Maine in June 2007 with kids
Feb 21st, 2007, 05:22 AM
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Maine in June 2007 with kids
My husband, kids and I are planning a trip to Maine from May 27 - June 3rd. We are flying into Boston (for a wedding) and are pretty flexible with our itinerary. We have to young boys (ages 4 and 8). To cut down on the driving time from Boston, we are looking at the Southern portion of Maine. We would like to stay in quaint little towns and see lighthouses. Any suggestions on places to stay (inns or B&B's preffered) or things to see ? Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.
Feb 21st, 2007, 07:02 AM
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Kennebunkport is a nice town. You could easily drive up to Portland and tour L. L. Bean, have lunch and shop. I stayed at White Barn Inn in KB but there are numerous B&B's in KB. Try to have dinner at Arrow's in Ogunquit which is a small neat town between Portsmouth and Kennebunkport. President Bush has a home in KB. Have fun.
http://ogunquit.com/index.cfm
http://www.whitebarninn.com/
http://www.arrowsrestaurant.com/
http://ogunquit.com/index.cfm
http://www.whitebarninn.com/
http://www.arrowsrestaurant.com/
Feb 21st, 2007, 07:40 AM
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While I agree with Ike that Kennebunkport and Ogunquit are both nice towns for a visit in southern Maine, I have to strongly disagree that Arrows would be a good place to eat with two young boys.
Nubble Light in York and Portland Head Light would both be worth a visit. In York, the Dockside Guest Quarters is quaint and waterfront, although not walking distance to town. http://www.docksidegq.com/
Nearby, Portsmouth (NH) has an historic downtown and has a decent children's museum.
Nubble Light in York and Portland Head Light would both be worth a visit. In York, the Dockside Guest Quarters is quaint and waterfront, although not walking distance to town. http://www.docksidegq.com/
Nearby, Portsmouth (NH) has an historic downtown and has a decent children's museum.
Feb 21st, 2007, 08:51 AM
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I think Portsmouth and the children's museum is an excellent suggestion but since it's so close to Boston maybe just a stop on the way to or from Maine. Consider a harbor or inland rivers cruise. It will be quite cold on the water at that time of year if you go out in the open ocean but not too bad close to shore. Near Portsmouth is Odiorne Point that has a nice marine biology center/touch tank etc. It's popular for school field trips.
York is a very popular family vacation area with great sandy beaches and the Marginal Way in Ogunquit is a great walk but when quaint and Maine are in the same sentence I think more further north. Should you decide to go as far as Camden, Glenmoor-by-the-Sea in Lincolnville offers a variety of accomodations. We stayed in a unit with a separate tv/sitting area that was great. Nice continental breakfast delivered to the door. The view from Mt Battie (take the auto road) is fantastic esp if you're lucky enough to see windjammers moving in and out of the harbor. Owl's Head Light in nearby Rockland is a very short hike to a great view and the boys might enjoy the Owls Head Transportation Museum. Last year we were there on a weekend when they were flying antique airplanes. I think you could stay in the Brunswick area and do Camden as a day trip. From Brunswick you can explore the points. The Harpswell area is very rural. There's also an old fort or two to explore. If you aren't going to get back to Maine very soon, I think you should consider the drive. If you can get a harbor cruise based at the Maritime Museum in Bath, you get to go by the Bath Iron Works where huge ships are being built. Bath is near Brunswick, very convenient to Rt 95. The great lobster shacks should be open by then but warning, some only serve lobster. Should you go to Brunswick and explore Harpswell, Estes has both lobster and a varied menu and you can eat by the water. Don't forget your binoculars!
York is a very popular family vacation area with great sandy beaches and the Marginal Way in Ogunquit is a great walk but when quaint and Maine are in the same sentence I think more further north. Should you decide to go as far as Camden, Glenmoor-by-the-Sea in Lincolnville offers a variety of accomodations. We stayed in a unit with a separate tv/sitting area that was great. Nice continental breakfast delivered to the door. The view from Mt Battie (take the auto road) is fantastic esp if you're lucky enough to see windjammers moving in and out of the harbor. Owl's Head Light in nearby Rockland is a very short hike to a great view and the boys might enjoy the Owls Head Transportation Museum. Last year we were there on a weekend when they were flying antique airplanes. I think you could stay in the Brunswick area and do Camden as a day trip. From Brunswick you can explore the points. The Harpswell area is very rural. There's also an old fort or two to explore. If you aren't going to get back to Maine very soon, I think you should consider the drive. If you can get a harbor cruise based at the Maritime Museum in Bath, you get to go by the Bath Iron Works where huge ships are being built. Bath is near Brunswick, very convenient to Rt 95. The great lobster shacks should be open by then but warning, some only serve lobster. Should you go to Brunswick and explore Harpswell, Estes has both lobster and a varied menu and you can eat by the water. Don't forget your binoculars!
