60-something Maine First-Timers

After a week-long vacation to San Francisco / Monterey Bay in October, I%26#39;m ready to begin dreaming about a travel adventure for 2009, and Maine is a possibility. Like Northern CA it%26#39;s someplace I%26#39;ve never been, but we%26#39;ll have just a week. Generally when I%26#39;m planning our vacations, I like to gather advice about things to do, places to eat and stay and how to organize this in a way that%26#39;s not a crammed-full schedule but rather a relaxing time to appreciate the area. We%26#39;re in our early 60s; regularly see art exhibitions in the cities we visit or catch some live music; prefer distinctive, though not necessarily lavish, lodging and dining; like to walk but not really athletic; particularly appreciated the natural splendor of CA. What do you suggest I look into?

60-something Maine First-Timers

Of course I am going to tell you to spend a week in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. For a great overview on Bar Harbor and Acadia, check out the website Acadiamagic.com.

There are so many activities to do here and sights to see that one week won%26#39;t even be enough. There are great scenic walks and hikes, scenic boat rides, kayaking, fine dining, shopping, bus tours, carriage rides, bike trails and many more.

Today my husband and I walked downtown to lunch and saw two eagles flying around the pier. One landed on a large rock along the shore path and the second one was diving into the Bay after some type of prey. It was completely amazing!

To view additional lodging, you should go to the sleepbarharbor.com website to view some of the bed and breakfasts in the area. There are many to choose from with many different amenities. You can search the list by amenity to find the ones that best suit your needs.

60-something Maine First-Timers

Portland to Bar Harbor and the wonderful drive up Rt 1. Stay in the Old Port section of Portland at either the Regency or the Hilton Garden Inn. Lovely places to walk, shop and eat. Plus Portland has a really good art gallery. Drive out to Cape Elizabeth to see the Lighthouse. Take Rt 1 to Bar Harbor. You%26#39;ll go through some beautiful coastal towns (especially if you explore some of the side roads). The bridge in Bucksport is worth a trip to the top. I would suggest staying at the Bar Harbor Inn. It%26#39;s a lovely place right in town on the water. Acadia National Park is why most people visit the area. It is stunningly beautiful, especially if you take the time to really explore it. The physical activity can be as easy or as strenuous as you want it to be. It is a walkers paradise.

If you elect to drive along the coast from the Portland area to Acadia/Bar Harbor/Mount Desert Island, you might consider a stop in Rockland to visit the Farnsworth museum. It houses the finest collection of Maine-related art as well as a large collection of the works of the three Wyeths. See:

http://www.farnsworthmuseum.org/

Another source of information on this area, developed by a frequent visitor, is at:

www.ouracadia.com

Thanks, that%26#39;s just what needed to give my research focus. I%26#39;ll be back, I%26#39;m certain, with more questions for all three of you.

To clarify just a bit -- the earlier post mentioning the Bridge in Bucksport is a reference to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge -- a uniquely designed bridge carrying US Rt 1 over the Penobscot River -- which includes an observation deck built into the top of one of the two bridge towers! Fantastic 360 degree view of the mid-coast of Maine, with the mountains of Mt Desert Island and Acadia National Park on one horizon, the mountains of inland Maine on the other, and an overall great view of that part of the Maine coast. Admission fee is very reasonable (less than $10 each) and includes admission to historic Fort Knox State Park, immediately adjacent to the bridge. Google Fort Knox and Penobscot Narrows Bridge for more info.

As you go north on US Route 1, you%26#39;ll pass through the small community of Stockton Springs -- just beyond that you%26#39;ll see the bridge off to your right and will want to turn left at the traffic signal just before you drive onto the bridge itself -- don%26#39;t worry about getting the right signal, it%26#39;s the only one you%26#39;ll come to between the time you see the bridge and start to drive across it.

Other things to consider -- Old Port in Portland is a great starting place -- flying into Portland International Jetport is relatively easy, but be aware that most of the flights from Boston or New York (and even some from Washington DC) tend to use smaller aircraft -- so watch carefully when you do your booking if you%26#39;re partial to jets rather than turbo-props....

From Portland, heading north on US Rt 1, you might enjoy a visit to L L Bean in Freeport, Maine%26#39;s reknowned outdoor clothing and equipment company -- at least comparable, amd most Maine natives say better than -- Eddie Bauer or Cabella%26#39;s.

Further north, Bowdoin College in Brunswick has a small but comprehensive museum on the adventures of North Pole explorer Robert Peary. (More info by Googling Robert Peary Museum).

If you%26#39;re not in a hurry, take the side trip down Rt 27 to Boothbay Harbor and ask the locals how to get to Ocean Point -- a great place to see and enjoy the rocky Maine coast.

