Jump to content

Maine in summer?

Hawndoh

By Hawndoh
in Food and Travel

 Share

Recommended Posts

Hawndoh

Hawndoh 2388

Posted
Posted

I have some American Airline vouchers I need to use this year due to a canceled trip from the beginning of Covid.

Anyone ever vacationed in Maine in summer? Recommendations? 

I know nothing about Maine, but the scenery looks nice, and we are looking for something we haven't done, and I've never been to that area of the country.

I'm hoping by July travel restrictions and sights to see are open and mostly normal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ImissWallyPryor

ImissWallyPryor 9046

Posted
Posted

My great aunt RIP who raised my mother lived on 80 acres northeast of Portland (Cumberland Center). I’ve actually been there more often in the fall or winter, but I’d be willing to bet Acadia is pretty crowded between Memorial Day and Labor Day. My wife and I went there in November ‘90 (Texas was playing Baylor that weekend is what I remember). Fortunately, they were having record high temps (65-70F), and we basically had the park to ourselves.
 

My GA always liked going to eat at Cook’s Lobster House on Bailey Island.  It’s been 20+ years since I’ve been there, but I remember it being better than the current reviews which seem to ding it for being overpriced and sometimes the service. There is another restaurant on Bailey island called Morse’s Cribstone Grill that we chose one time that gets good reviews, but the view/atmosphere, while nice, is a notch below Cook’s. Both have outdoor dining which would be perfect in July, although I recall Cook’s having more tables. The cribstone bridge connecting Bailey Island with Orr Island is uniquely cool.

Downtown Portland is supposed to have nice bars and restaurants. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ImissWallyPryor

ImissWallyPryor 9046

Posted
Posted (edited)
44 minutes ago, BHMCruiser said:

You will need a car to go anywhere because in Maine "you cahnt get thar from here". Everything is like 5000 miles from everything else. If you were going to stay in one place and do short excursions I would pick Bar Harbor. 

Seems like it because there is no true coastline highway, mostly a bunch of one way in/one way out drives to the islands and points that can make the drive to Acadia take forever.

There are a number of interesting lighthouses to visit  I forget the names of the ones I’ve seen, but each was worth the side trip.

The President H.W. Bush house in Kennebunkport isn’t worth the extra time. You can’t get close enough to really see it, and the owners are dead.

 

Edited by ImissWallyPryor
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Liquor and Poker

Liquor and Poker 3659

Posted
Posted

I know four different people who went from Texas to Maine for a summer.  One came back after 2 months and was kinda done with it.  Said she always felt like the locals judged and hated her.  
 

Two more are a couple who decided to buy a house there and are slowly retiring/transitioning to living there full time.  
 

The third went up there as a 23 year old and AFAIK has never come back. Married a local, has two kids (I think) and has now been there almost 30 years.  
 

So that’s my sample set.  

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
yoladu

yoladu 4094

Posted
Posted (edited)

stayed in Boothbay Harbor, jeez.. 20 years ago.

pretty much can't miss all up and down the coast from Portland to Bar Harbor.

Maine is different for sure.. sparsely populated, It's largest city Portland,  is about the size of San Marcos.

i would rent a car, if you are used to long travel distances in Texas, Maine is pretty easy. Portland to Bar Harbor can be done in three hours (non scenic route, no stops)

Know very little about interior Maine other than what i have seen on those cabin fix 'em up shows.

Edited by yoladu
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dangit

Dangit 23

Posted
Posted

Wife and I went in early September 3 years ago. We flew into Boston and out of Portland. Spent two nights in Boston and then headed up the scenic route. Had lunch and walked around in Portsmouth. Row34 is a good spot for oysters. Definitely recommend stopping at Bobs Clam Hut in Kittery. There’s one now in Portland too but the original is awesome if you are in the area.
 

We stayed at Cliff House a couple nights between Boston and Portland. Scenic, quiet, relaxing. May be more family heavy if going midsummer. We were there the week school started so it was fairly dead. from there took the scenic route to Portland. Easy drive the whole way. Some parts of the drive hugged the coast but not all. 
 

