Portland ME

Hello, my husband and I will be celebrating our 30th this year and we are planning our trip to Maine beginning Sept 26th. What we had thought about doing was arriving in Portland and driving the Interstate to Bar Harbor for a few nights and then driving the coastline back to Portland stopping at Boothbay for one stop. Can you tell me approxiamately how long if you drove it straight it takes driving the coast line from Bar Harbor to Portland and about how long it takes by using the interstate. We appreciate your help.

Also I am an avid fan of light houses and whale watching, any suggestions there would be much appreciated and if you know of cheap places to stay along the way that would be great we are on a budget.

Thanks so much...

Portland ME

It takes about two hours to drive the interstate from Portland to Bangor. Then it%26#39;s another hour and ten minutes on two lane highways from Bangor to Bar Harbor.

Following Highway 1 in late September from Portland to Bar Harbor, without stops, would take just under four hours.

There are two lighthouses just south of Portland: Portland Head light and Two Lights. Portland Head is very picturesque and accessible. Very near Two Lights is a great lobster pound, on the shore.

I%26#39;ll let someone else answer about the several lighthouses that one can visit between Portland and Bar Harbor.

If you were going to break your stay along Route 1, Camden would be a very pleasant village with good food and accommodation.

Timing of trip to Bar Harbor

We are starting to plan a trip to Bar Harbor this fall and I%26#39;m wondering if mid to late October will see some of the facilities and attractions closed? I know many inns and hotels are open throughout October, though.

Any advice on timing a trip the week of Oct 12 or 19? We%26#39;re thinking four or five days in the area, with sidetrips? Thanks.

Timing of trip to Bar Harbor

We regularly visit Bar Harbor during Columbus

Day weekend and tend to stay the rest of the week. Most places and attractions stay open throughout the week but start to close immediately thereafter. I think the week of October 12th to the 18th will be fine but don%26#39;t be surprised if some lobster pounds are closed for the season.

Timing of trip to Bar Harbor

As vinny... noted, there may be some lobster pounds and some attractions, e.g., boat rides, that will close down or reduce their schedules after Columbus Day. The Island Explorer shuttle typically shuts down then as well, but I haven%26#39;t seen the 2009 schedule yet. Everything else should still be open. Generally, our autumn foliage peaks very near Columbus Day.

Thank you, good to know. Appreciated.

for 1 night is better to stay in Kennebunk or Ogunquit?

goodmorning...

next september I %26#39;ll stay 1 night in maine before going to Boston.

I need a suggestion: is better have teh hotel in Kennebunk or in Ogunquit?? which is the difference??

thakns a lot in advance

eva

for 1 night is better to stay in Kennebunk or Ogunquit?

Motel in Ogunquit will be in walking distance to Perkins Cove for dinner, a lovely walk on the Maginal Way or shopping. Or walk the other direction into the little town with restaurants, theatre, shopping and bar/clubs.

for 1 night is better to stay in Kennebunk or Ogunquit?

Both Kennebunk and Ogunquit are special. Kennebunk has great beaches and is close to Kennebunkport with it%26#39;s quaint shops overlooking the water, and beautiful old buildings and churches in both Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. Kennebunk beach has one beach that is named Mother%26#39;s Beach because it has a playground for the kids. Ogunquit has quaint shops and more down by the docks and the famous Marginal way(path along the cliffs overlooking the ocean. Don%26#39;t forget your camera, the water crashing against the rock is spectacular. I would say Oqunquit is the nicest to stay at, but both very pricey.

Beach and shopping are more accessible in Kennebunkport as opposed to Kennebunk. Kennebunkport is very charming, but there is more to do on foot in Ogunquit; walk the beach, Marginal Way, Perkins Cove etc. If I had to choose between the 2 for a one night stay, my pick would be Ogunquit.

I like Ogunquit too for the quaintness and shops, plus you can drive easily to York. However, we stayed in a rental apartment in Kennebunk last summer and really liked it. We saved a lot of money that way and did a lot around Kennebunk (the beach, Tom%26#39;s) and then did a day trip to Onguit. We stayed at a place called ne%26#39;r enough. It had everything we needed like a dvd player and movies, flat screen tv, a bed plus a sofabed for our sons and a full kitchen with dished and stuff. We really liked that since it is rare in hotels in the area and we needed it for our kids. We had our own deck and a grill. I probably still have their number if you are interested.

When going to Maine, even when I was little, we always did Stadig%26#39;s Campground , motels , cabins, but never thought of rental apartments. What a great idea.

You probably can%26#39;t go wrong with either; it is off-peak season so there won%26#39;t be crowds. In fact Kennebunkport may be too quiet depending on what you like. Sometimes really quiet is a good thing!

It can get pretty busy during peak season on the streets in Kennebunkport. Last summer , seeing we walked from the Franciscan Monestary Guest House.....we avoided bumper to bumper and parking. We saw a horse drawn carriage giving people rides. I can%26#39;t imagine handling those horses to come to a stop in that traffic. We do love the quaint little shops there though and Ben %26amp; Jerry%26#39;s Icecream.

Is Kennebunkport still so busy in September?

