Maine
MAINE
My husband is from Maine and if it weren't so far from Arizona we would probably go there far more often. Now this was the first trip to Maine we took as a vacation vs. visiting with family. We ended up turning this into a bit of a road trip and extended our trip into Prince Edward Island, Canada. It was such a great trip, I would highly recommend it if you have the time. I will soon have a Prince Edward Island post for more details.
Maine is absolutely beautiful in the summer but it books up quickly so this may be a trip you want to plan a bit in advance if you are thinking of going anytime in the month of July. You can still book last minute but you may be limited on choices and pay a higher price. Our plan this trip was to get a little taste of a few different areas in Maine. You will notice we don't spend anytime in Bar Harbor or Acadia National Park. Both my husband and I have been but we are holding off on bringing the kids to those places until they can handle biking a number of miles. Biking the carriage trails in Acadia is one of our favorite things to do.
Maine is absolutely beautiful in the summer but it books up quickly so this may be a trip you want to plan a bit in advance if you are thinking of going anytime in the month of July. You can still book last minute but you may be limited on choices and pay a higher price. Our plan this trip was to get a little taste of a few different areas in Maine. You will notice we don't spend anytime in Bar Harbor or Acadia National Park. Both my husband and I have been but we are holding off on bringing the kids to those places until they can handle biking a number of miles. Biking the carriage trails in Acadia is one of our favorite things to do.
Portland/Freeport
Getting There
We flew from Phoenix to Portland (with a stop in Atlanta). You could also fly into Bangor especially if you are hoping to visit Bar Harbor or Acadia National Park (This is our plan for the next trip with kids. We wanted to wait until they were old enough to hike and bike all day long in order to enjoy Acadia's fun activities).
Where To Stay
When you first arrive it may be nice to stay a night or two in Portland. We weren't too excited about the relatively high hotel prices in Portland and since we were renting a car anyway, we decided to drive up to Freeport. You will get more for your money staying in Freeport which frees up some cash to spend at the shops. We chose to stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Freeport. While this isn't too exciting as it's a Hilton Garden Inn, it's the prime location for Freeport (we walked to all of the shops and restaurants) and it had an indoor pool for the kids.
Things To Do
Shopping - Well, you can't go to Freeport without visiting the L.L. Bean Flagship Store. Anything and everything L.L. Bean you could ever want is located in this outlet store and definitely worth a visit. My kids were entertained at a knot tying station inside the store which allowed me time to shop without any whining, loved it! Freeport has a number of other outlets. Some of my favorites are Banana Republc, Gap, North Face, Nike and Vineyard Vines. There's also an adorable Starbucks to keep you energized during your shopping trip.
Eartha - This is one of those stops we thought we should make just to say we've been there. Eartha is the world's largest rotating globe. It's a quick, easy trip, right along the highway and fun to see.
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| Ice Cream Man via Boat |
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| Jumping into Little Sebago Lake |
Sebago Lake and Little Sebago Lake - Sebago lake is a little bit of a drive from Freeport but it was the highlight of the trip for our kids. We used paddle boards, canoe, paddle boats and a motor boat. It was non-stop fun. It was calm enough we could allow the kids to go out a bit on the paddle boards on their own and they loved the freedom. It's also great for cooling off with a quick swim. We even flagged down the ice cream man on a boat and enjoyed a sweet treat, how cool is that?!
Where To Eat
Amato's - I'm a huge fan of sandwiches, especially when traveling. Amato's has locations all over Maine and I'm pretty confident I've eaten a sandwich from there every single time I've been to Maine. These are the perfect sandwiches to bring on a picnic to the lake.
Frosty's Donuts - How do I bribe my kids so I can keep shopping? Promise them a Frosty's Donut. This place is so cute and a must stop if you have kids who love donuts (or if you love donuts, the kids are just another excuse to eat more donuts). It's located right among the shops in Freeport.
Bow Street Market - Yes, it's a grocery store, yes, it's one of my favorite grocery stores and walking distance from our hotel in Freeport. You could easily go here and grab food for breakfast, lunch or dinner. For some reason I always feel better about myself when I eat something from a grocery store than eating at a restaurant every single night of vacation but again this isn't your ordinary grocery store, check it out.
