Whats there to do in northern Maine?

[Teddy Bear]

I'm hoping we have some Pixies who either live in northern Maine or at least have been there.

My family (me, Mr Bear & 2 daughter bears) goes on a week vacation every summer with my in-laws. I know your thinking, 'poor teddy', but my in-laws are ok. Well, mostly ok. ;) Theres usually between 13 and 18 people total.

We've been to NH (3 times), VT, NY, PA, Virginia Beach(twice), south Jersey Shore(twice), Florida(?4 or 5 times), DC, and have been on 2 cruises together. For years hubby & bro-in-law have said they wanted to go to Maine..... So we're going to Maine.

Now my sisters-in-law & I are wondering WHATS THERE TO DO IN MAINE? Our children are ages 12 - 22. Usually we take day trips to amusement parks & other touristy stuff the kids like. Looking at the map we see Kittery (outlet shopping) & Old Orchard Beach (tourist amusements) are to far.

We're renting a house in Northeast Harbor. Way up in Penobscot Bay/ Bar Harbor area. It looks like a beautiful area but we've heard the waters to cold to swim in. So there goes any ideas of going to the beach all day.

HELP - WHATS THERE TO DO IN NORTHERN MAINE??

[Teddy Bear]

We split the house rental & with so many going we can get a nicer place then if we went alone.

Thought you might like to see pics of where we're staying this year.

[Teddy Bear]

Description of house:

Conveniently located on pleasant neighborhood streets in Northeast Harbor. Enjoy all that Northeast offers with in easy walking distance, as well as easy access to trail heads and carriage roads.

1st Floor
Eat in Kitchen
Screened in Porch
Dining room seats up to 14
Laundry Room
1/2 bathroom
Living room
Deck

Second Floor
Master bedroom Double Bed
2nd Bedroom Double bed
3rd Bedroom Queen bed
Full Bathroom

3rd Floor
4th Bedroom Double Bed
5th Bedroom 2 twin beds
1/2 Bathroom

[Teddy Bear]

pretty house.....

[Teddy Bear]

Thats it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

teddy :) :)

[Irish]

T.B.---As you know,I live in NH now.I can go to the VA,for free,if
you call 4yrs & shrapnell(?)in the right hip free!I have been to
Togus Medical Center,a few times.The closest city,is Agusta Me(?)
It is just like ANY other city.The same things,to do,can be found wherever you go.I found out yrs. ago,that there is no such thing as a "Geographical Cure)Believe me,you will find whatever you like
Irish
P.S.I have been there for their Drug & alcohol program!(4 times)

[naughtyangel]

I'm not sure about Maine, but depending on your tolerance for day trips??? (coming from me, who a fun day trip is leaving at sunup and getting home after dark!) and of course if you like doing touristy stuff :)

You're just under 4 hours away from the New Brunswick border (Calais/ St. Stephen crossing). There's the Ganong Chocolate Factory (read: tours with free chocolate :slurp: ) in St. Stephen. Then about 15 minutes away is St. Andrews, a gorgeous little seaside town. Besides all the small-shops shopping (at Canadian prices, no less LOL) there's the Kingbrea Gardens and the Marine Science Center/ Aquarium.

Regardless, I hope it's a fun trip. The beach house looks wonderful!

[Lilith]

Lovely rental! Sounds like fun! Never been to Maine!

[PantyFanatic]

Oh my! :D That’s a bit more than a summer cottage. Looks great to me Teddy.

I don’t know what some of the other interests are, but a nice day trip from there may be up to the Bangor area to a small town called Old Town. That’s right. Home of the Old Town Canoe Factory. It’s a bit of a step back in technology, but you can see the whole place and watch hand made canoes from one of the oldest and best builders. (They didn’t have tours everyday. Check their schedule)

If another outlet store turns you on, Bar Harbor is the place for you.:) Lots of T shirt shops there.:rolleyes: You can’t eat too much lobster when you are in Maine. It's EVERYWHERE!:slurp: From roadside cooking pots with picnic tables, to three star restaurants with all the amenities, if you enjoy it even a little, you’re going to heaven. Bar Harbor is a jumping tourist town that the walkmen-teens will have a ball. I’m sure they are hyping all kinds of events like everyplace else. Maybe contact their chamber of commerce and find the groups and schedules of Summer happenings. My trips were always in September and October.

You’ll be right in the Acadia National Park area that has some gorgeous scenery and very interesting geological conditions if that’s your bag at all. The whole tidal zone thing was different and interesting to me, so I had no problem finding things to keep my attention.

