Author Topic: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?  (Read 860 times)

Lennyjoe

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Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« on: June 21, 2022, 03:44:23 PM »
We have a companion ticket to use up this year and am thinking of Maine the first week of August while SWMBO is on school break.  Planning on flying into Bangor, renting a car and going exploring.

We’ve never been up there so things to do/see will be well received

zxcvbob

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French G.

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2022, 05:16:29 PM »
Rockland Maine lobster festival is 3-7 August. I went there twenty years ago as a rather unique port call for a large USN ship.
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Hawkmoon

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2022, 05:28:53 PM »
Bangor is the logical gateway to Acadia National Park, which is about an hour's drive south from Bangor. Acadia will be crowded in August but IMHO it's one of the most beautiful places in the country. When I was younger, I went there every year. I didn't stay in Bar Harbor (too expensive); I stayed in one of the other towns on the island, where prices were a bit more reasonable.

There's lots to do, depending on your interests. Sailboat rentals, day cruises on a windjammer (out of Bar Harbor), guided kayak nature tours (again out of Bar Harbor), hiking (there are any number of trails up Cadillac Mountain, as well as graded carriage roads for those who aren't up to climbing a mountain). They used to rent horses in Acadia -- don't know if that's still available. There also used to be concessions in Bar Harbor that rented bicycles and mopeds.

I think they still have whale watching cruises, but I don't know if you're guaranteed to actually see whales.

There's a good lobster restaurant on the main (as opposed to Maine) road to Acadia, in Trenton (just before you cross the bridge from the mainland to Mount Desert Island). My wife liked that one a lot. But it doesn't have any views. There also used to be (and probably still is) a lobster and steamed clam shack on the docks in Southwest Harbor, where you can eat right on the pier and watch the harbor activity while you eat.

Be sure to bring at least a sweater and windbreaker. Evenings can be chilly, even in August.

Have I mentioned that I love Acadia National Park?
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Hawkmoon

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2022, 05:40:37 PM »
If you don't mind a bit of driving, you can also head east on U.S. Route 1 and visit FDR's summer home on Campobello Island. That's as far east as you can go in the U.S. plus a bit -- it's actually in Canada, but I believe it's regarded as sort of an international park.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Campobello_International_Park
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2022, 05:56:02 PM »
Quote
Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?

1. Go to Maine.
2. Enjoy being in Maine.
3. Go home from Maine.

Brad

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MillCreek

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2022, 06:25:02 PM »
Stop by the Bangor Police Department and get your picture taken with the Facebook-famous Duck of Justice.
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zxcvbob

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2022, 06:25:06 PM »
If you don't mind a bit of driving, you can also head east on U.S. Route 1 and visit FDR's summer home on Campobello Island. That's as far east as you can go in the U.S. plus a bit -- it's actually in Canada, but I believe it's regarded as sort of an international park.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roosevelt_Campobello_International_Park

Do you need a passport (or equivalent*) to go there?  I can see where the rules could go either way on that one.

*My MN enhanced driver's license is one of the few that is good for land and I think water border crossings, but not for air travel.
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Hawkmoon

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2022, 07:15:47 PM »
Do you need a passport (or equivalent*) to go there?  I can see where the rules could go either way on that one.

*My MN enhanced driver's license is one of the few that is good for land and I think water border crossings, but not for air travel.

I was going to guess that, because the park is an international park, you might be able to go as far as Campobello Island without a passport. Good thing I checked before posting that, because I'm wrong.

https://www.visitcampobello.com
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Hawkmoon

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2022, 07:28:38 PM »
If you were driving into Maine from points south, I'd say a stop at the L.L. Bean store would be a required stop, just so you can say you've been there and done that. Unfortunately, Freeport is a 3- to 4-hour drive south from Bangor. Having stopped at the L.L. Bean store every time I've driven to Acadia, I can say that IMHO it's not worth taking an entire day to drive down there and back just to see the store.
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Lennyjoe

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #10 on: June 21, 2022, 09:46:35 PM »
Acadia is a must do on this trip.  Didn’t know about the Lobster fest that week so SWMBO will want to go even more now.

JN01

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #11 on: June 21, 2022, 10:27:21 PM »
Stay out of Derry and Jerusalem' Lot.

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #12 on: June 21, 2022, 10:34:20 PM »
Park in the driveway, drive on the parkway.
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K Frame

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2022, 07:04:12 AM »
I've been to Acadia twice -- once in summer, and once in the dead of winter.

INCREDIBLY beautiful no matter what time of the year you go.

If you like Victorian architecture, Bangor has a neighborhood of beautifully restored homes from that era, including Stephen King's.
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HankB

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #14 on: June 22, 2022, 07:29:03 AM »
Been to Maine (Portland) once on business, so I didn't see much of the state.

