Visiting Maine?

[Anonymous]

We're interested in Maine as a summer vacation but don't know the first thing about logistics and would love some advice. Is it possible to fly non-stop to Maine? So far I've only looked into flying into Bar Harbor as this area sounds very charming, but it requires 2 transfers. Are there easier-to-get-to towns/areas that offer charm, sightseeing opportunities, walking towns, beaches? We're 2 families traveling with 3 kids under 2. TIA!

[Anonymous]

It depends on what part of Maine you wish to visit.

Personally -- we opt to fly into either Manchester NH or Boston, and then we drive up the coast. We like to spend a night in mid-coast Maine (Boothbay area) and then head north towards Acadia. (We prefer the west part of Mt. Desert Island, staying in Southwest Harbor or Somesville, vs. the more touristy Bar Harbor.)

You could also fly in to Bangor and drive to the coast from there.

Some good websites to check out to help you in your planning:

http://www.visitmaine.net/

http://www.acadiamagic.com/

http://www.ouracadia.com/

[Anonymous]

I would fly into Boston or Portland, everything is pretty close together its not a long drive up from Boston and the flights may be easier. I've driven up from Boston and we went to Portsmouth, Portland, Kennebunkport, Boothbay Harbor, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It was a really nice trip. We also stopped in the outlets in New Hampshire on our way up from Boston.

[Anonymous]

There are direct flights to Portland from DCA a few times a day on US Air. For the coast, Portland is closest airport, but be warned, Bar Harbor is still a bit of a drive. Other areas of Maine's coast a really nice, too, so driving up from Boston can be nice (it's about an hour from Boston to the Maine border). That said, it's a lot easier flying into Portland than Boston, and rental cars will likely be cheaper, too.

If you like small cities, Portland is great, and would be an easy city to do with kids. I haven't visited a lot of the towns around there, though, so I'm not much help beyond that.

[Anonymous]

There are nonstops from BWI to Portland on Airtran. Portland is about an hour from Boothbay Harbor, which is nice to visit -- I spent many summers on an island there.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for this info! After more research and reading your responses, I think we're leaning toward Ogunquit - it seems like that this town has the best sand beach for our kids' ages. Has anyone spent time here? Camden/Rockport is the other area we like, but the beaches here don't seem as toddler friendly.

[Anonymous]

If you like beaches for little ones you must look at Popham State Park in Phippsburg. It is in the Midcoast area. IMO Ogunquit is very crowded.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, 10:48! I'm a bit wary of Ogunquit for the reason you mention - the thing is that we'd like to be able to be in a town where we can walk pretty much everywhere, including the beach. Are there other towns that are better suited for this?

[Anonymous]

We visit friends in Maine every summer and it is beautiful, but you have to know that the beaches are not at all like mid-Atlantic or Cape Cod beaches. With very few exceptions, there aren't broad swaths of sand where you can spread out with your blankets, coolers, beach chairs, etc., and bask in the sun for hours. Even on a sunny day, Maine is cool in the summer, and the beaches are mostly rocky rather than sandy. Good for finding crabs in tidal pools, not so much for making sand castles or swimming. On the warmest days, my teen and tween kids and their friends will go in for a quick dip, but that's it -- and these are kids who swim competitively and like cold water! (There's a sandy beach in Acadia that's nice, but it's really cold up there. Also one in a state park near Rockport. But those are the only ones I know of.)

Still, Maine is gorgeous and fun to visit. My suggestion would be to plan to fly into Portland and spend a couple of days there. You can go to a minor league baseball game -- the Portland Seadogs have a great old-fashioned stadium (like a mini-Camden Yards) and the minor league players are really nice about signing autographs. You can picnic at the lighthouse, bike or walk on the Prom, the path that runs along the bay, and take a ferry ride out to one the Casco Bay islands for a day trip. Peake Island has pretty nice beaches and is very family-friendly. Another nice beach is in Cape Elizabeth. There's also a petting farm that our kids loved when they were little -- Smiling Cow Farm, I think it's called.

Camden and Rockport are nice too. Camden's a little tourist-y, but there's great hiking nearby in the state park north of town. There's also a little lake, which is warmer for swimming, and you might be able to rent a house on the lake. Rockport isn't as tourist-y and has a good, small art museum with a s core collection of Andrew Wyeth paintings. You can take a ferry from Rockport out to Swan's Island and bike there. Acadia is a long drive, but beautiful. Great biking and hiking, and there are ferries to some of the small islands off the coast. Wherever you go, definitely try to get out on the warer in a boat. That's the best way to see Maine.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the tips, 06:34! I actually like the cool water in Maine for this summer, because none of the kids in our group are gearing to swim in the ocean yet. They'll be perfectly happy to play in a puddle and in the sand

[Anonymous]

Check out the Samoset Resort in Rockport. About an hour and a half from Portland and then you can go up and down the coast from there. They have a great pool, spa and other amenities. It's a bit of a walk into town, but a few minutes drive to Rockland, Rockport and Camden.

[Anonymous]

We're headed to Bar Harbor this August with grandparents, 3 year old and 18 month old. We plan to stop at Old Orchard Beach to do the whole sandy beach, pool, boardwalk arcade bit before heading further north to do more nature, outdoorsy stuff. Anyone have a scoop on OOB?