Maine Recommendations

[sailorii]

Planning a first time trip to Maine in August 2012. Have wanted to go for a long time; but, have been put off by the summer traffic congestion I have heard about.

Can anyone recommend a ocean side campground that would be central to the "sights" that would be a good location for about a 1 week stay? Any other thoughts on how to make a trip to this part of the world both low hassle and fun?

Will be traveling from Northern VA and want to avoid as much of the I-95 corridor as possible in favor of a more scenic and less crazy route. Any thoughts on routing?

Thanks for input.

[Safari Streamer]

I think a stay in Acadia National Park is a must. Dry camping but a great park with lots to see and do. Be sure to hike the trail around Jordan Pond and have a popover at the restaurant there. Free shuttle from park to Bar Harbor - very touristy town but fun, none the less. Enjoy

[sailorii]

Thanks Kathy.

Another question on this subject. Is September a better/worse month than August from a crowd perspective?

[karenjude]

Early September would be better than August crowd-wise. The kids go back to school later up there so August is still family vacation time. I love Maine and second the suggestion for Bar Harbor although it's really up there. Boothbay Harbor and Kennebunkport are also a nice areas. Sorry I don't have any suggestions for camping. It's been a while since we've been up that way.

[Cracker]

Don't even think about coming to Maine unless you do Acadia National Park! The Southern part of the State is a whole different world from the Northern part. From Portland South the coast is nothing more than a Coney Island or Daytona Beach - campers stacked on top of campers and the same thing for people and cars. Cheap amusements and lots of glitz. What most Mainers consider to be the true Maine actually starts somewhere North of the Capitol in Augusta, Maine. From Acadia/Bar Harbor it's a short trip to the Bay of Fundy and the highest tides in the world. Inland, towards Baxter State Park and Mount Katadin, you encounter one of the greatest true wilderness areas left in the U. S. From Portland to Acadia is about 3.5 to 4 hours if you use I-95 to Bangor before heading East to Acadia. From the Pittsfield/Newport vicinity, if interested, you can take route 2 across the state and into the White Mountains of New Hampshire at Gorham - about 2.5 - 3 hours on roads that have just recently been renovated. From NH you can return South on I-93, (---the only Interstate in the U. S. with a 45 mph speed through the mountains) ultimately rejoining I-495 skirting Boston. I hope you enjoy your trip!

For the record, when heading North, I leave I-95 at Washington, D. C., travel to Harrisburg, Pa., then Scranton, Pa., then Hartford, Ct., then to I-495 around Boston and on into Maine on I-95. I'll do anything to avoid the New York/Philadelphia/ area when towing! Others may not be as squimish.

[safari62]

http://www.graysoceancamping.com/gallery.htm looks nice, but have not been here yet.

http://lobsterbuoycampsites.com/ nice, quiet, old campground.

http://www.freeportcamping.com/ nice, close to Freeport

http://www.campmaine.com/member/2395/cobscook_bay_state_park/rugged Maine coastline, worth the distance.

http://newengland.wbcci.net/2012/01/22/region1-2012-main/

come to the Region One rally in NH this year then head over to the Maine coast. You will miss all that coastal traffic doing so and see the White Mountains.

http://chewonkicampground.com/ Wiscasset, ME very nice!

[Topshelf]

We were just in Maine last August. We went to Acadia National Park and stayed at Hadley's Point Campground on Mt. Desert Island just a short distance from Bar Harbor. The campground was the cheapest in the area and we had full hookups. You have to make reservations for full hookups, not all the sites have them. The campgound was nice but not over extravigant. I would return there. There were 2 other Airstreams there and naturally we all met each other and checked out each others trailers. Both of the other 2 had been to Hadley's Point before and had also been to other campgrounds on Mt. Desert Island also. Both said they will only stay at Hadley's Point from now on.

There is also the free shuttle bus, funded by L.L. Bean, that goes from the campground to Bar Harbor. In Bar Harbor you can connect to other free shuttle busses that can take you to anywhere else on Mt. Desert Island. You can also drive your TV if you wish.

