Summer in Vacationland; Part 2: summer lists

Rarely do I heed my own advice. I put great effort into the research of fun things to do in the state of Maine. Three months ago, I wrote a blog post about some of the great ideas I had for things that I wanted to do here in Maine this summer. Technically, we’re just about halfway between the first day of summer and the first day of autumn, but in the minds of most of us, summer runs between Memorial Day and Labor Day, or if you’re on kid time, as I am, the last day of school through to the first. This is when it really FEELS like summer. The stores stock summer stuff like barbeque tools, beach chairs, flip flops and bug spray. There’s that antsy sense that something is going to happen. We open the windows. We seed the garden. It’s a beautiful thing. Part of what I like to do is to make a list of all the things I want to do in the summer, given that it’s my favorite time of year. Here is a streamlined version of the list I made on May 5th and the status of each item.

1. Bike the carriage trails at Acadia National Park. – didn’t do this yet, but it’s still on the radar. I’m quickly running out of weekends.

2. Go to Sandy Stream Pond in Baxter State Park. – this is still on the agenda, too, perhaps for the early fall?

3. Spend a day (and night) at Old Orchard Beach. – spent an evening, but not the day at the beach, yet. This weekend might be the opportunity to do that.

4. Fairs and Festivals a plenty. – Bangor Fair is going on right now, and I haven’t been so far this week. Haven’t been to a single other fair this summer. This is really bumming me out since I really do enjoy them so much.

5. Maine has some beautiful lakes and ponds. – okay, here’s some success – spent the 4th of July at Swan Lake, just picnicked at China Lake, and am planning a family gathering at Long Pond next weekend.

6. Organized fun – theme park style: Funtown in Saco with its sister water park, Splashtown. – well, we did a BIG theme park, Busch Gardens, but that doesn’t qualify as a Maine thing to do. We did spend a day at the Funtown/Splashtown parks which was a lot of fun.

7. The beaches of York and Wells – went to Wells on a few occasions, went through both Wells and York on the way to Virginia. Haven’t made it to the beaches of either so far. (like how optimistic that sounds? So far . . )

8. Nature walks and hikes – okay, did the Rachel Carson nature walk and hiked at Camden Hills state park.

9. Shopping: well, I didn’t really do much for shopping. Went to the Grasshopper Shop a few times, but no other funky shops or boutiques. My bank account has been stretched too thin to spend unnecessarily.

10. Art galleries: not a one. This is really sad. I love to visit them, but hey, this one can be done in the winter, right?





So, okay. I haven’t done everything on my list, but I did hit a few, and though I am running out of weekend, the next few are busy ones, and there’s still a chance that I can do some of the other things I set out to do.



What have I done? Let’s see here. A quick little cruise through my photo archives tells me a few things:

1. Spent time in the garden, not only starting my veggies and flowers and nurturing them to the thriving greenery they are now, but also visited other gardens, like the Ornamental Garden at the University of Maine.

2. Planned and executed a great 11th birthday party for my daughter with a camping theme, fun games, good food, and fun had by all. Definitely one she and her friends will remember.

3. Spent a day with our good friends, Dean & Karen at Swan Lake. Picnicked, sunbathed, gave my daughter’s surf board a test run, and laughed our butts off.

4. Had quite a few campfires in the fire pit we got, some with friends around, some just the three of us. Lots of s’mores.

5. Ate quite a bit of seafood, from the fried variety to the steamed and dipped in butter, we enjoyed the area’s bounty. I’m expecting more will be consumed in the coming weeks.

6. Did a road trip to Machias, through the blueberry barons, to the UMaine campus there where my husband spent formative years, and to Fort O’Brien for a picnic. I’ve been wanting to go out there for years.

7. Sold old car, bought new car.

8. Had a great vacation – yes, outside of vacationland – but a wonderful time nonetheless. A day in New York City, Broadway, The Lion King, The American Girl Store. Virginia Beach. Roller Coasters, water parks . . .I could go on, and will, in upcoming posts.

9. Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream. Jimmie’s in Brewer, Dairy Queen, Garsides in Saco (best ginger ice cream I know)

10. Created some good memories with my kid, whether it was the two of us singing out loud in the car to the Zac Brown Band’s “Toes” or seeing her face after she rode Apollo’s Chariot for the first time or laughing hysterically in the theatre during intermission.

Summer might be coming to the end as far as the hot weather, no homework, free and easy part of it may be concerned, but what we’ve done so far is enough to carry me on through for some time. I vow to try my hardest to live in the moment and enjoy the good things about summer in Maine, or about summer in general. I will appreciate these little things:

1. summer dresses and the ease of summer dressing

2. the smell of basil, rosemary, and tomatoes on my hands after stroking them in the garden.

