June Too Early??

We%26#39;re planning a weeklong vacation to Maine in early June, but our travel plans are flexible. For anyone who knows the area -- Will this be too early to go?

Lack of other tourists is appealing. However, we%26#39;re not sure of the following:

(1) Will most shops be open?

(2) Would this be a good time to visit lighthouses?

(3) Dumb, dumb question -- Is seafood equally good

at this time of year?

(4) Will Acadia be fully open?

Thanks for any pointers!

June Too Early??

You weren%26#39;t specific about where in Maine you are planning for, so for the most part, my answers are geared to Mount Desert Island/Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park.

1. Yes. Generally everything opens up for the Memorial Day weekend and remains that way.

2. There is only one lighthouse on MDI---Bass Harbor---that is on ANP property and the site will be open. As for other lighthouses on the Maine coast, I don%26#39;t know, although I presume that Portland Head light will be open.

3. Yes.

4. Right now, with four-foot piles of snow everywhere and it still coming down, it%26#39;s hard to believe, but yes, the park will be fully open. The only caveat is that Wildwood stables and carriage rides might not be operating. If that interests you, keep checking at:

http://www.nps.gov/acad

which gives all of the information about the park.

June Too Early??

Thanks, cwvoigt!

We%26#39;ll be starting near Portland and heading north to Bar Harbor, maybe stopping at Boothbay Harbor and a few other coastal towns....Planning 7-8 nights or so.

it might be cooler than you are expecting, but it will be pretty. Everything will be leafed out and probably that really nice spring green. Check the Trip Planner function at WeatherUnderground.com for average temps and pack accordingly. Bring long pants for nighttime and at least one fleece jacket.

it%26#39;s not a lighthouse, but if you are planning to head downeast on Rte 1, stop and explore the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory and Fort Knox, near Bucksport.

You can pretty much visit lighthouses year-round. Most aren%26#39;t available for actually going inside. Just watch your step, and if you%26#39;re near the rocks and ocean, keep a safe distance from the waves that are breaking. Too many tourists pose for that perfect picture, only to be hit with an unexpected dousing or worse, swept out by the wave%26#39;s power.

Shops will be open, but maybe not as late as in July and August. Seafood is great all year!

Great! Thanks for the advice, everyone! I appreciate the warning about not getting too close to the edge. I was posing for the perfect photo next to a blowhole in Maui and got drenched -- not from the blowhole, though. They say to %26#39;never turn your back on the ocean%26#39;, and I found out the hard way!