hillyhof

We are starting our trip up the coast with 3 nights in Portland or Kennebunkport (not sure which will be our base) before moving on to Camden and Bar Harbor.

Is this a good idea? I have read reports that Kennebunkport and Ogunquit are overrun with tourist shops. I have also read mixed reviews re Portland-- some say it's artsy and others say it's rundown. Help please.

clarkgriswold

I answered your other thread but it seems to have disappeared. Were you able to see my response? Maine coast is full of tourists in July/August, you won't be able to avoid that. But Kenn/Oqun is no worse than Camden and Bar Harbor.
Portland is a huge CITY, with the traffic and parking problems that come with visiting any city. It has a good reputation as a foodie destination mostly.

Kennebunkport:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIm3ELruSJY

Ogunquit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aK7Gp69mtE

hillyhof

Thank you for your feedback. (No, I did not see your other response.)

clarkgriswold

I don't know if you'll consider the towns "overrun with tourist shops". They're not full of t shirt stores and hot dog carts, it's more antique shops, vintage shops and artisan bakeries. But there is traffic, and there are tourists. Lots of Canadians, some Europeans, lots of New Yorkers, plenty of kids.

If you let us know a little more about what you're looking for, we can help steer you in the right direction. Cabin/cottage in the woods? Seaside B&B? Rustic motel by the lake? Full service resort at the ocean?
There are certainly some quaint towns where you can avoid the general onslaught of tourists and traffic...but it depends on how far off the grid you'd like to go. From some of the islands and peninsulas, you're a long drive from more than one restaurant and the general store.

dfrostnh

Portland is a very foody place. We live close enough so southern Maine can be a day trip for us. When we vacation, we prefer the mid-coast area. Camden is beautiful and I love the view from Mt Battie (a great place to picnic, don't forget the binoculars) but we like the Bath or Wiscasset area better. The Bath has a great Heritage Days festival over July 4 and very good farmers market.

The Old Port area in Portland is full of shops and restaurants. You can park in the garage near the ferry terminal and enjoy the mail boat cruise to islands in Casco Bay. Just south on Cape Elizabeth, Fort Williams Park is a beautiful huge park with great views of Casco Bay. Another great picnic place. If you don't bring your own, you can buy a lobster rolls from Bite Into Maine food truck that is parked there. We did not explore the lighthouse or the small beach area.

The further north you go, the more rural it gets except in the popular tourist towns like Camden which keep getting bigger and bigger. This is far different from the Harpswells east of Brunswick where the towns are very small and there's some wonderful lobster places also some public conservation areas where you might be the only people. I like the Giant Steps walk along the cliff. Shorter and not as dramatic as the Marginal Way in Ogunquit but you are also not going to run into dozens of people. You can do some easy hiking. There was one very private but public beach that had an access road that was deeply rutted. Once we got there we saw only one small family group enjoying the beach and a couple of fishermen. So even on 4th of July weekend you can find quiet, peaceful spots. Just not in Boothbay, southern Maine or Camden.

steviegene

My husband and I went up the coast last fall. We spent one night in Portland and two in Camden. We enjoyed our trip very much. We basically drove around, looked at the beautiful scenery and ate at some terrific restaurants. You could make a more active vacation of it if you are into hiking or kayaking, etc. We thought Maine was beautiful and well worth a visit.

elberko

I think it really depends on how you picture spending your time.

I've been to coastal Maine a dozen or more times, and the first few times tried out a number of towns. In the end, I couldn't spend more than a day in most of them, because of my interests. I don't like to shop, or drive around looking at scenery. I like to be outside, hiking. Sometimes biking or kayaking. For me, heading straight to Acadia/Bar Harbor makes sense.

I do like to spend 1 or 2 days in Portland on the way up. I think it's a great little city, with good restaurants, and I HAVE to get breakfast pastries at Standard Baking Co. I don't think Portland is run-down.

The only other place I can recommend is Stonington, at the tip of Deer Island. Not touristy at all--really just a fishing village, and there is a mail boat you can take from there to Isle au Haut, an isolated part of Acadia NP.

I'm sure you will find a good plan for whatever interests you!

~Liz

hillyhof

Thank you all so much for your input. You have given me a lot to think about.

bennnie

I love Kennebunkport - we bought a small place there a few years ago. Goose Rocks Beach is lovely to take a walk. There are nice restaurants of all sorts and, of course, lots of shops - Seaglass Jewelry is a favorite. You can kayak, golf, take whale watching trips and sunset cruises. We never get bored. In Portland, you can also take harbor cruises, see a SeaDogs ballgame (my personal favorite) and enjoy the nice restaurants.