I%26#39;ve never been that time of year. Usually my family planned mid July when it got warmer up there. We never chose August because you get the fall nip in the air at night. It must be kinda chilly in September.

skin

Birthday Cakes

Coming to Boothbay Harbor in August of this year. We actually arrive on my wife%26#39;s birthday (8-12). Looking for a place to order a birthday cake. Can you help a Texan out?

Birthday Cakes

I was married in BBH last summer and we used Sweet Sensations in Rockland. I realize that may seem a bit far, but it%26#39;s absolutely wonderful. Give them a call...Steve does a number of weddings in the BBH area and may be able to drop something off to you.

P.S. Our wedding cake was actually cupcakes: yellow with raspberry filling and a chocolate buttercream frosting. Our guests RAVED about them!

Birthday Cakes

Forgot to include contact info:

Located in heart of Midcoast Maine at

309 Commercial Street, Rockport, Maine 04856

Call us at 207-230-0955

or email: info@threedogscafe.com

www.mainesweets.com

Thanks for the information. I%26#39;ll give it a try. Congradulations on the marriage.

Planning Trip for Memorial weekend.... Need Help

Hi

I am looking at plannig a trip to maine for May 21st until the 26th. My boyfried and I are thinking of flying into Portland early in the morning, renting a car and driving up the coast. I have only been to Maine to snowboard. I have a couple of questions.

Will most places be open by this time of year and is it a good time to go?

How long would it take to drive up to Acadia along the coast from Portland, stopping and sightseeing along the way?

Can we find places to stay along the way or do we need to book rooms in advance?

Also, any recommendations of really nice places to see. I am big into photography and my boyfriend loves lighthouses.

Thanks!

Planning Trip for Memorial weekend.... Need Help

It is a very wavy (so some spots take a while to get to)and stunning coast so you will need to be selective! My husband and I did a day of ';lighthousing'; so here are some lighthouse tips anyway!... My favorite lighthouse is Owl%26#39;s Head (perched on lovely wooded cliffs...great for photos). Have lunch in the Owl%26#39;s Head General Store while you are there. Marshall Island light (seen in the movie ';Forest Gump';) is lovely but a bit of a drive. The Rockland Breakwater lighthouse is not a pretty light in itself, but an interesting walk as it is a half mile out on the breakwater. People say that Pemaquid Point Light is not to be missed, but I have not been there. Plan to spend more than a day in Acadia; it is stunning!

Are you looking for quiet natural beauty or fun towns or a bit of both?

Planning Trip for Memorial weekend.... Need Help

See also the forum topic ';Stop on the midcoast';. MicheleS posted an interesting side trip to Pemaquid Peninsula for my husband and my trip this June.

Many things will be open for the season. It%26#39;s a good time to come. The trees will just have leafed-out; the tourist season will not yet have become busy.

How long it will take you to travel from Portland to Acadia will, of course, depend on how many detours you take from Route 1. But I would guess that if you left Portland around 9 a.m. and took your time traveling north, you would get into the Acadia region by late afternoon or early evening.

Camden would be a good place to stop for lunch. Be sure to drive the auto road to the top of Mount Battie, just as you leave Camden village. The view is spectacular.

You would have time to detour down the peninsular where Pemaquid Light is located. It is an oft-photographed light house.

The bridge over the Penobscot River at Bucksport is worth a stop. You can go up the elevator to the top of one of the bridge pilings. Again, great view.

Boston-Freeport - Lighthouses - Next Week

Hello,

We will be taking a day of our trip to drive up to the Freeport area. Was wondering if you could recommend a couple of stops along the way that would offer some great pictures of Lighthouses? Weather permitting of course!

Thanks so much!

Boston-Freeport - Lighthouses - Next Week

Two opportunities come immediately to mind....

1. The Nubble lighthouse in York -- easily accessible for photos (but not to walk around) off US Route 1 in York. Google ';The Nubble Lighthouse'; for details and more accurate driving directions.

2. Portland Head Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, a Portland suburb. Great photo and walking access. The oldest, continuously operating lighthouse in the United States. Google ';Portland Head Lighthouse'; for exact driving directions.

And remember, sometimes less than ideal weather still yields great photos!

Enjoy your visit.

Boston-Freeport - Lighthouses - Next Week

Thanks so much for this suggestion...it looks like a really nice lighthouse too! Was wondering..once we get to Cape Elizabeth...are there road signs to help us locate the light house?

Don%26#39;t remember for sure if there are signs specifically to Portland Head Light Lighthouse along Rt 77. But as you follow Rt 77 south, you definitely will see a large entrance sign on your left for Fort Williams Park. Turn left into that entrance, go a quarter mile or so, and the road to the lighthouse will be to your right....think there%26#39;s a sign at that intersection. If not, it%26#39;s not that large a park, so five minutes or less of looking around should get you to the right place...

fresh water fishing

Traveling from southern indiana 2nd week in sept. love to fish since we are flying ,I was going to pack a telescopic spin out fit 6 lb. test line. what kind of lures or bait do you recommend and what ponds or lakes have the best fishing and what are some of the fish species you catch? we have blue gill, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish back home with crappie being the best tasting fish how about up there?