Moving to Maine (Portland, Biddeford, Augusta: to rent, hotels, house)

[Papaya]

Hey,
I'm going to be moving to Biddeford in a couple of months, due to family circumstances. I've read all that I can on the internet and done as much research as possible about the area.
However, when I researched Oregon (where I live now) the description embellished a lot about the town I live in, and what it's like to live here.

Can anyone give me some first hand knowledge about what its like to live in Maine- weather, town, people, enviroment, etc (specifically Biddeford) Any info would be highly appreciated.

Thanks

[snowstorm]

Nobody's replied so I will say a few things. I live in Salt lake city Utah now but I grew up in Maine (Cumberland area) and then lived in Portland before I moved west. Every place has its pros and cons, but you'll know when you find your perfect place. Maine is always great to go visit, but I'll never live there agian. It just doesn't fit my life style.
When I was there the winters were unbelievably cold and icy, but my family tells me its been rather warm this winter. With Maine being on the coast and the humitity being at 100% almost all the time cold weather is not fun, but if you work alot and don't really engage in many outdoor activities in cold weather you'll be fine.
The summers are beautiful if your on the ocean. The ocean breeze keeps the bugs away and its awsome. In the fall you get the beautiful leave change.
I'm sure you'll love it, I think the biggest thing is humitity because that effects all the weather there, if its hot it'll feel hotter and cold will feel colder.

[Chimp]

Where in Oregon do you live? We just moved to Bath, ME from Salem, Oregon. We have only been here 3 wks. What exactly are you wanting to know?

Terri

[Coaster]

Chimp, what brought you to Bath? Bath Iron Works?

Papaya, Biddeford is an old mill town that is slowly being revitalized through rehab of the mills into other uses. In the old days, the mill workers lived in Biddeford and the mill owners and managers lived across the river in Saco, and there's still a little of that division. Biddeford suffers from having a trash to energy incinerator downtown.

Biddeford has a very upscale summer colony at Biddeford Pool. I personally prefer Saco, but perhaps only because I know it better. Biddeford politics can best be described as convoluted, very much an old boy network from what I've seen from the outside looking in. There's an okay local daily, the Journal Tribune, but it puts almost nothing on its website. You might try a trial subscription for some insights.

Weather is southern Maine coastal -- milder than inland in the winter, cooler than inland in the summer. The growing season: last frost has been coming as early as mid-late-April in recent years, and first frost in the fall can be Halloween or later. The weather has defintely been getting warmer, and this winter so far has been astonishing for its mildness. Temps tomorrow may hit 70! Route 1 goes through town, so traffic can be an issue in the summer tourist season.

[Chimp]

Actually my husband got a job with the State in Augusta and when we were looking for a place to rent we couldn't find anything we liked in Augusta. Of course we only had 3 days to find something. We are wanting to buy a house but I think we will look a bit closer to Augusta.

[Papaya]

Chimp, I live in Portland OR at the moment but not the downtown area. The Beaverton and Portland homes mix, because the boarder lines of the zip codes cross so it can go either way. The area is very suburban. However, I can make the drive downtown. What was the biggest change for you when you moved to Maine, from OR?

Coaster, Thanks for a lot of really good information. I didn't know anything about the Mills or what the town was like. It seems like Saco or a couple other towns may be better suited for me, but due to family I need to live in Biddeford. I do have a question though.

(Chimp or Coaster do you know this?) In Oregon the main beaches in the area like Seaside have a coast line but its very much a tourist attraction. It's not a casual place to chill, like it used to be. Is that how the beaches in Maine are? The coastal lines are meant for tourists. At Seaside they sell carmel apples everywhere, hotels are about 30 ft from the coast, they have game machines in the town. It's definitely created for tourists. Is that how Maine is as well?

[Coaster]

The kind of hyper-tourist atmosphere you're talking about sounds like Old Orchard Beach. Most of the beaches in southern Maine are more laid back than that. York Beach has an active beach community, for example, but it's not a real carnival experience.

[Nekuda]

Papaya, Be prepared for the shock of your life, Most People in Maine are unfriendly, rude, will lie, cheat, or do what ever to get into your pocket. bugs, rough roads, pass on double line, DO EVERYTHING ON PAPER, NO VERBAL, and then hope you have no problems, they have a quote, This is Maine, Get used to it, if you don't like get out attitude. Northern Maine people are a little better, however?. Lived there,been there. Hope this helps. I am house setting near Deer Island, OR.

[Coaster]

Not sure what your problem is, Nekuda, but you couldn't be more wrong about folks here. You seem to have a crusade here to badmouth Maine and everyone in it, and you're being grossly unfair.

[tkx7]

Originally Posted by Nekuda

Papaya, Be prepared for the shock of your life, Most People in Maine are unfriendly, rude, will lie, cheat, or do what ever to get into your pocket. bugs, rough roads, pass on double line, DO EVERYTHING ON PAPER, NO VERBAL, and then hope you have no problems, they have a quote, This is Maine, Get used to it, if you don't like get out attitude. Northern Maine people are a little better, however?. Lived there,been there. Hope this helps. I am house setting near Deer Island, OR.

It seems like you have such a personal vendeta against Maine. Either that or you are just saying that to discourage outsiders from moving to Vacationland.