3. sitting at a picnic table with my favorite people on earth eating an egg salad salad sandwich, a bag of salt & vinegar chips, and a whoopee pie for dessert.

4. ice cream dripping over the cone on a steamy night

5. those snappy red hot dogs

6. flip flops, open windows, the smell of sunscreen, the sound of crickets

7. running in my neighborhood in the morning before work

8. staying outside late, the smell of barbeque, the lack of seriousness

9. the quiet of the University campus during summer break, no traffic, plenty of parking

10. no shivering, no shoveling, no scraping, no scarves, mittens, or long johns, no early sunsets, no portable heaters, no slipping or sliding just to get into the house, and no frozen anything except freeze pops and ice cream.

This morning I actually heard some one say “hey, four more months and we’ll be snowmobiling!”

Enjoy your summer!!!

50 MORE Things to do in Maine

Emily Burnham, writer for the Bangor Daily News, came up with a great list of 50 Things to Do in Maine This Summer. Here’s a link to her list: http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/145829.html.




After reading it and taking some notes of things to add to my own summer calendar, like going to the Whoopie Pie festival in Dover-Foxcroft on June 26th and checking out Thai Chili ice cream at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream, I got to thinking about how I could add to Emily’s list.



Could I come up with ANOTHER 50 Things to Do in Maine This Summer? Here’s my attempt



FESTIVALS



1. Strawberry festival – South Berwick – http://southberwickstrawberryfestival.com/default.aspx Saturday, June 26th. Food, crafts, strawberries, of course. Features a bake-off, juried craft show with over 120 artisans, and entertainment. This festival is always the last Saturday in June, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Central School grounds across from Town Hall. Phone (207) 384-2882 for details.

2. Canoe Hullabaloo Celebration – Old Town June 18th & 10th. N. Main Street, Old Town 207-827-8744 or http://www.rivercoalition.org/canoe_hullabaloo Nightly entertainment, canoe races, road races, canoe regatta.

3. Windjammer Days – Boothbay Harbor - http://www.chambermaster.com/directory/jsp/events/EventPage.jsp?ccid=538&eventid=3003. June 22nd & 23rd 48th Annual Windjammer Days in Boothbay Harbor. Enjoy fully rigged windjammers sail into Boothbay Harbor. Two days of family fun, pancake breakfasts, waterfront concerts, art & craft fair, hometown street parade, antique boat parade and fireworks over the harbor! Great fun for all!

4. Lupine Festival – Deer Isle - 9th annual celebration of Island springtime: garden tours, local foods supper, open studios, boat-plane-schooner trips, quilt show, craft fair, kids activities.  Deer Isle-Stonington Chamber of Commerce – 348-6124

5. La Kermesse Franco Americaine Festival – http://www.lakermessefestival.com/ Jun 24 thru Jun 27, 2010. Starts with a block party and goes on with events on Friday (parade, dining and entertainment) through Sunday. Held at St. Louis Field on West Street between Prospect and Hill Streets

6. Great Falls Balloon Festival – August 20th - Auburn info at http://www.greatfallsballoonfestival.org/ This is a big one, stretching over 3 days.  Includes a photo contest and crafts and games.  Food vendors are local area organizations. 



7. Saco Spirit Sidewalk Art Festival – June 26th Jun 26, 2010. Over 100 artists and craftsmen will line Main Street and Pepperell Square during the Saco Spirit Sidewalk Art Festival, transforming downtown Saco into a giant art gallery from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For 40 years artist have traveled from all over New England and beyond to participate in what has become for many exhibitors one of their favorite festivals of the year.

8. Moxie Festival – yes, you heard right. Held July 9th – 11th in Downtown Lisbon Falls. More info at http://www.moxiefestival.com/

9. Maine International Film Festival – July 9th – 18th, Waterville. More info at http://www.miff.org/

10. 4th of July Celebrations: all over the state. Check local listings. Old Orchard Beach, Portland’s Eastern Promenade, Bangor. Day and time varies.

11. Yarmouth Clam Festival – July 16, 17, 18th in Yarmouth. More info at http://www.clamfestival.com/home.php lots of food, not just clams, great crafts set up, games and challenges. 

12. Bangor State Fair – July 30th – August 8th in Bangor. Schedule of events and more info at http://www.bangorstatefair.com/ longest continually running agricultural fair.  Over a week long event, there are rides, lots of games, food from everywhere, stadium shows, a photo contest, stage shows. It's a blast. 

