barbfdny

We are traveling from NY to Searsport ME in August using our travel trailer. We will be stopping in Wells at a campground overnight the first day. We will continue to Freeport to see L.L.Bean and any quick sites there. Then onto our destination of Searsport Oceanfront campground in Searsport. We will be traveling I-95 then to rt 1.
Heres an overview of us... Husband, me and 2 teen boys and the dog. We love the roadside america landmarks and will find a few in Maine. I am a photographer and love the scenery. Hubby and 13 yr old love to hike. 14 yr old is big into planes. None of us have ever been to the beaches or bays other then NJ which is not the same so we want to experience all we can. Everything we do must include the dog. None of us have ever eaten lobster before and want to find a cheap place to buy it near our campground in searsport. Basically we want to stay near our campground since we don't want to drive all over to waste time. We will be at the campground 5 days.
Where are the cheap lobster places near Searsport?
Where are good places to go with boys and the dog near searsport?
Where is a cheap souviner shop near searsport that we can get t-shirts and other stuff?
Any cool "weird" attractions or roadside america stuff near the campground?
How can we avaoid tourist traps and "busy places in august?
my email is [email protected]. PLease feel free to email me and websites, tips, tricks and helpful stuff we can use.
MOst importantly...we are on a budget and are trying to stay away from amusement parks, fairs, and other money sucking activities since we have all those things where we live.

emalloy

Are you coming from NY city or elsewhere in NY?

If from the NY city area, consider taking I 95 to I 91 to I 84 to I 90 (Mass Pike) to I 495 to I 95 to rt 1. This cuts diagonally through CT and part of MA and avoids both Boston and Providence which are places that often have lots of traffic.

If from farther north, then just take I 84 or I 90 to 495,etc.

dfrostnh

We've stayed at Searsport Shores and it's a lovely small campground right on the ocean. It was several years ago and a nice young couple were managing it. You should be able to do a day trip to Acadia. On the way, stop at the Chicken Coop Antiques and Used Books on Rt 1. Great place to browse and find some good reading material. It's been awhile since we explored Belfast. Let the campground managers direct you to the best place to get lobster. As I recall, the place we went steamed them and there were indoor picnic tables but you had to bring everything like napkins and drinks. You certainly don't won't to steam them in the camper because of the smell but you could bring them back to the camper to eat.
Camden is pricey but the fee to drive the auto road up Mt Battie for the views is worth it. Plan on a picnic lunch. We bring our bag chairs etc. Don't forget binoculars.

If you visit the Owls Head Transportation Museum near Rockland, go on the weekend when they have events. If your son is lucky, it will be a weekend when they are flying antique planes. Our favorite place for steamed lobster is Waterman's beach near there. Price is pretty comparable to other lobster shacks. Cheapest lobster is to find a large supermarket where they steam lobsters to go. Here in NH that is the Hannaford, Market Basket and Shaw's supermarkets. Sometimes in summer, esp August, the price gets down to $4.99/lb (live weight) for chickens (1 lb) but it's a treat to have a 1 1/2 lb lobster rather than two 1 lbs. The little claws are just big enough to suck some meat out of if you're willing to work at it. Kitchen shears work fine. Soft shells are easy to open. Just melt some butter, have some chips and pie for dessert.

The hike to Owls Head light is short and easy. There's another path down to the water and you can also picnic there. Free.

Almost all the beaches north of Portland are rocky so don't expect sandy beaches.

Since two like to hike I think a splurge on a boat trip out to Monhegan Island might be worth it. The trails are ok for everyone. Take a picnic lunch.

One you get past Portland, there's not a lot of tourist traps. Rt 1 goes right thru downtown Camden. Expect stop and go, a little downhill then uphill. If you're used to pulling a camper it's no big deal.

Another campground to check out for the future is Chewonky in Wiscasset. It's on an old farm situated on a tidal river. A real small place, large sites except for the 3-ways so we just get a 2-way and dump later. Some sites are tent only. Nice pool.

What we've discovered in some areas like the Harpswells (east of Brunswick) are conservation areas that are open to the public. Check tourist info and local websites for something like this. You can hike for free and some places have secluded ocean front.

clarkgriswold

Take 95 all the way up to route 3 then Route 3 towards Belfast and up to Searsport. I wouldn't waste time trying to drive Route 1 in August (traffic!) towing a trailer. There is really not much to see on most of Route 1 as you must get off the main drag and drive 5 to 20 miles down the various peninsulas if you want to see the ocean. I can't think of many stretches of route 1, south of Searsport, that are considered "roadside America" anymore, more like roadside mini mall and motel.

barbfdny

Thanks for all the replys. A few comments to them. We don't ever cook in the camper anyway, we cook on the open campfire so boiling lobster in a pot on the fire is no big deal for us.
We are coming from the Albany NY area and we are stopping in Wells on the way for 1 night..got the route all mapped out, we hope. We are coming from a very small town in upstate NY..population 325. Daughters graduating class last year was 27. We are going to avoid all things touristy, crowded, expensive and if we can get it here, we don't want it there.
"Roadside america" refers to the odd, weird, creepy and fun side of things to see like the giant Paul Bunyon statue in Bangor, the pink dino near searsport, Perrys nut hut where they have a mumified man...http://www.roadsideamerica.com/location/me/all
Can't do any boat trips..got the dog and refuse to leave her in the camper alone.
We will be at the campground during the week, traveling tuesday, getting there wednesday and leaving monday..all weekdays while the traffic is slow during the day....we hope.
The campground offers rides to the sears island to hike and there is a state park with in walking distance so that cures the hiking bug.
No time to sit and read, we are a go, go, go family..maybe when I hit my middle 40's I will find time for a good book to read. Kindle fire keeps everyone reading in our house.

Keep the tips coming..loving it!!!!

dfrostnh

Sorry, forgot the dog might not be able to go on boat trips. The view from the top of Mt Battie is the best in Maine so don't miss it. The chicken coop book place is really a former chicken coop. The inside is quite nice and my husband admired the structure.
What's your route if you're coming from the Albany area? Going thru Bennington and over to Brattleboro VT?
Not sure of the cost to visit the Albacore Sub Museum in Portsmouth but I think it's more interesting than a dinosaur. You can just drive right by it.
And if you go to Bangor, the Cole Transportation Museum is very interesting since it deals in work vehicles, not classic cars.
You used to be able to see the old schooner wrecks when you drove over the bridge in Wiscasset on Rt 1 but they've been gone quite a few years.