Not to miss in Maine?

Hello. I am going to be living in the South Berwick Maine area for 2 months this summer while working as an intern in Dover NH. I plan to do some exploring on the weekends since I have never been to this area. I think I will try to make it to Acadia Nat%26#39;l Park. What other areas are must see for Maine?

Thanks,

Becky

Not to miss in Maine?

I would put Acadia at the top of your list. Given where you will be located, many of the popular places are fairly close to you, i.e., the Yorks, Ogonquit, Kennebunkport. Portland is a great city; the Old Port area is a good place to wander around while being surrounded by good places to eat.

I don%26#39;t know what your interests are, but if art is one of them, then Rockland and the Farnsworth Museum and the Wyeth Center would be a must.

Not to miss in Maine?

Sounds fun.

I second that you need to hit Acadia at least one weekend.

How about day trips to: Monhegan Island, Popham Beach State Park, Boothbay, Camden, Baxter State Park (ok maybe a weekend trip).

I also liked trying to see all the Maine lighthouses. Some are off the beaten path, some are private (so you have to admire from afar), and some are just plain cool like Nubble, Portland Head, Pemaquid, and Marshall Point.

acadiafan reminded me that there is another island--Isle au Haut, much of which is part of Acadia National Park. Another nice day trip, and you might enjoy the Deer Isle-Stonington area where you catch the boat.

Thanks for the advice! I%26#39;m big into nature/outdoors so these are all great suggestions.

Hi becky416, cozyharbor from Boothbay Harbor reminded me to tell you that last year my husband and I went to Stonington/Deer Isle and had a fantastic time. We were there towards the end of August and the weather was brilliant. We stayed at the Inn on the Harbor owned by Christina Shipps. The rooms are cozy and literally right on the harbor. She also rents out part of her own house, which is a little way from the Inn and we also stayed there for several nights and that was magical. I have never slept so well. If you stay at the Inn or ';Shipps House'; you are treated to the very nice breakfast at the Inn. We drove to all parts of the area, including Acadia. For meals, if it is still open, try the Maritime Cafe, fantastic food although a bit pricey. Also, there is another restaurant on the left just as you drive into the village and both locals and visitors eat there and it is very reasonable -- truly the best lobster and lobster salad anywhere (and I%26#39;ve eaten lobster everywhere so trust me!). Deer Isle was the last stop on our trip to Maine and we were very very sorry to leave, so much so that we extended our stay by one more day by spending the night in Camden during the first day of the Windjammer Weekend , a gathering of many of the great schooner sailing vessels that used to work the New England coasts: http://www.windjammerweekend.com/ Good luck and let us know how your internship and visit to Maine went!

If you could see a moose that would be fun...

There might be some closer moose-spotting areas in NH, but in Maine the two best moose hot spots would be Moosehead Lake and Baxter State Park.

Hi Becky,

You might want to purchase a copy of Christina Tree%26#39;s ';Maine: An Explorer%26#39;s Guide';. This is a wonderful guidebook that I%26#39;ve used for years. She also has books for other areas in New England.

Along with the usual suggestions for hotels, restaurants, etc. she gives detailed itenararies on places to go, things to do, how to get there, what to see, etc. I%26#39;ve never gone wrong with her recommendations and have discovered many wonderful areas that I never would have, had I not read her book.

Another idea is to check out www.visitmaine.com. This is a great website that covers the state of Maine and has links to everything you%26#39;d ever want to know about!

Also google for each area%26#39;s Chamber of Commerce websites which often have a calendar of events and offer all kinds of neat info.

These sites, along with the Visit Maine one will send you free maps and brochures also.

Good luck with your internship and hope you have a great time exploring the area :).

cozyharbor

I%26#39;d recommend getting away from the crowds on the coast for at least a weekend or two. Definitely try whitewater rafting on the Kennebec River in The Forks. Also a lot of other outdoorsy things to do in the area. Great hiking trails, river tubing, lake kayaking, moose tours.

Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort is a nice place. Lots of adventure activities, lakeside cabins, good food, even their own microbrewery. I think it%26#39;s about a 3 hour drive from Berwick. Check out www.northernoutdoors.com

Becky,

It looks like you haven%26#39;t posted the same question at the NH Forum, and are not asking about NH. Do you feel like you already know about what NH has to offer, or would you like some suggestions? You will definitely want to spend time exploring both Maine and NH if you are spending 2 months in Dover/Berwick.

Briefly, you are very close to Portsmouth, a great small city with cafes, restaurants, cool shops, and nightlife. You are about an hour and a half to the White Mountains with tons of great hiking. You may want to chech out the Appalachian Mouontain Club (AMC) for info on hikes and also group activities that you could join in on. They will cover both NH and the lakes and mountain regions of Maine. Their website is www.outdoors.org. They will have a schedule of events.

You may also want to check out one of the EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) Stores in NH or ME. I think they are in Newington, either a freestanding store or in the Fox Run Mall, near Portsmouth and not far from Dover. Their sales staff is very knowledgeable and will know the trails, streams and other ways to get outdoors, they can rent gear if you need it, they have classes and lead groups, and have all kinds of guidebooks and maps. They also run a climbing school in North Conway. Likewise, the Kittery Trading Post, in Kettery, ME, will be able to help in the same way.

You will also be near Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in the state, but also nearer to many smaller lakes that are ideal for swimming, kayaking, etc.

Also, if you have never been to Boston, you just may want to plan at least a day there. Boston is a great city.

Let us know, or post to the NH Forum, if you would like more info on any of these or other suggestions.

My daughter lives in Dover and we enjoy that whole area. I agree with the post that suggested exploring Portsmouth and don%26#39;t forget there is Rye Beach area that is close by. You will find NH and ME very different from Nebraska - Enjoy !!!

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