13. Schoodic Arts Festival- Aug 02 thru Aug 15, 2010. A two week celebration of arts and culture, including 65 workshops, 26 evening performances, free brown bag lunchtime performances, an art show, a silent auction, and much, much more. Most events occur at Hammond Hall. Phone (207) 963-2569 for details or visit http://schoodicarts.org/festival/festival-information



14. Maine Lobster Festival – this is a big one in Maine – held in Rockland Aug 04 thru Aug 08, 2010. The Maine Lobster Festival is one of New England's great summer events. Tons of steamed Maine lobsters, waterfront activities, maritime displays, Maine arts, naval vessels, harbor cruises, entertainment and a parade. For info phone (207) 596-0376 or (800) LOB-CLAW.

15. Machias Wild Blueberry Festival - Aug 20 thru Aug 22, 2010. This is the 34th Annual Machias Wild Blueberry Festival. The Downeast region of Maine produces some 85% of the world's blueberries. The festival features baking and pie eating contests, over 200 craft booths, foot races, a blueberry musical comedy and a variety of musical entertainment. For info phone (207) 255-6665 http://www.machiasblueberry.com/

16. Camden Windjammer Festival – Camden Harbor http://www.camdenwindjammerfestival.com/. You can tour some of the ships in the harbor. There’s a build-a-boat race after teams have constructed their boats on site. There’s food and dancing in the streets. And it all takes place Labor Day weekend. Great way to wrap up the summer.



AMUSE YOURSELF

17. Seacoast Fun Parks – one in Trenton and one in Windham. http://www.seacoastfunparks.com/ Go Karts, Climbing wall, mini golf, Windham has a slingshot trampoline and a giant sky swing. Trenton’s got waterslides and a water wars set up to blast each other.

18. Funtown USA – Saco, Maine http://www.funtownsplashtownusa.com// - this is a nice amusement park to visit. You know I am a big fan of big roller coasters, but this park holds a special place for me because it was where I had my first job as a teen.

19. York Wild Kingdom - York - http://www.yorkzoo.com/ Fun as a kid, fun with your kid.  Check out York Beach while you're in the area.

20. - Aquaboggen Waterslide – Saco, Maine - http://www.aquabogganwaterpark.com/ another park on my resume, this one is the original waterslide in Maine and has expanded tremendously over the years. Prices are really reasonable.

21. Palace Playland, Old Orchard Beach – http://www.palaceplayland.com/ – claims to be the only beachfront amusement park in New England and I can’t argue with them. While you’re there, eat Pier Fries and caramel corn. Take a walk on the pier. It’s hokey and fun. The rides include a small roller coaster, giant swing, classic carousel, and a Ferris wheel that offers awesome views of the beach. The best part is that it’s free admission. You just pay for the rides you go on and don’t have to buy a day pass to just walk around and do a couple of rides or play games. Great people watching, too.

22. Mini golf – lots of places around the state. Really too many to list, but I found a directory online www.miniaturegolfer.com/maine_miniature_golf_courses.html



EAT AND SHOP

23. The Big Chicken Barn – you read that right. Antiques shopping in an old chicken barn. http://www.bigchickenbarn.com/.

24. Marden’s Salvage - http://www.mardens.com/ - if you happen to be near a Marden’s and you have time to shop, you’ve got to check it out. You can find great deals on things you didn’t know you needed. Great for seasonal decorations, garden stuff, flooring, and truckload sales of things like brand name pottery, women’s clothing, fishing and camping gear and golf equipment. Loads of fun to browse. We even saw a full sized disco ball there once . . should have bought it when we saw it.

25. Strawberry picking – a June tradition. Try Lavigne’s Strawberry Farm in Sanford. http://www.pickyourown.org/ lists farms around Maine.

26. Blueberry picking – late July and August – http://www.pickyourown.org./ I went to Blueberry Hill Farm in Acton a few years ago and picked gallons of berries in a short time. They’re high bush berries so they’re easy to pick.

27. Open Farm day – this year it’s July 25th. Farms around the state open their barns, lay out samples of their products, and give hay rides. www.getrealmaine.com/

28. The Clambake – Scarborough - http://www.clambakerestaurant.com/ – I know there are lots of places to get fried seafood, but I’ve been going to the Clambake as long as I can remember. Portions are huge, especially in the off season, and prices are reasonable. The Captain’s and Mates plates are big enough to share. You can sit in one of the giant dining rooms or out on the glassed in porch. On our last visit, an egret stood in the marsh and ate while we did. Save your leftovers to feed the seagulls outside. They wait to swoop in when people walk out with food.

