Less Touristy coastal towns? (Ellsworth, Camden: college, to live, restaurants)

[Binti1962]

DH and I are hoping to retire to Maine in a few years. We've been up to Maine many times but always as tourists and stayed in "touristy" places. When settling down in Maine we'd like to be sort of near the water but do not want a town that swells with tourists in the summer. Is this possible? I'm thinking that the farther north and east we go the tourists will be less but I don't know!

If it's not possible, how awful is it to live near a tourist town?

[maineborzoi]

How about Perry Maine ? While on the Bay of Fundy, it has all the uniqueness of the coast, but without the trappings of tourists.

[corgis]

Eastport

[Binti1962]

Thank you both for your suggestions. Will check them out.

[Binti1962]

After looking at Eastport and Perry I'm thinking they're too far from a hospital for two retired folks. Not that we're ailing or anything, but maybe not near enough to medical care, and maybe a little too Down East! Time for me to rethink. How's the Searsport area?

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Binti1962

If it's not possible, how awful is it to live near a tourist town?

I live in Bar Harbor(not the village, in the town, in a road which is about 5 miles from the village). Sure it swells but its not really that big a deal. And in the winter, you wouldn't find a closer knit group of people. There are other places on the island. And there are many roads on the island that tourists never ever travel. I just stay away from the village of Bar harbor from July 15 to August 20. There are plenty of other places to be.

We love it, and were never really bothered by the tourists. Besides, the tourists pay for services by the towns that we could never get, and stores and restaurants that we could never get if we lived out in the boonies away from them.

MDI hospital is quite good, and the Maine Coast Hospital in Ellsworth is also good. MDI is terrific for emergency medicine since with all the influx of tourists, and the injuries from falling in the park, they really have to be prepared for anything.

I can never figure out why people get so bent out by having the tourists in the summer. And besides, the island of MDI, with the park, has about 75% of the population who are "from away", so you don't get any xenophobia that you can get in places where there is little influx of population from other places.

And with all of this, we have lots of friends who visit us because we are a tourist destination. My son even got married up here because it was such a destination. Almost everyone stayed the weeks for a vacation on Mount Desert Island, and Acadia National Park. In the winter there is an much to do, in someways even more, than in the summer time. We could be out doing something every night. There is also a very active Senior College with courses and parties, and the ability to get to know lots of people on the island you are, REALLY REALY REALLY FAST!

[Binti1962]

Thank you, slyfox2! That's really helpful and encouraging. I am just worried about bumper to bumper traffic with too many tourists that's all. :-) like you say, there are roads that the tourists never drive on. The info about the hospitals is helpful, too. Thanks for posting.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Binti1962

Thank you, slyfox2! That's really helpful and encouraging. I am just worried about bumper to bumper traffic with too many tourists that's all. :-) like you say, there are roads that the tourists never drive on. The info about the hospitals is helpful, too. Thanks for posting.

THERE IS NO BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC on MDI in the summer. I never ran into any of it.

In fact, on Route 30 in the Summer in Lancaster, PA, that's where I found massive touristy mess.

[mainebrokerman]

go to ellsworth during the 3-4 week of july and drive east on rte one,, drive up to Calais...

you will get a feel for traffic and touristy areas..

[Binti1962]

We're going to be in the Camden area for the first week of July this year, so we'll check things out. That's a very good point! Thanks