Visiting Maine in September

[Ava]

We finally settled our vacation for mid-September and we decided to visit Maine.

I've never visited and I have no idea what to expect.

We would like to be in southern Maine and near the coast. 
I was thinking Ogunquit. Since we love to be in the water and I don't expect Maine's beaches to be warm, particularly in September, we'll stay in a hotel with an indoor pool. Maybe we can sit at the beach in the afternoon, if it's sunny.

If any of you lives or has visited Maine, will there be enough to do in a small town like Ogunquit if we stay a full week? Or should we stay 3-4 days and then go somewhere else?

What are the best places to visit, what is there to do? I'm not familiar with Maine at all.
Even though we want plenty of time to rest and take it easy, we also want some activities to make the most of the place and enjoy it.

[imawino]

You should tag deminmaine

I've been to Acadia National Park and loved it, but that's all I know about Maine really.  

[Tennesseer]

I lived in southern New Hampshire for about eighteen months in the early 90s. Work took me sometimes to Portland, Bangor and Augusta, Maine.

The Ogunquit Playhouse has Mystic Pizza : A New Musical playing during the month of September.

On your drive to Ogunquit you will drive through Kittery, Maine which is loaded with outlet stores if you are into shopping. South of Kittery in New Hampshire in Portsmouth. A pretty coastal small city.

You might look into a whale watching tour. Take a tourist boat out into the Gulf of Maine looking for humpback whales.

From Southern Maine, you might think about driving over to the Mount Washington area in New Hampshire. Maybe even driving up to the top of Mt. Washington. Great scenery. I did that once while living in N.H.

And if you decide to do Mt. Washington in N.H., you might want to think about a drive around Lake Winnipesaukee and spending the night in one of the towns by the lake. Pretty ride around the lake too. It might even be warm enough to take a swim.

Lake Winnipesaukee:

[dannylion]

Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.  The original L.L. Bean store in Freeport.  

[chiver78]

Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are going to be a good few hours' drive from Ogunquit. Portland is maybe an hour? Old Port in Portland has a lot of cool little shops, great restaurants (a lot of seafood) and bars/breweries. the Portland Sea Dogs play in South Portland. you can take harbor cruises, most of the tours point out the island where Stephen King lives    Freeport is probably half an hour past Portland. LL Bean's flagship store is there, and a whole lot of outlet shopping as well. Boothbay Harbor is another 2h (maybe?) past Freeport. it is smaller than Bar Harbor, but still a very cool Maine coastal town. 

I don't know much about Ogunquit itself, but a good friend of mine lives in Wells. I'll ask her opinion on it. also recommend Kittery, and Portsmouth NH. 

[imawino]

Aug 2, 2021 14:58:54 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I lived in southern New Hampshire for about eighteen months in the early 90s. Work took me sometimes to Portland, Bangor and Augusta, Maine.

The Ogunquit Playhouse has Mystic Pizza : A New Musical playing during the month of September.

On your drive to Ogunquit you will drive through Kittery, Maine which is loaded with outlet stores if you are into shopping. South of Kittery in New Hampshire in Portsmouth. A pretty coastal small city.

You might look into a whale watching tour. Take a tourist boat out into the Gulf of Maine looking for humpback whales.

From Southern Maine, you might think about driving over to the Mount Washington area in New Hampshire. Maybe even driving up to the top of Mt. Washington. Great scenery. I did that once while living in N.H.

And if you decide to do Mt. Washington in N.H., you might want to think about a drive around Lake Winnipesaukee and spending the night in one of the towns by the lake. Pretty ride around the lake too. It might even be warm enough to take a swim.

I do think that is a great idea, but I have to chime in and say if it's foggy, do not get on the boat!  If you're on the boat and there is any kind of announcement that conditions for seeing whales are not great and you can reschedule for another time, GET OFF THE BOAT IMMEDIATELY. 

In all seriousness, I had one of the most miserable experiences of my life on a boat full of seasick people on a foggy whale watching tour.  UGH.  So much vomit.  Someone threw up ON MY FOOT.  And I was wearing sandals.  

[Tennesseer]

Aug 2, 2021 15:16:14 GMT -5 imawino said:

Aug 2, 2021 14:58:54 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I lived in southern New Hampshire for about eighteen months in the early 90s. Work took me sometimes to Portland, Bangor and Augusta, Maine.

The Ogunquit Playhouse has Mystic Pizza : A New Musical playing during the month of September.

On your drive to Ogunquit you will drive through Kittery, Maine which is loaded with outlet stores if you are into shopping. South of Kittery in New Hampshire in Portsmouth. A pretty coastal small city.

You might look into a whale watching tour. Take a tourist boat out into the Gulf of Maine looking for humpback whales.