If you go, make sure you go to the Atlantic Brewing Company. They have a real nice little tour and a fantastic sample session. Their Blueberry Ale makes the best blueberry pancakes you will ever have when it is used in place of the water normally used.

[jm2]

some notes worth reading here, also - http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ml#post1030059

enjoy the trip!

[jm2]

Originally Posted by sailorii

Planning a first time trip to Maine in August 2012. Have wanted to go for a long time; but, have been put off by the summer traffic congestion I have heard about.

Can anyone recommend a ocean side campground that would be central to the "sights" that would be a good location for about a 1 week stay? Any other thoughts on how to make a trip to this part of the world both low hassle and fun?

Will be traveling from Northern VA and want to avoid as much of the I-95 corridor as possible in favor of a more scenic and less crazy route. Any thoughts on routing?

Thanks for input.

we're in northeast NJ, and have traveled frequently to the DC and NewEngland areas. wise to stay off the I95 corridor through NYC and CT most of the time; though I would tell you that we didn't do that this past Saturday morning, and for a change it was fine, all the way to Cape Cod!

you might head west from home to I81 north to I78 east thru PA, and then take I287 north in NJ to I87 south across the Tappan Zee bridge into Westchester County, NY.

from there, it's I684 north, to I84 east. then you can choose to go up I91 into central MA, or continue easterly on I84. either way gets you to the Mass Pike, I90 east towards Boston, and then loop up I495 toward NH and ME.

many choices of routes to take, lots of places to stop and do.

hope that this is helpful - send an email or PM if you'd like to discuss?

best,

[nick6930]

My wife and I, with our 4 week old son, went to Maine while visiting family in July 2011. We live in Virginia and I grew up in New Jersey. With that said we only went to the southern part of Maine. It was busy and had a very Jersey Shore feel but with Canadians. It was very difficult getting around with the Chevy 2500 because the small towns really were not tourist freindly when it came to parking. If you could find parking it was $20-30 for the day even if you only wanted to stay for an hour to walk around.

I really wish we went further north but we were already on the road for 3 weeks with a new born so we decided to turn around and head back south.

Kennebunkport was cool to see, as well as the lighthouses in southern Maine. The campgrounds are VERY tight. So tight that my awning touched the other rig when put it out. We stayed at the Riverside Campground in Wells, ME. It served its purpose, it had full hookup, it was safe and all the people were very nice. We did not have reservations in July, in Maine, with that said we were VERY happy to just have a place. . But looking at the other campgrounds in that area the tight spaces are the norm.

One down side of going this time of year was the lobster prices were high. I still ate several dozen but they were the same price as at home. That alone is a good reason to go in September and further north.

Good luck on your research.

[62overlander]

From my own personal observations from having lived there...
September is a great time to go if you do mind a lot of things being closed you might normally want to see. Winter comes early and by September people are shutting down. It is quieter, but not always better.
Acadia is nice, but so are crowded malls. I would not center your trip around it when the rest of the state is as good and some parts better.
Just my thoughts.

[mutcth]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

Acadia is nice, but so are crowded malls. I would not center your trip around it when the rest of the state is as good and some parts better. Just my thoughts.

C'mon Frank, you can't leave that one dangling. I'm curious about suggestions for those better parts.

We love Rockland and Camden (we're all about the nice coastal scenery along with having very good restaurants nearby).

Tom

[Chuck]

Why, Frank...whatever do you mean, comparing Acadia to a shopping mall? {snicker}
Didn't know you lived there. when/where was that?

"Jersey Shore with Canadians". LOL!

I'm with Safari62--a known Maine-iac--Best place to be in August is the Region 1 Rally. Come one, come all!

[62overlander]

I apologize for the very bias opinion of Acadia. It is ALWAYS on everyones list therefore when you get there, you find everyone else is there. Nature is a wondrous thing. Somehow it looses it's appeal to me when you insert thousands of people into it. Seeing the sunrise on Mt. Cadillac is however worth the crowds. I just do not like crowds. Maine is NOT Acadia, Acadia is a part of Maine.
My suggestion is to go as far Down East as possible. Most all the tourist go no further than Acadia. The coast line is more than spectacular and because the bulk of the tourist do not trickle that far, people are generally glad to see you.