29. Garside’s Ice Cream – Saco – my favorite ice cream place of my childhood. Try the ginger ice cream. Peppermint is fabulous, too. I have sweet memories of black raspberry cones.

30. Big G’s in Winslow has these giant amazing sandwiches. The bread is soft and the fillings are incredibly generous. The whoopee pies are the size of whoopee cushions. http://www.big-g-s-deli.com/

31. GUNS, WEDDING GOWNS, COLD BEER. While you’re in that neck of the woods, just stop in and check out Hussey’s General Store in Windsor. http://www.husseysgeneralstore.com/

32. Governor’s Restaurants are famous statewide. You’ve got to check out the desserts. The Old Town location is the original and has a neat miniature train track that runs through the dining rooms. June is their anniversary and they’ve got great specials going on through the end of the month. http://governorsrestaurant.com/

33. Pat’s Pizza – http://www.patspizza.com/ – 13 locations in the state, with the original in Orono. All I’ve got to say about the pizzas: It’s the sauce. It’s amazing.



SWIM & PLAY

34. Bunganut Lake State Park in Lyman/Alfred has a nice playground, parking, and the water is clear and sandy bottomed. Great place for taking the kids

35. I almost don’t want to divulge this one. My family has been going to this pond for generations. Long Pond in Parsonsfield. No web site. Search for it on a map in that area. The Road Between the Ponds (yes, that’s really the name) has a small beach area through the woods. The pond is shallow and sandy. Great for family fun. Clean and sandy.

36. Mousam Lake in Acton. There’s a small public beach, but it’s a great place to rent a cottage for a week. Lots of activity on the lake: boating, waterskiing, etc.

37. In the Bangor area, take the family to the Beth Pancoe Pool right next door to the Mansfield Stadium. Believe it or not, this public pool has two multi story waterslides, a zero entry kiddie area complete with things that dump and spray. There’s a grassy area if you want to bring your blanket, chairs and a picnic. There’s a playground just outside and beware, the ice cream truck idles outside on hot days.

38. University of Maine Campus Recreation Center welcomes guests from the community at a daily rate of $7.00. The pool is indoors and is well suited for family fun. there are two lap lanes, an open recreation area, a twenty something person hot tub, and shallow play area with fountains to splash in and my personal favorite, a circular vortex pool (that’s right, continuously whirling water). A blast on a rainy day or when the sun shines too brightly for tender skin. www.umaine.edu/campusrecreation/facilities/recreationcenter.html

39. Mother’s Beach, Kennebunk – we have so many awesome beaches in this state, but this is a good one for families. It’s a small beach. It’s locally known as Mother’s Beach but the real name is Kennebunk Beach. It’s the southernmost beach in Kennebunk. Follow Beach Street until you reach the small parking lot on the ocean side. There is a playground just steps away, thus the name “Mother’s Beach” as it makes a great place to take the kids for the day. Low tide exposes rocks to climb and tide pools to explore.

40. Fortune’s Rocks Beach, Biddeford- the name comes from the millions of smooth beach rocks that are deposited on this beach. At low tide the beach is wide and flat. Tidal pools and seagulls make it a quintessential Maine beach experience. Off of route 9 in Biddeford.

41. Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Mt. Desert Island – it’s worth it to pay the entry fee to the park, but get there early for good parking. There are bathrooms and changing rooms. Steps lead you down to the beach from the parking area to a soft sandy beach. Spend the day and enjoy the views of Acadia and Great Head.

42. Macworth Island – Falmouth – there’s a nature trail that wraps around the island with a couple of places you can get down to the beach. Views of Casco Bay. There’s a fairy garden to contribute to if you’re so inclined. Gather things along the path like pine cones and shells. Follow the signs for the Baxter School for the Deaf from Route 1. www.trails.org/map_files/mackworth_page_description.html

43. Scarborough Marsh canoe rental – Scarborough - www.maineaudubon.org/explore/centers/marsh. You can rent a canoe or kayak and paddle around the marsh. Take a tour or do a self guided one and learn about this important part of Maine’s ecosystem.

44. Biking the carriage trails at Acadia is one of my favorite experiences. Forty five miles of groomed, broken stone roads that are free of vehicle traffic. www.nps.gov/acad/historyculture/historiccarriageroads.htm. You’ll be able to find a route that will be suitable for all ages and abilities. You can circle around Eagle Lake, head over to Jordon Pond for lunch, make your way up Day Mountain and enjoy the long coasting ride down. Many places to picnic.

