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leave yourself 20-25 minutes when heading south to stop in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport,,,,these are beautiful areas this tme of year,,,, ride along the beach in Kennebunk and drive along ocean avenue in Kennebunkport,,this is right along the coast and very pretty drive
Portland is by far the most populous city....
wished you could have travelled north more,,,, maine is 94 % trees,,,you are in the most built up region...
I wish I could have stayed longer, to be honest! In fact, I don't want to leave at all!
I'm looking at leasing options right now, and there is availability in Scarborough (which I drove through yesterday - reminded me of Huntington Beach, CA), South Portland (think my hotel is practically in it), and Mill Cove, the latter which is too pricey for right now when I don't know the area.
I wish I could stay and look around. My only concern is the job thing, because several of you have confirmed that jobs are hard to come by and if my something happens to my business...I don't want to be stranded.
Otherwise, I realllly like what I've seen of Maine so far and feel I could make a life here for myself.
I'm going to call a few places now to get an idea of the availability, then get on the road and head south as it's going to rain heavily starting at 6 pm...
If any of you have thoughts on the surrounding areas to Portland, please let me know specific city/town names so I can look there, too!
Hey HoliWood... Did your feelings about Portland change at all once you got to see it in the daytime? I've never been to Portland but I expected that it would have some areas that were a little industrial looking because it is a working port city, but I'm surprised that Portland would be a dirty city in general. I'm curious to hear your thoughts now that you've seen more of it.
I've been to Maine several times when I was younger but never actually stopped in Portland. We would mostly go up to the mountains or further up the coast. I've loved all the other areas that I've been to so far. I'm now thinking about moving to Maine myself and the Portland area is on my list of areas to check out, although I think I might prefer going up the coast a little further.
Last edited by DreamKeeper; 10-28-2015 at 09:48 AM..
Portland's rental prices have skyrocketed in recent years. And due to the glut of drafty old houses versus modern buildings, anything newer will be very expensive. For this reason, lots of younger people (and others) are relocating to Brunswick, Gorham, and other surrounding towns. Brunswick in particular has seen recent growth (have several friends who've moved there).
South Portland and Scarborough are largely residential with some big box stores - not much character, but more affordable and close enough to head into Portland when needed.
I lived in Portland from 2009-2010. It was poorer then, still gritty, safe to walk around in the day by yourself (as a young woman), but preferred the protection of a group and/or dog at night. West End is generally very safe (and $$$). East End/Munjoy can be (more so now), but still has some sketchiness. Downtown (Congress) gets regular vagrants causing problems, but it's crowded enough you don't have to fear a real altercation. The Old Port in summer is totally safe due to the high number of tourists. Fall/Winter that peters out and the underbelly gets more visible.
The real problem areas are Grant St, Sherman St., and near Preble and Portland/Oxford St. Stay away from them at any time.
With a working port, the area still has some rougher characters. Lots of homeless (that big shelter on Preble/Oxford that I mentioned). It can be gritty. Many are also just good people, who happen to be working class. There are arts, music, aplenty.
My SO and I walked all over at night (with the exceptions I mentioned above) and never had trouble.
Lastly - in a pinch, there are always plenty of relatively decent temp gigs through Bonney Staffing. They were a life saver for me in that immediate post-recession era.
- Brunswick: I went to pay a visit to Bowdoin College and it was SO pretty. Seems a busy area, guessing because of the college.
It is busy due to the college. But there is also a thriving small business climate, two major hospitals, and dozens of clinics. The downtown area is a bit restaurant heavy, but still fun.
Housing is a bit cheaper in Topsham, right across the river. Topsham's downtown area is pretty unremarkable (strip malls), but there are some good stores in them. In fact, many long-time businesses recently moved from Brunswick to Topsham due to better lease rates, landlords, etc.
You can easily live in Topsham and enjoy Brunswick --- or vice versa. And Bath is only about 10 minutes from both.
