Rainy day activities with small children

My husband have been to Bar Harbor in the past and loved it. This is the first time we will be bringing our kids with us (3 and 7). We will be there for 7 nights. I am trying to preplan for rainy days. I noticed there is a Children%26#39;s Museum in Bangor, Maine. Has anyone been there? Is it worth the hour+ drive? My kids love childrens museums and we do not have one near our hometown.

Rainy day activities with small children

The children%26#39;s museum in Bangor is nice and lots of fun, especially for the younger kids. Your 7 year old might not like it as much as the 3 year old, but if they don%26#39;t get to go very often, it should be fun for both. There%26#39;s also a movie theater (in the mall) and a skating rink in Bangor.

The Jesup Library in Bar Harbor has a really nice children%26#39;s room that your kids might enjoy for an hour or so. There%26#39;s an Oceanarium and the Whale Museum. Ellsworth (about 30 minutes from the Bar Harbor) has a duck pin bowling alley that the kids really enjoy.

Bar Harbor also has the YMCA with a basketball court and swimming pool. Your family can get a day pass. The pool is great for all ages. They have ';bubbles'; for inexperienced swimmers so your daughter will be able to swim on her own.

Rainy day activities with small children

Thank you! My 3 year old does not have the best patience in a restaurant. Can you recommend a couple restaurants that are toddler friendly?

In addition to the sites mentioned in previous posts, our kids liked the Dorr Museum on the campus of the College of The Atlantic in town:

http://www.coa.edu/html/museum.htm

It has a touch-tank where you can see starfish, sea cucumbers and various other sealife first hand. I think Diver Ed stocks the sea-life for the tank. Diver Ed is another activity your kids will enjoy, maybe not while raining though.

Also check out the Junior Ranger Program put on by the NPS. You can buy the booklets at the Acadia NP visitors center. Buy the booklets early in your stay as it may take some time to finish. After your kids accomlish the necessary activities they get announced as Junior Rangers in the visitor center. Our kids really liked this.

Gay Friendly Accommodations on Mount Desert Island

My boyfriend and I are planning a vacation to Acadia National Park, and are looking for gay friendly places to stay on Mount Desert Island. Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Gay Friendly Accommodations on Mount Desert Island

Haven%26#39;t you heard? The whole state is gay-friendly! If you wait 90 days to come, you can even get married here.

Are you interested in a hotel or a Bed and Breakfast? Bar Harbor or one of the other villages on the island?

I really don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll encounter much of a problem in the Acadia region.

Two B%26amp;Bs in Bar Harbor that I would recommend are Saltair Inn, right on the water, right in the village of Bar Harbor and Hearthside Inn, on a quiet side street in the village of Bar Harbor. But there are many other places. You could check out sleepbarharbor.com

Gay Friendly Accommodations on Mount Desert Island

Bar Harbor (and Maine in general) are pretty gay-friendly overall - did you here our Gov. just signed a same-sex mariiage law yesterday? A proud moment for this state, in my opinion.

Suggestions for accomodations in Bar Harbor will depend more on your preferences for the type of lodging you prefer (large hotel, small b%26amp;b, etc.), your budget and the time of year you%26#39;ll be traveling. Also consider if you want to be within walking distance to downtown shops/restaurants or a little further away from the crowds.

With a little more info, I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll get some suggestions.

Thank you both for your quick replies. Yes, I have heard about all the progress that has been made with moving forward on same-sex marriage in Maine. Very exciting news!

To answer a few of your questions, we%26#39;re hoping to visit in June (I know! Very last minute!) and are quite flexible about a place to stay. We would prefer either a cabin/cottage setting or a B%26amp;B (Saltair Inn looks stunning! Thanks for the suggestion). We%26#39;ve done a little research into places to stay in Bar Harbor and Southwest Harbor. Also, we would prefer to stay within walking distance of town and ideally be near the water as well. Thanks again for your advice.

