m talking about, give it a little Google and then cringe back in horror as all the world leaders in the auditorium did that day. He stood there talking a big game and BELITTLING other countries and rambling. He blathered about world position and being smart and better than everyone. It was horrendous.
And then the announcement that the administration is blaming Tylenol for autism. I’m sure you know by now that autism was identified in 1911 and Tylenol was first produced in 1955. Kenvue, the company that produces Tylenol is the competitor of a company one of 45/47’s biggest supporters, Peter Thiel’s investment funds are sunk into. It kind of boils down to following the money every time…
And then there’s Portland, Oregon. Y’all, Chris was there this week and having a lovely time dining out and enjoying the city. He and so many others have confirmed what we all know to be true: Portland isn’t a war zone and there is ZERO reason to exercise a branch of the military into the streets of the City of Roses. The performative dictatorial actions are just so stupid and wasteful and are all a part of creating an environment of unrest and distrust so that the administration can justify taking more power.
If you didn’t think any of this was going to happen, you willingly ignored the fully written out plans and you probably failed history classes too. None of this is surprising and it’s all shameful.
Our Fall Road Trip through Maine
Now, onto the happy stuff! As I mentioned, Maine in fall is awesome. Kelly and I got to enjoy three different glamping experiences, and each was such a contrast to the others. At the Desert of Maine just north of Portland we stayed in a geodesic dome and an A-frame cabin, we wandered the sand dunes (random) and we had campfires each night. In the daytime we hiked at Bradbury Mountain State Park and picked apples at each orchard we drove past. And we got to visit the Elevenses Cafe in Brunswick, ME. Yes, Elevenses… like the morning snack break the hobbits enjoy in the Lord of the Rings. I loved it!
Up at Acadia National Park we got to drive up Cadillac Mountain, the highest point in the park, to enjoy the sunset and even saw a porcupine!!! And then we had a few nights glamping at the Terramor Outdoor Resort in platform tents. Again with the campfires and stargazing, but here we also took advantage of hot tubbing under the stars of Acadia National Park.
Continuing on, we drove through Bangor (said Bang-gor) up to the Highlands of Maine and the town of Millinocket. We had three days enjoying the New England Outdoor Center on Millinocket Lake where we kayaked, went mountain biking, went for lots of hikes in Baxter State Park, and the best part… we had two nights of AMAZING Aurora Borealis! The northern lights were incredible as they danced across the sky over Mount Katahdin and Millinocket Lake. Amazing! This was such a fun, beautiful fall road trip!
Take 2: Another Maine Road Trip THIS WEEK
Tomorrow I head back to Maine for another awesome fall experience, but this time it’s going to be very different. We’ll be spending several days in Kennebunkport and Old Orchard Beach before we trek back up to the Highlands. We’ll be staying in Kokadjo and Greenville on Moosehead Lake. This is prime Maine moose country and the moose rut is in full swing! We’re hoping for more amazing Auroras and lots of moose. I am excited to write about this adventure, as it’s a totally different spin from the trip we just completed. Be sure to follow along on Instagram as we go from town to town! @2TravelDads and @Maine.Explored
Upcoming Adventures for 2TravelDads
We have some really fun trips on the books from now through the end of the year. This week I’m heading back to Maine, which will be gorgeous. At the end of the month I will be heading to Palm Springs for the IGLTA conference and then doing a project with the Palm Springs tourism board. I’m really excited to be back in Joshua Tree National Park and to enjoy the Palm Springs vibes of warm nights and fun!
In November we have a really cool trip planned that I’ve been trying to complete for YEARS. So, every year I make a reservation for the Flamingo Eco Tents in Everglades National Park and every year something happens and we have to cancel. Well, this year it will NOT be cancelled. We’ll be kayaking and wildlife watching, we’ll do boats and hopefully see some pythons. We’re also going to pop down into the Florida Keys where we have a stay on a houseboat in Islamorada and then some nights at the Blue Flamingo Resort in Key West. It’s going to be such a fun family trip.
In December we are heading back to Alaska! Visiting Anchorage, Palmer, Girdwood and some other spots, we’re going to have a beautiful Alaskan winter trip. We had so much fun in Fairbanks this last winter that I’m really excited to share Anchorage and the MatSu Valley with the family this winter!
That’s it for this week. I’ll be back with another newsletter for the second week of October. I hope everyone stays healthy and that the news cycle takes a turn for the better. Try to find a way that you can help your local community, and don’t be afraid to stand up for the injustices you see happening right before you. Have a great week!