Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
HollyBee013
member
Vacation to Maine
HollyBee013
member
So, I tried posting a question on the Maine Babies board, and only one person responded. I thought I would try it here! Has anyone been to Maine? I am trying to plan our first family vacation, and for starters, I don't even know the best time to go to Maine! LO is just over a year, so we don't want to camp, but will most likely go to Acadia National Forest. I dunno, any ideas or stories or whatever could help me plan! Mu husband always plans our vacations, so I need to do a good job on my first time! 
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Re: Vacation to Maine
I've been to Camden, Rockport, Thomaston, Wiscasset, and Rockland before baby. You might want a stroller for wandering through towns and shops.
https://www.camdenmainevacation.com
We always stop in Freeport to visit the LL Bean store! Also every place has the best lobster roll ever... lol.
Edit- I would say go in the summer, but I'm not a winter person! Even the beaches are chilly in August.
I live in Portland and think the suggestions above are great. If you are driving up to Bar Harbor - take Route 1 all the way up (or back) so that you get to see all the towns mentioned - Freeport, Camden, etc.
There is also in Boothbay Harbor the Maine State aquarium which is neat. There is a prison store on the way up to Bar harbor on route 1 in Thomaston - it's worth a trip in. Everything is made by the prisoners so that they can earn money to send home to family. Very good quality stuff - from cutting boards, to rocking horses for a great price.
In Portland - I would go to the Children's museum which is on Free Street in the Old Port. There is a great Farmers market on Saturdays and lots of outdoor playgrounds around.
Eat lobster by the water at Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth or one of the many lobster shacks around and on the way up.
I would bring a small packable stroller in case you are going to a lot of towns. Just in case your LO gets sick of being in a carrier.
The Maine baby and nest boards are pretty dead, we all defected to FB.
Mount Desert Island is great, practically endless stuff to do if you like outdoor activities. The Carriage roads are great for walking if you want exercise, but not in the mood to hike a mountain. I like walking around Eagle Lake, a good distance but not too hard.
I'd definitely go to Jordon Pond House, popovers are one of the best foods ever. Two Cats has great breakfast, so I'd stop there at least once.
If you want to spend time in more than one place, I'd plan on stopping for a day or two somewhere in the Camden/Rockland area. It is a long, long drive from Portland to Mount Desert Island on Rt 1....not sure I'd recommend that for a 1st trip, it might be brutal with a 1 year old.
Most people (smart ones anyways) come to Maine in the summer. Where are you from? It tends to be chilly near the water, and I wouldn't plan on swimming in the ocean unless you really like cold water.
I love the Bar Harbor area in the early fall because there are less people, weather is still good, and the foliage is gorgeous.
If you end up with any more specific questions, send me a PM. Lived in maine most of my life and we always vacationed in Bar Harbor.
My inlaws have a time share in Maine so we go almost every year for a week in July. I would LOVE to go to Acadia. I hear it's beautiful. It's in Stoneham. It's about an hour or so from Naples. It's nice but I heard the Acadia is really beautiful.