Maine road trip

[Quebec Gen]

I'm back from a 3 days road trip to Maine. The coast of Maine is a place my parents and I used to go when I was very little. Actually, I first saw the sea in Old Orchard Beach when I was only 1 year and a half! I'm a beach bum ever since and I never get tired of it! We took route US2 in St. Johnsbury through the White Mountains and then we took SR26 in Bethel, ME. We went through several towns and villages and we saw some beautiful mountain sceneries.

We stayed in Saco in a place called Bay View Villa (207-286-8762). It is a convent run by nuns so the place is sparkling clean and we didn't really mind the shared bathroom thing really. Breakfast is included and lunch and dinner are available at a very reasonable price. This huge bulding is right on the waterfront, has a semi-private beach and lots of benches and chairs to sit around and relax. The prices are very reasonable : our room was only 45$USD. Even during the summer, they have rooms for as low as 45$ (single) and 70$ (double) which is really cheap for an oceanfront accomodation, but you have to reserve pretty soon because it is a popular place in the summer time!

I never went to the ocean during the winter (or early spring) and one thing really struck me : the color of the water! It was bright blue and it was so beautiful! We had two wonderful sunny days so I took long walks on the beach and found lots of sand dollars. On Sunday, we drove route 9 following the coast from Saco to Rye, NH. I especially enjoyed the stretch between Ogunquit and Rye : huge manors, high cliffs, lighthouses,... Cape Neddick and Cape Porpoise were my favourite lighthouses. We ate seafood in Camp Ellis in a place called Wormwood's (the shrimp scampi is +++).

Unfortunately, we had a hard time getting back to Canada, it was raining and snowing and we had to make lots of detours because some roads were closed (accidents, weather conditions), plus many people were driving really, really...really slow! Finally, we ended up visiting areas such as Jay, Peru and Mexico, it was kind of fun but it took us 7,5 hours instead of 5!

Gen:o)

[Bob Schaller]

Gen, I don't know... Peru? Mexico? I think maybe you were lost and WAY too far south!

Sounds like you had a great drive, I'm envious, as usual! Bob

[Quebec Gen]

Yep, I visited Maine, Peru and Mexico all in the same day! Look at a State map, they are two small towns in western Maine.:o)

[Mark Sedenquist]

Gen,

We have visited Earth in Texas and Mars in Pennsylvania
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/mars3.jpg
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/signs/earth1.jpg

[Quebec Gen]

It goes well with this week's funny sign!:o)

How about some body parts :


<DL><DT>Bone, Idaho<DT>Chin, Alberta <DT>Harry's Armpit, Newfoundland<DT>Barry's Head, NewfoundlandFinger Tennessee
Elbow, Saskatchewan
Ear Falls, Ontario
<DT>Nose, Japan<DT>Tongue, Scotland<DT>Footville, Ohio and WisconsinJerry's Nose, Newfoundland

<DT>And some funny places names :</DT></DL>Les Boules Quebec (The balls (or the boobs))
Condom, France
Rapide Danseur, Quebec (fast dancer)
Anse à Mouille-cul, Quebec (Wet pants cove)
Blow me Down State Park, Newfoundland
Baie des Ha-ha, Quebec (Ha Ha Bay)

[AZBuck]

Now you've gone and made me VERY homesick. I lived for many years just up the road from the Nubble (the Cape Neddick light) on a cliff overlooking York Harbor. I got to see the ocean every day, and it's too bad that most people only see it in the summer. It's also too bad that most people who feel need to check Maine off their list of states do no more than cross the bridge, turn around and leave, and never know that something as beautiful as the Nubble and the coast along York, Ogunquit and Kennebunkport are only a few minutes away.

On the other hand, I'm planning a road trip myself from here to the Outer Banks of NC and then up to the White Mountains of NH, all timed to see the anual closing of US-2 for the Jefferson 4th of July parade. I'll be soliciting recommendations from the board shortly. Thanks again for the reminder of why I'm doing it.

AZBuck

[Quebec Gen]

AZBuck :)

I agree, Maine is so much more than just Old Orchard Beach. I wish I had more time, I would've visited Portland, drive to Bar Harbor and Baxter State Park and follow route 201 to go back home. You were pretty lucky to live there by the ocean, but from your nickname I guess you're now living in AZ which, in my book, is far from being an ugly place!

For your trip, I'd recommend Cape Hatteras NC, of course, but you probably already know about that place. I always enjoyed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in VA and the Norfolk area. I also love the region known as North Hampton (north end of the Chesapeake), there are plenty of nice private beaches and that part of Virginia has very few tourists, except for those who are just passing by trying to get to VA Beach.

Gen:)

Ps-I posted some photos of my Maine trip on my website, including one or two of Nubble Light : http://roadsister.photosite.com (http://roadsister.photosite.com/)

[diddelydi]

Thanks for the advice of Saco, ME. I will keep the villa in mind on my next trip North or Downeast. You somehow managed to miss Sweden on that trip.

[mcreight]

As a Mainer, I'd recommend the following for summer on the coast: hit Yarmouth for the Clam Festival by the 15th of July, then Freeport with LL Bean and the Harraseeket Lobster Shack, then move up to Christmas Cove, for classic coastal scenery, then visit Rockland, for museums and galleries, then Rockport or Camden for shops and windjammers. All of this means traveling on Rte One or 95. Just avoid Wiscasset during Friday nights or Sunday afternoons-- miserable traffic. Farther north, don't miss Acadia Nat'l Park, and the elite but lovely towns of Northeast/Southwest harbor.

[Mark Sedenquist]

As a Mainer, I'd recommend the following for summer on the coast: hit Yarmouth for the Clam Festival by the 15th of July, then Freeport with LL Bean and the Harraseeket Lobster Shack, then move up to Christmas Cove, for classic coastal scenery, then visit Rockland, for museums and galleries, then Rockport or Camden for shops and windjammers. Maine, except for those annoying Black Flies is one of my favorite states. Where did you call home?