From Southern Maine, you might think about driving over to the Mount Washington area in New Hampshire. Maybe even driving up to the top of Mt. Washington. Great scenery. I did that once while living in N.H.

And if you decide to do Mt. Washington in N.H., you might want to think about a drive around Lake Winnipesaukee and spending the night in one of the towns by the lake. Pretty ride around the lake too. It might even be warm enough to take a swim.

I do think that is a great idea, but I have to chime in and say if it's foggy, do not get on the boat!  If you're on the boat and there is any kind of announcement that conditions for seeing whales are not great and you can reschedule for another time, GET OFF THE BOAT IMMEDIATELY. 

In all seriousness, I had one of the most miserable experiences of my life on a boat full of seasick people on a foggy whale watching tour.  UGH.  So much vomit.  Someone threw up ON MY FOOT.  And I was wearing sandals.  

You must have been on the same boat as me along with my parents. The folks took dramamine and I took nothing. All three of us were fine but half of the others on the boat were green and heaving over the sides.

[Opti]

Aug 2, 2021 12:35:41 GMT -5 Ava said:

We finally settled our vacation for mid-September and we decided to visit Maine.

I've never visited and I have no idea what to expect.

We would like to be in southern Maine and near the coast. 
I was thinking Ogunquit. Since we love to be in the water and I don't expect Maine's beaches to be warm, particularly in September, we'll stay in a hotel with an indoor pool. Maybe we can sit at the beach in the afternoon, if it's sunny.

If any of you lives or has visited Maine, will there be enough to do in a small town like Ogunquit if we stay a full week? Or should we stay 3-4 days and then go somewhere else?

What are the best places to visit, what is there to do? I'm not familiar with Maine at all.
Even though we want plenty of time to rest and take it easy, we also want some activities to make the most of the place and enjoy it.

I loved Ogunquit and Wells, but I haven't been there in possibly twenty years. The food is good, the beaches are more rocks than sand from what I remember, but there are some great walks in the area. I had hazelnut encrusted lobster when I was there and sat at a table overlooking the ocean. There was a small but nice art museum, probably in Wells. I think it was only a long weekend there, but I enjoyed the place we chose to stay and the locals were all real nice to us. I think more than once we had people trying to talk us into coming in the winter or staying longer. I think we also went somewhere to get almost fresh from the source Poland Spring water at a cute collection of shops. Not sure about a week, but like others have mentioned, there are things nearby to go do and see.

[Tennesseer]

Old Orchard Beach is a nice area too. My parents took us kids there a couple times when we were young.

Old Orchard Beach

[Opti]

Aug 2, 2021 15:16:14 GMT -5 imawino said:

Aug 2, 2021 14:58:54 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

I lived in southern New Hampshire for about eighteen months in the early 90s. Work took me sometimes to Portland, Bangor and Augusta, Maine.

The Ogunquit Playhouse has Mystic Pizza : A New Musical playing during the month of September.

On your drive to Ogunquit you will drive through Kittery, Maine which is loaded with outlet stores if you are into shopping. South of Kittery in New Hampshire in Portsmouth. A pretty coastal small city.

You might look into a whale watching tour. Take a tourist boat out into the Gulf of Maine looking for humpback whales.

From Southern Maine, you might think about driving over to the Mount Washington area in New Hampshire. Maybe even driving up to the top of Mt. Washington. Great scenery. I did that once while living in N.H.

And if you decide to do Mt. Washington in N.H., you might want to think about a drive around Lake Winnipesaukee and spending the night in one of the towns by the lake. Pretty ride around the lake too. It might even be warm enough to take a swim.

I do think that is a great idea, but I have to chime in and say if it's foggy, do not get on the boat!  If you're on the boat and there is any kind of announcement that conditions for seeing whales are not great and you can reschedule for another time, GET OFF THE BOAT IMMEDIATELY. 

In all seriousness, I had one of the most miserable experiences of my life on a boat full of seasick people on a foggy whale watching tour.  UGH.  So much vomit.  Someone threw up ON MY FOOT.  And I was wearing sandals.  

Oh wow, that is awful. One of the things I do want to do is go to Acadia National Park and do the boat tour to see the puffins. Never got the timing right to get Mom to go with me. 

[imawino]

Aug 2, 2021 15:20:25 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 2, 2021 15:16:14 GMT -5 imawino said:

I do think that is a great idea, but I have to chime in and say if it's foggy, do not get on the boat!  If you're on the boat and there is any kind of announcement that conditions for seeing whales are not great and you can reschedule for another time, GET OFF THE BOAT IMMEDIATELY. 

In all seriousness, I had one of the most miserable experiences of my life on a boat full of seasick people on a foggy whale watching tour.  UGH.  So much vomit.  Someone threw up ON MY FOOT.  And I was wearing sandals.  

