I will be in Portland and Ogunquit in a few weeks. Last time I was in the area was about 2 years ago for about 10 days
I shop a little. I eat. I sit at the beach on the hottest days. I look at lighthouses.
Sounds good, but I'm on the lookout for whats new-ish in the southern Maine coast.
Casual restaurants? (but I've had it with clam shacks and lobster shacks and ...)
Places to see? What to do on a rainy day? Something to see inland ?( I always seem to be hugging the coast so tightly when I'm in Maine).
Anything interesting to suggest within about an hour of either location?

Have you been to the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath (45 minutes from Portland) or the Musical Wonder House in Wiscasset (a little farther down the road, beyond Bath)? Not new, but interesting.

Take a Casco Bay Ferry out of Portland and walk around one of the islands. Visit the Observation Tower in Portland on Munjoy HIll. I finally did this last year and it was very interesting. Funky, casual restaurante: Burrito in Westbrook (a mill town going through a revitilization), Silly's, Flatbread, Norm's BBQ, Norm's Uptown, Pats Cafe - all in Portland, if headed out through So Portland to Cape E check out Scratch bakery in Willard Square and pick up a picnic lunch or just coffee and a sweet, same deal at Rosemont Markets, The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth - fabulous brunch. So easy to check places out now with Google and most have menu's online! Enjoy! Write back if you have particular interests.

For lobster shacks, to to Two Lights on Cape Elizabeth. For old time funky beach/pier bad pizza, salt water taffy, amusement park rides,go to Old Orchard Beach (the beach is very nice and you can walk south for miles past Ocean Park and Camp Ellis). There are places along route 9, I think where you can rent canoes or kayaks and go through the marshes. In Brunswick you can visit the house of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin (of Gettysburgh fame) and Bowdoin College, in Lewiston you can visit Bates College, in Waterville you can visit Colby college. They all have museum type places and sometimes art shows or plays or lectures go to their web pages for information.

Did you know NH's White Mountains are only about an hour from Portland? The farmers market on Fridays in Brunswick is great. Nice baked goods, some unusual things. Even if you don't have cooking facilities you can get some strawberries to mix with yogurt or just eat plain. Chowhounds seem to rave about Portland's Duckfat restaurant, great fries.

I'm enjoying the suggestions so far!

I actually went to the Maritime Museum and took a short boat ride up the river from there.
The museum at Bowdoin was also a great surprise.

I do like museums & historic houses and always try to pick a few to visit wherever I go.

I've never been to the historic area of York-- is it worth a few hours? What about South Berwick? Any historic houses and meal suggestions?

Topping for some more good ideas!

You didn't mention the nice little museum featuring American art in Ogunquit. www.ogunquitmuseum.org/index1.html. Lovely setting in a garden. Of course there is L. L. Bean. And here's a special little place at Boothbay Harbor...
inexpensive cabins overlooking the shore at Ship Ahoy Motel and wonderful lobster dinner nearby at Robinsons Wharf (just across the bridge). Have you been to Acadia Nat'l Pk? Too bad you can't be in Bangor late August for the American Folk Festival.
Ozarksbill [email protected]

I love the historic area of York with it's wonderful museums. See - www.gatewaytomaine.org . The York Harbor Cliff Walk is great too and starts from the beach. Stage Neck Inn is always great for meals, and has great water views. I heard the new inn on Long Sands Beach has a fabulous restaurant - 123 Reataurant and Inn. There is a natural mountain area that you can hike or just drive up. Beautiful views of inland and ocean, and only minute north of York. - http://www.agamenticus.org/ Stonewall Kitchen always a great place for shhopping on a rainy day. They have a wonderful cafe too!

bookamarking

If you haven't visited Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, NH I would definitely recommend a trip there

http://joshuas.biz/

http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson/map.html off rt 9 for a nice quiet stroll

http://www.duckfat.com/ for fries with duck gravy for dipping

http://www.silverliningsailing.com/

http://www.mikesclamshack.com/fishmarket.cfm for call ahead steamed lobsters to take back to the beach or beach house. . .

head to south berwick for my favorite historic home: Hamilton House. The grounds are exquisite with formal gardens overlooking the Salmon Falls River. The home is run by Historic New England and is open for tours also.(there are quite a few of these beauties in Maine run by this group -- Wiscasset area and nearby Portsmouth. Check out their Web site www.historicnewengland.org) Right in the center of town is the Sarah Orne Jewett House (also maintained by this group), which would be another good tour. Gather up a tasty picnic and bring them to the grounds of the Hamilton House -- free from dawn to dusk. A truly peaceful, grand place. It's easy to get to south berwick from york (route 91); or kittery (routes 236 or 101) -- maybe 20 minutes or so and a very pretty, pastoral ride through woodlands and farm country. It's a great respite from the crowded beach glare. We were just there a couple weeks ago and the gardens were heavenly. Snapping turtles sunning themselves in the muck. Love that place.

Sebago Lake and the Naples area, a nice afternoon drive.

Eats:
Merriland Farms in Wells/Ogunquit
Wildcat Pizza in York
Brown's Ice Cream in York at Nubble Light
Salty Bay takeout at Pine Point
Port Bake Shop in Kennebunkport
Federal Jack's Pub in Kennebunkport
Two Lights Lobster Shack Cape Elizabeth (Crabmeat roll)

If you like museums and historic houses you'll likely love the time-capsule Skolfield-Whittier House in Brunswick: http://community.curtislibrary.com/pejepscot/skhse.htm

A mile or so away is Fat Boys--a 50's era drive-in that's very popular with locals as well as tourists.