Maine Roadtrip

[Jen841]

Thanks for the previous input. Life/Work etc got in the way of planning, and now we need to get serious. We have 7 days and need a plan!

Thinking Portland then Bar Harbor/Acadia then maybe a loop to VT (Ben and Jerry's and maybe Killington). The Maine coast and Acadia are the musts.

We need places to stay. We are not looking for the Ritz, but prefer not to be in a Marriott/Hilton the entire time. Appreciate some unique experiences that won't break the bank. I would like to camp, but DH is not excited about that. Any suggestions for any place along our route?

Here is my previous thread http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/sho...ighlight=maine

The scoop:
Family of 4
Kids are 8 and 10 - boys
Kids can swim and bike, they have not kayaks on a tour, but I think they can

I am watching for Groupon and Living Social Deals too.

The teenage girl in me would love a night or two in a quaint town like in the movie Mystic Pizza. I would love to see the kids see fresh fish come in, then eat them 'fresh'.

[KLD313]

I remember going to Spruce Point Inn in Boothbay Harbor, ME as a kid and loving it. You stay in little cabins but it's definitely not roughing it. The food was amazing. Idk if it's pricey or not.

Another place we stayed that was similar was The Basin Harbor Club on Lake Champlain in VT.

[BabyBearsMom]

We go up tot he Bar Harbour area quite a bit and usually if we stay in a hotel we stay at The Colony at Hulls Cove http://www.colonyathullscove.com/ in one of the cottages. Several of the cottages are two bedrooms which is really nice for a family traveling. Or you can rent one of the cottages that has two attached cottages and just rent both rooms. Some have an adjoining door on the inside. They aren't anything fancy but they are more than adequate and the hotel has a nice little outdoor pool which DD1 loves. The hotel is also right across the street from a small rock beach which my kids love. It's a pretty quick drive into downtown bar harbour or over to Acadia National Park. Have fun!

[Jen841]

Thanks!

Made placeholder reservation for commercial hotels, but can always change. The sketchy plan right now:
Travel day - stay in Portsmouth, NH
Portland - 3 nights
Acadia area - 3 nights

Open to activities, lodging, and DINING ideas!

You all are great travel planners!

Thanks

[BabyBearsMom]

I only have Bar Harbour/Acadia suggestions:

We really like to go to the Sand Beach at the National Park and hike. With kids your boys age, I would recommen the Bee Hive. It is a hard hike but so much fun. If you don't think you are up to a hard hike, Bubble Rock is a nice fairly easy hike (long but it isn't straight up like the bee hive is). If the precipice is open, that is an awesome hike for a hardcore hiker, but it is often closed in the summer as an endangered bird nests there and they don't let people up during nesting time.

My DH's second cousin is a tourguide on the National Park See Kayak tours, I haven't done them but a lot of our family has and say it is great.

We have also done catamaran (spelling?) tours but it might be a little boring for kids. For me it was fun to go fast through the water with the crisp Maine air in your face...can you tell I am totally sick of this hot summer and longing for the cool of Maine right now?

The lumber jack show is kind of cheesy but fun too http://www.mainelumberjack.com/ I think elementary age boys would get a real kick out of it.

We love to do minigolf at Pirate's Cove Adventure Park. Dh and his brother love the go karts there

And I love shopping around in downtown Bar Harbor. Also, there is a great shore trail there with beautiful views.

If anyone in your family likes to golf, Kebo is a fabulous course.

For food, my DH's family swears by the Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound http://trentonbridgelobster.com/restaurant It is not fancy by any means, but DH's family will only eat from this place when we are in BH. MIL orders lobsters from there and has them shipped to her house during the year as all other lobsters are unacceptable to them. I don't care for lobster so I can't attest. It gets really crowded there to the point where sometimes the cars trying to get in block traffic on the bridge. For kid friendly food, we always go to the Log Cabin restaurant. They used to have an awesome breakfast but now only do lunch and dinner It's nothing special food wise, but it is a log cabin with mooses everywhere and kids love it. Our go to pizza place in BH is Epi's pizza on Cottage Street in downtown BH. HTH!

[Philly Mom]

We were just in portland. With kids we liked Flatbread, sitting out back on the porch on the water,Portland Lobster Co, right on the water. We also like Becky's for breakfast. Your kids are older so there are probably of other restaurants you could try. For really good food, Street & Co or Fore St. There was a fire truck tour of the city that looked like fun. We love taking the ferry to peaks island, renting bikes and touring. The mail boat run is fun for a longer boat ride where you can picnic on the boat. The boat is byob. Crescent Beach is a short drive and great if it is hot and you want to swim. Fort Williams is great. Two Lights State Park has a good/expensive lobster shack. North of Portland is Freeport with LL Bean and outlets. We had a great time playing in the various LL Bean stores this trip. A short drive away is Wolfs Neck State Park which had great walking trails along the maine rocky coast. Depending on the tide, you can walk into some tidal pools. There are picnic benches there.

A bit even further north but still an easy drive from portland is Bailey's Island. There are great tidal pools there. I am sure you can find more info on where exactly on the Internet.

[Jen841]

Thanks Philly Mom!

[Jen841]

BabyBearsMom thanks!

Everyone is awesome. I see a plan falling into place. Yeah.

I have vacation on the brain and a long list of thing to do for work!

[Jen841]

We were just in portland. With kids we liked Flatbread, sitting out back on the porch on the water,Portland Lobster Co, right on the water. We also like Becky's for breakfast. Your kids are older so there are probably of other restaurants you could try. For really good food, Street & Co or Fore St. There was a fire truck tour of the city that looked like fun. We love taking the ferry to peaks island, renting bikes and touring. The mail boat run is fun for a longer boat ride where you can picnic on the boat. The boat is byob. Crescent Beach is a short drive and great if it is hot and you want to swim. Fort Williams is great. Two Lights State Park has a good/expensive lobster shack. North of Portland is Freeport with LL Bean and outlets. We had a great time playing in the various LL Bean stores this trip. A short drive away is Wolfs Neck State Park which had great walking trails along the maine rocky coast. Depending on the tide, you can walk into some tidal pools. There are picnic benches there.

A bit even further north but still an easy drive from portland is Bailey's Island. There are great tidal pools there. I am sure you can find more info on where exactly on the Internet.

Flat bread was wonderful tonight. Thank you. Comsidering a lobster cruise tomorrow - planning can go out the door when kids can read.

Thanks again