Feb 21st, 2007, 10:20 AM
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Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Portland, and Boothbay Harbor are all very nice.
There is also Bar Harbor - this in another 2 1/2 hours north of Portland.
The tourism board will send you a free travel planner which is pretty helpful.
http://www.visitmaine.com/
There is also Bar Harbor - this in another 2 1/2 hours north of Portland.
The tourism board will send you a free travel planner which is pretty helpful.
http://www.visitmaine.com/
Mar 2nd, 2007, 08:13 PM
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We're planning a trip there earlier in May and I found www.midcoastmaine.com to be a great site. You can look up accomodations, food, activities, etc and save them all in a virtual trip plaaner. Very clever!
Mar 2nd, 2007, 08:20 PM
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portsmouth, nh is a great place to start...
there is a courtyard just outside the town and several less expensive places on the "portsmouth rotary"....one of the original submaries is dry docked and is not a museum...
ports. is about 1 hour 10 minutes from boston...
the kids might like a stop at salem ma on the way north...witches...
york maine is a great place to start your peeking....next is ogunquit....arrows is fabulous but not with children...baracle billys on the point is more fun...
pricey restaurants all about....this is also a gay community, fyi....
kennebunk is very nice and the bushes live in kennebunk port in the summer...
all along the coast is very lovely...inland is nice too...sabago lake and long lake....
portland is a nice small city....the islands in the harbor are very nice too and a ride on the ferry might be very enjoyable for all of you...
there is a courtyard just outside the town and several less expensive places on the "portsmouth rotary"....one of the original submaries is dry docked and is not a museum...
ports. is about 1 hour 10 minutes from boston...
the kids might like a stop at salem ma on the way north...witches...
york maine is a great place to start your peeking....next is ogunquit....arrows is fabulous but not with children...baracle billys on the point is more fun...
pricey restaurants all about....this is also a gay community, fyi....
kennebunk is very nice and the bushes live in kennebunk port in the summer...
all along the coast is very lovely...inland is nice too...sabago lake and long lake....
portland is a nice small city....the islands in the harbor are very nice too and a ride on the ferry might be very enjoyable for all of you...
Mar 2nd, 2007, 11:13 PM
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York and Ogunquit fit the bill that time of year.
York has the animal park and a great ocean side playground, and a store that makes pulled taffy. Ogunquit has the long beach and marginal walk. Think there is a car/train museum in the area the older might enjoy if the weather isn't great on one day.
Ike, why would you suggest WBI and Arrows to a couple travelling with a 4 and 8 year old? You offering to babysit!!!!
York has the animal park and a great ocean side playground, and a store that makes pulled taffy. Ogunquit has the long beach and marginal walk. Think there is a car/train museum in the area the older might enjoy if the weather isn't great on one day.
Ike, why would you suggest WBI and Arrows to a couple travelling with a 4 and 8 year old? You offering to babysit!!!!
Mar 3rd, 2007, 03:14 AM
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I forgot about the Albacore sub which is "now" open as a museum. Interesting but not for claustrophobics. The boys might love it. The salt water taffy place in York is the Goldenrod. It's traditional to stand in front of the window to watch the taffy pulling machine. Also yummy to buy.
Mar 3rd, 2007, 06:16 AM
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Oddly enough I just got back from a trip to Portland with my son. We decided to go on a mini lighthouse tour (Tip: go in June, not February) of the area and I posted it to my blog site last night:
http://familyroadtrippers.blogspot.c...ouse-tour.html
We didn't hit the lighthouses south of Cape Elizabeth because Mom wanted us to get back (she had finally caught the cold that everyone in the house had the previous week and needed help with 1-1/2 yr old Lilly, aka "The Destroyer"). There are a couple of good ones down in the York/Portsmouth area as well.
Many of the lighthouses have parks for the kids to blow off steam.
Have Fun!
Dan
www.familyroadtrippers.blogspot.com
http://familyroadtrippers.blogspot.c...ouse-tour.html
We didn't hit the lighthouses south of Cape Elizabeth because Mom wanted us to get back (she had finally caught the cold that everyone in the house had the previous week and needed help with 1-1/2 yr old Lilly, aka "The Destroyer"). There are a couple of good ones down in the York/Portsmouth area as well.
Many of the lighthouses have parks for the kids to blow off steam.
Have Fun!
Dan
www.familyroadtrippers.blogspot.com
