Brunswick/Topsham/Bath area for families? (Portland, Ellsworth: real estate, apartment, rentals)

[Mama Scribe]

We're considering a possible move to the area and wondering about a few things. We currently live in Hancock County in the Ellsworth area.

Is the summer traffic comparable to the Mt. Desert Island/Bar Harbor traffic? I have concerns about the "busy-ness" of the tourist season.

Is the waterfront park in Bath a busy place? For instance, would a slow-moving mom with a stroller be run over by bicyclists and joggers?

Any good ideas (besides Craigslist and the Times Record) to find a family rental house? We're going to rent when we first move and get to know the area. There are very few listings in the paper and CL, it seems. We need a house, not an apartment, since we have 3 small children. We aren't picky about which city in that area as long as it's safe.

Does that area have kids' activities or is it more college/tourist oriented?

We have spent a few days in the area and driven around, but it's not enough to get the whole picture. Thanks for your help!

[Coaster]

Route 1 doesn't go through Bath at "street level" the way it does in Ellsworth, so the traffic on the highway doesn't really affect the rest of the city. Brunswick can get a little congested along Outer Pleasant Street (Route 1) if you have business to conduct out there. Topsham can be a mess because of all the traffic lights associated with the shopping center and the bypass. Nonetheless I think traffic overall would be less than you see in Ellsworth/Bar Harbor in summer. It's entirely possible to drive around the Bath-Brunswick-Topsham area without once getting on or off Route 1 after you learn the side roads and shortcuts.

The waterfront park in Bath is really designed for people walking. You rarely see joggers or bicyclists down there. It's also the site of the farmer's market, which is well worth regular visits. There's an extremely popular bike/walk/jog/rollerblade path that runs along Route 1 between Cooks Corner and Topsham. I've never driven past it in day time without seeing people using it, no matter what the weather.

Besides the Times Record and CL, you can contact local real estate agents. There are LOTS of vacant houses in the area because of the closure of Brunswick Naval Air Station.

Lots of children's activities in the area. Start with the local libraries and get a schedule of their children's room activities, also town recreation department events. There is a young people's theater group, skating on the Brunswick Mall in the winter, an indoor skateboard park in Bath, lots of other stuff, plus the Children's Museum of Maine is just down the road in Portland.

[RMoore007]

When I visit that area, my friend takes me around town and shows me the around. I get the feeling that if I had a family at present time, I'd be moving to Brunswick if the opportunity presented itself. He lives on Mere Point Rd and his daughter with family bought a house in town too. Brunswick's got at least 7 of the 9 requirements that you said were important issues. Comparable summer traffic-, busy waterfront park+, mom with a stroller+, bicyclists+, joggers+, family rental house+, safe area for 3 small children+, kids' activities+, college/tourist oriented-. And with the minuses, you can avert traffic if you're local and your kids may just like the college and touristy stuff.

[Mama Scribe]

Thanks for the replies. It helps!

Where is the entrance to the walking/bike path? Is there a designated parking lot for it? I don't know how we missed seeing it!

[lili2344]

Originally Posted by Mama Scribe

We're considering a possible move to the area and wondering about a few things. We currently live in Hancock County in the Ellsworth area.

Is the summer traffic comparable to the Mt. Desert Island/Bar Harbor traffic? I have concerns about the "busy-ness" of the tourist season.

Is the waterfront park in Bath a busy place? For instance, would a slow-moving mom with a stroller be run over by bicyclists and joggers?

Any good ideas (besides Craigslist and the Times Record) to find a family rental house? We're going to rent when we first move and get to know the area. There are very few listings in the paper and CL, it seems. We need a house, not an apartment, since we have 3 small children. We aren't picky about which city in that area as long as it's safe.

Does that area have kids' activities or is it more college/tourist oriented?

We have spent a few days in the area and driven around, but it's not enough to get the whole picture. Thanks for your help!

I would also check out the "Classifieds" section within the Bowdoin College website for Rentals: Classifieds (Bowdoin) . I don't know if it's only for the Bowdoin community, but it doesn't require a log-in like other parts of their website.