Funny story - the day after I arrived I was in the hotel lobby, waiting for my business contact to pick me up. While I was there, a businesswoman - power suit, slim briefcase (this was before laptops), self-important attitude - went to the front desk, her heels going clack-clack-clack across the lobby. She imperiously demanded to know WHERE EXACTLY WAS THE "X" MEETING TAKING PLACE, AND WHY WEREN'T THERE ANY SIGNS TO DIRECT HER TO THE MEETING ROOM?!?!

The poor desk clerks were taken aback - they had no idea what she was talking about.

So she proceeded to harangue them for their incompetence. She pulled out some paperwork and said "SEE! IT'S RIGHT HERE! TODAY!"

The desk clerks looked at it - the female desk clerk turned around without a word and went in back, leaving the poor male clerk to explain to her that the meeting was at another Hilton hotel - one in Portland, Oregon. She was in Portland, Maine. It was on the front page of her paperwork.

A few more words were exchanged, and then clack-clack-clack she left the desk, no doubt headed back to her room. As she passed me by, I told her "Don't feel too bad - you only missed it by 3000 miles. That's not too bad for a woman on her own without a man to help." 

She was not happy - but the clerks (the female clerk had come back out front after composing herself) were greatly amused.

And the funny thing is - I was very careful to be sure that I was going to the right Portland, even asking the flight crew as I boarded the aircraft for assurances that the plane was going to the Portland in Maine, not Oregon.

That's my Maine story.   ;)
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Hawkmoon

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #15 on: June 22, 2022, 07:47:05 PM »
Acadia is a must do on this trip.  Didn’t know about the Lobster fest that week so SWMBO will want to go even more now.

If you're heading down to Rockland for the lobsterfest, from either Bangor or Bar Harbor/Acadia you'll be going through Camden, which is where Peyton Place was filmed.

https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/hollywood-news/where-was-peyton-place-filmed-peyton-place-shooting-location.html

Quote
The principal photography of Peyton Place started on June 4, 1957. According to a report on The Movie District, Maine in the United States was one of the major Peyton Place shooting location. All the stunning exterior sequences of the film were filmed in Maine, more specifically in the town of Camden in Maine’s Knox County.

A report by Movie District revealed that other locations in the US state were also used for filming. Cameras were also rolled in the town of Belfast, Thomaston and Rockland in Maine. Constance’s house in Peyton Place is located in Camden in Maine. Many other popular spots shown in the film such as the Village Restaurant, the famous park, The Tweed Shop and etc were all filmed in Camden.

Thus endeth the trivia lesson for the day.
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Devonai

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #16 on: June 22, 2022, 08:01:59 PM »
I lived in Rockland from 1987-1988 and Thomaston (neighboring town) from 1988-1994. Jr. High and High School.
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Bogie

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #17 on: June 23, 2022, 12:18:21 AM »
If you are dead set on visiting an outdoors store... Springfield, Missouri, and Bass Pro. Figure on doing lunch there too.
 
Maybe a side trip to the Grizzly machine/woodworking tool store too...
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Ben

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #18 on: June 23, 2022, 08:14:56 AM »
Bass Pro Shops is run by antigun commie pinko fudds.
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Fly320s

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #19 on: June 23, 2022, 08:40:12 AM »
Acadia is a must do on this trip.  Didn’t know about the Lobster fest that week so SWMBO will want to go even more now.

If you like hiking and you're in decent shape and you're not too fat, go do the Beehive trail.  It is very cool.

If you are afraid of heights or narrow trails, don't do it.

Google images of the trail. 

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charby

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #20 on: June 23, 2022, 03:08:21 PM »
Bass Pro Shops is run by antigun commie pinko fudds.

Means that Cabelas is too
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Ben

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #21 on: June 23, 2022, 03:17:56 PM »
Means that Cabelas is too

Exactly. It wasn't until BP took over that Cabelas put trigger locks on all the guns and won't let you test a trigger before you buy a gun, which is one of the main reasons I go to a brick and mortar gun store. Otherwise I can just buy online.
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Devonai

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Re: Planning a trip to Maine in August, any tips?
« Reply #22 on: June 23, 2022, 09:26:44 PM »
The Lobster Festival can be fun, in typical carnival fashion. Try not to miss the lobster crate races. In Thomaston, I'd say check out the Maine State Prison but it is no longer there. The gift shop, however, featuring kitch made by inmates, is.

Camden is not to be missed, not just for the town's beauty but for the restaurants and tourist traps. If Acadia is too far, Camden also has Mount Batty and Mount Megunticook, offering beautiful vistas of the ocean and lakes. If you're really lazy that day, Mount Batty has an auto road.

Oh, a d visit the Owls Head lighthouse too.
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