Now, if I can only convince my boyfriend to marry me . . . but I guess that%26#39;s for another forum! :)

Given your preference for walking distance and being near the water, then Saltair is a good choice. It is a short stroll from the village center (and actually, the whole village isn%26#39;t all that large). Saltair %26lt;is%26gt; on the water; there is a pair of Adirondack chairs down near the shore.

Deluxe Oceanfront Motel & Cottages

Has anyone stayed here at Old Orchard Beach?? Would love to hear opinions looks nice but there is not much written about it anywhere!!! THanks!

Deluxe Oceanfront Motel %26amp; Cottages

Sorry - no first-hand knowledge, but I found these comments online:

http://www.insiderpages.com/b/3715966048

Deluxe Oceanfront Motel %26amp; Cottages

I have google earth downloaded ,and I checked it out and it is quite a ways up on east ave.If your looking for something closer to the pier then you might want to look elsewhere.It has to be aleast a mile or more from the pier.Just wasnt sure if you knew where it was.It looks like its on the beach side though.

Hi, my family has stayed there many years. It is exactly 1 mile from the pier. It is quite expensive. we are paying 1926.00 with tax for a 2 bedroom right on the beach for 1 week this summer. Thats a lot. The room is large enough but the furniture is old and doesn%26#39;t match, but all the hotels there seem to be the same. They might be cheaper, but furniture will be old and not match. If you have small children, it is quite a walk to the pier. Good restaurants in the area are The Clam Bake which is past Deluxe and take a left. The Captains Galley is good for breakfast and dinner. that is on the main road when you get in to town off the highway. The motel is quiet. Mostly families. If you are looking for luxury this is not the place. But if you want a quiet place right on the beach with no trouble, its good.

thanks for the info! I loved the location (right on the beach) we had stayed at waves last year and I did not like the fact that you had to walk to far to get the little ones to the sand. I was concerned about the fact that they barely advertise I was afraid it might be a dump....... I am definitely not looking for luxury, just easy for kids and clean.....

Hi we stayed at the waves also,and the waves isnt as far as this other place.You can try a1vacations.com they have listings for rentals.

I am interested in anything else you may hear, I am staying there this summer for the first time. To the person who has stayed there many times- do you rent a motel room, or one of the cottages? I am renting one of the apartments on the 2nd floor supposed to be nice. I don%26#39;t mind if it%26#39;s old, just so long as it%26#39;s clean. I chose the place because I wanted ';right on the beach';, and they accept well behaved dogs.

thanks

G

Camden or Stockton Springs?

Renting a waterfront house with 2 kids ages 10 and 7 for a week on the coast prior to going to MDI/SW Harbor for 4 nights. I was leaning toward Camden area due to location and proximity of towns, activities, hiking, gallery hoping, ice cream, restaurants.

Someone told me Camden is now all t-shirt shops and recomended a house north of Searsport right on the water in Stockton Springs. They said Belfast proximity was great for restaurants etc and could get out on Blue Hill penninsula easy. It is 15 miles or so to Belfast and 7 to Searsport.

Any recomendations on which is better as we want enough to do but don%26#39;t want to be overrun with tourists?

Camden or Stockton Springs?

Well, Camden is hardly all t-shirt shops...but it can feel overwhelmingly crowded in height of season.

Belfast should offer enough dining options if not looking for real fine dining (that Camden would offer).

I agree that proximity to Blue Hill is a plus from Stockton Springs.

You may want to consider somewhere farther south (e.g. Boothbay Harbor area, Pemaquid/New Harbor/Owl%26#39;s Head, etc)also.

Camden or Stockton Springs?

Guess I%26#39;d sum up the choices this way:

Accessible harbor with lots of sailboats, commercial windjammer schooners, and a few ';working boats'; coming and going.....Downtown area with a mix of T-shirt shops, nicer commercial establishments and fine variety of restaurants.....Camden would be your choice.

More rural, small-town feel with fewer in-town restaurant choices but perhaps a better chance for the kids to just ';run around and be kids'; -- Stockton Springs (so long as you%26#39;re not right on US Rt 1!).