Brunswick is also the last stop on the Amtrak line. You can easily catch the train to Portland, Boston, and points beyond. There has been talk of extending the rail line up to Montreal ... but I'll believe it when I see it. Seems more wishful thinking than actual planning to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HoliWood
- Portland - This ended up being my last visit for the day, and the sun was already starting to set. I drove around Old Port but, by this time, I didn't feel "safe" parking my car a few blocks away and walking by myself. Portland was surprising in how gritty it looked. It also didn't feel safe, though the guy at Trader Joe's assured me it's perfectly safe...after which, I saw a guy being frisked by 3 armed policemen across from the store. So, yea. I'll likely head to Portland tomorrow morning just to get an idea of the place during daylight, and to see if I like it. But on some level, the first thing that I thought of when I drove around was that it reminds me of a "dirty" San Francisco. Perhaps I just saw the worst part.
Portland definitely has some not-so-nice areas. No doubt. But that's true of any city. Which is why I'm not a city person.
I certainly don't consider Portland dangerous compared to to other U.S. cities. But I would be cautious where I walked after dark in several neighborhoods.
If you really want a city lifestyle, your options are extremely limited in Maine.
I'm heading to Portland, Maine this upcoming week to check out the city and see if I might want to live up there.
The backstory:
I have moved from Southern CA and headed East nearly 2 years ago. Originally from the East coast, but haven't lived out on here in nearly 17 years. I left Los Angeles to be closer to family and seek better work opportunities, but I'm having SUCH a tough time adjusting and liking it out here!
For one thing, I was initially supposed to move to CT, because I work in publishing and wanted to be closer to NYC. I'm self-employed and work from home (for now), but NYC would have been the ideal hub for my field of work. However, at the very last minute, CT fell through and I ended up having to settle for a place in Northern VA near family, and I basically hate it.
Don't get me wrong, DC is a beautiful city and there is lots of everything in the NOVA area: shops, theatre, mountains/ocean/blabla...but there are things I cannot tolerate and a handful of things I sorely miss about Southern California:
1) I HATE the humidity in the DC area. SO humid that I didn't even know I had aches and pains that surfaced in my (runner's) knee and previously broken toes (also running-related) until I moved here. Every day, I discover a new ache/pain and I feel OLD when I'm actually in the prime of my life.
2) The people: not friendly, not warm, not welcoming. I've never not been able to meet people and make new friends but I've been here 6 months, I've put myself out there...and nuthin'. I mean, they're mostly polite, but neighbourly? Warm and fuzzy? Helpful? NOPE.
3) Cost of living: YIKES. I thought Los Angeles was expensive, but the DC area is NOT cheap and taxes are high on everything, from personal property, to everything else. And coming from CA, that's saying a lot, given our sales tax alone there is about 9.25%
4) Traffic. Oh my GOD. I spend so much time in traffic and I don't even commute for work! Worse than CA. Hate it.
5) Police: Aggressive and not helpful. They'll literally pull you over on certain streets if you're going 1 mile over the posted speed limit. 35 miles/hour? You go 36 and you get a ticket. GET A LIFE.
6) Boring. I find the DC area mostly boring. Yes, there are things to do, I suppose, but it's very expensive and snobbish and non-inclusive, and just BORING. I would call this area: dull.
7) BUGS. SO MANY BUGS. I have never seen so many variations of bugs in one place, in such a short period of time.
8) HEAT. SO HOT. SO HOT. I can't.
9) Food. Blech. I have never had so much bad food in one place. DC has got to have the worst food in most of the country? Even the chain restaurants can't get it right.
What I miss about Southern CA:
1) FOOD. Best food, best restaurants. BEST service. I even miss the food from Trader Joe's (half of which can't even be found in the TJ's in DC), and just...FOOD.
2) Low humidity. Says it all.
3) People. Yes, yes...CA people can seem superficial, but it depends on where you live. You can meet really friendly, fun people in CA and I had no trouble making all sorts of friends in all the years I lived there. Heck, you could meet someone at a coffee shop and they'll invite you to a party, whereas in DC, you could run into people ALL the time, live next door, say hello, try to make conversation, and you still don't get asked to go to coffee (and yes, I've asked, too). I want warm, friendly people who embrace life, you know?
4) Cool nights. Rain that cools the weather. We get rain in DC and it gets HOTTER and more humid. Rain in CA? Cools the weather, smells sweet. Granted, it is suffering from drought and hasn't seen much rain in some time, but when it rains, SWEET.
5) Life is easier. In Southern CA, most things can come TO you. In the DC area, you have to go to THINGS (in traffic). I think life is more laid back and relaxed on the West coast compared to here.
