10 Things to do in Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor

Two of the most visited places on East Coast; Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor are photo heavens for every tourist that comes here.
Majestic Coastlines, Beautiful Islands, Magnificent Mountains, Isolated Beaches, Lip Smacking Food and Breathtaking views, the combo of Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor has it all.

Recently I visited these places with my friends and here are the top 10 things to do in and around the duo -:

1. Cadillac Mountain
Standing tall at 1,530 feet, this mountain is the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard and the first place to view sunrise in the complete USA from Oct 7 to Mar 6.
You can hike your way to the top of the mountain but it is preferable to get there by road.
Some of the most amazing and breathtaking views await your arrival at the top.
Big Cruises, numerous beautiful islands, marine life and lush green forests, watching all this from the highest point is definitely an experience of a lifetime.

2. Acadia Nature Cruise
It takes the first position in the things to do in Bar Harbor.
Cruise your way in a boat or yacht across the endless ocean witnessing a spectacular view of beautiful islands and the charming marine life on the way.
Mostly two boat tours are famous. The first one is of 2 hours which takes you around all the islands letting you enjoy the breathtaking scenery of coastal Maine.
The other one is a whale watching tour of around 4 hours where you are taken to the Gulf of Maine to witness the largest animals on the earth, Humpback, Finback and Minke whales.
You can choose any of the tours according to your time availability but definitely a must to do activity.

3. Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island.
It has a lot of scenic views around and the best way to explore them is to take the Eagle Lake Trail.
It is a 6-mile loop trail on a well-forested path which attracts a lot of tourists every year.

4. Thunder Hole
Thunder Hole as the name suggests is a place to experience the thunder of the sea.
Located in Acadia National Park it is a natural rock inlet where waves make a loud sound while rolling in and during the way out water splashing out of the inlet to great heights. It mostly happens during the time of high tides.
Also from the rocks around, you get to see some breathtaking views of the endless sea.

5. Portland Head Light
This 200 years old lighthouse known as the Portland Head Light is the most photographed lighthouse in America. This iconic lighthouse located around 180 miles from Bar Harbor is a must visit place to enjoy the spectacular views of the sea. Huge waves crashing into the rocks, Gigantic cruises sailing across and blue water all around is indeed the best your eyes can get.

6. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Located around 120 miles from Bar Harbor lies the bed of natural beauty, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor. This premier tourist attraction is home to more than 200 varieties of flora. So if you are looking for vibrant colors, a wide range of beautiful flowers and lush greenery, this is the perfect destination.

7. Sand Beach
Don’t go by the name considering it as just some other beach as it has much more to it.
Nestled in a small inlet between the mountains and rocky shores of Mount Desert Island, this stunning 290 yards of beach is a treat for the tourists. I couldn’t visit this beauty but saw it on my cruise tour. Definitely, a must visit for all the beach lovers.

8. Ocean Trail
Though there are a lot of amazing trails in Acadia National Park this one is at the top of the list. Ocean Trail begins at Sand Beach, and then meanders southward along the rocky coast to Thunder Hole, then continues further until it arrives at Otter Cliff. There are numerous excellent spots to stop and take in the fantastic sights around you. Overall it is a 4 mile round trip trail covering few of the best places to visit in Acadia National Park.

9. Hopping on some delicious seafood
Bar Harbor is famous for its seafood delicacies, lobster being the favorite of all.
Steamed lobster, lobster ice cream, blueberry soda and there are a lot more dishes to hop on and satisfy your seafood appetite. So all the seafood lovers head over to this place. 

10. Hiking & Trails
There are a lot of hiking trails in Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor that will help you explore some of the best scenic views of the area. Most of the trails are interconnected and safe.
Some of the best trails include -:
a. Ocean Trail
b. Bar Harbor shore path
c. Gorham Mountain trail
d. Eagle Lake trail
e. Bar Island trail

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Brooklyn Bridge Photo Tour

Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest bridges in the USA and among the top tourist attractions in New York. It spans the East River and was the first steel-wire suspension bridge constructed.

Recognised as the icon of New York this bridge provides some amazing photographic opportunities from the elevated walkway along the centerline which is exclusively for the pedestrians and bicycles.

A photo-tour of Brooklyn Bridge and the panoramic view from the top of it.

Caption Credit -: Pooja Bhandari




        The way to the top is not easy but not impossible, Atleast give it a try.

Yes, all the bits and pieces are entwined together, yet life finds its way to emerge.

                 

Amid the chaos, life thrives..!!

Serene Water..!! Twirling Wind..!!
Contrast is always the best..!!

Connecting People, Connecting Hearts..!!

Let's cruise our way to success.
Be calm but have a thunder inside. A bliss to watch when finally revealed..!!

                                                                    A night to remember..!!

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The Statue Of Liberty Tour - US Diary

New York is among the top cities in the USA, tourism being one of the major factors contributing in its way to the top.

Huge Skyscrapers and bridges which are the symbol of architectural magic, World famous museums which preserve the evolution of life on earth, Parks which are the reservoir of natural beauty and happening nightlife and places which can sweep you off the feet, this place has it all.

Among all the tourist destinations, Statue of Liberty is one of the top visited places in New York.
The tour of New York or I must say of USA is incomplete without paying a visit to this Lady.

This was my second visit to New York and I was all set to meet the lady.
There are 3 tickets available for the Statue Of Liberty tour.

1. Reserve Ticket

    It provides ferry access to the grounds of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, plus the Ellis
    Island Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. It includes an audio tour of the Liberty and Ellis
    Island. This ticket is available even 24 hours before your trip.
    The cost of the ticket is around $19.

