[mage lang=”en|es|fr|en” source=”flickr”]pool covers port elizabeth[/mage]
I’m planning a trip to Old Orchard Beach in Maine. Does anyone know of any must see spots?
I LOVE Maine – it’s really beautiful and peaceful.
My best recommendation for Maine is to take a whale watching cruise. They’re pricey – about $40 per person, but we went on one and it was the best $80 we spent. We had a particularly good trip, so much so that even the captain and the guides were excited about how many whales we saw.
There are some great lighthouses in the area. Here’s directions to a few:
Cape Elizabeth Light/Two Lights State Park – Two lighthouses are perched atop the rocky shoreline. Off Rt. 77 in Cape Elizabeth. Directions: Take Route 1N to traffic light at Oak Hill (intersection Rt 1N & Rt 207) Take right onto Route 207 (Black Point Road). Follow almost to the end and take a left onto Route 77. Follow Route 77 to Two Lights road on right.
Goat Island Lighthouse – Built in 1834. Best viewed from Cape Porpoise Pier. Follow directions for Wood Island Light but stay on Route 9 toward Kennebunkport. When you come into Cape Porpoise, take a left at the Stop Sign where Route 9 makes a 90-degree right hand turn. Drive 1/2 mile to end/Pier and park.
Portland Headlight & Museum – Maine’s oldest lighthouse. Commissioned by George Washington in 1791. Adjacent to Fort Williams Park. Large grounds with picnic facilities and museum on the premises. 1000 Shore Rd. (off Rt. 77) Cape Elizabeth. 799-2661. Directions – Option One: Follow directions to Cape Elizabeth Light continuing beyond Two Lights Road on route 77 to Shore Road/Portland Headlight. Option Two: Take Route 1N to 295N to exit 4 (Port/Waterfront) and stay to left. Take Danforth Street thru 3-4 traffic lights. Take right on State Street and cross over Casco Bay bridge onto Broadway Street. Take right at second traffic light (Cottage Road) to Shore Road. Headlight is on left. On a clear day, you can see six area lights.
Wood Island Lighthouse – Take Route 1S to Route 9 (Main Street/Saco). Go thru downtown area passing over Saco River and past Saco Island. At bottom of hill past river bear right. Taking next left onto Route 9 (Hill Street). Take left at first set of traffic lights (Pool Road/Route 9/Route 208). Follow Route 208 to end. Take left on Route 208 thru Biddeford Pool and lighthouse is on right.
On your way up, stop at the Nubble Light in the town of York (on Route 1). There’s also a driving tour to see the Portland lights here: http://portlandme.about.com/cs/mainelighthouses/ht/lighthouses.htm That could be a fun day trip, see the lights (it doesn’t take that long) then have lunch and stroll the shops in downtown Portland.
One of our favorite stops in Maine is Pemaquid Point. It’s about 2 hours from Old Orchard Beach, but again, it would be another nice day trip. Get up REALLY early for this one – there’s a little restaurant / gift shop next to the lighthouse that serves the BEST blueberry pancakes. It’s a converted house and the restaurant portion is on an old covered porch overlooking the water. It’s just a wonderful experience to have breakfast listening to the sound of the waves, and the area is absolutely beautiful.
The Kittery Outlets aren’t far, and you should check out Freeport, home of LL Bean and their flagship store, open 24 hours a day. Freeport has dozens of little shops and restaurants on their main street, and it’s a very pleasant walk.
You should definitely have a lobster dinner at a lobster co-op and if you’ve never tried it, try blueberry coffee. I am addicted to the stuff.
See also:
http://www.oldorchardbeachmaine.com/Activity.htm
Tarps & Canvas Port Elizabeth South Africa – Alpha Tarps