6) STRESS. Everyone is so stressed and Type A and angry and pushy, it's stressing ME out. My dentist recently told me that in the 6 months since I've moved to the DC area, I've worn my teeth down from "obvious grinding". I now have TMJ!
Anyway, sorry...long post. The point is, I am really trying to make it on the East coast, and I think it's possible, just not where I'm currently living? Maybe I haven't found the right place on this coast for me, but am hoping it exists?
I am looking into Maine because I have read in various forums that the humidity is lower compared to other places on the East coast, people are more civilized and friendlier, it's a beautiful place to live, cost of living is fair...but I'm not so sure about job prospects.
So my question to you is:
1) Can you verify any of the above (from the last para): weather/humidity, cost of living, jobs in publishing/healthcare, people friendliness, GOOD FOOD, easy access to roads, etc.?
I don't mind cold. I can do cold weather, I love bundling up and I can easily tolerate 40F weather with just a thin jacket on. I looove snow. I like long nights and short days. But I can't do humid heat, I can't do cold people, I can't do bad food, and if I can't figure out where to move to in the next 3-4 months, I'll have to head back to Southern CA. And the truth is, I really, really don't want to fail at this venture I've taken to move East.
Can y'all help?
I'll be in Portland early next week...and if anyone has suggestions on where else to visit in Maine and what to do to get a sense for the real people/state, I'm open to it.
Thanks so much!
Maine is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there forever. I lived there for fourteen years and just left because of the cold weather and cold people. I developed aches and pains too. You have to have a tolerance for cold to make it in the long run. Portland is the only place I would suggest if you like diversity of a city. I would live in Cape Elizabeth if I were to go back.
I live near NYC and love the diversity and culture. I was going to Boston often, by myself because no one wanted to go. There isn't enough humidity to cause a problem, the cold is. When it is -4 at six in the morning and gets to 8 degrees at 2 in the afternoon that is worse than humidity.
It is not always nice fluffy snow, some winters are just ice and slush. If you are from Southern Cali. I do not think you will like Maine.
I had a friend from NJ look into moving to Maine at publishing and didnt find anything. Just because you can find a mediocre job doesn't mean it is worth it.
I would look into Boston that has a ton of history and diversity. NYC is great but right now it is a little tense. Up state NY would be good, nice area and train commute into the city. Hoboken NJ is a great diverse college town just outside of NYC.
Hope this helps and gives you some out of the norm ideas.
Maine is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there forever. I lived there for fourteen years and just left because of the cold weather and cold people. I developed aches and pains too. You have to have a tolerance for cold to make it in the long run. Portland is the only place I would suggest if you like diversity of a city. I would live in Cape Elizabeth if I were to go back.
I live near NYC and love the diversity and culture. I was going to Boston often, by myself because no one wanted to go. There isn't enough humidity to cause a problem, the cold is. When it is -4 at six in the morning and gets to 8 degrees at 2 in the afternoon that is worse than humidity.
It is not always nice fluffy snow, some winters are just ice and slush. If you are from Southern Cali. I do not think you will like Maine.
I had a friend from NJ look into moving to Maine at publishing and didnt find anything. Just because you can find a mediocre job doesn't mean it is worth it.
I would look into Boston that has a ton of history and diversity. NYC is great but right now it is a little tense. Up state NY would be good, nice area and train commute into the city. Hoboken NJ is a great diverse college town just outside of NYC.
Hope this helps and gives you some out of the norm ideas.
Almost everything you said I completely disagree with- especially about looking into Boston etc.
Granted of course... Maine does not have Penquins.
Hey HoliWood... Did your feelings about Portland change at all once you got to see it in the daytime? I've never been to Portland but I expected that it would have some areas that were a little industrial looking because it is a working port city, but I'm surprised that Portland would be a dirty city in general. I'm curious to hear your thoughts now that you've seen more of it.
I've been to Maine several times when I was younger but never actually stopped in Portland. We would mostly go up to the mountains or further up the coast. I've loved all the other areas that I've been to so far. I'm now thinking about moving to Maine myself and the Portland area is on my list of areas to check out, although I think I might prefer going up the coast a little further.
you've never been to Portland but calling it a dirty city??
my son lives in Portland , shares a house rent with a couple other students,
he loves it there, in fact, many of his friends around the state love to come visit and go to the old port
throughout the whole state this is the preferred place to go for the younger/yuppie crowd
I worked in Portland 30 yrs ago ,,,and have found the people there very decent... I just prefer living in the woods/country ..