Liked Portland a lot. Very strong food and beer scene. Eventide was a favorite and if I did it all over again I’d go there 2-3 times. 
 

 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chewbacca

Chewbacca 7785

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, BHMCruiser said:

You will need a car to go anywhere because in Maine "you cahnt get thar from here". Everything is like 5000 miles from everything else. If you were going to stay in one place and do short excursions I would pick Bar Harbor. 

Gotta remember you're talking to Texans, where even the grocery store is 20 miles away...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dmtx

dmtx 159

Posted
Posted

We did a fall trip to Maine. We enjoyed it soo much we hope to go back soon. We flew into Portland, used uber for a couple of days then rented a car and drove up to Bar Harbor. Acadia National Park is amazing.

We liked Eventide Oyster Co so much, went twice. Had an awesome lunch at Duckfat. Great breakfast at Becky's Diner and Holy Donuts - they use potato flour. Make the trip for lobster rolls at The Lobster Shack at Two Lights.

 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
kurioster

kurioster 66

Posted
Posted

Got married in Maine Summer 2019.  Wife is from there.  I'll second visititing Portland and Freeport (the LL Bean store there is awesome).  We got married in Bethel, a pretty neat little tourist town.  Would recommend and definitely will be going back to see her family again soon. Have also visited for Thanksgiving - summer is definitely my preferred season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Underdog

Underdog 28773

Posted
Posted

Beautiful state, Portland goes without saying, our first visit to Maine was to Boothbay Harbor which we liked very well.  Jr held his wedding in Poland Springs, Me at Wolf Cove Inn by Lake Tripp, beautiful area around there and not too far from Portland.  We have yet to hit up Acadia, but as mentioned, Freeport is pretty cool also.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hate

Hate 20145

Posted
Posted

I'll be checking this thread as well. We have some friends getting married this summer in York, Maine.  They had to postpone from last year due to the ronas.  We are flying into Boston and spending a day or two there before heading up to Portland and then York for the wedding.  All I know is that I am eating chowda and lobsta every single day I am there. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Underdog

Underdog 28773

Posted
Posted (edited)

Have to add, hit up Lobster Shack out by Two Lights Lighthouse.  A really nice view of the coastal area, we saw a small whale swimming by last visit there, and of course, fresh lobster.  

spacer.png

Saw this in the bathroom at Otto's pizza in Portland...

spacer.png

spacer.png

And we stopped here one night during our stay in Boothbay, believe it was featured on a FTV show... 

spacer.png

And has been mentioned, Kennebunkport is pretty cool.  

We also took a Whale Watching tour out of Boothbay, we even saw a baby fucking whale... 

babywhale.jpg.b0067fef48ef45e0e8558ee97d01f204.jpg

 

Edited by Underdog
  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 45741

Posted
Posted
34 minutes ago, Underdog said:

Have to add, hit up Lobster Shack out by Two Lights Lighthouse.  A really nice view of the coastal area, we saw a small whale swimming by last visit there, and of course, fresh lobster.  

spacer.png

Saw this in the bathroom at Otto's pizza in Portland...

spacer.png

spacer.png

And we stopped here one night during our stay in Boothbay, believe it was featured on a FTV show... 

spacer.png

And has been mentioned, Kennebunkport is pretty cool.  

We also took a Whale Watching tour out of Boothbay, we even saw a baby fucking whale... 

babywhale.jpg.b0067fef48ef45e0e8558ee97d01f204.jpg

 

What is that thing J?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Murfdogg21

Murfdogg21 4425

Posted
Posted

Unless your objective is to just chill in one spot for a week, I’d recommend going up the coast spending about a day per town on your list. Ogunquit is cool and has a “beach”, but can be a little touristy on the weekends as mentioned. Portland has good beer and food beyond shellfish. Maine can get sneaky hot in the sun of a July/August day, but New England is awesome for how the temp drops at night to the point you might even wear a jacket and sit by a fire. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
After irth

After irth 1244

Posted
Posted

Home-based out of Rockland years ago. Enjoyed the town and the locals. 

Spent a lot of time in the car, exploring everywhere between Rockport and Booth Bay Harbor. Lots of hiking. Lot of lighthouse finding. Stuffing ourselves with lobster everywhere. 