45. Try walking on peat bogs. Well, not ON them, on the boardwalks built over them. In Saco, the Saco Heath www.sacobaytrails.org/sacoheath.shtml and http://celestecota.blogspot.com/2010/04/saco-heath.html Also check out the Orono Bogwalk, part of the Bangor City Forest http://www.oronobogwalk.org//. Very cool afternoon stroll.



OTHER DIVERSIONS

46. Feel like getting high? Ok, not that kind . . . check out the glider rides offered by Acadia Air Tours http://acadiaairtours.com/. You can take a ride over Bar Harbor, Cadillac Mountain, or the Beehive. My husband took me up over Bar Harbor when we were first dating and it was amazing. Bring your camera.

47. Dive In Theatre – Diver Ed http://divered.com/ You take a boat ride out into Frenchman Bay in Bar Harbor. Ed dons scuba tank, video and sound equipment and heads into the bay, showing you the creatures that live at the bottom of the bay. Captain Evil (nice name) stays topside to narrate the tour. They have a touch tank where you can check out the sea life they bring up before it gets returned to the sea. It’s a two hour adventure that the kids (and you) will love.

48. Searsport Flea Markets – Route 1 in Searsport – lots of free fun to check out the stuff they have for sale. You can paw through records, lunchboxes, bottles, things you haven’t seen since childhood, and things you’ll wonder “why?”

49. Perry’s Nut House – Belfast - http://www.perrysnuthouse.com/. As long as I can remember, this has been a fun stop. The fudge. The candy. The nuts, of course. The funhouse mirrors and wacky stuff they have there are worth the stop.

50. Saco Drive In – Saco – Route 1 – Been to a drive in lately? The Saco Drive in runs current movies. There’s a comment on their Facebook page about parents taking their kids to the drive in in their pajamas. My parents did that, too! It was fun then and still is. Their burgers are good and greasy, like drive in food should be.

Wow. I did it. We’ve got a lot to do here in Maine. If you live here, get out and enjoy what’s in your backyard. If you’re visiting, have fun deciding what you’re going to do because you have a lot of choices!





General Information and the source for some of the information provided here comes from these websites. Personal experience has been added.



http://www.maine.info/events/festivals



http://www.visitmaine.com/

Maine Travel: Bangor Like a Local (by a local)

Thomas Hill Standpipe, Bangor Maine

If you would have told me five years ago that I would be living in Bangor, Maine, I would have squinted my eyes and said something that would have included some choice swear along the lines of “no *&^%ing way.”

Yet, here I am. And I love it.




I grew up in the southern part of the state, which is where the bulk of Maine’s population resides, where the big city of Portland is, and as far north as I had ever expected to live. I had been to Bangor once, in college, merely passing through on a geology class field trip to Baxter State Park. I think we stopped at the mall to pick some one up. I didn’t even get out of the van. Bangor held no interest.

I moved out of Maine in my early twenties, first to New Hampshire, then to Connecticut for a twelve year stint. During that time, my friend Joe moved from the same area in southern Maine where we had met back to his home turf in Bangor. I figured we’d never see each other again, and if we did, he was going to have to travel because no way was I going THAT FAR NORTH. 

Well, I fell in love with my friend Joe and married him last summer.  I moved to Bangor more than four years ago. 


Reality is that Bangor is only two hours from Portland and well worth checking out. Its proximity to the flagship campus of the University of Maine in nearby Orono gives the area a diversity that’s unexpected. It is also the city that serves as central point to a large part of eastern and northern Maine, Washington and Aroostook counties. The lack of large cities in those counties gives Bangor the responsibility of providing social service offices, hosting regional tournaments, and maintaining a civic center and auditorium that affords the area the ability to enjoy concerts and conferences that would otherwise be inaccessible to many. It’s got the largest high school in the state. Each July, Bangor hosts the Bangor State Fair, the http://www.bangorstatefair.com/ and in August, Bangor is home to the American Folk Festival, which is a 3 day event, closing down streets near the city’s waterfront and attracting world class music acts on multiple stages. The food is fabulous and the whole thing is free. Please make a donation to keep it so. Here’s more info on the Folk Festival: http://www.americanfolkfestival.com/

Bangor resident Stephen King's home.

The city really is the cultural and commercial hub for eastern and northern Maine.



So enough about the history of the city. What do you do when you live here? How do you do the Bangor area like a local?

Start downtown. From one end of Main street, just off interstate 395, you can:



1. ATTEND an event (concert, garden or other trade show) at the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center http://www.basspark.com/.

