Golden Hour on Cadillac Mountain

In every new destination there is a distinct quality with which I remember it by the most, as if one dominant experience helps create a snapshot of a location in my memory. Shortly after arriving home from a long weekend on Maine's Mount Desert Island, I already know how I'll remember this magical region -- by its golden hours.

Mount Desert Island is known to be the first place where sunrise is visible in the continental United States for at least half the year. With Cadillac Mountain standing as the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard, naturally it serves as the prime location to view both sunrise and sunset. I've seen my fair share of beautiful skies in the past, but nothing compares to the moment when soft sunshine spills over Acadia National Park's stunning landscapes.

Much to my family's surprise, I woke up every morning on this trip to watch the sun rise outside our hotel balcony. Ask me to wake up at 4:45 AM on a normal day and I'll laugh, but those who follow me on Instagram will know the magic of a Maine sunrise. Likewise when sunset came around, we waited over an hour atop Cadillac Mountain's summit for the strongest colors to paint the sky. 

Maybe it seems trivial to describe a location by its sunrises/sets, but I think it speaks to the magic of Mount Desert Island. It is a place where all of nature's beauty meets to create an escape you didn't realize you needed. It is a place of pure bliss, and I'm already waiting for the day I get to go back.