[Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
[Profile/Gallery]
, Mon, 4 Feb 2008 16:19:13
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
I love the coast of Maine, but it's a very narrow view of the whole state, which is the bigger than of the rest of New England combined.
If this is your first time to Maine, by all means cruise up the coast and try not to be annoyed at the tourist traffic. I forget the name, but there's a wonderful sandy beach near Brunswick (just above Freeport).
Skip Boothbay Harbor which is mostly a tourist trap, IMHO.
Mid-coast around Rockport and Camden is great. Find a good B&B. There's also the Owl's Head Transportation Museum near Rockland/Rockport (Stanley Steamers, bi-planes, other nice old cars and planes). Go to Port Clyde and get the boat to Monhegan Island for a day. You can also spend the night on the island.
Keep heading east (as direction is figured in Maine) through Stonington, Blue Hill, Brooklin, and others to Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park. But that can be crowded, even in June.
On the coast, buy your lobsters and other seafood in the little local fish and lobster places at the ends of narrow roads that lead to little harbors--NOT in the big places with large signs and big parking lots.
Then leave the traffic and go inland. Western Maine has lots of lakes and mountains, empty windy, drivers' roads, great scenery, nice little towns, restaurants and funky places to stay. And LOTS fewer tourists than on the coast. Go to Rangeley which is not far from the NH border, and only a couple hours from the seacoast. There is a big chain of large lakes there (Rangeley, Mooselookmeguntic, Kennebago, Richardson, etc.). If you fish, there's lots to do. If not, there's lots to see, and you can rent boats and kayaks to get out on the lakes.
If you are okay with driving on well-graded dirt roads some of the time you'll get to do and see a lot more. Most roads are paved but a little dirt gets you to some nifty places.
Inland you will almost definitely see moose. And always brake for them. They are big and unpredictable.
We used to go to the coast all the time. Then "discovered" western Maine and got hooked--to the point where we bought land near Rangeley and are planning a cabin. Maine is so cool. Enjoy.
, Mon, 4 Feb 2008 16:19:13, Fri, 8 Feb 2008 08:52:38, Tue, 5 Feb 2008 19:48:24
, Tue, 5 Feb 2008 18:02:51
, Tue, 5 Feb 2008 10:20:31, Tue, 5 Feb 2008 09:38:39, Tue, 5 Feb 2008 09:42:50, Mon, 4 Feb 2008 22:16:45
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