Belfast%26#39;s downtown has been growing rapidly recently...lots of new shops, restaurants, and a great place for kids called The Game Stop....more games in stock than you can imagine....

Wherever you stay, as you head from the mid-coast to Mt Desert Island, allow an hour or so for a stop at Fort Knox State Park and the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory. The observatory is built into one of the towers of the bridge and offers a spectacular 360 degree view of the surrounding area -- with the mountains of Mt Desert Island visible in the distance. And Fort Knox is a fantastic place for 7-to-10 year olds to mix imagination and history! Google Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Fort Knox State Park for more info.

Thanks for the insights. All good but still feeling stuck.

Without knowing a lot more about you, it%26#39;s tough to make a definitive recommendation... One persons ';over-run with tourists'; is another%26#39;s average summer group of folks on the sidewalk...

You also don%26#39;t say ';when'; you%26#39;re coming, which might make a slight difference. In general, tourist season in Camden begins the week of Memorial Day and lasts at least through Labor Day, and now even later into the Fall. Does that mean you won%26#39;t be able to find a parking space downtown or get to the town pier on the harbor? No. But it also means you won%26#39;t necessarily find a parking space right in front of the restaurant or shop you%26#39;re going to and that you won%26#39;t be the only one standing on the wharf looking at the boats in the harbor....

If it%26#39;s any consolation, whichever one you choose, you%26#39;re still close enough to some of the other things you want to do without driving great distances... From Stockon Springs, it%26#39;s not that far to Camden to walk the streets and see the harbor. From Camden, you%26#39;re equally close to Camden Hills State Park, with some great hiking trails and a wonderful view of the mid-coast (and Camden Harbor in particular)from the top of Mt Battie (you can climb it or drive it...).

I wouldn%26#39;t lose sleep over making your choice...both should give you a fine visit to Maine.

Thanks. Good thoughts and suggestions. We are coming mid-August. You are right that it is all relative when gauging crowds. I work in NY so everything may seem less crowded. Net/net, we want enough to do within good proximity but don%26#39;t mind lazy mornings either.

Stay in Camden. Stockton Springs will seem like the middle of nowhere with nothing at all to do. Camden is definitely NOT all t-shirts.

Agree with Bonniemaev - Camden.

Having travelled around New England last month having booked all accomodation in the UK I can fully understand your dilema. We stayed in Camden and thought it was lovely. I didn%26#39;t notice that many T - shirt shops but I did enjoy spending money in many beautiful and interesting shops that we found on Main street. We also did a trip up to Bar Harbour from there and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would say that you will good access to many other areas from Camden although I do accept it may be somewhat busier than when we went.

chin blackheads

Suggested stops between Boston and Bar Harbor?

We have 5 nights to meander up the coast of Maine, ending at Bar Harbor, before we return to Boston and fly home. Thought we%26#39;d start in Kennebunkport, and end with 2-3 nights in Bar Harbor. Any suggestions for the extra night or two along the way? And will we be able to find lodging during August (11-15) or are things filling already? Any advice on motels/hotels in any must-see stops would be appreciated.

Suggested stops between Boston and Bar Harbor?

Do you have 5 nights total? It takes a good long day to drive from Bar Harbor back to Boston (take the highways, not the coastal route back, Rte 1 is SLOW)

Of course, you could easily spend a week or more on the Maine Coast just getting to Bar Harbor and never see it all. What are you interested in - history, museums, shopping, eating lobster? That would help in figuring out where to stop along the way. Do you want to see and/or do the popular attractions or do you want to visit out of the way, less busy spots? Maybe a little of everything ';Maine';? What does your budget for hotels look like?

Suggested stops between Boston and Bar Harbor?

Camden is a nice town to spend a night in. So is Portland. You will be able to find lodging if you start looking now. I certainly wouldn%26#39;t wander up the coast in mid-August without any reservations anywhere. Maine is not like some other states with five chain motels at every interstate exit. Almost all of the lodging along the coast after Portland and Freeport is NOT chain.