North of Boothbay, the Farnsworth is a must-see for art lovers....fantastic museum and gallery. And speaking of museums, if you end up on a more inland track, the Maine State Museum in teh State House complex in Augusta is a fantastic place to spend a couple of hours....everything from Maine history to a working replica of a water-powered lumber mill...and just south of Augusta on Rt 201 is the town of Hallowell - once known as the antiques capital of Maine.... lots of interesting shops and some great local restaurants -- we like Slate%26#39;s and the Liberal Cup.

Have to agree that a firt-timer coming to Maine really needs to spend a few days in the Bar Harbor-Acadia National Park area...park runs natural-gas powered shuttle busses that really save on the stress of driving in unfamiliar territory...some great ocean views -- and a fun little community. It can get busy in mid-summer, but the experience is worth putting up with the crowds. If you decide to go that way, ask at Acadia National Park headquarters for information on the Schoodic Point portion of the park. It%26#39;s a bit of a drive away, but attracts far fewer people and offers a great coastal experience ';where the pine trees meet the sea.';

If you decide you want to see inland Maine -- and there%26#39;s lots of it to see -- add that to this post and some of us non-coastal types will gladly offer additional suggestions.

But to boil all this down to a nut-shell, for a great week, fly into Portland, spend a day or two, drive up US 1 to Bar Harbor for several days there, and then have a safe trip home with lots of great Maine memories!

I agree with Mrsomes - drive from Portland to Bar Harbor up Rt 1 - definitely stop in the towns of Camden and Rockland. If you are a fan of The Wyeth art - after touring the Farnsworth in Rockland, you can take an easy, scenic drive and tour the actual house of Andrew%26#39;s ';Christina%26#39;s World'; painting, which has been excellently preserved as a museum. Definitely walk the ';shore path'; mentioned by lovingbarharbor - an easy and clearly marked walk along the waterfront... The town of Bar Harbor also has a cheesy but very informative tour bus, a relaxing way of seeing the town and Acadia while someone else does the driving. Particularly helpful if you are short on time.

We would be driving from Cleveland with a stop in Western MA (or CT with friends) overnight and then probably not arriving until late afternoon on Sunday. We might head back home on Friday.

I wonder: is four days enough time for a sample of the coast -- certainly Acadia and the Farnsworth -- until someday when we can devote a few weeks to exploring this part of New England. Or shall we just wait a few more years until we%26#39;re retired and have more time?

I think that there are two legitimate schools of thought in that regard. One is to see as much as you can in a short time and then revisit those things you really enjoyed later at a more leisurely pace. The other is to select some place as a center and do short day trips to experience that particular area. Part of what would drive the decision is how much stamina you have and how strongly you might feel about returning.

That being said, we vacationed in downeast Maine off and on for twenty years or so and now have lived here for twelve. We still haven%26#39;t seen it all and everything that we have seen or experienced has been good.

Even a sample of paradise is better than none at all...

I%26#39;d suggest booking a place in Portland for Sunday and Monday night, giving you Monday for Portland Head Light lighthouse, a quick Casco Bay Ferry Boat Ride, the Portland Museum or Art and/or the Longfellow House, with dinner in the Old Port.

Tuesday morning, take I-295 as far north as Brunswick and pick up US 1 there (not a lot of really coastal scenery between Portland and Brunswick on Rt 1)... then on to Rockland (maybe a quick stop at the Farnsworth for Wyeth art) and the Penobscot Narrows Bridge observatory at Ft Knox before pushing on to Ellsworth and Bar Harbor to pick up Tuesday night%26#39;s hotel reservation there.

Wednesday seeing Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.

Thursday doing the things you didn%26#39;t get to Wednesday.

Or -- after leaving Portland, book a room in Camden or Rockland to give yourself more time at the Farnsworth and Fort Knox, getting into Bar Harbor mid-day the on Wednesday and do what you can of Bar Harbor Wednesday afternoon and Thursday.

CW would know better that I would, but it seems to me you could knock off most of the high spots in Acadia?Bar Harbor in a day and a half?

Friday morning head home.... And if time is an issue, once you get back to Ellsworth, take US 1A to Bangor and pick up I-95 southbound instead of Route 1 south. Can save you a couple of hours time in heavy summer traffic.

';CW would know better that I would, but it seems to me you could knock off most of the high spots in Acadia?Bar Harbor in a day and a half?';

That is a loaded question. There are those who come here frequently---some every year, some more than once a year---for whom a week or ten days on MDI isn%26#39;t enough.

The high points---yes, I suppose that could be done in a day and a half: sunrise and/or sunset atop Cadillac, popovers on the lawn at Jordan Pond House, exploring the Loop Road, a walk along the Ocean Path (the classic ';rockbound coast';). In addition to that walk, there is a very nice short walk on the other side of the island---Wonderland---as well as a stroll along the Shore Path in Bar Harbor.

The time of year is also a consideration. I would recommend early to mid October; there are fewer people and the autumn color usually is excellent. It is a more laid-back time of year than, e.g., July or August, but at the same time, all of the amenities are still available.