Maine is pretty much as close to heaven on earth as one can get. James and I just returned from a two week vacation that took place there in Falmouth, Portland, Freeport, Booth Bay, Sebasco, and several islands in Casco Bay. We went sailing pretty much every day thanks to James' uncles and their sail boats. In fact, we went on a three day trip up the coast, staying at harbors in Booth Bay and Sebasco on moorings. I picked up on some nautical terms being the only one in the group that didn't have any sailing or merchant marine experience. There's nothing better than being the only girl on the trip and being laughed at/corrected every time you say, "You mean the buoy looking thing?" Good times. Truthfully, sometimes I did it just to agitate them.
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| My husband can probably tell you what kind of sailboat this is, but I'd just say it's a pretty one. I can hear a heavy sigh now, lol. |
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| A lighthouse...you see a lot of these. |
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| The dinghy aka mode of transportation to and from the dock from the boat when it's anchored at a mooring. I can't say I'm fond of it, but when your options are this or swim it's not so bad. Also, much like a VW bug, it can fit many more people than you think. |
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| This woman is holding a screech owl that just happens to be mentally handicapped (after an accident) and is now a resident of Camp Chwonki's refuge for injured birds and traveling wilderness education program. His name is Otis, and I think he is super adorable. We caught the presentation while at the very cool and retro Sebasco Seaside Resort. They also offer croquet, badmitton, golf, and candle pin bowling (my favorite) at this place, and some of the scenes from the movie Dirty Dancing were shot here (the rest were in the Catskills). |
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| This is a one winged Barred Owl (she was hit by a car), whose name I have forgotten. She was also molting at the time, hence the fluffiness. |
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| This is a Great Horned Owl, with one wing useless after it healed poorly from a break. It is the only one that really makes the "Hoot" noise, and it has the coolest big yellow eyes. |
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| The boat to the right is James' uncle's boat, Integrity, the one we sailed on the most. |
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| This pic and the two above were both taken from Admiral Perry's house (the guy that went to the South Pole first), on Eagle Island. There is a cool tour and you can get a stamp in your Maine Parks and Recreation book. I'd say it's worth checking out, and if you don't have a private boat you can always take the tourist boat from downtown Portland. My husband had the camera, so I apologize for the lack of pictures of the house itself. |
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| We were lucky enough to catch two firework displays from the water this year; this was the second one (and better of the two) on July 5th at Booth Bay harbor. |
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| Just chillaxing! I <3 Maine! |
Portland
-Have a pint at Gritty's, Bull Feeny's, or Sabago Brewery (maybe even make it a pub crawl). Gritty's brews are even sold locally at other locations if you can't make it to their Portland or Freeport locations. Oh, and on a Friday or Saturday night you might luck out and get to hear the awesome Dave Rowe band play at Bull Feeny's!
-Shop Old Port. You will find very few chain stores here, and the few you will find are New England chains like "Life Is Good." There are tons of cute boutiques, home decor stores, gelato, candy and ice cream shops (Beal's ice cream is sooo good!!), and of course the souvenir shops. Walking the cobblestone streets, seeing the old architecture, listening to street musicians and enjoying the sea breeze just make it that much lovelier.
-Eat! Portland has a ton of restaurants and street vendors. I think it's required that every visitor try a lobster roll, and you must have dinner on the Dimillo's boat. It's a wonderful floating restaurant down at the marina. They have pretty much anything you could be craving, but I highly recommend the seafood. Crab stuffed Haddock is a fav of mine, as is their clam chowder. There is also a great authentic French creperie on Wharf Street serving up both savory and sweet crepes. They even host at least one day a week where you can come in and everyone will speak French, so you can practice/learn. They are extremely friendly, and my husband and I enjoyed a really yummy/filling lunch there (forgive me for not remembering the name, but it's the only creperie there).
Falmouth
-Make a stop at Town Landing and pick up some native ice! lol You'll get that if you make a stop by, but seriously it's a great Mom and Pop type corner grocery store that's been there forever. The owner catches his own lobster, and it's a great place to grab a bite for lunch or get some lobsters to take home and cook for dinner. They also make deli style sandwiches/lobster rolls, and sell the most amazing whoopie pies! Yum! It's all in an adorable building that reminds you of a Norman Rockwell, so make sure you get a picture.
-Take a nice drive! This neighborhood has some of the cutest/most impressive houses around, and I personally just enjoy going for a drive or walk around to see them all.
Freeport
-L.L. Bean!! This is their flagship store, and it's open 24hrs!! It's huge and houses a ton of quality clothing, home decor and outdoor gear, so take your time browsing because there is literally no closing time. Their prices are pretty reasonable, especially given the quality and lifetime guarantee, but if you are a super bargain shopper you can head over to their outlet just across the street for some great deals. If you find something you like but don't have room in the suitcase to carry it home, then have it shipped for free! I really should consider working for them, lol. If you are there during the summer you should check out their summer concert series, outdoor adventure classes (that are offered all year long, but are discounted in the summer), and of course smile for the camera by the giant boot out front. We actually did the archery outdoor adventure class, and had such a great time that we're thinking about getting the kit to practice at home.
-Shop the outlets and local stores. This is outlet shopper heaven, and you'll find outlets for high end retailers like Vineyard Vines, Bass, J.Crew, etc. We scored a massive deal on shoes at Bass this past trip with their buy one pair get two pairs free promotion! Mangy Moose is a must! They only have two locations (here and Jackson Hole), and you will find all your moose and rustic needs met. I make sure we always visit this adorable/fun store every time we are in Freeport. It's a great place to buy gifts.
Stuff you can do almost anywhere in Maine
Hike, bike, sail, or swim, just get out there! The outdoors of Maine is BEAUTIFUL!
P.S. This is one of the only vacations I've ever had that left me in better shape than when I got there!