I personally found Booth Bay to be the most picturesque and interesting for me. I’ll bore you with the day I spent on a lobster boat with a private fisherman, checking his “sampling trap location” another time. You’ll only laugh as hard as he did when I insisted on packing the rotten fish bait bags and busting my ass hooking and pulling in some traps.:o

The REAL north Maine for me is up towards Caribou and takes you within reach of some of the nicest people in the world, just across the boarder in “that other country”. (As long as you don’t go west and cross the St. Lawrence River ;) )

Can you tell I liked Maine? :D

[LixyChick]

The one thing I know of Maine, I know because a close friend has land there and they camp at it at least once a year till they can build on the property.

WATCH OUT FOR THE MOSQUITO'S!!! They pick you up and carry you away (so I am told)!

I hope your vacation is wonderful hun!

[Gilly]

Hunt down Stephen King?

[naughtyangel]

I totally forgot about him, Gilly! I guess he shops in Bangor a lot, and is reeeeally weird, lol

[Irish]

Depending on the time of year,that you will be there,watch out for the black flys!We are exporting,as many as possible,from NH.

P.F.Every year,we used to go, with my inlaws,to Great East Lake.
It is part in NH & part in Me.Since we started going there,you
wouldn't believe,some of the summer cottages,that have been
built on the back lake.(The lake,is made up of at least 3 separate
parts(lakes)Alot of them are more fancy,then MOST peoples
MAIN homes! Irish

[Coaster]

I'd stay away from Stephen King..... nice guy but gets people in his drive all the time......... and if you catch him on a bad day.... well let's just say that's what books and movies are made of...

[Teddy Bear]

Thank You to everyone who replied to this thread & in PM!! Just one more shining example that if there's anything.... I mean ANYTHING you need to know, just post it at Pixies!! :D You guys are the greatest!!

Irish: TY - You are correct in that most cities offer about the same as any other and we never have a problem finding something to do. But we like to see the things that are different from home, those things unique to Maine.
It gets easier as the children get older. The oldest ones go off together and find their kinda fun. So we only need to occupy the pre-teen and the young teens. But at least once during the week we do something as a group.

naughtyangel: TY - Four hours for a day trip is about 2 hours to much for our group..... hold on...... did you say chocolate? FREE CHOCOLATE!?!? Being a choco-holic I'd go! :D I'll mention it & see what the rest think.

Lilith: TY - Truthfully its nice to just get away. I'd be happy sitting on the screened porch with an iced coffee & a good book. :D You should vacation up north some year. My home is open to you & your family. :)

PF: TY - I should've just gone right to you for help! Do you know something about EVERYTHING? LOL! Lotsa good tips... the Canoe Factory sounds like its from "Red Green". Lobster = YUCK!! My youngest sister-in-law & I don't like seafood but the rest of the gang will be in heaven!
I'd like to know more about this: "....and very interesting geological conditions if that’s your bag at all. The whole tidal zone thing was different and interesting to me...." I like poking around in stuff like that.
Our 'boys' might like the lobster boat thing. How'd you set that up?

Lixy: Thanks for the warning. I had heard that about thier mosquito's but had forgotten. And I can't use bug repellant. (allergies) Guess I better buy myself some netting to hide under! And I plan on having a great time!! TY :)

Gilly: TY - Since we have King fans in our group, that sounded great until I read what Coaster posted below....

Coaster: LOL. Thanks for the warning.

Irish: Oy vay.... black flys too!!!! Can you keep 'em in NH from July 24 - 31? Thats when we'll be up there.

*hugs*
teddy :) :)

[Irish]

TB---Don't worry!By the end of July,the black fly season,will be long over.They are seasonal.They're usually a pain in the spring or early summer!They get in your eyes,ears,mouth,hair,etc.They
seem to be attracted by sweat & my wife told me that women don't sweat,they "glow"! Irish
P.S.Women also don't "fart"!I forget what word she said that
women do!

[Coaster]

All good suggestions so far teddy. It's true about the size of the mosquito..... there's debate now in the legislature on whether or not to make it the state bird! And yes, you'll only be half way up the State of Maine! Not in the true northern Maine counties, which would be an additional 6-7 hours drive further!!!

As the resident Pixie Mainiac (what tourists usually call us Mainah's) a care package will soon be on it's way to you.

Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, Northeast Hbr, Rockerfellers, carriage trails for mountain biking, hiking or horseback are all in your backyard. Please don't let the fact that occasional outsider Martha Stewart has a place near you keep you away! There's also THE CAT.... a jet powered katermaran that makes daily trips to Nova Scotia..