2. TAKE a gamble (adults only, of course) on the slots and the state’s only casino, Hollywood Slots http://www.hollywoodslots.com/.

3. EAT - Geaghan’s for awesome burgers and onion rings, Paddy Murphy’s Irish Pub for some brew and grub, Central Bagel, the Friar’s Bakehouse, just to name a few downtown establishments worthy of your dining dollar. 

4. ENJOY: live theater by the Penobscot Theater at the Bangor Opera House http://www.penobscottheatre.org/. 

5. SHOP:   some of my favorites are The Grasshopper Shop http://www.grasshoppershop.com/
Metropolitan Soul http://www.metsoul.com/, The Briar Patch, and Rebecca’s – all within walking distance of each other and all very cool places.  Side note:  Look for my photo cards at shops downtown!

7. DISCOVER: The Maine Discovery Museum resides on a large block of Main Street and remains one of my daughter’s favorite places to go. Three floors of children’s exhibits that are interactive and educational and just plain fun. if you’ve got kids and you’re in Bangor, GO. Admission is reasonable and you can spend hours http://www.mainediscoverymuseum.org/.

8. ART: the University of Maine Museum of Art is on Harlow Street and exhibits contemporary artists. Check out http://www.umma.umaine.edu/.

All this is just downtown. Thursday nights this summer the city offers live concerts in Pickering Square. Also this summer, the Arts & Crafts fair on the waterfront, the city’s Art Walks. You can find more info right here at www.maine.info/cities/bangor/events.php

If you’re looking for some outside activities check out Bangor’s City Forest for some hiking and biking trails http://cityforest.bangorinfo.com/index.htm. While you’re there, take a nature walk on a peat bog boardwalk http://www.oronobogwalk.org/.

Bangor International Airport will welcome you if you're flying. 



Interstate I95 will get you here if you're driving. 



Hotels and accommodations:


Any of the usual aggregators will find you a room. There are dozens of hotels in Bangor. Do be aware, though, that it’s not always easy to get a room, so don’t think you can drive into town and find one. There are many area events that bring people to town. For example, this weekend is the Special Olympics Summer Games on the University of Maine campus and participants come from around the state, book rooms, eat out, shop, etc. I had a friend who thought that of course he could get a room, it’s only Bangor, right? Wrong. He got a room, but miles out of town at a boutique hotel and twice the cost of a regular room in the city. His arrogance in thinking – as I had so many years ago – that there’s nothing here, cost him.

So if you’ve got time in Bangor, whether an overnight for a sports event or driving through on your way to maritime Canada or just looking for a new place to check out, surprise yourself with what Bangor has to offer.

Maine Travel: Camden Hills State Park, Mt. Megunticook

As we near the halfway point of this year, I took a look at some of the new year’s goals that I wrote down way back in January. As far as travel is concerned, one of the goals I had was to go to at least five places I had never been before, with two of them being in the state of Maine. Well, I hit a couple of new places this past Memorial Day weekend and will tell you about one of them today.




I told you all that I’ve been restless and craving adventure, so when my husband proposed going to Camden Hills State park to climb Mt Megunticook, the highest mainland mountain on the Atlantic coast, I thought “Cool! Nice day, blue sky, some exercise, some fresh air, more than likely some great photo vantage points, and it being Camden, plenty of scenic ocean vistas.” I was certainly game.

We packed a picnic cooler and set out, my husband, my daughter, and me. We meandered our way to Route 1 just north of Searsport and continued south, through Belfast and into Camden. Before reaching the harbor area and downtown Camden, we arrived at the park. Camden Hills State park flanks both sides of Route 1, the ocean side and the mountain side. Nearly noon when we got to the area, we decided that it would be best to have our lunch before climbing, saving a dessert something for the top of the mountain. We pulled into the ocean side of the park, paid the entry fee ($7.00 for 2 adult Maine residents, kids free) and drove down towards the shore. We parked in the south shore access parking lot and grabbed our lunch for a short hike. When we reached the shore trail, we could see the ocean, but were a bit leary of hiking down to the water, although there were people down there. It was a bit of a steep decent and with kid and cooler and an injured knee, we thought better of it and picked one of the picnic tables in the sun. After our leisurely lunch of sandwiches, chips, and cut up veggies, we packed it up, and got back in the car to cross over to the mountain side of Route 1.