Bangor/Orono
Getting There
To begin your trip in Maine, flying directly into Bangor is an option or you can take the short 2 hour drive from Portland to Bangor (I would just choose the cheaper flight). I think the drive flies by because it's filled with beautiful green trees which we don't see often living in the desert.
Where To Stay
Neither Bangor nor Orono are known for luxurious resorts (at least that I'm aware of) so we simply stayed one night at the Courtyard Marriott Bangor. It's your average Courtyard hotel but worked out just fine and was an easy location to get to, right off the highway.
What To Do
Where To Eat
Amato's - I'm a huge fan of sandwiches, especially when traveling. Amato's has locations all over Maine and I'm pretty confident I've eaten a sandwich from there every single time I've been to Maine. These are the perfect sandwiches to bring on a picnic to the lake.
Frosty's Donuts - How do I bribe my kids so I can keep shopping? Promise them a Frosty's Donut. This place is so cute and a must stop if you have kids who love donuts (or if you love donuts, the kids are just another excuse to eat more donuts). It's located right among the shops in Freeport.
Bow Street Market - Yes, it's a grocery store, yes, it's one of my favorite grocery stores and walking distance from our hotel in Freeport. You could easily go here and grab food for breakfast, lunch or dinner. For some reason I always feel better about myself when I eat something from a grocery store than eating at a restaurant every single night of vacation but again this isn't your ordinary grocery store, check it out.
Bangor/Orono
Getting There
To begin your trip in Maine, flying directly into Bangor is an option or you can take the short 2 hour drive from Portland to Bangor (I would just choose the cheaper flight). I think the drive flies by because it's filled with beautiful green trees which we don't see often living in the desert.
Where To Stay
Neither Bangor nor Orono are known for luxurious resorts (at least that I'm aware of) so we simply stayed one night at the Courtyard Marriott Bangor. It's your average Courtyard hotel but worked out just fine and was an easy location to get to, right off the highway.
What To Do
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| Orono Bog Walk |
Orono Bog Walk - My husband is from the town of Orono so it's a must stop for us but this is the first time we've ever done a walk on the Bog and it was lovely. It's a 1 mile loop trail which was the perfect amount for the kids. It starts off in the forest and the vegetation seems to change quite a bit throughout this 1 mile loop. There are many signs to show the common species, plants and animals found in the area along with descriptions of each.
Stillwater River - Probably only something a local would do (so why not live like the locals) but my husband would take a swim in the Stillwater River on summer days growing up so he wanted to share this fun (and chilly) experience with the kids. We found a little place to walk into the river along a little river walk path that begins just across the street from downtown Orono. This is a great little path to walk along on a nice day, it's shady and full of gorgeous trees.
Where To Eat
Orono Brewing - Let's start with where to drink. We had a great time tasting a few Orono Brewing Beers before dinner. Now their locations have changed since we visited their little bar in downtown Orono so if you've been to the new Orono location or the new Bangor location let me know how it is!
Pat's Pizza - Do not go to Orono without visiting Pat's Pizza. We love Pat's Pizza for a number of reasons. First off, the location in downtown Orono hasn't changed a bit since my husband first brought me to Pat's many years ago. Second, they are all personal sized pizzas served on a paper plate so we don't need to come to any sort of agreement as a family as to what kind of pizza we want. Third, the hamburger, canned mushrooms and little pepperonis are things the kids love and things that make us feel like a kid again, just go try it out.
Gifford's - I started with happy hour, planned a dinner stop and now I'm wrapping up where to eat with dessert. For the best ice cream stand, go to Giffords! When you pull into Gifford's you instantly get that small town summer feeling. You can't miss it as there will be a long line of people and a parking lot full of cars. Don't worry, the line moves quickly and you need that time to decide on which of the many flavors of ice cream you're going to have. I had always wondered where my husband learned to eat Grape Nuts on his ice cream, it turns out it was from Giffords vanilla/Grape Nut flavored ice cream. My personal favorite at Gifford's is moose tracks while the kids love either pink peppermint stick or fly fishing fudge....so wishing I had a scoop now.
