Luckily I’ll be down south in Ogunquit–heck, that’s almost New Hampshire.
The water off Portland is colder. 39 to 41.
http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/natl.html
People don’t swim much this time of year along the coast of Maine.
:eek: <–blue from cold
OK, I may have to settle for a quick wade and retreat to the deck and a blanket!! Thanks for the info.
If you want to visit a charming, unspoiled little town on Moose Island, ME, a town which is the easternmost town in the U.S., visit Eastport. I can see Canada from my back deck. We are just an ordinary town with wonderful views, right on the ocean, and everyone who comes here wants to live here. We are not a tourist town and have our great ups and downs economically. the people are wonderful and friendly (most). ha. I’m in Poland right now but can’t wait to get back home to the peace and quiet and safety of Eastport.
Yeah, not the same at all because October is still occasionally swimable even in the Atlantic; it was this year. Years ago a few of us decided to go swimming the last week of April. None of us lasted more than five minutes, and only one person out of six was able to stand to go in more than knee deep. She turned purple from head to toe and we bundled her in blankets for the drive home.
I really enjoyed this. where can I find more info about this. email me…
Well, I visted Ogunquit and I did go swimming on Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday was colder because I went in when the tide seemed to be coming in and it was a lot wavier. It was great! I feel like I stayed in a little while but it was probably about five minutes. I went in up to my chin and thought about putting my head under “for the Dope” but didn’t.
It was very refreshing! The only drawback was the hotel didn’t have a tub to soak in after–just a shower.
I ended up staying the area and just driving up to Kennebunkport/Biddeford Pool and as far south as Kittery only. But I got a detailed map for the next trip!
Good job getting in the water! Some folks just take to cold water better then others, you done good.
Another beautiful town is Port Clyde - I’m sure I’m biased because I have spent summers there my whole life (and got married there), but there’s a great place to get lobstah (the Dip Net), lots of art galleries, a ferry out to Monhegan Island, and the lighthouse from Forrest Gump. It’s before you get to Rockland or Camden - take Route 1 to Thomaston and turn right onto 131 - it’s about 12 miles to the town, but it’s a beautiful drive in any weather. Virtually zero tourist traffic in April, so you should have it all to yourselves!
If you do go, wave to my house - it’s the cottage on the left as you’re standing on the wharf, just past the lobster pound - grey shingles with green and red trim.
Well, color me oblivious, I just read that you already took your trip. Glad you enjoyed it!
Not at all–I liked it a lot and plan to take more trips that way so I will remember Port Clyde. Thanks!!
Being born in Damariscotta, Maine, I second a lobster roll from Red’s Eats in Wiscasset: lots of meat, not much filler.
I’m a huge fan of Boothbay Harbor. Bar Harbor is gorgeous because of Acadia, but Boothbay feels a little bit more off the beaten path. There are cruises that take you to a small island for a clambake, a must if you’ve not done it before.
I definitely remember swimming often in Maine, and my mother to this day tells of letting us swim for awhile, then checking on us. If our lips were blue, we had to sit out and warm up, if not, we could swim more. This was at Reid State Park which is off the beaten path as well, and it is a beautiful area.
Old Orchard Beach (and if you wander a bit south, Hampton Beach, NH) are great throwbacks to the days of freshly made candy, miniature golf, video games, people watching, etc. They aren’t particularly upscale, but I always have a good time at them. Hampton is a bit nicer, but they both have their charm.
Lastly, on the last trip with the wife, we stopped at as many lighthouses as we could to photograph (I know, how trite, but it was fun exploring lots of side roads and getting off of Rte 1). We didn’t have a guide, but something like this might help:http://www.lighthouse.cc/me.html
I can throw a bunch of non-beachy suggestions as well, but it looks like you have plenty of great advice so far.
haha, I’m a dumbass too, glad you had a great time!
I also thought again about my goal of driving from the beginning of 95 in Maine (or really, Nova Scotia) to the end in Florida…has anyone done this and was it fun?
Take Route 1 - you’ll see much more. Granted, it will take 3 times as long, but isn’t the point to see stuff?
Please go to Camden. Do at least two things. Go to The Smiling Cow store and relax for a few moments on their back porch with a cup of coffee. You won’t regret it. Try their maple-nut fudge too.
Also, and most importantly, drive north on Route 1 about a mile or 2 out of town until you come to the entrance of a state park. It’s also a way of driving up to Mt. Battie – the mountain which is directly behind the town. (You can climb up if you had rather do that; there is a path.) When you get to the top there is a marvelous view of Penobscot Bay. You can also see some other islands with a famous home or two. If you ask the locals, they will tell you who lives there. Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote the poem that gave her her start at the top of this hill. She lived in the town below.
Camden is the kind of town where you can walk around and recognize some of the names on the mailboxes.
The original movie Peyton Place was filmed here because the village is so picturesque. There’s a lake behind the town too. Fine old bookstores. Great chowders. A church steeple to chime the hour. A village green designed by the same man who designed Central Park. And harbor park that overlooks small boats, tall ships, and sometimes the most sophisticated yachts in the world.
It must be beautiful to live in a town where the library overlooks the sea.
Have you been to Old Orchard within the past three years? They tore down the Dream Machine, the carnival games, and the tiny shops down that way to put up a hotel, and virtually everything on The Pier is changed. A little piece of my soul died when I discovered that unchangeable Old Orchard is no longer how it was while I was growing up
The only mixed feelings I would have would be near Princeton - memories of visiting as a kid and traveling to and from school…but one of my college friends was killed on Route 1 (on my birthday
) so that would be weird.
Plus, I can’t miss the Knute Rockne Service Area.
There’s an artist named R.N. Cohen in Portland who has a series of paintings that focus on ‘old’ Old Orchard.
I’ve driven from North Carolina to Maine many times, but I don’t stay on 95 the whole time.
And I definitely second spending some time in Camden! It’s a beautiful place.
Yes, I’ve done it. No, it is not fun. You’ll hit constant traffic until you get to Richmond VA, and there is nothing to see along the way. After that, the stretch through NC, SC & GA is boring as hell. Ditto a good bit of Florida.
There are about 100 different ways you could re-route the trip to make it more scenic and interesting.
(I should also note that I’ve covered that ground many times, some of the time for pleasure & some of the time for work. I never drove it just to drive it.)
Weep! I had no idea, wow, thanks for sharing. I’ll have to go and shed a tear or two myself.