We found the hiker’s parking lot, swapped the sneakers for hiking boots and spotted the trailhead for Mt. Megunticook. The trail is rated a 2 (moderate) and is well marked with blue blazes. The wet areas have board walks over them. Many of the inclines have small steps fashioned from the stones, making the climb a bit easier at some of the steeper points. We saw many other hikers with walking sticks and thought that might be a good idea for our next trip. The pamphlet issued by the park said the trail was a mile long and would take us about an hour to summit. It was a really pleasant hike with a few rests along the way. The weather was perfect for hiking that day, sunny but relatively cool, in the low 70’s with a breeze. The bugs were minimal. I heard a buzz in my ear, but got no bites, unusual for late May, prime black fly season. Sooner than I expected, I would spot the clear blue sky indicting an opening in the tree canopy and therefore Ocean Lookout, our destination. The summit is another ½ mile climb and we were content to enjoy the view from there before heading back down. From Ocean Lookout, you can see as far as Deer Isle, North Haven Island, and out to Owl’s Head light. Spread before you is beautiful little (or so it seemed from that height) Camden Harbor.

A nice harbor village with funky little shops and restaurants, a visit to Camden, complete with blog report and photograph, is sure to be forthcoming later this summer. The Lookout is a cliff of sorts and my husband commented that when he climbed Mt Meguniticook a decade earlier (without me) birds had hung aloft at eye level. I saw four hawks of some kind floating out there.

The hike back down was pretty easy, taking us 40 minutes to reach the parking lot. Along the way, my daughter spotted this little nest, snuggly tucked in under a fallen branch on the side of the trail. The eggshell color is just beautiful!

After a few minute rest in the parking lot, we decided to head over to Mt Battie. Mt. Battie has a stone tower at the end of it’s auto road that offers panoramic views.

Camping facilities are available at the park. You can visit http://www.campwithme.com/ for more information and to make reservations. Within an hour’s drive of the park you can visit other state parks such at Fort Point and Moose Point state parks. You can also explore Fort Knox State Historic Site and visit the lighthouse at Owls Head.



Camden itself has a lot to offer. Check out http://www.visitcamden.com/ for more information and check back for my reviews on our visit.

More info about Maine’s state parks can be found at www.maine.gov/doc/parks



I would recommend decent hiking shoes for the hike up Mt. Megunticook and the aforementioned hiking/walking stick is a good idea, too. Of course, sunscreen and bug spray are always a good idea. Bring plenty of water, too, but if you forget, you can buy bottled water from vending machines near the park gate on the mountain side.  Definately bring your camera and binoculars. 



Most of all, enjoy Maine’s state parks. They really are awesome.



I’d love to hear from anyone reading this about your experiences in any of Maine’s state parks.

Maine Travel: "Guaranteed" Moose sighting at Sandy Stream Pond

When visiting Maine, many people come with some preconceived notion that the state is just overrun with moose. By the look of the souvenir shops, you’d think that the creatures are in everyone’s backyards, tethered to hitching posts, knocking over trashcans, and creating extensive traffic issues throughout the state. As a native Mainer, I can tell you that this is not the case. Spotting a moose is a rarity. I see deer, fox, and coyotes much more often than I’ve ever seen moose. So when my boyfriend said that there’d be “guaranteed” moose sightings if we went to Baxter Park’s Sandy Stream Pond, I was skeptical.

Exit 244 off of Interstate 95, about an hour and 15 minutes north of Bangor, will take you into Millinocket, Maine. On your left as you go through town is the Baxter State Park office of the reservation clerk. We found it very helpful to stop in. The woman at the counter was able to call ahead to the Togue Pond gate house and reserve us a parking spot at the Roaring Brook Campground parking lot. Allow yourself a half hour from Millinocket to the Togue Pond Gate. On the way, you can’t miss Pockwockamus Rock. It’s a huge rock by the side of the road that’s painted with Keep Maine Beautiful over a scene of a stream, black bear, and the mountain beyond. One side of it is painted with rainbows and birds.

Once you’ve parked, follow the signs. The trail is well marked. You’ll cross over Roaring Brook, its cold clear water running over smooth river rocks. It’s a short hike into the woods to Sandy Stream Pond on a well worn trail. Relatively level, it is an easy walk in the woods.



The day in June that we arrived at the pond, a few groups of visitors were scattered on the protective boardwalks but it was far from crowded. Before us and beyond the pond, there is was Mount Katahdin. Just as my husband had promised, there was a moose in the pond. A cow, she stood chest deep in the water, alternating between submerging her head into the water and chewing the grass she pulled up from the bottom. For the couple of hours we stayed at the pond, she moved very little, only to find fresh grass. I took photos, many of them, but as evidenced by my photographs here, I didn’t yet have my zoom lens. We had packed a lunch and sat to enjoy it on a large rock on the edge of the pond. The whole time, the moose ate and dunked, ate and dunked, as if we – and the other groups of hikers – weren’t even there. Eventually she walked out of the pond and into the woods.

