Maine in June

Having never been to New England, we%26#39;re planning a week-long trip to Maine in June (probably flying in/out of Portland). Please help us with any ideas for an itinerary!

The few points of interest that we%26#39;ve read on thus far are Acadia, Bar Harbor (and ferry to Nova Scotia), Portland and the Appalachian Trail.

Also, what%26#39;s the deal with black flies in June??

Thanks for any pointers!!

Maine in June

I think that you would enjoy Portland---it is a small city, the Old Port area is interesting, there are lighthouses, it is easy to hop a ferry and tour Casco Bay, and the restaurants are great.

There are two ways to get from Portland to Mount Desert Island (home of Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, and other interesting villages). One is via I-295 and I-95 from Portland to Bangor and 1-A to the island; the other is to take U.S. 1 up the coast. The interstate route will take you about three hours from Portland; the coastal route (which for the most part isn%26#39;t really %26lt;on%26gt; the coast) will take about four hours, more if you make many stops.

As to the ferry to Nova Scotia, if you are thinking about a day trip, save your money. The Cat is a high speed ferry that lands in probably the least interesting part of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia is worth a trip in itself.

Black flies: they will be here. A lot has been written about them on this forum (and on the Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park forums). Search on black flies. Repellants do work. Black flies are most concentrated in lowland areas---along streams and wetlands---and in the deep woods. They don%26#39;t like windy, exposed areas.

I%26#39;ll defer to others on the AT and the Katahdin area.

Here are a few web resources that may help you:

http://www.acadiamagic.com

information of activities, lodging, dining, and links to the national park web site.

www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/index/asp

a comprehensive look at our climate---enter the place names and range of dates that interest you.

http://www.ouracadia.com

a privately maintained website of a frequent visitor that provides a lot of ideas on things to do and where to eat.

That ought to get you started.

Maine in June

Thanks so much!

We travel quite a bit, and I%26#39;ve started to use travel guides less and less. They seem to play up the bland touristy aspects of a place and neglect to mention the real local flavor.

Checked these sites out -- Just what we were looking for. Thanks!

Where, exactly. on the AT do you want to be because it traverses a large area in Maine?

We%26#39;d like to spend some time on the coast. Not sure if Portland would keep up occupied for a few days or if we should head up to Bar Harbor.

We like beaches, hiking, fishing. Also, we%26#39;re thinking about taking a few days to go to Quebec. Don%26#39;t know if we can see everything worth seeing in Maine AND see Quebec City all in 9-10 days...

Just a couple of quick comments to offer....

Travel time from Bar Harbor (assuming you%26#39;ll want to see Acadia National Park first) to Quebec City is between six and seven hours following Rt 1A to Bangor, I-95 to Newport, US 2 to Skowhegan and US 201 to the Canadian Border north of Jackman. Taking that route will also give you a chance to at least see where the Appalachian Tral crosses US 201 in Caratunk....nothing of great secenic beauty, but a trail marker or two and a chance to say you walked at least a ways on the trail if you want to get out of the car and do that (bring your insect repellent if you%26#39;re doing it in early June).

On your way from Portland to Bar Harbor, you might also want to consider the following:

Following US 1 from Portland to Ellsworth can be interesting or tedious depending on your interests --

-- Freeport is the home to outdoor equipment and clothing giant L.L. Bean. Their flagship store, discount store and specialty outlets are located in the heart of the village...could be a great stop for outdoors folks

-- Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College and the Admiral Peary Museum, worth a visit by folks interested in that explorer and his travels

-- As you pass over downtown Bath on the viaduct apprach to the bridge over the Kennebec River, look down and to your right for a glimpse of the Bath Iron Works, one of two shipyards on the East and Gulf coasts manufacturing surface ships for the US Navy (you%26#39;ll know you%26#39;re close when you see their giant cranes looming on the horizon)

-- Downtown Wiscasset is one of several downeast villages you%26#39;ll pass through -- great lobster rolls at Red%26#39;s Eats, on your left as you come down the hill -- if it%26#39;s colder, good soups and chowders at Sarah%26#39;s, on your right just before you cross the railroad tracks

-- If your schedule allows, take the side trip down Rt 27 to Boothbay Harbor -- one of Maine%26#39;s signature waterfront villages. More shops than working waterfront (read ';fishing village';) these days, but some good seafood restaurant%26#39;s (we like Kaler%26#39;s as a personal favorite), a chance to walk the piers on the waterfront, and see a Maine harbor ';up close'; -- And if you have another half hour or so, turn off Rt 27 in Boothbay onto Rt 96 and follow it to the end of the road at Ocean Point. Great opportunity to get out onto the rocks of the ';rock coast'; and see the ocean...

-- Just south of Bucksport, watch for the twin towers of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge over the trees ahead and to your right. Once you see them, watch for signs to Fort Knox State Park, a left turn off Rt 1. In addition to the fort, worth a stop by itself, a small entrance fee also gets you a ticket to ride the high-speed elevator to the observation post at the top of one of the bridge towers -- for a 360 degree view of that part of the Maine coast, with views inland toward Mt Katahdin, and east to the mountains of Acadia National Park.

From there, it%26#39;s on to Ellsworth and everything that Bar Harbor and Acadia have to offer....and if your Acadia stay allows, take the extra time to drive over to the Schoodic Point section of the park -- much less visited (fewer people) and some outstanding views of ';where the forest meets the sea'; on the rocky coast of Maine.