Ogonquit
 

My fiancee and I are planning a trip for the 4th of July Weekend and are considering Ogonquit. Is this a fun place for a 30 yr old couple to spend a weekend? Any hotel recommendations? Thoughts on the Beachmere? the Juniper Hill Inn? The Meadowmere?

Our stay in Ogunquit was our most boring vacation ever. I recommend going further north up the coast - we enjoyed Boothbay Harbor area.

My husband and I are in our early 30's and have enjoyed a couple of long weekends in Ogunquit. I guess your experience depends on what you like to do. We walked on the beach, poked through the shops in town and at Perkins Cove, and strolled along the Marginal Way.

We have stayed at both Meadowmere and Juniper Hill and thought both were fine. They are basic, clean, updated accommodations with good amenities, such as indoor/outdoor pools and hot-tubs. At Meadowmere look into lodging/dining packages which can sometimes be a good value. Meadowmere is in walking distance to Perkins Cove, while Juniper Hill is more convenient to town.

One thing we particularly enjoyed was dinner at 98 Provence. We had a fantastic, leisurely meal. While the dinner was as expensive as our lodging, we thought it was well worth it!

I'm intrigued sharondi. What was it that made Boothbay so much more enjoyable and less boring than Ogunquit? The Beachmere is fine, not a lot of nightlife, but over the 4th I'm sure there will be plenty going on.

Ogunquit is OK for a night but there isn't much going on. There are good restaurants and a great beach. If that's what you're after then it will be fine but crowded. One disadvantage is that Rt. 1 goes right through town and you can walk faster than the cars are going. It is a giant traffic jam all summer long.
Boothbay is much more scenic but there is no beach. Boothbay is also several miles off Rt.1 so it is a much nicer town for walking around. Boothbay is a much larger town as well. We couldn't find a bad meal there and we ate out every night for a week there. For a treat, take the boat to Monhegan Island (or go spend the night there) and do some hiking along the highest cliffs in Maine. Just don't miss the boat back to Boothbay or you'll be begging to sleep in the lobby of the hotel there.

Something fun to do in Boothbay harbor is to go to the "antique" ten pin bowling lanes right in downtown. Ten pin bowling still hangs on in New Enngland. Very amusing and great local color.

Of course there are scenic cruises and whalewatching trips and all that at Boothbay. It's just bigger than Ogunquit but quieter with more going on in a location of greater scenic beauty IMHO. Probably a better shot at some nightlife in Boothbay than Ogunquit but I'm not much informed about that since I'm rarely awake beyond 11 P.M.