Thinking of taking a trip up to the Maine coast or Mass.(S.Yarmouth) or Montauk N.Y. in Jan. or Feb. Will we be freezing our buns off or is there enough to keep us busy that time of year? My husband loves to fish and I'm a shopper. Thanks anyone,
Lisa

I live in West Yarmouth and I really don't know why you want to go to the coast in the dead of winter, and yes you will freeze your buns off.
But if you must go, Businesses in Hyannis, Yarmouth, Dennis, Sandwich are usually always open year round, where other parts of the cape are more seasonal. Forget about Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard which are virtually abandoned.
Can't speak for the fishing. Your best shopping bets would be for antiques.
Here are some winter weather ideas: bundle up and go for a walk anyways (the beach is still beautiful), have tea at the Dunbar Tea room in Sandwich or the Tea Shoppe in Mashpee, enjoy Provincetown with far less crowds (although far less shops open- still nice to explore), shop at Mashpee Commons (lots of interesting little stores and shops), get a spa treatment somewhere (I like Nicara Spa and Salon in Hyannis), have late breakfasts and early dinners and settle in for a long winters nap and dream of returning in better weather.

Hi and thanks for your reply. Would early Dec be any better? How about March? Your suggestions sound great!

Early December would be better than January but still cold and possibly snowy. March is usually cold and snowy in New England. Many restaurants on the coast of Maine will be closed. Portland and Freeport are great cities for shopping and dining and will be your best bet at this time of year. LL Bean and outlet stores are located in Freeport. You could certainly do a lot of holiday shopping in early December.

I agree w/ the above, if you came to Maine in January. The best bet would be to stay in Portland area, so you're on the water. And if you like the shopping part, you can drive 15 miles north to Freeport and go to L.L. Bean and the other outlets (good deals in Jan.) or just shop in the stores in the Old Port. There are a few brand new hotels in downtown Portland, like the Hilton Garden or the Portland Harbor Hotel, otherwise, you have the Holiday Inn, Eastland Park or the Regency. Good Luck

But why? If you don't need to be here then, I'd stay away. Gawd, I wish I could be away then! From where are you coming? Are you used to the cold?
That said... If you are going to Maine, December would be the best choice. There are a few holiday festivals (such as X-mas Prelude in K-port), and many of the shops and restaurants stay open for them. A lot is closed Jan-March. There's also a Christmas something in Newport, RI that's supposed to be great, and that would be quite a bit warmer.
I take it neither of you ski... Something like Woodstock or Stowe, VT would be festive that time of year.
Heck, if you're going where it's cold, maybe you should check out the Winter Fest in Quebec City!
Good Luck.

I wouldn't recommend it. I lived in Maine for five years and winter is totally dreary and it's usually way too miserable outdoors for being out and about to be the least bit bearable.

Make sure you bring your surf board.The winter months have the best surf and no restrictions on where to surf.As to fishing you will need to go offshore.

Also realize that the roads can be treacherous, especially if you are not used to north country winter driving. I don't know of any salt water fishing in the dead of winter other than possibly deep sea cod. Ice fishing on freshwater lakes is very popular in New England in winter.

The coast of Maine is delightful, but probably not in the winter season unless you"re a polar bear. We visited the coast in mid-May and even had some cool days with rain. Do go, but choose a better season. I would suggest late May or early June for nice weather and fewer crowds. Yarmouth on the Cape can be cold and clammy in the winter. I personally feel that seaside communities are best viewed in appropriate weather. As for shopping, the Cape has a large mall (indoors) and a number of interesting shoppes, but many close down for the season after Oct. 11. Hope you find a warmer location for the activities that you described. What about the west coast of Florida?

I couldn't think of a worse place than Maine in January unless you are skiing,and I would still rather do that west.

My Mother ives in Maine and most people from MAine try ot go south for the winter. We were there in January one year and I kid you not it was 18 degrees below zero with a wind chill of 35 below. The harbor in Bar Harbor was frozen solid and we were crazy to even have driven there. She lives in Bangor and comes here to Connecticut for balmy winters LOL.

Well, just to add a little levity or insanity to this discussion, I have to report that I happen to love the coast of Maine--year round. It doesn't happen often, but there is occasionally a January thaw, and you actually can encounter a non-winter, fairly warm day on the coast. I think any coast is milder than inland weather, and if I had an opportunity to go to the Maine coast, I would go--no questions asked.

Do the locals leave the state January through March?

Montauk NY is cold in the winter, there are few things open but there are also motels that do year around business. I grewq up in Montauk and visit often. I consider it home. So recommend the Oceanview motel in Montauk, ask for a upstairs corner oceanview room. You will have a balcony facing the ocean for great sunrises. There is nothing like the ocean in winter. They have an indoor heated pool too. For meals John's pancake house is open for breakfast and lunch. Oyster Pond is open for dinner as is the Shagwong bar and grill, or for lighter meals John's drive in has burgers. It is quite and still on the "East End" in the winter with little to do, but the Hamptons is just a short drive inland about 20 miles. If serenity is what you are searching for it's here.