Highlights were:

Climbing Mount Battie

Owl’s Head

Hanging with the Pie Ladies at Berry Manor Inn

Spending a day on Monhegan Island (highly recommended). 
 

Bottom line:  Mid-coast Maine is a friendly and mellow place to visit. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shoxthemonkey

Shoxthemonkey 1983

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Hate said:

I'll be checking this thread as well. We have some friends getting married this summer in York, Maine.  They had to postpone from last year due to the ronas.  We are flying into Boston and spending a day or two there before heading up to Portland and then York for the wedding.  All I know is that I am eating chowda and lobsta every single day I am there. 

My brother has lived in York for 20 years now. Plenty of good eating spots in York proper and it's close enough to Portsmouth to go there as well. Portland is less than an hour up the Turnpike and it is a great town for foodies. Somebody upthread mentioned The Lobster Shack at Cape Elizabeth and is right, must try that. The two public beaches in York are nice and there are private ones that you might luck into if you meet the right folks of stay at the right place. New Hampshire offers some nice side trips like Mt Washington, be sure to bring a coat if you go.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
tantric superman

tantric superman 4667

Posted
Posted

I liked Portland more in the winter than I did in the summer.  In the winter it is chill and the bars feel welcoming.  Portland in the summer (outside of some good restaurants) felt kind of Fisherman's wharf-y to me.

We took the ferry and stayed on a small island of Northhaven (off of Camden).  Very low key, nice to bike ride around the island, one good restaurant, one good pizza place, no real bars.  High point was a nice sail on a beautiful boat.

We spend 10 days every summer in West Marin at Point Reyes Nat. Seashore, and to be honest, the island kind of freaked me out wiht it's lack of wildlife.  It's as if skunks and raccoons and rabbits hadn't made their way over there, and while there was commercial fishing, there weren't any sea lions and relatively few birds.  It was just really very still,  California was just more alive and vibrant.  Maine was, I don't know, quiet and weird.

So as odd as it sounds, I'd stay on the mainland and tool around with a side trip to Acadia.  (Foxes deer and beaver).

Maine can do "white trash" pretty damn hard, when it wants to.  I was peripherally involved in a case involving a grisly murder in Lewiston.  Lot of surly types.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...
Al_4_ISU

Al_4_ISU 12485

Posted
Posted

My mom's side of the family gets together out there about every 5 years.  I haven't made since it '03, but I remember it being pretty specatcular.

They always stay at this place:  https://www.northernoutdoors.com/

The first craft beer I ever had was there.  I remember loving the blueberry wheat and hating the IPA.  But I was also 18 at the time.

The rafting on the Kennebec River was really good, IIRC.  We also made the day trip over to Baxter State Park and climbed Mt. Kahtadin via the northern end of the Appalachian Trail.  It's spectacular.  If you think the Appalachians are "hills", you will be sorely mistaken here.  The climb to the summit is 3900' of elevation gain.  That's more gain than many of the Colorado 14ers I've climbed over the years.

mbs9midojag01.jpg

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bateshorn

Bateshorn 9940

Posted
Posted (edited)

How did I miss this thread.  Tons of good advice already. 

Stick to the coast up to Bar Harbor and back, and you’ll be fine.  Just stop wherever grabs your fancy. Downeast up around Machias is beautiful, but it’s not summer yet, and that area is poor as fuck once you get outside of town.  
 

There’s not much to see inland, outside of Baxter and Kahtadin, unless you like dying mill towns and meth. If you end up in Lewiston, swing by Bates and you can check out my Alma Mater. On marriage weekends in the fall we used to bbq on the lawn of the dorm across from the chapel with a banner that read “50% of all marriages end in divorce! Go Bobcats!“

Does get pretty touristy after July 4.  It’s bug season right now, so don’t be surprised if your tolerance for out door activities is tested. 
 

 

Edited by Bateshorn
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ZB'Tejas

ZB'Tejas 593

Posted
Posted
On 3/19/2021 at 1:00 PM, Onboard 2.0 said:

Do it quick Summer up there is what ? 4TH of July weekend, then the snows come ?

