Portland Maine (and Maine winters)

[Anonymous]

Has anyone been? Does anyone live here? What is it like?

For anyone who has ever lived in Maine, how bad are the winters, are they really that horrible?

[Anonymous]

My parents live on one of the Casco Bay islands off of Portland. The city is a great place to visit-definitely liveable but very small and still pretty insular. Sometimes I think about moving up there to be closer to my parents, then I freak out about how isolated it would be. The winters can definitely be brutal and very long. In the winter any plans you make are weather contingent. The upside is that people really understand how to deal with weather: if it's terrible you stay home, but in light snow everything just operates as usual (and they plow the sidewalks).

[Anonymous]

OP are you asking for vacation or relocation purposes?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone been? Does anyone live here? What is it like?

For anyone who has ever lived in Maine, how bad are the winters, are they really that horrible?

I've never lived in Maine but I think it is safe to say they are pretty horrible. Much colder, darker, longer, worse weather than any winters we have around here.

[Anonymous]

Lived in Boston for years and went to Portland regularly. It is MUCH colder than Boston. The cold coming off the water is all but unbearable

That being said, it is a great restaurant town, they have great skiing, and wonderful lakes and the ocean.

The summer is wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP are you asking for vacation or relocation purposes?

Relocation. It is probably at the top of the list of cities we're considering (we don't want to go anywhere warmer than dc, we hate the summers)

[Anonymous]

My parents live in Maine. Miserable winters. Gets dark at 3:30 in the afternoon.

[Anonymous]

But we really don't mind the winters here at all. I like DC winters, I don't dread it at all.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be hard, but we're not starting from a place of hating winter and loving summer, more the opposite. Just trying to get a handle on just HOW much worse they are.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in MA, went to Colby College in Waterville, ME. They winters were so much worse in Maine than around Boston. Darker, longer, colder, snowier. Awful.

[Anonymous]

I have actually lived in both so here is my 2 cents on Portland - it is colder than DC but not that much so. The gulf stream moderates coastal Maine. The days aren't really shorter either. Remember Portland is well eastbof DC so the sun sets later.

I don't think it really is that bad in terms of isolation. Southwest flies there as do all other airlines. There is every chain we have here, and restaurants are hands down better in Portland.

I would move back except both our jobs require us to be in DC.

[Anonymous]

I lived in Portland for 6 years. Yes, the weather can be difficult to deal with, but probably not as bad as you may think. When we moved it wasn't so much because of the weather. It was more because of the economy there. It was very difficult to make a living (of course, this was back in 2008; so take that with a grain of salt). Also, it was difficult for me personally because it was a very secluded, and homogeneous area. As a person of color, I found that I stuck out like a sore thumb. If you are a minority of any kind, be prepared to answer questions like "what country are you from?" The beaches are beautiful, but way too cold to swim in. There's a ferry that leaves downtown Portland and will bring you to Peaks Island; it's a quick and cheap ride. It's fun to go there on weekends in the summer, especially when they have their free outdoor concerts. There's a minor league baseball team in Portland called The Sea Dogs. And lastly, don't forget to check out The Comedy Connection if it's still open. Like anywhere, Portland is both good and bad. I think it's definitely worth your consideration. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Maine and how bad the winter is depends on where in Maine you live. On the coast the winters are not quite as harsh as they might be in Bangor. Maine does not shut down for snow like this area. People know how to deal with and drive in the snow. If you like to ski Sunday River is about an hour and half drive from Portland. I think people who are not from Maine exaggerate how bad the winters are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have actually lived in both so here is my 2 cents on Portland - it is colder than DC but not that much so. The gulf stream moderates coastal Maine. The days aren't really shorter either. Remember Portland is well eastbof DC so the sun sets later.

I don't think it really is that bad in terms of isolation. Southwest flies there as do all other airlines. There is every chain we have here, and restaurants are hands down better in Portland.

I would move back except both our jobs require us to be in DC.

+1

I lived in Portland for several years in the 90s. I would move back in a heartbeat. It is a wonderful city, close to the mountains and the ocean and the summers cannot be beat. The winters are no worse than Boston ones (I grew up in Boston). And there is plenty to do in terms of museums, shopping, and whatnot. If you need a larger city fix once in awhile, Boston is not far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone been? Does anyone live here? What is it like?

For anyone who has ever lived in Maine, how bad are the winters, are they really that horrible?

I've never lived in Maine but I think it is safe to say they are pretty horrible. Much colder, darker, longer, worse weather than any winters we have around here.

So you have no personal experience with Maine, but you do have an opinion about what it is like to live there in the winter?

Um, ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents live in Maine. Miserable winters. Gets dark at 3:30 in the afternoon.

The people I know who live in the far north are bothered by much more by the dark than the cold. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real.