Thanks for your responses. We want scenery and seafood primarily. We live in the Chicago area and can live without shopping, etc. Right now we plan to spend three nights in Boston, and another two nights on the way to Bar Harbor. In Bar Harbor, we%26#39;ll spend another 3 nights, and we have a full day to drive back to Boston (6 p.m. flight).

Right now we%26#39;re thinking of a night in the Kennebunk area and a night in Camden area. I will make reservations in advance but just want to plan our time carefully. Or should we plan a night in Portland and then Camden?

Were it me, I%26#39;d go for the Portland-Camden option. Portland, especially the Old Port area is delightful and Portland abounds in excellent restaurants. It also has a number of walking trails if you have the time and are so inclined:

www.trails.org/map_files/existingtrails.html

If art interests you, on the way to Camden is the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland. The Farnsworth largely is dedicated to works about Maine or by artists with strong Maine connections. It also is the home of the Wyeth Center, dedicated to the works of N.C., Andrew, and James Wyeth.

On your way here from Camden, stop at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory (you can%26#39;t miss it, and the Observatory is worth it).

I agree with the Portland - Camden overnights. Kennebunkport is sn easy drive from Boston and is very scenic with lots of nice places to stay and eat. No chains hotels or restaurants here so you need to book ahead now. Lots of B %26amp; B%26#39;s and small Inns and one large historic hotel, The Colony. It is on the way to Walker%26#39;s Point which is a beautiful loop drive out to see the Bush summer home. Resist the temptation to stop at every harbor town along the way or you%26#39;ll never get to enjoy where you are in any degree of depth. The Farmsworth Museum in Rockland is a wonderful small Maine museum. I also recommend a stop there. You will love Camden, a wonderful village and sailing town. There are several schooners that you can sail on for an hour or two if you want to get out on the water. You should drive up (or hikeup) Mount Battie at the Camden Hills State Park. The view is breath taking and you will understand why Edna St. Vincent Millay so inspired to write her famous poem, Renascence. Camden has loads of B %26amp; B%26#39;s, but again no chains. Lodging will be less expensive just before or after Camden and there are many places to choose from. Book now if possible.

If you have suggestions for lodging around Camden, I%26#39;ll all ars. I did see a post a few days ago mentioning the Lodge at Camden? Something like that. . . I%26#39;ll have to go searching. Good to know that a night in Kennebunk isn%26#39;t worth it. Maybe we can make it from Boston to Portland Monday night, then we%26#39;ll have Tuesday and Wednesday for Portland/Camden area before arriving in Bar Harbor Wednesday night.

You will easily make it from Boston to Portland. I wouldn%26#39;t say that a night in Kennebunkport isn%26#39;t worth it; I think the suggestions to do Portland and Camden are attempts to equal out your distances.

Actually, there is a ';chain'; hotel in Camden. It%26#39;s part of the Best Western chain:

http://www.camdenmaine.com/

We have stayed at the Lodge at Camden Hills in their stand-alone cabin. It was a very nice spot, complete with gas fireplace and jacuzzi. We often stay at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, which has a beautiful golf course and inside/outside pools. They have recently renovated their rooms.

WE did this journey last month and stayed the first night at the Hotel Regency in Portland which was very nice even though we didn%26#39;t really fall for Portland and then stayed at the Lord Camden Inn, Camden which we loved. The inn was fabulous, try to get a view of the harbour and the town was lovely.

Driving from Maryland to Bar harbor ME

I am planning a road trip to Bar Harbor ME at the end of June and looking for ideas for a place to stay over night on the way up. I would like it to be around the half way point. I am spending two nights in Boston on the way home but am stumped about where to go on the way up. I am leaving Sat morning and checking in is evening Sun.

Driving from Maryland to Bar harbor ME

CT is about the 1/2 way point. You could always swing over to Mystic or Old Saybrook and stay along the CT shoreline. If you like gambling there are 2 casinos in CT and I%26#39;m told the accomodations there are great. At the top of Rt 84 is Old Sturbridge Village on the CT/MA border. There are a number of hotels and it%26#39;s an interesting place. From Sturbridge it%26#39;s about 6 hours up to BH depending on traffic.