No, summer in Maine is about a 3 week period in August.

I went for a week a few years back and really enjoyed it.  Portland is a nice town with restaurants and some solid breweries, Kennebunkport very nice and scenic and everywhere has all the twin lobster and lobster rolls you can stand. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bateshorn

Bateshorn 9940

Posted
Posted
Just now, ZB'Tejas said:

No, summer in Maine is about a 3 week period in August.

I went for a week a few years back and really enjoyed it.  Portland is a nice town with restaurants and some solid breweries, Kennebunkport very nice and scenic and everywhere has all the twin lobster and lobster rolls you can stand. 

This. August in Maine is as close to seasonal perfection as you’ll likely get.  It’s not summer yet anywhere in the state except around Portland.  And it won’t be for at least another month. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chris Dishman's Donut

Chris Dishman's Donut 192

Posted
Posted

^^^^^They're out of mud season, but still have a couple weeks of black fly season left.

Former resident of York County (south coast) here.  Lots of good info upthread.  I'll also mention Federal Jack's brewpub in Kennebunk.  

I'm pretty sure I was George Dorr in a former life.  I could spend weeks at a time poking around Acadia/Mt. Desert Island.  Would rec going over to SW Harbor and the 'quiet' side of MDI.  Rangeley is a great area if you want outdoor time without the crowds.  No lighthouses/lobster pounds/antique shops though.

From Memorial Day to mid-Sept, the entire US1 corridor is overrun with Massholes.  

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bateshorn

Bateshorn 9940

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, Chris Dishman's Donut said:

^^^^^They're out of mud season, but still have a couple weeks of black fly season left.

From Memorial Day to mid-Sept, the entire US1 corridor is overrun with Massholes.  

It’s the reason I mentioned Machias. Most of the Massholes don’t venture north of Bar Harbor, so it’s a little quieter if you are really trying to get your Maine coast on.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lemonlime

lemonlime 5503

Posted
Posted

Camped at Acadia a few years ago. Acadia is gorgeous and definitely worth going to. The nearest town, Bar Harbor, was very tourist trappy. There are other towns nearby with better food/drink. Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound was near there and the lobster. I always thought lobster was overrated meh until I tried it there.234be2e19b859fa600a4ae32d0446e92.jpg
e3556274b3fb4abfbad0f3cbc44eb297.jpg
ea1b8351bc3756c71afc23c3a5068f50.jpg

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
Your Mom

Your Mom 4852

Posted
Posted

i’m headed up there next week with my oldest son. But fuck eating lobsters right OFF the boat. That’s for for the commoners. We’re going out on a boat trip to pull them up from the traps and eat the lobsters right ON the boat.  

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bernard

Bernard 879

Posted
Posted
On 6/18/2021 at 10:13 PM, Your Mom said:

i’m headed up there next week with my oldest son. But fuck eating lobsters right OFF the boat. That’s for for the commoners. We’re going out on a boat trip to pull them up from the traps and eat the lobsters right ON the boat.  

For real. Thurston’s Lobster Pound in Bernard is legit.

Bernard

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 45741

Posted
Posted
On 6/19/2021 at 8:13 PM, Bernard said:

Lubec, Maine - Where USA ends and Canada begins. Also the place where the beer garden is literally a garden…

Bernard

1BF52C20-1726-44FA-8128-C85B940D594F.jpeg

So who is Bernard in this pic?  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think he’s ever been fully identified on this forum.  I’m tempted to say far back center with the sunglasses on his head. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shoxthemonkey

Shoxthemonkey 1983

Posted
Posted (edited)
10 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

So who is Bernard in this pic?  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think he’s ever been fully identified on this forum.  I’m tempted to say far back center with the sunglasses on his head. 

That's him in the upper right window of Lubec Landmarks. Kinda like Bert.

Edited by Shoxthemonkey
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bernard

Bernard 879

Posted
Posted
23 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

So who is Bernard in this pic?  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think he’s ever been fully identified on this forum.  I’m tempted to say far back center with the sunglasses on his head. 

I’m the guy taking the picture.

Bernard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...