Maine—the
Ultimate Vacation Destination
From the sandy beaches
in York and Ogunquit in southern Maine to the northern most Baxter State Park
up in Aroostook County, Maine has a vacation destination to please everyone.
There are activities galore and many outdoor areas to enjoy. Here are just a
few suggestions. For more information contact the Chamber of Commerce office in
the area in which you are visiting. In the coastal area go to the Penobscot
Regional Bay Chamber of Commerce. In Camden they can be found at 2 Public
Landing (by the harbor one block off U.S. Rt. 1); phone 207-236-4404; in
Rockland at 1 Park Dr. also by the harbor, phone 207-596-0376.
This blog is by no means
a complete guide. I only offer the tip of the Maine woods so to speak. Asking
local people for good spots to visit is always a good bet. If you want to plan
ahead, however, I suggest you obtain a Maine guide book. Much of the
information below came from a magazine I got from the Chamber called “Maine
Invites You” which is available at www.visitmaine.com. A great magazine regarding the coastal area
is “Discover the Jewel of the Maine Coast” from the Pen Bay Chamber at www.mainedreramvacation.com. Hit the pulldown “Visit Here.”
Birders
Are you a “birder?” For
a Maine birder experience, contact the Maine Audubon society www.maineaudobon.org. You can obtain a
Maine trail brochure at visitor information centers, the Maine Tourism
Association or by downloading it from www.mainebirdingtrail.com.
Lighthouses
If you are a lighthouse
lover like I am, you may want to take a trip around the coastal area visiting
them. In Rockland, check out the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse or the Owls
Head Lighthouse. These coastal beacons have saved many a sailor in Maine.
Although there are no longer any manned lighthouses, their lights still shine
the way for all the ships at sea. Check in with the Island Institute on Main
Street in Rockland for information and visit the Lighthouse Museum, also in
Rockland. There is a great historical
sight for Maine lighthouses at www.lhdigest.com.
For more information go to:
Island
Hopping
Enjoy a great day
visiting one of the hundreds of islands off the coast of Maine. From Casco Bay
to Muscongus Bay, there are islands everywhere you look. The Maine State Ferry
located in Rockland makes daily trips to Vinalhaven and North Haven and
occasionally to the more distant Matinicus. Be sure to make overnight
accommodations in advance because lodging is limited. Some islands are
connected by bridges such as Orrs, Bailey, Southport, and Spruce Head which
will give you a taste of island life without having to board a boat.
You may want to take an
island cruise from Harpswell, which has the most islands (200+) of any town in
Maine.
Other trips include
Islesboro, which is a ferry ride from Lincolnville Beach and Monhegan, long
known as an artist’s Mecca, which is accessible from passenger boats from Port
Clyde, New Harbor and Boothbay Harbor.
If you can take along a
bicycle with you, it will be a great way to explore the island you choose.
Lakes
and Rivers
If Minnesota is the “land
of many lakes,” Maine surely is a close second. You can’t swing a lobster buoy
over your head without it landing in a piece of water of some kind other than
the ocean. Just about every town is close to a swimming area such as a pond or
lake. There are also canoeing trips down some of our rivers like the Allagash
in Aroostook County. Of course for every lake, there is a camping area if
camping is your desire.
For information on canoe
trips on the Allagash go to www.maineoutfitter.com.
Information on self-guided tours as to miles and days to complete as well as a
guided tour schedule can be found here.
The
Rangeley Lakes in western
Maine is the biggest area of lakes in Maine. It is a wilderness paradise.
Families have come from points out-of-state for generations to spend their
summers here. You will find world-class fly fishing and trolling for brook
trout and landlocked Salmon here. Maine Guides will help you get the most
enjoyment out of your visit. Information can be found at www.rangeleymaine.com.
State
Parks and Mountains
Our two most well-known
state and national parks are located at Acadia National Park in the Bar Harbor
area; and Baxter State Park in Aroostook County.
Acadia was known as a
playground for the rich during the glory days of summering in Maine. A terrible
fire in 1947 and the introduction of Federal Income taxes just about ruined the
area as far as spending the season on Mt. Desert Island and the area around it.
It is still a beautiful area to visit. Take a ride along Cadillac Mountain and
take in the fantastic view of the shoreline.
Baxter State Park sits
atop Maine in Aroostook County and is a preserved wooded area that covers a big
chunk of the northern section of Maine. Our tallest mountain, Mt. Katadin, is
here. Although it doesn’t compare to the Rocky Mountains as far as height goes,
it is still a great place to camp and hike. It is a protected area, so don’t
expect to launch your big powerful motor boats here. As far as I know they
still do not permit motorized boats on the biggest lake in Maine, Moosehead
Lake, which sits within the park. Be prepared to swat at the black flies that
abound in summer in this area.
Sailing
on the Coast of Maine
Is sailing your joy? I
will board any boat that sits in the water up in Maine, from a rowboat to a
ferry to a windjammer. Visit the Public Landing in Rockland or most any town
along the coast and search out a booth that is selling tickets for an hour’s
time or so around the bay where you are. Ask the locals.
If a longer trip on a
windjammer is what you’d like go to:
www.mainewindjammercrusies.com.
Here you will find the Windjammer fleet along with the schedules for each
individual windjammer.
My trip on the Victory Chimes years ago is something I’ll
always remember.
If you’d like to see
what the “rockbound” coast of Maine is all about I recommend a trip down to
Pemaquid Point, Maine. I spent many a happy afternoon running over these rocks
sans life jacket with my twin cousin, Diane. There is a lighthouse, a gift shop
and an ice cream parlor here also. This is where Maineiacs go to unwind. There
is also a beach area here if you want to brave the cold waters to go swimming.
The best surf watching can be seen here, especially after a hurricane or bad storm.
Tourists don’t usually know about this special place and Maineiacs may not like
the fact that I’m telling you about it here, but oh well.
Museums
For an artsy day take in
a museum or two. Rockland is museum central as far as museums go. Check out the
Farnsworth Museum, the Andrew Wyeth Museum, the new museum off Main Street
which I cannot remember the name of, and the many art galleries that abound
along Main Street and surrounding streets. There are also many museums in small
towns around the coast. The Penobscot Marine Museum is in Searsport; there is a
maritime museum in Boothbay; and there is also an historical museum at the
state capitol in Augusta. The many festivals you will find in the summer will
usually have an artist or two in residence displaying their beautiful coastal
scenes and other beautiful spots in Maine on canvas. Buy one to remember Maine
by.
Shopping
Of course any trip to
Maine must include a trip to the famous LL Bean in Freeport, Maine. I remember
when it used to be a little store along the side of the road up Waldoboro way
that sold Indian beaded moccasins my mother would never buy me.
Not so today. LL Bean
has more than one beautiful store in Freeport. The whole town is a shopping Mecca
with a mall also full of well known brand name stores. It’s a day trip to be
sure. Plan to spend several hours and enjoy a lobster roll from an outside
wagon restaurant.
The town itself is
quaint in itself even if it centers mostly on shopping. A nice sunny day in
Freeport can’t be beat.
By the way, did you know
that LL Bean runs Discovery Schools featuring outdoor activities during the
summer? If you are interested call 1-800-718-2326 for information.
Come
and Visit Maine
I hope I have given you
a good overview of the many vacationing opportunities that await you in the
Great State of Maine this summer. Come on up and enjoy it.
Thanks for listening.
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