indianatraveler

Hi,

In August we will be visiting Maine for three, possibly four nights after spending several days in Connecticut with family. We were planning on spending a night in Portland, then traveling to Boothbay Harbor for the aquarium and a promised whale-watching tour. My question: should we plan on two nights in Boothbay Harbor or just a day, and instead make it one night and instead travel further north to Camden/Rockland? We fly out of Boston and I am hesitant to travel so far north that will require us a three-hour drive the day we travel home. How do Boothbay Harbor and Rockland compare? Our daughters are four and are pretty good travelers, but there are likely to be less interested in hiking.

I truly appreciate your suggestions!

Melissa

dfrostnh

I don't think I would take 4 year olds on a whale watching trip. I've never been except in Alaska to see glaciers calve as well. If the seas are rough, people get sea sick. Maybe others who have actually been on a New England whale watch will comment. I think the children's museum in Portland is supposed to be good, the one is Dover NH (used to be in Portsmouth) is very good (GD loved it). Fort Williams park on Cape Elizabeth 15 minutes from Portland's Old Port area is a gorgeous 90 acre park with a small rocky beach and a nice walk along the cliff. Great view of Casco Bay and there's also the Portland lighthouse there. Check to see when it's open or when there might be some additional activities going on. Great place for a picnic lunch with a view.

But I would opt for spending some time on a sandy beach with the kids and those are typically south of Portland. York is a popular family beach either Long or Short Sands. The one closest to the downtown area also has a small playground and grass area before you go down to the beach. Portsmouth also has a marine science center at Odiorne Point, a popular place for school field trips. They have a touch tank, etc.

familythattravels

I think the warning about sea sickness is valid. I did a whale watching tour probably 15 years ago off of Mass and got violently ill. Took our kids on a friends boat in Key West this past January and the 3 of us fed the fish. My kids are older but I don't think age matters either you get sick or you don't but it is a lot scarier for a little kid because they do not understand that it is temporary.. Sorry can't offer insight into Boothbay Harbor or Rockland. We are going to Eastport and Moosehead Lake will write a report when we return.

mitchnyc

In the Portland area your kids would love old orchard beach (OOB). It's a beautiful sand beach with an amusement park right on the water. Parking is easy and there are numerous food options you can walk to.

If you are going to Maine you should really consider arranging your trip to go all the way to the mount desert island (MDI), bar harbor/Acadia National Park area. Acadia is the jewel of Maine and is well worth the trip.

Ackislander

Ditto on whale watch seasickness. In many places, the boats go out and sit there going up and down, up and down, side to side, side to side, while they wait for the whales. The experience of the whales may not be the kind of spectacular breaching that you see in the brochures but a simple, "Look over there! See that black thing?"

I would guess that they would get more out of it 10. The aquarium is a good idea, though. If yo want something to do between Portland and Boothbay, try Popham beach. It has very large expanses of sand, no waves, a good lighthouse nearby.

Skowvegas

Boothbay is great! I wouldn't try and add Rockland to such a short trip. I would also suggest a day trip to Popham Beach. Have fun!

Katiehab

I'd stick to Boothbay. Sounds like you're already going to be doing lots of driving, and there's lots in town to amuse kids. Boothbay is out on a peninsula, so be sure to factor that into your driving estimates... it's not right along Route 1.

Don't know what days you're planning on being in the state, but you might want to factor that into your driving times too. If it's a weekend, you'll hit the "Upta Camp" Friday traffic on your way in and the "back to home" traffic on Sunday on the way out.

clarkgriswold

Stay at the Beach Cove Hotel in Boothbay. It's a mile from the ocean, but has a private pond and rowboats for the family to use, you'll have a blast.