Things to do in Maine...

[Anonymous]

We'll be going on vacation to Portland, Maine and as it is our first time, I thought I'd ask for kid-friendly advice on what to see, do, eat, etc in the area. We are up for a few day trips so if you have a must-do that isn't right in Portland, I'd love to hear it! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

take a ride on a lobster boat - I loved that as a teenager
go to LL Bean and stock up
Drive around Bowdoin
Go to Acadia and see the fjord
Take a whale watching tour
Walk around Kennebunkport and drive by the Bush compound

Have fun!

[Anonymous]

The childrens museum is a nice break.

Eat a ton of lobstah

[Anonymous]

Take LOTS of arts/crafts materials (or buy them there, but depending where you're staying it's kinda hard to find). I spent 5 weeks in Maine 3 years ago and some days were really foggy/cloudy/rainy and sometimes that would last for a couple of days, meaning kids were stuck in the house and crafts saved the day every time! Also try to find out with locals about camps. They usually have 1-2 morning/week camps (mornings can be kinda chilly in Maine) for kids 4 and up.

[Anonymous]

You should check out Ogunquit and walk the Marginal Way to Perkins Cove. The beach is a beautiful, sandy beach - hard to find in Maine!

[Anonymous]

We've been to Maine several times, usually stopping in Portland to see friends before going farther north, and we always wish we'd planned to spend more time in Portland itself. It's a great little city.

My top recommendation is to go see a Sea Dogs game. That's Portland's minor league baseball team -- I think they're a farm team for the Yankees or Mets -- but can't recall for sure. They play in an old-fashioned, brick-walled stadium like Camden Yards. It's a very mellow crowd -- not too loud, so even if your kids are young, they'll feel comfortable. The team mascot poses for pix and the players sign autographs. Plus, they've got Sam Adams on tap. What could be better on a beautiful, cool, no-humidity Maine evening?

There are also some fun, kid-friendly restaurants on the main drag down by the water -- Congress Street? Commerce Street? One is a fabulous thin-crust pizza place. Think American Flatbread; in fact, it might be American Flatbread, though, again, I can't recall -- in any case, go early b/c it's very popular. Also right near there is a seafood place that looks like just a bar up front, but has a back deck right on the water. You can get a yummy, lightly-breaded basket of calimari, deliious steamed mussels, and, of course, lobster and blueberry pie.

The lighthouse (is it Two Lights?) is a fun outing for kids. You can also take a ferry out to the Casco Bay islands and take a bike ride or picnic. Finally, Portland has a lovely paved trail called the Prom, with great views.

[Anonymous]

Cambridge, ME? We had friends tell us it's a very cute town but we have a 19 month old DD - anything there for little ones? (We're driving up to a 2nd destination from Portland so we are aiming to stop somewhere in the vicinity of there.)

[Anonymous]

Cambridge is "cute" in a cloying kind of way. It was the setting for the original 1950s version of "Peyton Place" -- both book and movie. It does have a lovely park along the water -- think it was designed by Olmstead -- it's a nice play to picnic and stroll. The library is in the park and it's a beautifu building with a nice childen's room. So, if you're making a short stop -- just lunch and stretch your legs, it's fine. Another option would be to go for a swim at Lake Megunticook, just outside of town, where there's a small sandy beach. Or, you can go for a hike in Camden Hills State Park, also right outside town. For lunch, on the main street there's a classic New England luncheonette -- can't recall the name, maybe Mariner's? -- with a deck overlooking the water. It's a nice spot, though the food is just OK.