Travelling to Maine

[Steve Hornsby]

Hi all,

We're heading to Maine for a week. Travelling by car. Any gotta see boat related stuff? Museums? Cool harbours? We are generally into wooden boats, kayaking, hikes, coatlines etc.

Starting north around Bar Harbour and heading south Booth Bay area.

Anyways, big open question, but any leads most appreciated.

Thanks Steve

[Torna]

Others more knowledgable than I will certainly have lot of wooden boat suggestions (there are so many), but if you're also into antique cars & airplanes then I would definately plan a side trip to the Owl's Head Transportation musuem just S of Rockland.

-leif

[Bruce Hooke]

The easy ones are:

Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport: http://www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org/

Maine Maritime Museum in Bath: http://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/

[Bruce Hooke]

In the Bar Harbor/Acadia area, Ocean Drive is spectacular but likely to be crowded. I would not skip Ocean Drive if you have never been to Acadia, but once you been there, head over to the west side of Mount Desert and check out places like Ship Harbor and Wonderland for some very pretty coastline and lower crowds.

[Thorne]

Camden and take a schooner trip. I know it is very touristy, but hey, you are tourists and should revel in it!

Acadia Nat'l Park is a must-see. Then go across Frenchman Bay from 'Bah Harbah' and visit Winter Harbor. South Gouldsboro is charming and on the way to Winter Harbor.
http://www.acadiamagic.com/winter-harbor-maine.htm

If you like military history, Castine is fantastic -
http://pages.cthome.net/fwc/FORTS.HTM
http://www.castine.me.us/

[rbgarr]

I'll leave the Blue Hill peninsula and Mt. Desert Island for others to describe.

Some boatyards and stuff coming south(west) from Bangor:

French and Webb in Belfast. Lovely boats being reconstructed.
Wayfarer in Camden, just to walk the docks. Drive or hike to the top of Mt. Battie for the view. Swim in Lake Megunticook.
Rockport Marine in Rockport
Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor. Rent kayaks. Visit lighthouse on Burnt Island. Drive coast road at Ocean Point.

Take a day to go to Monhegan via ferry. Stunning but may be crowded.

The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, available from DeLorme Publishing, has lots of detailed maps of back roads and a guide to attractions, campsites, harbors etc. http://tinyurl.com/378wos

[FSS172]

If you'll be in the Rockland area on the weekend of the 10th, you might want to check out the Maine Boats, Homes, and Harbors show if you're into that sort of thing.

http://www.maineboats.com/boatshow

The boatyard dog contest is a lot of fun...

[Jim Ledger]

Check out the Owls Head Transportation Museum near Rockport.

http://www.ohtm.org/

[Steve Hornsby]

Awesome - you guys are great!
Thanks

[davidrparker]

One of the prettiest little harbors along mid-coast Maine is Bayside. It's between Lincolnville Beach (ferry to Islesboro, also very cool) and Belfast. A bit hard to find but do look for it. Settled in 1869, hasn't changed much in a hundred years.

.....then there's Bud Young's lobster Pound on the Searsport side of the river. Mmmmmmmmmmmm! Right on the way to the PMS.
Have fun!

[rbgarr]

If you go to the top of the Waldo-Hancock Bridge, post a pic of the view from the top. http://tinyurl.com/2vy7l8

[Doug Wood]

Brooklin. Visit the fine folks at WoodenBoat. They have a spectacular "campus". Also, you won't find a harbor anywhere in Maine with more beautiful wooden boats than Center Harbor. Brooklin Boat Yard overlooks the harbor too. Have a nice trip.

[Robmill0605]

I lived in Maine for 20 years. You will be going through Portland, so go down to the Old Port on Commercial Street, Lot's of nice restaurants like ,
Dimillo's Floating Rest. a converted NY car ferry, great view of the harbor.
Lot's of Whale sightseeing boats etc.
Go out to Cape Elizabeth and see Portland Head Light, the oldest lighthouse with keepers in America, and a great park.
You can head out to S. Freeport and LL Bean and a zillion outlet stores, quaint town and have lunch down at the harbor.
On the way stop by the Trading Post, can't miss it, just look for the BFI,
( BIG F*&KN INDIAN) it's about 40 ft high, Ray Charles couldn't miss it.
Heading North, Bath Me is the home of Bath Iron Works which builds Navy vessels, and a great museum ( Maine Maritime) etc.
Just head up RT 1 and all will reveal itself......

[Robmill0605]

Oh, I forgot on Commercial st is BOONES the oldest seafood restaurant in New England, lobster off the boat on picnic tables right on the wharf,
THE BEST

[rbgarr]

Didn't sound like they'll be going as far as Portland from the initial post.

[Woxbox]

Speaking of views, if you reach Camden, hike or drive up Mt. Battie in Camden Hills State Park. One of the best views on the coast. (And the view is better if you hike up.)

[George Ray]

Bath Maritime Museum

Walk the docks in Camden and Rockport

"Maine Coast Boathouse" is a little shop on Rt#1 (?north of Camden?) that collects and refurbishes old classic wood.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pc4d7cb7920ffe7e507e96cdded166bac/e846af6a.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p84cda137dc21041d79fd359326f746ae/e846af42.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/pb4ef01fd6faaff43443e8f4512f2c876/e846af2b.jpg