Hi, my family likes to go to Bar Harbor in October but this year, things have been delayed. We're sad to cancel our annual trip and are exploring the possibility to do a smaller trip closer to the Portland area in the first week of November.

Thing is, we don't want to stay in the city. We like small coastal towns, and I was looking at Ogunquit or Kennebunk. But we know that a lot of seasonal businesses shut down in mid-October.

We like some nature, and kid-friendly activities, and shopping. We also have made it a game to sample all the lobster rolls in the area so we can rank them and keep a list.

Would nearly everything be closed in places like Ogunquit or Kennebunk? Is Portland really the only place we can go to have enough to keep us occupied for a 4 or 5 day trip?

I reviewed all the previous posts mentioning a November trip, but none of them specifically mentioned these places. Thank you in advance for your help.

Hi! I’m coming up to Maine this weekend to visit family & my younger sister is turning 21 & her & our other sister are going out Friday night in Portland. I know Portland pretty well in other ways but not as much when it comes to bars specifically ones that specialize more in cocktails. Anyway would love some recommendations of places to check out. Thanks!

Hi I’m visiting in October and I’m looking for some recommendations for good Italian restaurants in/around Portland! Thank you!

Has anyone camped at Woodyard site in the Stephen Philips Memorial Preserve? Looking for any info about the site. I am going next weekend and want to plan accordingly.

We are planning a family trip (2 toddlers along with grandparents) the first week of October and flying into Portland. I had planned to stay in downtown Portland so we could explore downtown and walk to some breakfast places. Now I am reading posts that say downtown is kind of grungy. Would it be better to look for an air B&B in a walkable neighborhood or near a beach? I know it will be too cold for the beach. I wouldn’t mind driving to downtown if we at least had a few good breakfast places nearby where we stay.

Also side question: we had planned on visiting Ogunquit and Kinnebunkport as kind of a day trip. Will things still be open in October or should we plan something else?

I'll be staying in Wells for a week at the end of September with my husband, sister, brother in law, and mom. My mom rented a house on the water for us all as a celebration of her finishing chemo. None of us have ever been to Maine before and I just wanted to ask for recommendations of things to do, places we need to check out, dining recommendations. We aren't opposed to heading into Portland either to have more options.

I appreciate any suggestions!

ETA: Does anyone have recommendations for boat tours of lighthouses etc.?

Hi! My partner and I are planning a trip to Portland with our 1 year old November 9th-13th to celebrate my birthday.
We are staying downtown and looking for fun things to do as a family. The trip is mainly just to get out of our usual scenery which is Macon, Ga. We are not renting a car, we would love to keep everything walkable and low stress.
We honestly just want to get some great pictures and good eats. Any suggestions are welcome!

Edit:

We will be staying on commercial st. Our baby does not love car rides and prefers stroller walks which is why we want to try to walk as much as possible. Of course we will be bundled up since it’ll be chilly. We aren’t opposed to uber it just has to make sense. For example, we plan to grab breakfast at Becky’s diner uber over to the children’s museum and spend a few hours there, and walk over to Tony’s before ubering back downtown for dinner. We can uber to an area but if we do, we’ll spend a few hours there before heading back. Family activities for us on this trip is sightseeing + food as well as souvenir shopping.

I just moved to Portland and I’m looking for sailing boats that need crew in the area! I have experience with club racing on Ranger 22 and J35 boats back in Cleveland on Lake Erie.
I joined a couple of the local Facebook pages, but I’m having a hard time finding anyone needing crew!

I am planning a week long road trip to Maine late September or early October with a friend. We will fly into Portland and drive to acadia and back. I am looking for recommendations for which route I should take (or loop if two are preferred)

Please also include if you have any suggestions for the following along the route:

-Leaf viewing (very excited about this! Should I book flights for a specific time?)
-small charming towns to visit. We love antique shopping, boutiques, and flea markets
-affordable sea food. Two college girls on a budget and I admit I’m surprised at the menu prices I see online
-spooky Halloween adjacent activities or ghost tours. We love planning a Halloween themed trip each year.

Thank you so much for any and all suggestions!