Camden/Rockport/Rockland
Getting There
We drove from Bangor to Camden with a stop at Fort Knox which I will mention below on things to do. It was about 30 min. from Bangor to Fort Knox and just under an hour from Fort Knox to Camden. Camden is about an hour and 40 minute drive from Portland.
Where To Stay
Samoset Resort - The Samoset Resort is right on the ocean. It's an amazingly family friendly resort with daily activities, lawn games, pool right next to the ocean, nightly s'mores, a playground, I could go on and on. We haven't stayed since their recent renovation but saw samples of what it was going to be like during our previous stay and I think it's going to be a big improvement. I also didn't realize during our previous stay that they have guest cottages available. They cost quite a bit more than a hotel room (as you would expect) but I would love to hear from someone who has stayed in one to see if it's worth the price.
The resort has lovely places to sit and enjoy the view. They have hammocks around, adirondack chairs, even the pool chairs have a view as well as their restaurant just outside the lobby area. Just outside the hotel is a long, rocky pier with a lighthouse at the end. It makes for a lovely evening walk along the water but watch your step.
What To Do
Fort Knox - Honestly for me, I was first thinking, "Isn't Fort Knox in Kentucky?" Then it was, "Are we sure it's worth stopping there?" It was a last minute idea my husband had as we were leaving Bangor and driving to Camden and boy were we glad he thought of it. It's located in Prospect, ME which was about 30 min. from Bangor and less than an hour from Camden.
This was the highlight of our trip to Maine for my son. I let him loose in this place and just followed him wherever he wanted to go. We saw the cannons along the fort, we saw the little holes in the wall that they would shoot guns and cannons through, we saw the cool underground caves and we saw the living quarters in the center of the Fort. It was really a neat and interesting place to walk around and explore. It's definitely easy to get lost here so keep a close eye on the kids. Luckily we were all together as a family as we were trying to find our way out of this place. That was an adventure all on it's own.
Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory - When you visit Fort Knox you get a choice to pay to get into Fort Knox or the Penobscot Narrows Observatory or both. We opted for both. If you're there it's worth checking out both places as they are located right next to each other. To get to the observatory you take an elevator ride up 437 ft. to the 360 degree view at the top. I swore once we were at the top I could feel the tower swaying which made me a bit nervous but the views were worth it!
Camden Harbor Cruises - One of the best ways to see Maine's beauty is not just on land but from the water. The views from Penobscot Bay are known to be some of the most beautiful. Taking a boat ride to see the views sounds amazing to me but getting to pull lobster traps out of the water and see what's been caught is pure entertainment for the kids. A cruise out of Camden Harbor on the Lively Lady was the perfect family adventure for us all. We were lucky enough to book the cruise just the day before but many were trying to book the morning of and had to be turned away.
Shopping - Camden is such an adorable coastal town. Plan some time to stroll through the shops and to grab a bite to eat, coffee or a treat.
Camden Public Library - So to be honest we were walking along the main street through Camden shopping, exploring and taking in the views when one of our kids, of course, needed to go to the bathroom...now! We took a quick trip into the library to use the restroom and we ended up staying for a bit. It is such a beautiful library and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the children's section. It's worth taking a quick look.
I will have where to eat in the area in my blog post Maine Continued coming soon...
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| Swimming in the Penabscot River |
Where To Eat
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| Delicious Beers from Orono Brewing |
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| Pat's Pizza |
Gifford's - I started with happy hour, planned a dinner stop and now I'm wrapping up where to eat with dessert. For the best ice cream stand, go to Giffords! When you pull into Gifford's you instantly get that small town summer feeling. You can't miss it as there will be a long line of people and a parking lot full of cars. Don't worry, the line moves quickly and you need that time to decide on which of the many flavors of ice cream you're going to have. I had always wondered where my husband learned to eat Grape Nuts on his ice cream, it turns out it was from Giffords vanilla/Grape Nut flavored ice cream. My personal favorite at Gifford's is moose tracks while the kids love either pink peppermint stick or fly fishing fudge....so wishing I had a scoop now.