1.5 years later I come to visit my own post to see where I stayed in Maine...and I see there were replies.
I'm so sorry, I was never notified! So....in case anyone cares, here are some responses:
@Dreamkeeper - I never made it to Portland that morning! I was so tired and slept so well in the cooler weather, I was late checking out of my hotel and had to get on the road to make it back to DC in record time. Of course, as it always happens, I got caught out in torrential rain that afternoon (and horrid traffic!) somewhere in the middle of Massachusetts. I know, it's been since 2015, but I still remember it well!
I never did end up moving to Maine in 2015. I actually ended up leaving for the UK a few months later and I LOVED it. The summer in London was surprisingly HUMID (oh my God, my hair!), so I headed up to gorgeous Scotland and visited all the major cities (except Aberdeen), and enjoyed the unbelievably lovely summers (no hotter than 73, it was PERFECT).
I then returned to DC for a couple of months for dental work (yay, root canal... ), then went to Vienna, Austria, Prague (Czech Republic), and Budapest (Hungary). That was very different to a lot of Europe. Gorgeous countries, much to see, the people...quite cold. Not friendly. Outright rude, even. If you speak their language, you might have a bit of a chance, but esp in the Eastern European countries..it's just a no go. Beautiful countries and good food, though!
So the reason I'm even posting here is because I'm thinking of heading up to Maine again for a couple of months this time to enjoy the cooler weather (compared to DC, that is!), and couldn't remember where I'd stayed...and apparently, it was Biddeford. This time, I've found a long-term lodging in Biddeford, it looks really nice, but it's in that 'hood.
The other option is a re-purposed church in Gardiner, ME. I'm not crazy about sleeping in a used-to-be church, though! But it does look like such nice lodging.
Anyway, I read through this thread again and found everyone's input - once again - so helpful. It's a testament to all the people who live in Maine, from experience, whom I found to be very kind.
1.5 years later I come to visit my own post to see where I stayed in Maine...and I see there were replies.
I'm so sorry, I was never notified! So....in case anyone cares, here are some responses:
@Dreamkeeper - I never made it to Portland that morning! I was so tired and slept so well in the cooler weather, I was late checking out of my hotel and had to get on the road to make it back to DC in record time. Of course, as it always happens, I got caught out in torrential rain that afternoon (and horrid traffic!) somewhere in the middle of Massachusetts. I know, it's been since 2015, but I still remember it well!
I never did end up moving to Maine in 2015. I actually ended up leaving for the UK a few months later and I LOVED it. The summer in London was surprisingly HUMID (oh my God, my hair!), so I headed up to gorgeous Scotland and visited all the major cities (except Aberdeen), and enjoyed the unbelievably lovely summers (no hotter than 73, it was PERFECT).
I then returned to DC for a couple of months for dental work (yay, root canal... ), then went to Vienna, Austria, Prague (Czech Republic), and Budapest (Hungary). That was very different to a lot of Europe. Gorgeous countries, much to see, the people...quite cold. Not friendly. Outright rude, even. If you speak their language, you might have a bit of a chance, but esp in the Eastern European countries..it's just a no go. Beautiful countries and good food, though!
So the reason I'm even posting here is because I'm thinking of heading up to Maine again for a couple of months this time to enjoy the cooler weather (compared to DC, that is!), and couldn't remember where I'd stayed...and apparently, it was Biddeford. This time, I've found a long-term lodging in Biddeford, it looks really nice, but it's in that 'hood.
The other option is a re-purposed church in Gardiner, ME. I'm not crazy about sleeping in a used-to-be church, though! But it does look like such nice lodging.
Anyway, I read through this thread again and found everyone's input - once again - so helpful. It's a testament to all the people who live in Maine, from experience, whom I found to be very kind.
What a trip! Thanks for the follow up, always like to know how things turned out.
Happy Trails!
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), then went to Vienna, Austria, Prague (Czech Republic), and Budapest (Hungary). That was very different to a lot of Europe. Gorgeous countries, much to see, the people...quite cold. Not friendly. Outright rude, even. If you speak their language, you might have a bit of a chance, but esp in the Eastern European countries..it's just a no go. Beautiful countries and good food, though!
