I want to make vacation reservations before the new year begins. We will have three open weeks at the end of June running into July. We have decided to take the train from Philadelphia … to someplace for three or four nights.
Our obvious choices are;
Boston a good touristy city, but possibly packed around the 4th of July. Shopping, museums, boat tours. But we were in Boston about five years ago.
Freeport, Maine apparently a very touristy town with the Grand Meccah of LL Bean as its centerpiece. Nice hotels, also nice B&Bs. Shopping out the whazzo, food, places to drink. I am told there is a split of some sort that is nice nature sort of place to enjoy the tides.
Acadia National Park The most natural of three. Oddly it seems we would need to rent a car to get around.
Maine is a bit of a drive up from Philly. I found Boston and environs: Concord, Salem, etc. - far more interesting.
Yeah, we stopped by the LLB in Freeport when we were driving through. Sure wouldn’t make a destination IMO. And Acadia was - OK. But probably my least fave of the many larger nat’l parks we’ve visited. You’ll be staying outside of the park in a little touristy town, and then need to drive into the park. If you love that feel, it will be great. A very little of Maine went a very long way for me and my family. But MANY people LOVE Acadia.
Go see other towns–Maine is small, at least coastal Maine. Traffic could be heinous, so be prepared. I grew up in Deer Isle and Camden and would recommend both, but I was enamoured by Boston last summer. If you do Maine, go to https://mcloonslobster.com/ In Thomaston. Absolutely classic–rocky harbor, great food, off the beaten path.
Keep in mind that take Amtrak north of Boston you need to transfer from South Station to North Station before continuing north. It’s a pain in the ass, you’ll either need to take the subway, a taxi, or walk between the two.
Freeport isn’t much of a vacation destination IMO. It’s a glorified (but fairly nice) outlet mall. Definitely rent a car and see the areas around there. You’ll want to visit the Pemiquid Pennisula, Damariscotta, Wiscasset, and Boothbay Harbor and there’s really no way to do that without a car. Plan a sail out of Boothbay Harbor. You’ll be tired of Freeport in a day or two.
I would echo, that of all the towns in Maine for a destination, Freeport might be last I’d choose. Portland? Cool small city. Deer Isle? Arty destination. Camden? Schooners, good hiking. Freeport? LL Bean.
It has been a while since I’ve been in that area. LL Bean is cool…for a few hours.
I would recommended renting a car for a day and drive up 1 to Acadia. It isn’t that long of a drive, and the scenery was nice. The only downside is that you will be there at the peak of tourist season, so the park may be kind of crowded. And “Bah Hahbah” will be even more crowded/congested. So best to get to the park early. The good news: at that time of year, you’ll have plenty of daylight.
For a few HOURS?! Don’t get me wrong. I REALLY LIKE the brand, have a bunch of their stuff in my home, order regularly from them online, periodically glance at the catalogs the seem to send just about every week, I’ve been to the Freeport store, and the store local to me may well be the most recent store I’ve been in. What on earth is in the mothership that would hold anyone’s interest for a few hours?!
You can spend 2-3 hours in LL Bean, but it’s just a clothing store. Unless you’re taking a course at the Outdoor Discovery Center there’s just not much to do other than try on clothes. I find the other outlet stores in the near by area (The North Face and Patagonia) better for bargins.
I would recommend using somewhere else as a base of operations such as Boothbay Harbor or Rockland, which offer much better atmosphere. Then rent a car and see the Maine coast, with day trips to the interesting locations. Seriously, Freeport is an outlet mall.
You mentioned concerns about the crowds around the 4th of July. Have you considered Montreal or Quebec City as possible destinations? These would not have crowds celebrating an American holiday.