Hi WB,
Don't want to turn the board into a travel-log and that's why I hesitated to write more about Maine. But I'll suggest a few places and a great guidebook to help anyone who is interested in visiting this part of the country :).
The Bar Harbor/Acadia Nat'l Park area is stunningly beautiful, but heavily visited during the peak months of July and August. With almost all of Maine, I'd recommend planning a trip here in either September or early to mid October. After October, alot of places close up shop for the winter. During Sept. and Oct. the days are warm and sunny w/no humidity and the nights are cool. The leaves start to turn just slightly starting in Sept too. The backdrop of colored leaves/evergreens against blue sky and sea is gorgeous and can take your breath away.
In the above area, there's lots to do and see for whatever you're into. Other places nearby definitely worth a visit is Deer Isle and at the very southern tip, Stongington. Stonington is a small fishing village with beautiful scenery, no fast food places and looks pretty much like it has for eons. There are a few restaurants, a gallery or two, a general store, ice cream place, and Inn or B&B here and there, and a couple of gift shops. That's it. To the east of town is a enchanting pink lily pond surrounded by tall evergreens. I've photographed it often. It's one of my favorite places.
Monhegan Island is about 10 to 12 miles out to sea depending on where you leave from. There are boats/ferries that leave from New Harbor, Port Clyde, and Boothbay Harbor. There are no paved roads on the island. No shops other than artists galleries/studios, a couple of places to grab something to eat and a few Inns and B&B's. It's only a couple of square miles big and there are trails along 200 foot high bluffs where in Aug and Sept you might see whales. There are wildflowers and beautiful gardens, quaint homes, and the Cathedral Forest where the local kids make 'fairy houses' out of twigs, sticks, leaves, and moss. It is home to a zillion artists in the summer and many a famous one painted here Homer, Fitz Hugh Lane, the Wyeths, to name just a few. It's well worth at least a day trip if not a night or two.
Then there's Pemaquid Point Light, Portland Headlight, and the Boothbay Region. All of these areas have the quintessential Maine landscape of tall evergreens, bluffs, crashing waves, wonderful turn of the century summer homes, gardens, etc.
Further south are Popham and Reid St. Park beaches; Beautiful stretches of sand with pink beach roses. In Sept or OCt the beaches are lovely and not crowded at all.
Ogunquit and Kennebunkport are south of Portland and George Bush #1's summer home is located in Kennebunkport on Walker's Pt. Both towns are upscale, have nice beaches, downtowns loaded with charm, shops, restaurants, and galleries.
One more area I forgot to mention is the Rockland/Camden area where the mountains meet the sea. Both have lovely downtowns to browse and offer lots of windjammer sailing trips. IN Camden you can drive to the top of Mt. Battie (there's a poem made famous about the views from the top by Edna St. Vincent Millay) and look out to villages and open ocean and hundreds of islands and then the mountains and lakes to the west.
Rockland offers the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse that you can walk out to on a mile long jetty out to sea. Fabulous views of the Camden Hills from there and great fishing too. There's also the Farnsworth ARt Museum in Rockland, home to a large Wyeth collection and also other well known Maine artists.
Okay, I've gone on long enough, have an appt. at 10 am I need to scoot too. Hope I haven't bored those NOT interested in visiting Maine :).
Melanie
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The journey of a 1,000 miles begins with a single step. Lao Tzu
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