When you go to Baxter State Park to see moose at Sandy Stream Pond, be sure to bring bug spray. The mosquitoes are huge and the horseflies could carry you away.

You can find detailed directions, park hours, and reservation information here: 

http://www.mtkatahdin.com//


http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/

Enjoy your visit! 

Ice Cream pitstop:

In Lincoln, south of Millinocket, there’s a great ice cream (and car wash) called Gilmor Farms. I had the Almond Joy, which was lusciously coconutty. My daughter had cotton candy, which she loved, and my husband had the – get this – Teaberry ice cream. Teaberry gum was my favorite when I was a kid and had I seen it on the menu, I surely would have ordered that. It was cool and smooth, just like I had remembered. My husband devoured it quickly despite his claim to be “not much for ice cream.”   You can bet that we'll return for more when we go back to Baxter State Park.  http://gillmorfarm.com/sitemap.aspx  Check out the flavors list!!

Maine Travel: Marginal Way and Mount Agamenticus

I have so many places to tell you about. I was looking back through my photography over the past few years and you might guess that I have photographed each place we’ve visited and I can only say that we’ve been around. For today, I want to share a day we spent last September in Ogunquit and York. Let’s dub this another in my Spend the Day series.

We packed a fine lunch of sandwiches, cut up veggies and cookies for this one, thinking that somewhere along the way; we would find a nice spot to rest and refuel.

Marginal Way is a 1 ¼ mile paved walkway that begins in the parking lot at Perkins Cove and ends at the beautiful Ogunquit Beach. The walkway meanders along the rocky shore, affording stunning views of the cove, its shops and restaurants and sailboats on the water. The beautiful day that we were there, the deep blue ocean sparkled with the sunlight. Along the walk, there are points where you can step off and take in the view from an outcrop or beach. At the start of the walk that day, some creative souls had built rock towers that as we passed, were nearing their ends as the crashing waves crept closer and closer to their bases. We walked to the end and turned around to return to where we had begun. The kids were hungry and tired. It was Labor Day weekend, a very busy time on the walk, and their desire to run was hindered by baby strollers and lots of folks enjoying the day.

Upon returning to Perkins Cove, we grabbed our portable cooler, packed with our lunches, and walked through the village to a spot at the end where we sat near a small boat launch area, on the rocks by the river outlet, and enjoyed our lunch and the view.


Though it had been many years since I had been to Marginal Way in Ogunquit, it was pretty easy to find. From Route 1 in Ogunquit, follow Shore Road. As it nears the water, Shore Road bears to the right on its way to Cape Neddick and points south. Look for the signs for Perkins Cove, staying nearly straight as the road bends. Most likely you’ll see traffic heading that way. It leads you down a narrow street which will open into a large parking area. It is well worth the few bucks to pay to park there, rather than back out on Shore Road, opting to walk into the Cove area, although there are many nice little shops along Shore Road and a good sidewalk for pedestrian use. More info on what’s in Ogunquit can be found here: http://www.ogunquit.org/

With the kids wanting to run, we thought: The Big A. That’s the local name for Mount Agamenticus in York. http://www.agamenticus.org/recreation.html Back out onto Route 1, just south of Ogunquit, bear right onto Clay Hill Road (also called Agamenticus Road and Mountain Road). Follow these directions to Mount Agamenticus Park http://www.agamenticus.org/directions.html.

From the tower you can see the Presidential Range, with Mount Washington, in New Hampshire as its star. From the lodge deck, you can see the shoreline, with the Cape Neddick lighthouse and York beaches, all the way up the coast past Kennebunkport. It was beautiful. We walked the Witch Hazel trail that day, but had previously done the horse trail. There are more extensive trails, for hiking and biking, but that would have to wait for another day. The kids especially loved the large open area where they rolled down the hill’s green grass. We saw lady slippers in the woods and enjoyed checking out the old ski tow equipment that still stands on the mountain, a glimpse of its former life. There are picnic tables and waste disposal. We have picnicked there on another visit. Maps are available at the entry and along the paths as well.



The area has so much to offer, depending on what you like to do. You could spend the whole day, or a few days, exploring Ogunquit’s stores, restaurants and beaches. There are many funky little B&B’s as well resorts and larger hotels. The beaches – well, they’re beautiful in this part of the state – just what you expect for a beach holiday – and I’ll save that for another entry.

Hope you enjoy your active day in Maine!!