Boston/Maine travel tips
he.who.forgets
Posts: 4,593
Thread EDIT: Planning on heading up to Maine/New Hampshire this June via Boston. We are either going to fly into Boston for a day or two and take a train up to Portland, or fly into Portland and end the trip in Beantown. We are going to rent a car while in Maine so we're completely flexible. Can any locals or other peeps who have been there shed some light on some cool places to visit? Not opposed to driving over to New Hampshire either. Will probably spend a good 4-5 days there. Thanks
Thanks for all the advice already!!!
Thanks for all the advice already!!!
We were but stones your light made us stars
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these places were both excellent
in portland
http://www.forestreet.biz/
in freeport
http://www.azurecafe.com/
we drove back thru NH. lot of nice places around the white mountain national forest.
we checked out a couple of lighthouses, and those were cool.
Salem, MA is between Portland and Boston...very touristy.
i also suggest, if the woman takes a mid afternoon nap, don't go to the hotel bar and drink a martini's all afternoon
don't drive North to portland on a friday or south to boston on a sunday....you've been warned.
72 Commercial Street
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 761-4446
This is a Seafood town, no doubt, but if you want a Great Burger:
Rí Rá Burger
cracked pepper, grilled Irish rasher, melted swiss,
crispy onion rings $10.95
Then, Baxter State Park: Another long drive and my second-favorite place on Earth.
Since I don't imagine you're packing a tent and camping gear, however, go with Bar Harbor. You can stay in the village, and after an awesome breakfast at either Cafe This Way or Jordan's, you can check out Acadia by day and then down a few well-earned Bar Harbor Real Ales and lobster rolls at Fish House or Thirsty Whale at night.
Cadillac Motor Inn is reasonably priced and does what it should do -- namely, provide a place for you to rest.
Agree with 81 (scary): Forget Portland -- and Freeport for that matter.
1) Portland has a couple of good old cobblestone streets near the harbor, where you can walk for an hour or two on a nice day and shop, get something to eat, grab a beer, etc. Maine Mead Works on Washington is a must-visit if you like mead (honey-wine); free tastings, nice people and good drinks. Allagash Brewery has some of the best beer in the country IMO; def. stop there. Fort Williams Park in S. Portland has a cool lighthouse.
Wouldn't waste any more time in Portland than that tho. Not anywhere as cool or as big as Portland, OR outside of the places I mentioned.
2) Spend at least a day (or 2 if you can) in Acadia. On a nice day it's the nicest place in New England. Cadillac Mountain is my favorite place on the east coast next to NYC; Bar Harbor is a tourist trap, not my opinion of fun.
3) It's probably going to rain quite a bit for at least 50% of the time you're there, so be prepared.
4) If you have extra time, Grafton Notch State Park near the ME-NH border has some cool sights, hiking trails and waterfalls.
Good luck!
I second this place; stopped in during a rainstorm and found good food and a good atmosphere.
http://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm
Hartford 5-13-06, 6-27-08, 10-25-13
Mansfield, MA 6-30-08, 6-28-08, 7-2-03, 7-3-03, 7-11-03, 8-29-00, 8-30-00, 9-15-98, 9-16-98
Worcester 10-15-13, 10-16-13
If you are here on the first Sunday in June then the Old Port Festival is very fun. Any other Sunday and everyone grabs a ferry (15 minutes) to Peak’s Island for reggae on the deck. You look back over Casco Bay at Portland and the old fort. If you go in the morning, you can walk around the island’s perimeter, or bike/blade. Or go to brunch at someplace like Local 188 before the ferry ride.
I like Ri Ra but they are a chain and that is not what Portland is about. I do think they have figured out how to be local and do a great job. Most of the restaurants on the peninsula are into the farm/sea to table movement and it’s a good time to be alive. The best burger for me is The Front Room or the Grille Room (same owner). I also discovered a new pub called LFK that has amazing burgers. I could go on about the places I like but I think what might be better is to PM you a link of local restaurant news that you should check out every prior to your trip. It will help you find what you like. A new restaurant and distillery opened last week that I went to and really liked. Here is a link. http://www.pressherald.com/blogs/the_golden_dish/199443411.html
Also The Top of the East is a lounge at the top of a hotel that has fantastic views. One side is out over the islands and ocean and turn around and you can usually see the White Mountains in NH. Great sunset place. There are a couple of old schooners that take people out for a couple hours which I have done and it’s fun. A few miles from Portland is Fort Williams Park or Two Lights Park is the place to get a lobster roll.
The train to and from Boston is very easy and takes about two hours. A trip to Arcadia would be very worth the effort – it is kinda life changing – but I’m trying to stay within your parameters. I’m heading out now for a few days skiing with a bud that has a nice inn there.
Kinda disappointed we're skipping out on NH though.
Anyway, thanks for all the advice thus far. keep it comin :P
Another thing you can do is go to Quincy Market and follow the freedom line to the Boston commons. Walk through the commons and have a drink at the bull and finch (cheers).
Unlost will gladly tell you about it, I think Pillow Pants knows the name...if he's hanging around here.
- Christopher McCandless
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdqE-ArH848
Oh, man. Not to rain on your parade or anything, but usually that trail is closed in June due to nesting peregrine falcons. The Beehive is like a nice mini Precipice, though.
HEY, Portland doesn't blow, I lived there for 4 years. Loved it!!
If you're going on the coastal side, I recommend Wells Beach and Kennebunkport
it's good for about a day.
You're going to stick with that, huh?
You will be fine. Have fun, Acadia is one of my fav childhood memories, I really want to go back soon.
I have been to the one in providence and it's not what any town is about IMO. That being said the only restaurant I stop in around Portland is the BK at the rest stop on 95N.
(The Inlaws live in Denmark, ME so we tend to get fed there
Anyway, thanks again to everyone who posted some tips in this thread. I'll post a few pics once I get them uploaded.
Acadia is just the best. If I could find a job there other than selling T-Shirts, I would move to Bar Harbor like that.
Red's Eats lobster roll -- oh, man! Nom!
And I proposed to my wife after the "Leash" show (May 25, 2006) from the dirty floor of Bukowski Tavern. We were at the same booth where we had our first date nearly five and a half years before that show.