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Old 02-28-2011, 07:59 PM
 
8,767 posts, read 18,666,326 times
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Downeast is lovely as is most of Maine. Your list is kind of geographically incompatible for a five day stay especially if you want to stay on a beach. Many of the beach cottages are already rented for the season now though you can try virtually every town from Wells to South Portland looking for a cottage on the beach. Google Maine beach rentals and several sites will pop up. Also Popham in the Bath area is nice. These are real sand beach areas that stretch for many miles. There are beaches further north but they are smaller and isolated. Acadia is a long drive from Southern Maine and is longer than a day trip unless your kids are exceptionally good at riding in a car for a long time. You'll feel pressured to see it all in one day and Acadia really takes more than a day or two to see and enjoy without feeling rushed. Even further away from Southern Maine (the beaches) are the whitewater rafting areas of Maine. These are not day trips either. You will need to be at the river early which means staying in the area you choose to raft. The trip lasts all day for most of them then you'll most likely want to stay another night before heading back to the beach. Not practical in a short 5 day period. As far as crabbing goes edible crabs are not found on the beach. You'll find green crabs which are inedible and small red crabs but not red crabs big enough to eat. We catch the nice big red crabs from docks and wharves on old oven grates with a fish tied in the middle. You tie four lines to the corners and lift it flat from the middle after letting it set for 10 -15 minutes. Quite honestly I think it's illegal but no one has ever said anything to us. You may want to ask locally if anyone fishes for crabs. We have a dock so no one bothers us anyway. Just don't keep any short lobsters or you will pay a hefty fine.
If the beach is your priority I'd go for the beach and the horseback riding somewhere in Southern Maine and save the rest for another visit.
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Old 03-01-2011, 11:50 AM
 
Location: Gorham
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Our family has stayed in Bar Harbor a number of times. We have camped on the beach as well as have stayed at the many inns and resorts in town. When our kids were young, we rented bikes and biked the carriage trails in Acadia National Park. You can also rent canoes or kayaks in town too. One of our trips, the QE2 cruise ship was in port and they were giving tours. We took a lot of day trips too and everyone was very happy.
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Old 03-01-2011, 04:49 PM
 
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id suggest the pemaquid/bristol/boothbay harbor area-you can drive right to pemaquid point, - a lighthouse, right on the ocean, and can climb around on the rocks, and there's a pemaquid beach right nearby
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Old 03-01-2011, 05:51 PM
 
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I think we found a place in Searsport. Any opinions on Searsport? I think rafting is going to wait until our kids are bit older. We will also increase our stay to a full week.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.
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Old 03-01-2011, 06:03 PM
 
Location: Maine's garden spot
3,468 posts, read 7,240,442 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbear182 View Post
I think we found a place in Searsport. Any opinions on Searsport? I think rafting is going to wait until our kids are bit older. We will also increase our stay to a full week.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.
Searsport is a nice area.
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Old 03-02-2011, 12:38 PM
 
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With regard to Newdaawn's comments, windjammer cruises are actually very reasonable when you consider that all meals and activities are included. Once you've paid your fare (around $600 pp in August for a 4-night cruise), there are no other expenses unless you want to buy souvenirs. Compare that to having to pay for 4 hotel rooms in the high season, 40+ meals for the family as well as all the daily charges for attractions and entertainment.
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Old 03-05-2011, 05:32 AM
 
Location: Big skies....woohoo
12,420 posts, read 3,231,602 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbear182 View Post
It appears the "down east" area of Maine is beautiful. Would my kids (9 and 7) have enough to do? They both like the beach, but is there a beach in this area? Or is it all jagged rocks?
Acadia, of course, has a beautiful beach. There is also a nice sandy beach in Owls Head. No sandy beaches downeast.....some pebbly, but most are rocky. With kids you'd be better off in the midcoast area (Belfast--Bath)
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Old 03-05-2011, 06:19 AM
 
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Last week i was in the machias area and took a drive down to Roque Bluffs- there was a beach, not sure how sandy it is, but its a place id bring my kids to,(summer) if i were in the area
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Old 03-05-2011, 12:27 PM
 
Location: Southern Maine, Greater Portland
513 posts, read 896,856 times
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Try this website www.mainethingstodo.com It has a bunch of fun ideas to enjoy the State of Maine. Enjoy your vacation
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Old 03-06-2011, 04:34 AM
 
Location: God's Country, Maine
2,054 posts, read 4,578,554 times
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Originally Posted by Moosewatching View Post
Northeast Guide Service is the closest whitewater rafting company to the Maine Coast. Come to the Moosehead Lake region and join us on a whitewater rafting trip. Feel free to give me a call 888-484-3317 and check out our website: Kennebec River Rafting, Whitewater Rafting Maine, Kennebec River Rafting Maine
Why do I seem to like this idea?
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