2. Reserve with Pedestal Access
    It provides ferry access to the Fort Wood section of the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, plus the 

    Ellis Island Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. It includes an audio tour of the Liberty and Ellis
    Island. This ticket needs to be booked at least 3-4 days prior to your planned trip.
    The cost of the ticket is around $19.

3. Reserve with Crown Ticket
    It provides ferry access to the Crown of the Statue of Liberty, plus the 

    Ellis Island Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. It includes an audio tour of the Liberty and Ellis
    Island. This ticket needs to be booked at least 1 month prior to your planned trip.
    The cost of the ticket is around $22.

As our plan was made a day before hence we had to settle for Reserve Ticket.
We reached our venue around 15 minutes before the departure time of the ferry.
You don't have to print the ticket as normally mentioned on the site and even the customer care will tell you the same thing but mobile tickets will be perfectly fine till the time the cruise stuff can detect your ticket barcode.

It is a 20 minutes ride to the Liberty Island. It is a lovely ride which provides amazing photography opportunities of the stunning Skyline of New York and Statue of Liberty.

The Liberty Island tour can be completed in an hour if you have the reserve ticket.
If you have access to Pedestal then it will take around 3 hours to complete the tour.

There are a lot of food junctions on the island to treat your taste buds.

After you are done clicking pics of the Lady from different angles and of the amazing New York skyline, it is time to get back on the cruise for the next destination, Ellis Island.

Ellis Island carries the tag of being the busiest immigration inspection center of USA for over 60 years (1892-1954). It was the gateway for over 12 million immigrants to USA.

In 1990 a museum of immigration was hosted here which has become a popular tourist attraction since then.

There is not much to do here but the 30 minutes movie based on the immigration process and detailing during those times is a good watch.

You can spend an hour here and then board your ferry back to New York.

Overall it was a wonderful experience not only in terms of knowledge and learning, sightseeing but also in terms of photography. Statue of Liberty tour is a must visit for everyone coming to New York or I should say to the USA.

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US Revisited : Opening colors

So after a year, I am back to the Mecca Medina of IT professionals, United States of America.
The previous visit was amazing in terms of travel, adventure and new experiences, the expectations are really high with the current one too.

Last time it was mostly solo traveling which is now soon gonna convert into couple mode.
Here are some opening shots from a short road trip which started from New York and had its final destination as Parsippany.

Plans are to come up with loads of travelogues, road-trips and some cool pics from my stay in the USA.
Hope you guys enjoy them :)
Till then Happy traveling..!!

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Business Class Etihad Airways - My Experience

So this came as an Independence Day surprise.
I was traveling from Mumbai to JFK via Abu Dhabi on my second work assignment in the USA.
The tickets were of economy class on Etihad Airways but fortunately for my travel from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, I got an upgrade to business class.

I was excited as traveling business class was on my bucket-list from my first flight and it was finally getting true.
As it was an early morning flight so I was a bit dizzy but I made sure to enjoy the experience as much as I could. The plane was Boeing 777-200LR (77L) and my seat was 9K, the window one.

                   

The seat was significantly bigger than that of the economy class, much wider and comfortable.
There was also a small box shaped seat in the front to put your feet on so that you can easily stretch your legs. Also, there were lot of adjustment options available.

Other amenities included below -:
1. A blanket
2. Water Bottle
3. Headphones
4. TV and remote
5. Two USB ports
6. Power Port
7. Refreshing Towel

There were ample of storage spaces too.
Now lets move to the food department. Orange juice was served cold as the starting drink.
Next came in a cabin crew attendant who took my breakfast order. There were a number of options to choose from which included omelet, chicken sausages, pav bhaji etc.

After 15 mins a sumptuous breakfast came at my tray table and the foodie in me was very happy to witness that sight.

Apart from the above-mentioned items, the breakfast included fruit salad, large muffin, coffee and couple of more dishes whose name I don't remember.



It was really a wonderful experience of 3 hours which will definitely be included in my book of memories to cherish for a lifetime.

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The Sun City of India, Jodhpur - PhotoWalk

Jodhpur, The City of Sun, is another famous city of Rajasthan known for its rich culture, magnificent monuments and architectural masterpieces.

This blue city is an oasis in the middle of Thar Desert and also one of the popular tourist destinations in India.

Got a chance to visit this city recently for a wedding shoot and here is a PhotoWalk of two of the most famous places here.

Umaid Bhawan PalaceOne of the last great palaces of India, Umaid Bhawan Palace is a luxury heritage hotel which is preserved by Taj Hotels. Packed with world-class amenities this palace is also famous for destination marriages.

The timing for the museum is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Have a look at this spectacular beauty..!!

Mehrangarh Fort

 Mehrangarh Fort is one of the largest forts in India and is known for the exceptionally beautiful craving within it.
The timing for the fort is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost per person for the museum is INR 100 for Indians and if you carry a camera along it will be additional 100 bucks for it.
Have a look at the pics..!!

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Heritage Transport Museum Gurgaon : PhotoWalk

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The Heritage Transport Museum was initiated as India’s first comprehensive transport museum.
Situated on a three-acre plot, off National Highway 8 at Tauru-Gurgaon this comprehensive transport museum is easily accessible to all.

The museum showcases the evolution of transportation in India. There are vintage cars, trucks and other timeless classic vehicles which were used during the British rule in India.

So let me take you for a PhotoWalk of this amazing museum.

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