Camden/Rockport/Rockland
Getting There
We drove from Bangor to Camden with a stop at Fort Knox which I will mention below on things to do. It was about 30 min. from Bangor to Fort Knox and just under an hour from Fort Knox to Camden. Camden is about an hour and 40 minute drive from Portland.
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| S'mores at the Samoset Resort |
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| Walk on the Pier at the Samoset Resort |
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| Someone found a hammock for the night at the Samoset Resort |
Where To Stay
Samoset Resort - The Samoset Resort is right on the ocean. It's an amazingly family friendly resort with daily activities, lawn games, pool right next to the ocean, nightly s'mores, a playground, I could go on and on. We haven't stayed since their recent renovation but saw samples of what it was going to be like during our previous stay and I think it's going to be a big improvement. I also didn't realize during our previous stay that they have guest cottages available. They cost quite a bit more than a hotel room (as you would expect) but I would love to hear from someone who has stayed in one to see if it's worth the price.
The resort has lovely places to sit and enjoy the view. They have hammocks around, adirondack chairs, even the pool chairs have a view as well as their restaurant just outside the lobby area. Just outside the hotel is a long, rocky pier with a lighthouse at the end. It makes for a lovely evening walk along the water but watch your step.
What To Do
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| Cannon inside Fort Knox |
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| Getting lost in the dark halls of Fort Knox |
Fort Knox - Honestly for me, I was first thinking, "Isn't Fort Knox in Kentucky?" Then it was, "Are we sure it's worth stopping there?" It was a last minute idea my husband had as we were leaving Bangor and driving to Camden and boy were we glad he thought of it. It's located in Prospect, ME which was about 30 min. from Bangor and less than an hour from Camden.
This was the highlight of our trip to Maine for my son. I let him loose in this place and just followed him wherever he wanted to go. We saw the cannons along the fort, we saw the little holes in the wall that they would shoot guns and cannons through, we saw the cool underground caves and we saw the living quarters in the center of the Fort. It was really a neat and interesting place to walk around and explore. It's definitely easy to get lost here so keep a close eye on the kids. Luckily we were all together as a family as we were trying to find our way out of this place. That was an adventure all on it's own.
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| Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory Tower |
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| View from the top of the tower |
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| Top of the Tower |
Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory - When you visit Fort Knox you get a choice to pay to get into Fort Knox or the Penobscot Narrows Observatory or both. We opted for both. If you're there it's worth checking out both places as they are located right next to each other. To get to the observatory you take an elevator ride up 437 ft. to the 360 degree view at the top. I swore once we were at the top I could feel the tower swaying which made me a bit nervous but the views were worth it!
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| Learning a lot about lobster on the Lively Lady |
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| Lobsters and crabs weren't the only creatures that were caught. |
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| Yikes! Getting in on the action on the Lively Lady lobster boat tour |
Camden Harbor Cruises - One of the best ways to see Maine's beauty is not just on land but from the water. The views from Penobscot Bay are known to be some of the most beautiful. Taking a boat ride to see the views sounds amazing to me but getting to pull lobster traps out of the water and see what's been caught is pure entertainment for the kids. A cruise out of Camden Harbor on the Lively Lady was the perfect family adventure for us all. We were lucky enough to book the cruise just the day before but many were trying to book the morning of and had to be turned away.
Shopping - Camden is such an adorable coastal town. Plan some time to stroll through the shops and to grab a bite to eat, coffee or a treat.
Camden Public Library - So to be honest we were walking along the main street through Camden shopping, exploring and taking in the views when one of our kids, of course, needed to go to the bathroom...now! We took a quick trip into the library to use the restroom and we ended up staying for a bit. It is such a beautiful library and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the children's section. It's worth taking a quick look.
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| View at the top of Camden Hills State Park |
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| Found a few blueberries to pick in the park. |
Camden Hills State Park - A trip to Camden Hills can be as adventurous as you would like. This is a view from the tower at the top of the park. You can take one of the many trails throughout the park or you can literally drive and park at the top and take a short walk to enjoy the view. Unfortunately, I had a cold this day and didn't feel up for a hike but fortunately, it didn't mean I had to miss out on the views. We were there in early July and were able to pick a few blueberries at the top which the kids were amazed by.
I will have where to eat in the area in my blog post Maine Continued coming soon...
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