We've taken day sails out of Camden & Rockland & Boothbay.... we go to Boothbay almost every weekend in the summer and have wine & cheese on the rocks and watch the sailboats sail into harbor.... regulars include Walter Cronkite & Ted Kennedy (who manages to often run into other boats!:)

You may opt to leave the quiet of Mount Desert Island early on your last day and hit Boothbay on your way home and Old Orchard Beach would be a good stop also for the kids. It has the rides & games for the younguns but more importantly, it has a long sandy beach prob. 3/4 mile long to walk and water warm enough to stay in.....

On your way up, if you choose to stop in for a pee break, I'll take you all to the most photographed lighthouse in America, commissioned by George Washington!

Most of all, Have Phun! and enjoy our great state and leave as many tourists dollars as you can!!:)

[Fairy-Bird]

Ok I have a few comments (as per usual hahahha)

First thing's first... how can a Fairy-Bird chicky like me end up with a last name of Teddy? LOL I'm no Bear Cub! hahahaha

Second- PF Did you say Lobster? mmmmmmmmmmmm Mom and Aunti are the screwy ones... dont like it... DONT KNOW WHY! MMMMMMM *drooooling already*

Third- Whats all this about bugs? mosquitoes and black flies? eww... Keep them away from me! Hurry up with a State law that says no bugs! Make it illegal for them to enter during the time my family will be up there! *nods*

Fourth- Some of these spots sound like a good time! I just dont think the family will want to travel very far for that chocy thing... Unfortunately... an hour or two might be pushing it to see an attraction but what was it 4 hrs? yuck! I'm sorry but NO- MOM I"ll Buy you some chocy... so it's free for you! hahahaha

hmmm what else did I want to say? I'll get back to yaz when I think of something! hahahaha Thanks all for the tips. Mom, the family and I appreciate them!

[Irish]

Fairy-Bird---When it comes to Lobster:
Most commercial fishermen,that I've worked with,will not eat them!They say that they scavenge the bottom of the sea!
Years ago,for a summer,I worked at Little Bay Lobster Co.,in Newington NH.When the live lobster,got a certain # of days old,
We would take them from their tanks,cook them,shuck them & bag the meat.When doing this(shucking,& removing meat,it was
something like-1 for the bag-2 for your mouth.Believe it or not,you
get SICK of lobster!
One holiday(Christmas &New years)I worked at Lint(sp?)Chocolates(sp?)for (approx)2/3 weeks(temp. work)& you also get
used to chocolate!I know that it's hard to picture,because I'm a
Chocoholic myself! Irish
P.S.Familiarity breeds contempt!:confused: Irish

[rockintime]

Cooooooool house, teddy. I'm not from Maine, but I suggest you go to google.com and type in "teddy bears and maine" and choose your favorite 20 or 30 teddy bear places to visit. :D

[Grumble]

sound fun for the bears and birds LOL.

Teddy told me about the family vacation in Maine and it would be fun. Even just to be around the Aunty on Mr Bears side. She is a gorgeous woman with a very sunny disposition and looks 10 years younger than she is.

They are such a great family and I will always remember them all with great affection

[Teddy Bear]

Originally posted by Coaster
Most of all, Have Phun! and enjoy our great state and leave as many tourists dollars as you can!!:)

I know we'll have a great time! And trust me, we will leave you with plenty of the green. ;) TY for all your help Coaster!

Irish, your wife is correct, but then I bet you knew that already. :) TY for the 'sick of lobster/chocolate' stories. LOL. Hard to believe but it does happen.

ohhhhh rockintime.... you DO know what I'D like to see!! Trouble is I can't picture the rest of the gang wanting to spend much time at teddy bear places. I can probably talk them into one..... now which one??

TY Grumble..... *hugggs* :)

(((Fairy-Bird))) my cuddly little bear cub, ;) ..... I heard you plotting out a plan for you and the cousins involving Stephen King and Martha Stewart..... Don't even think it!! :D


Thanks everyone.
teddy :) :)

[Coaster]

(((Fairy-Bird))) my cuddly little bear cub, ;) ..... I heard you plotting out a plan for you and the cousins involving Stephen King and Martha Stewart..... Don't even think it!! :D


So is Fairy-Bird planning on visiting the state prison or some graveyards?:D

[Teddy Bear]

LOL.....

Something about getting King worked up and making sure Stewart was in his way. ..................She was joking.

[Coaster]

LOL.......... hey I like the way she thinks!

A package will be in Tuesday's mail... Happy Memorial Day!