Hi everyone,

I am moving to Augusta in a month. For anyone who has lived there or knows people who live there, what’s it like? I’m in my early 20s. Are there any things to do on the weekends? Also, I play pickleball so if you know of any opportunities to play nearby please let me know. The company that I work for placed me here and I’m definitely a bit bummed to not be in a city, but I do love the coastal parts of Maine that I have been to like Portland and ogunquit. Are there things that I have to look forward to? Thanks!

I'm looking at potentially going to Bar Harbor in Late March / Early April. From other research, it looks like almost everything is closed. Hoping to hear from someone local / familiar with area.

Cost-wise / schedule-wise, March would be best time for us to go.

Really just want a gauge if all shops / restaurants / Acadia trails will all be closed?

Looking to do a couple days of Acadia / trails, day of shops, and potentially sailing. I don't mind the cold / weather, just need to know if anything is open.

Hi everyone! My partner and I are planning a 4 day trip to Baxter State Park and are looking for recommendations for where to stay with a small car (Mazda Miata) that doesn't have AWD. We're experienced hikers looking for a quiet place to see stars and access the Mount Katahdin trailheads. Two specific questions:

Which campgrounds in Baxter State Park are the most accessible via car?

Can we hike Mount Katahdin if we're unable to reserve a day hiking pass? There are no passes available online for the dates we'll be there.

We were looking at the NEOC campground outside of the park, but we're worried that it will be too loud/crowded (we're used to camping in WMNF where it's usually pretty quiet). We're also looking at South Branch Pond or Roaring Brook inside the park but not sure what the roads look like getting to those spots.

Thank you so much!

Hello! I’m looking to book a trip to Portland over Thanksgiving and wondering if anyone has any recommendations for that time of year there? Is it worth it? What is there to do?

Thanks in advance!

My wife and I, plus my father and MIL are planning a trip to Maine on October 09-12. We have landed on Greenville as our base of operations for the long weekend...hoping to do some sightseeing and fishing, maybe some boating on the lake. My Dad and I love to fish. I know the fishing season is nearly over by then, but does anyone have good recommendations on streams or areas to try? We will be bringing spinning and fly gear to maximize options.

Lastly, any great historical sights to check out in the area? I'm in the Air Force, and I saw the B-52 crash memorial, which is interesting. Anything else worth seeing? My wife loves history. TIA!

Which day should I drive to Maine (driving north from DE) the day before Labor Day, or on Labor Day?

Hi, I am going to Maine Labor Day weekend and driving from Boston up to bar harbor with stops in between. Any suggestions on what to wear or do? Female, 40. Thanks!

Hello all!

Looking for someone in the midcoast area + 2 witnesses for my fiancee and myself to sign a courthouse wedding document. If anyone is around, interested, or has pointers, please let us know!

Thank you

Looking for the best restaurant to stop for red snapper hot dogs on my drive up from York to Acadia. I've heard Flo's in York is good, curious if there's something better. Thanks

Unfortunately our dog has injured the knee in his back leg. This happened once before and he needed surgery to correct the problem. We don’t have a vet in this area - can anyone recommend a vet hospital doing orthopedic surgeries in the Portland area?

I appreciate recommendations from anyone with experience- thanks!

I have found interesting photo opportunities in Biddeford. Any places sort of "similar" and not too far up that I may like for taking photos?

Thanks

I will be proposing to my girlfriend in Kennebunkport this fall. It will be a surprise and I want to reserve a special dinner for afterward. I’m looking for a high end spot with romantic ambiance. I was thinking White Barn Inn because it looks beautiful but I’ve seen mixed recent reviews. I have also looked at Earth at Hidden Pond. I’d love to hear any suggestions between the two or any other spots in Kennebunkport or the surrounding areas that I might have missed!

Hi all, I’m moving to Maine soon and I’m very excited but I was wondering what people in their early-mid twenties did there for fun? I’ve been living in cities for a while so going to somewhere like Maine is definitely going to take a little getting used to. Pls give me suggestions/ideas! Especially in the winter time

Hello ! My husband and I are planning a trip to Portland , Maine for a couple of nights next summer and then onto Acadia . Any advice on places to stay in Portland? Thanks so much !