Driving from Maryland to Bar harbor ME

I second Sturbridge. We drive from Salisbury every year to Maine and have stayed in Sturbridge before. It%26#39;s a good point because it doesn%26#39;t take too long to get through Massachusetts. If you want to spend any time exploring the Maine coast on the way to Bar Harbor, you%26#39;re able to get to the Maine border within about 2 hours. Also, Route 84 to Route 90, then 495 in Mass is the quickest way to go (vs. 95). If you do choose 95, Coventry, RI, is also a good stopping point.

Hi Baltimore!

Sturbridge also has the benefit of being on the most direct and quickest route between Baltimore and Maine.

I-95 is neither the fastest nor the most direct route north. It%26#39;s congested and it passes through the Boston area.

Northeast of New York City, my favorite route is the Hutchinson River Parkway out of the New York area followed by the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut. These parkways have the advantage that big trucks have difficulty using them because some of the bridges are too low. It%26#39;s a more pleasant ride, with the trucks all down on I-95.

As you%26#39;ve seen on your atlas, going north your object is to reach I-495, which by-passes the Boston area completely, saving both time and congestion driving.

David

Easter Buffet?

Looking for a restaurant serving an Easter Buffet in Portland or vicinity. Checked out the one at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth but they want $60 per person and menu wasn%26#39;t that enticing. Eastland Park Hotel also offers one but reviews of the hotel haven%26#39;t been that good so a little leery of going there. Seafood options would be a plus.

Easter Buffet?

The Muddy Rudder in Yarmouth serves a buffet only on Easter and Mother%26#39;s Day. You can check it out at:

http://www.muddyrudder.com/fmh/functions.html

We have gone on Mother%26#39;s Day and greatly enjoyed it. At that buffet, people can also order off the menu if they prefer.

Easter Buffet?

I%26#39;d thought there would be some Easter dinner ads in this past Sunday%26#39;s newspaper. Alas, there weren%26#39;t. I can re-post if and when I see any.

Thank you I would appreciate that.

Any thoughts on the Eastland Park Hotel?

Meagan Leigh

I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s a buffet, but the Regency in Old Port is serving an Easter brunch and the menu looks quite yummy. I stayed there last weekend and I would highly recommend both the hotel and their breakfast/brunch.

Today%26#39;s Maine Sunday Telegram has ads for the following buffets:

Verrillo%26#39;s (exit 48 Maine Turnpike) 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.: adults:$16.95, seniors: $12.95, children 6-10: %26amp;7.95, 5 and under: free; reservations: (207)775-6536

Wyndham (363 Maine Mall Road) 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.: adults: $24.95, children 4-12: $12.00; reservations: (207) 775-6161

Sable Oaks Marriott (200 Sable Oaks Drive) 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.: adults: $28.95 (10% discount for seniors) children under 12: $14.95; reservations: (207) 347-6874

Saltwater Grill...ate there last year and it was good.

anyone know any places downtown that would be good for dinner or a later meal. I get into town around 1:30 in the afternoon and by the time I get to my hotel, the HI by the bay, I will have missed the brunch since it ends at 2. I won%26#39;t have a car so somewhere in walking distance would be best. Thanks so much and Happy Easter all.

Frank: The HI is walking distance to the Old Port, a highly concentrated area of shops %26amp; restaurants. You%26#39;ll find whatever you%26#39;re looking for, whether it be pub or high-end dining. It%26#39;s tough to recommend a specific without knowing what you%26#39;re interested in, but you%26#39;ll find plenty to choose from in a four-block radius. Enjoy!

There is also a mothers day buffet at:

Haraseeket inn in freeport, 60 for adults, 30 kids.

';Events on Broadway'; retsaurant in South Portland (in todays paper which i do not have now)

Vignola had a lovely 3 course prix fixed menu but they are all booked already.