Hello: My 13yo son and I are flying into Portland this week and I've been so busy I haven't planned anything except renting a car. We have a full week and aside from going to Pemaquid Point to see the lighthouse I don't know what else we should do. We definitely don't want to do Old Orchard Beach etc.. and would prefer to go north.

I'd like to drive up to Pemaquid after we fly into Portland, spend a few days up there and spend about 2 days in Portland at the end. Everything is fair game in between. I don't want to drive more than 1.5 hours from Portland. We're not the hiking type so nothing to strenuous.

Some things I'd like to do:
1. Whale watch or lobster boat ride
2. Get a taste for true Maine culture
3. Experience some sights (like Pemaquid) my son would like
4. Would love to go on a Moose tour if not too far.
5. Would love suggestions for non-touristy restaurants in and around Portland. We like going where locals go, not tourists.
6. Get an idea of hotels we can stay in, preferably not B&Bs that aren't kid friendly.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

www.nps.gov Acadia NP beautiful area head there

Best guide for restaurants is to go to chowhound.com and look in the Northern New England section. Portland gets a lot of posts (do a search) because there are so many great restaurants. Although you might be looking for great seafood, there were recent comments about where to get good Bahn Mi sandwiches and always, Duckfat gets great reviews.

Rockland is about 2 hours. Really best lobster shack is Waterman's Beach. Check the Owls Head Transportation Museum to see if it appeals to your son. My choice would be Farnsworth Art Museum (some great examples of Maine artists) but that is probably not what your son has in mind. The walk to Owls Head Light is not long nor difficult and has some great views.

The mailboat ride out of Portland is probably not as interesting as a lobster boat ride BUT it's some Maine culture if you get the first trip when workers are on board headed to jobs on one of the islands. The mailboat is how some kids get to school!

A lot of Maine people can't afford to live in coastal cities. You might have to go inland. Plus the logging industry used to be more important to Maine than it is now. Check to see if there are any events at logging museums. We saw college teams competing in ax chopping once at Leonards Mills Logging Museum (near Bangor). We got lucky on one visit to Owls Head Transportation Museum when they had a weekend feature of old tractors and planes. A family brought a restored Lombard Log Hauler that looks like a steam engine and we ran into an old gent who used to work on one. These replaced horses in the woods.

There's some important agricultural work being done in Maine. There's Johnny's Seeds in Albion and Eliot Coleman market gardens year round where the Nearings used to live (Living the Good Life authors). There are demonstrations gardens.

This time of year you might find an early country fair and see some 4-H kids. Google search. Read the local newspapers (check for weeklys at the local supermarkets) and find some local events like ham and bean suppers. Sometimes you see a sign outside a church or grange hall. One year we followed signs to a great lobster benefit dinner for a local volunteer fire dept. Check the community news in the local papers and perhaps posters at local libraries. Last week in NH, i.e. we attended a great author event and dessert buffet in a small town. I'm keeping watch for a local fiddler's picnic that is usually held in August. You might find a farm holding a special event like a garlic festival. Go to a PYO place for blueberries or early apples (blueberries and vanilla yogurt area a great snack). Check to see if there are any kayak or easy hiking trips with an Audubon group. Go to a farmers market and ask some questions if people aren't busy. (markets in our area have people selling seafood, locally raised meat, as well as vegetables.)

If your son has a specific interest, do some google searches. DH loves antique tractors and recently attended an antique tractor show in Eliot, ME (near Portsmouth NH). There might be a particular shop that appeals to your ds (LL Bean in Freeport?) A music store? We used to have to go to army surplus stores with DS. Bike shop? Classic cars? RC cars and planes?

It is a little early to do college visits, but there might be something interesting going on at some of the campuses in the area. Check out Bowdoin in Brunswick, Bates in Lewiston, Colby in Waterville, U Maine with campuses in Orono, Farmington, Gorham etc. If you google them you can find out what is going on at each.

PORTLAND-

We love the mail boat cruise from Portland. You son probably will enjoy the narro gauge railroad ride. http://www.mainenarrowgauge.org/

Definitely stop at Duck Fat for their fries.

You can take a look at my Portland trip report from last year for more food and attraction ideas:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-june-2010.cfm

Google the Bath Maritime Museum in Bath. He might enjoy that. Boothbay Harbor, about an hour south of Pemaquid, has a small aquarium, lighthouse tours, harbor cruises on either power or sail boats, lobster boat trips, whale watches, Cabbage Island clambakes where you go to an island on a boat and the clambake with lobster is all set up for you. We like Browns Wharf Inn there. Although it's on the "other" side of the harbor, it's an easy walk over the footbridge and a better view. You would need reservations. Just before the Pemaquid Pt Lighthouse, stop at the Pemaquid Craft Co-op for Mom. Lovely things reasonably priced. Great sandwiches across the street at Riley's (?).

Greenville is a great place to visit in Maine! There is tons of outdoor stuff that he would enjoy. It is a beautiful place to get away! There is ATVing, Fishing, Whitewater Rafting, Moose Safaris, Boat tours, and much more!

Northeast Guide Service
Whitewater Rafting, Moose Safaris, and Waterfall Hikes
www.northeastguideservice.com
888-484-3317