You must have been on the same boat as me along with my parents. The folks took dramamine and I took nothing. All three of us were fine but half of the others on the boat were green and heaving over the sides.

LOL.  Maybe?  Thinking about it is making me queasy.  There was vomit everywhere you turned.  That poor crew just walked around with trash bags and paper towels for hours.  One of them even cleaned my foot for me while the sweetie and stepsons laughed at my predicament.  Older stepson felt very ill but held it together.  I felt kinda sick although whether it was from the sea or being surrounded by puke I don't know.  Younger stepson (8 at the time) was entirely unphased and the only person on the boat who ate.  The crew said they wanted to give him an award for being the only one putting anything in their stomach while everyone around was letting things out.  

[Ava]

I've been on a whale watching tour in Cape Cod and it was amazing.

I don't want to go much farther north than Ogunquit because I'm not fond of driving.
Not sure if Portland ME is relatively close, we may visit there.

I am thinking we'll probably do a combo of New Hampshire, and southern Maine.
A full week in Maine may be too much, but 3 days in New Hampshire, and then 3 or 4 days in Maine will probably be great.

[Ava]

And my mother loves seafood!!!

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Aug 2, 2021 15:39:44 GMT -5 Ava said:

And my mother loves seafood!!!

That’s the place you can indulge.  When I lived in Boston, we drove up there and gorged on lobster at shacks along the coast.  Soooo good!

[wwtpgirl66]

Ava I live on the Coast of Maine. I have some ideas if you want. I’m in the lobster capital of Maine and home of the annual Maine Lobster Festival.  I think I’m too far up for you however.  I’m an hour and 20 minutes north up the coast

[mary2029]

I took a 4-day road trip up the coast of New Hampshire/Maine in October about 5 years ago. I mainly focused on seeing leaves change and visiting lighthouses, and spent a couple nights at B&Bs. I wish I had driven as far north to Arcadia, but I did enjoy the trip.  

[empress of self-improvement]

If you plan to even contemplating driving your car up Mt. Washington, DON'T!!!! The Auto Road is hideous and scary and I hate it. Every time my father dragged my ass up there I was the floor mat because I hate that trip!!! It's also too damn cold! Stick to Maine
Alas, I hate seafood so I won't be joining you but do wave as you drive past Boston.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 2, 2021 19:56:43 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

If you plan to even contemplating driving your car up Mt. Washington, DON'T!!!! The Auto Road is hideous and scary and I hate it. Every time my father dragged my ass up there I was the floor mat because I hate that trip!!! It's also too damn cold! Stick to Maine
Alas, I hate seafood so I won't be joining you but do wave as you drive past Boston.

A friend of mine visiting from California had hiked up Mt. Washington via Tuckerman Ravine and I had to drive to the top to pick him up. A bit scary driving up. Driving down the mountain all I smelled was burning brakes.

Easier to take the cog train up and back down.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 2, 2021 19:56:43 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

If you plan to even contemplating driving your car up Mt. Washington, DON'T!!!! The Auto Road is hideous and scary and I hate it. Every time my father dragged my ass up there I was the floor mat because I hate that trip!!! It's also too damn cold! Stick to Maine
Alas, I hate seafood so I won't be joining you but do wave as you drive past Boston.

A high school friend of mine who later became a scientist spent a winter atop Mt. Washington in the weather station conducting weather experiments.

[empress of self-improvement]

Aug 2, 2021 21:01:19 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Aug 2, 2021 19:56:43 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

If you plan to even contemplating driving your car up Mt. Washington, DON'T!!!! The Auto Road is hideous and scary and I hate it. Every time my father dragged my ass up there I was the floor mat because I hate that trip!!! It's also too damn cold! Stick to Maine
Alas, I hate seafood so I won't be joining you but do wave as you drive past Boston.

A high school friend of mine who later became a scientist spent a winter atop Mt. Washington in the weather station conducting weather experiments.

My dad's best friend used to run the Observatory. I had an uncle who worked up there too but I have no clue what he did.

[garion2003]

Actually September is the best time for warm ocean water - it's had all summer to warm up, but not yet cold. The water in Maine is way too cold in May/June (and sometimes even July!). 

Hope you have a good trip, definitely check out all the seafood!

[finnime]

I've spent a lot of time in Wells, just north of Ogunquit, in recent years. Wells has big broad sandy beaches. Ogunquit does, too, in its northern part. It also has Marginal Way, a gorgeous walk that you must do if you're in the area. The Playhouse is great. Ogunquit has many restaurants, art galleries, antiques and sea-themed stores. You'll enjoy the trip. Portland is not far, either, maybe 1 hour at most. You can make it a point to see the lighthouses in the area.

You can drive up Mount Augmenticus and see a lot of Maine from the top of the mountain.

Seafood is everywhere. You can take boat excursions right out of Perkin's Cove in Ogunquit, too.