I Visited Acadia National Park with My Teen in January and It Was A Frozen Winter Wonderland Too Beautiful For Words

Last August, Mary and I went to Austin, Texas, and it remains one of my favorite memories from the year. Austin in August was... spicy, as temperatures hovered in the low 100s for the entirety of our trip.

We didn't let the heat hamper our plans nor define our experience; in fact, we felt like true Texans as we ate our tacos al fresco and hiked through Hill Country, sweat dripping down our backs.

Our experience in Maine this January was about as different from Texas in August as it gets. Instead of sizzling heat, we had frosty, sub-zero cold. And it was awesome.

Visiting Maine in January might seem foolhardy, but Mainers live it and I have a soul-deep connection to the Pine Tree State that compelled me to plan a trip to Acadia National Park with my teen in the throes of winter.

And I'm so glad I did.

Acadia National Park is located about 3.5 hours north of Portland and 45 minutes southeast of Bangor. Given the wintry weather forecast, I opted to fly into Bangor, though I have plans to fly into Portland and drive up the coast of Maine to Acadia because really, I can't imagine a more beautiful road trip.

From Bangor, it was about an hour to our cabin, a Marriott-owned property on peaceful, wooded acreage just minutes from Mount Desert Island, where Acadia is located. On the way, we stopped into Tiller & Rye to get provisions for our stay. We also passed an L.L. Bean Outlet that beckoned; I was on the hunt for a big, cozy blanket that I could use while stargazing from our cabin.

The outlet didn't have many throw blankets, but in the clearance section, I found something that caught my eye: a wearable throw. Now, non-vacation Sarah McCosham might have dismissed this robe-meets-blanket as a little ridiculous. But Vacation Sarah McCosham? She was all in, and this $40 decision would stand out as a really, really good choice just 24 hours later.

Something I've discovered about myself as I plan these trips is that, despite my Type-A tendencies, I'm not much of a planner. I select my destination based on my travel partner and a few attractions I want to explore, and I pick accommodations based on the aforementioned criteria. I have a loose plan of what attractions we're going to visit, but it's flexible -- like, really flexible.

For example, I'd originally planned on hiking to the top of Cadillac Mountain to see the sunrise.

That didn't happen, for many reasons. First: parts of Acadia Loop Road were closed due to snowfall. Second, I was traveling with a 12 year old who typically doesn't rise before 10 a.m. on the weekend, so waking up two hours before sunrise so we could drive 30 minutes to the trailhead and navigate a snow-packed trail to the top of Cadillac in time for this magical moment was... better in theory.

What we did instead was, in my opinion, just as extraordinary.

On our second day in Maine, we asked a NPS ranger at the park entrance for his recommendation on an accessible mountain hike in Acadia. He enthusiastically told us about Day Mountain Trail, a 1.7-mile out-and-back hike affording magnificent coastal views that rival those seen from the summit Cadillac Mountain. "I think of Day Mountain as Baby Cadillac," he told us -- and we were in.

Wandering through the snowy forests of Acadia on a very cold morning in January was nothing short of magical. The sun made the ice-tinged trees glitter and all we could hear was the crunch of our boots on a snow-covered trail that we were the first to traverse.

As we neared the overlook, we heard the sound of the ocean crashing against granite rocks and the wind whipped and whirled on our cheeks as we took in the immense beauty before our eyes.

It was a perfect moment.

Another perfect moment? My polar plunge on Sand Beach.

Known for its impossibly blue waters and postcard-perfect mountains-meet-ocean scenery, Sand Beach was on my list of must-visit places in Acadia National Park.

Emboldened by the joy I felt searching for sea glass and exploring the beach's ice caves, I disrobed and dashed into the frigid waters, running out to my waist and back, laughing and shrieking "It counts, it counts, it counts" to my amused teen. Back at the beach, Mary helped me into my fleece-lined joggers and upper layers -- including, of course, my sherpa blanket. And then it started to snow.

Hiking to the top of a mountain and engaging in a polar plunge are obviously big moments, but my trip to Maine with Mary was full of equally memorable little moments. There was a detour to an outdoor sculpture garden wherein we posed for silly photo ops.

There was lots of antique shopping, including a stop at the quirky 1A Relics and the impossibly charming Two Old Goats (hi, Colin!).

There was the moment on our return flight where Mary and I passed notes back to each other, just like I used to do with my friends.

As I take more of these trips, I've noticed that the way I am at home, in everyday life, has changed.

Vacation Sarah McCosham has become Everyday Sarah McCosham. I am much more spontaneous and attentive; I find joy in small moments and connections. Travel has transformed me into the person I've always wanted to be, who's been there all along: a curious, adventurous soul who is present and positive and joyful.

While these trips give me the space to fully commit to this part of myself, I'm feeling more and more like Vacation Sarah McCosham in my everyday life. Wearable blanket and all.