Maine

[dumboiu]

DH just said he would like to take a trip to Maine and look around, perhaps to relocate someday. I admit I don't know much about the state, so I am coming to the DIS for help. Where should we go? What should we see? If we ever did relocate, where would be the desirable places to live? Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated!

 

[mtdevine615]

So much to see and do. Where to start....I guess since most people come in from the south I'll start there. As you come up the coast there are many lighthouses that you can visit. There are also whale watching and charter fishing boats. I live in Saco which is next to Old Orchard Beach and they have a great little seaside community....OK maybe a little tacky but a great beach. Portland is the biggest city and by far the most things to do and see. Further up the coast is camden and Bar Harbor and many other great little towns. Inland are the mountains and great hiking and skiing.

 

[KELLY]

I'm from the souther half of the state as well. I live in Wells. There is a great beach but alot of things around here are seasonal. We chose to live in Wells for the schools.

 

[Mermaid02]

We live in the Bangor area. One of the best things about living here is the proximity to Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. It is one the most beautiful areas in the state!

 

[Judy in Texas]

We lived in Portsmouth NH for 12 years, just across the bridge from Kittery Maine. Lovely area. We could be to the beach in 20 minutes and to the ski slopes in 45 minutes. I worked in downtown Portsmouth and when the weather was nice I'd take my lunch down to the river to watch the draw bridge go up and down and the boats going wherever. I don't know where you currently live. I remember being so cold in the winter with the nor'easters blowing in off the ocean. I took my daughter and friends to the 4th of July fireworks in Portsmouth one year and we wore our ski jackets... the vendors were selling coffee and hot chocolate. As long as you don't mind the cold weather, it's a wonderful place to live.

 

[Darsa]

I live in the Augusta area. It's pretty boring here, not much to see/do. South, North, East, those are the directions we go when we want to have some fun OOB is fun, we really like the Water Parks down in that area. Acadia Nat'l Park is GORGEOUS and has wonderful places for hiking. Most of the coastal area is worth visiting, we love the beach and state parks The fall is a wonderful time to visit, especially if you can find an apple orchard to visit and pick your own. Not very exciting, but it really is a good time.

As for living here, we're actually planning to leave Maine once DD graduates. There just aren't jobs up here, and the pay is kinda bad. I imagine people with specialties might be better off, but high-tech just isn't here; more in Southern Maine/Portland area but even there it isn't great. And our taxes are pretty high.

 

[dumboiu]

Thank you for your responses! If anyone else has any suggestions and/or recommendations of where to visit or what to do, I would love to hear.

 

[luvwinnie]

I love Wells and Kennebunkport...and you can't miss Acadia Natl Park and the Bar Harbor area...I just love the whole coast! I would go every year if DH would agree. Where do you live now?

 

[pumba]

we live in the Central area and its a pretty area. We have a great college that is private and a University ....also a community college and a few others too. We do love to travel up north where the bigger ski areas are and also MOOSE.....we love to go moose watching . This is also a great area for hunting if you know someone that does like that......also Moosehead Lake in Greenville, is a beautiful pristine lake.

Maine is a very welcoming state I believe.....SO WELCOME when you do get here

 

[Diane♥Disney]

I'm from the souther half of the state as well. I live in Wells. There is a great beach but alot of things around here are seasonal. We chose to live in Wells for the schools.

My parents have a camp in Wells. We spend a lot of time there in the summer.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

What sort of things do you like to do? As others have said, the state's pretty much an option of ocean based activities or mountains/more rural ones. Depending on where you are, there are certainly places where you the two aren't far away.

Are you looking for more active things (hiking, canoeing, etc) or sitting on a beach with a book sort of thing? Get away from it all or in the "city" (I use the term loosely compared to other areas of the country, but Portland/Lewiston/Bangor certainly have decent amenities!)

Kids, no kids?

 

[4 Ears]

We live in the Western Foot Hills of Maine, pretty but not much here for jobs.
DH wants to know what you are thinking?!?!
As soon as DS 15 (Freshman) graduates we are outa here!

Yes, what do you like to do? We have the ocean and mountains. Ski areas.
Or would you rather be in our HUGE cities... Bangor, Portland, Augusta

 

[Mermaid02]

We live in the Western Foot Hills of Maine, pretty but not much here for jobs.
DH wants to know what you are thinking?!?!
As soon as DS 15 (Freshman) graduates we are outa here!

Yes, what do you like to do? We have the ocean and mountains. Ski areas.
Or would you rather be in our HUGE cities... Bangor, Portland, Augusta

Lots of folks come here for the quality of life- low crime etc. However, I would move to get out of these Maine winters. We have family in Rumford- when their youngest graduates they are thinking of moving to Farmington...

 

[gottaluvPluto]

Maine is a very gorgeous state, however, it only has two seasons .... winter and spring. I thought I was going to die when I lived there. Anyway, I loved the fall with the leaves changing and just driving down the coast was very picturesque. Maine also has some awesome seafood restaurants, but I can't remember their names. Maine is a great place to visit, but too cold for me to live there. Have fun in Maine!

 

[NYPDwife]

I visited Lubec during the summer and while the town has been forgotten with time, the area was MAGNIFICENT!! I loved the cabins and being close to the ocean. We hiked along the coastal cliffs at the lighthouse in Lubec and that was amazing. Being able to smell the salt of the ocean while being in a forest of evergreens is indescribable. If I decided to move there, I would definitely have to be somewhere closer to civilization. We wanted to see a movie one night and had to travel 2 hours down the Coastal 1 just to get to a "town".