Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for maine
Height of Land
by Linda Tancs
Height of Land is an apt name for a viewpoint in western Maine offering views so sweeping that it’s been described as one of the finest in the state if not in all of New England. You’ll find it on state route 17 along the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway, a 52-mile-long national scenic byway that begins just north of Byron and features six major lakes. The photo-worthy spot boasts sprawling views of the Rangeley Lakes region and the mountains beyond. Bordering the Appalachian Trail, it presents a fine opportunity to hike at least a small portion of the trail while you’re there.
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Fall for Ogunquit
By Linda Tancs
Known for its beaches and thriving arts community, Ogunquit, Maine, is a popular tourist destination on Maine’s southern coast. Autumn is a good time to claim a good beach walk without the summer crowds. After all, the town’s beaches have been voted one of the best in the United States! Another great activity is a hike along Marginal Way, a 1.5-mile cliff walk with a paved path, between The Sparhawk Oceanfront Resort on Shore Road and Perkins Cove. The stunning views (along with benches to stop and enjoy them) will no doubt explain why the town is named Ogunquit, a Native American term meaning “beautiful place by the sea.” This time of year also brings OgunquitFest. One of the biggest fall festivals in the Northeast, it features arts and crafts, a classic car show, a Dogtoberfest costume parade and more.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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The Liberty Ship Memorial
By Linda Tancs
Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II to ferry supplies to Allies. A major site of this shipbuilding activity is the area now known as Bug Light Park in Portland, Maine. You’ll find a memorial to the liberty ships there, along with Bug Light, an elegant lighthouse so-named for its small size. The park is located at the eastern end of the Greenbelt Walkway, an off-road pathway that provides expansive views of Portland Harbor.
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A Lighthouse Fit for the Movies
By Linda Tancs
The history of Maine’s Marshall Point Lighthouse began in 1831 when Samuel Marshall conveyed four acres of land to the U.S. Government. A better known fact may be that a scene from the movie Forrest Gump was filmed there, owing in no small part to the facility’s iconic tower. The picturesque white lighthouse also features an 1880s keepers’ house and a summer-only museum and gift shop. Be sure to enjoy the nearby idyllic hamlet of Port Clyde, a working fishing village.
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Where the Mountains Meet the Sea
By Linda Tancs
Camden is an idyllic village on Penobscot Bay in Maine’s MidCoast region. A self-described jewel of the coast, it’s often referred to as a place “where the mountains meet the sea.” That is indeed the case, with Bald Mountain (the fifth highest peak on the eastern seaboard) offering excellent views of Western Penobscot Bay, and Mount Battie featuring views of Camden Harbor and its summertime plethora of ships, yachts and windjammers. Labor Day weekend brings the annual Camden Windjammer Festival, the largest gathering of schooners in the Northeast. Celebrating the town’s maritime heritage, as many as 18 windjammers and schooners parade into the harbor on opening day, greeted by a welcome ceremony and followed by a schooner crew talent show and fireworks over the harbor. The two-day event offers family entertainment, day sailings, exhibitors and vendors.
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The French in Maine
By Linda Tancs
In 1603, Pierre Dugua was commissioned by the King of France to initiate an expedition to the New World and to establish a French presence. By the summer of 1604, an expedition team sailed into Passamaquoddy Bay, an inlet between Maine and the Canadian province of New Brunswick, and settled on a small island they named Saint Croix (French for “cross”) because the confluence of the surrounding water systems looked akin to the shape of a cross. To commemorate the history of this settlement, Saint Croix Island International Historic Site was established. The area abounds with seals and birds and, approximately twice per day, the water and islands of the St. Croix River reveal the extreme tides of the Maine coast. When the tides drop below sea level, you’ll find shellfish, sea urchins and sediments normally under water. The site is located 8 miles south of Calais, Maine. A visitor center is inside the ranger station. Take the self-guided interpretative trail, featuring bronze figures of the French and members of the Passamaquoddy tribe as well as displays that discuss historical events and interactions between the two cultures.
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Maine’s Tallest Mountain
By Linda Tancs
Maine’s highest point (at 5,270 feet), Mount Katahdin is also the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Named by the Penobscot Nation, the mountain’s moniker means “the greatest mountain.” You’ll find little quarrel with that amongst hikers, who regard it as one of the most difficult treks in the northeast. That’s especially true along Knife Edge Trail, a ridge with passageways as narrow as three feet in some places and steep drop-offs on both sides. Your diligence will be rewarded with awe-inspiring views across the Katahdin massif and down into the South Basin. Katahdin is the centerpiece of Baxter State Park.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Maine’s Pumpkin Trail
By Linda Tancs
There’s plenty to see along Maine’s Pumpkin Trail beyond the signature feature: pumpkins! Along the 40-mile route you’ll find the Maine Maritime Museum, the small-town charm of Freeport, the antique rails at Boothbay Railway Village and, this weekend, the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta. The trail awaits you through Halloween.
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Moon River
By Linda Tancs
It’s as if the moon dropped into a river. That’s what the giant ice disk in the middle of the Presumpscot River in Westbrook, Maine, looks like. Garnering worldwide attention, the rotating phenomenon is 300 feet in size, arguably the biggest ice disk on record. Take that, crop circles.
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The Calendar Islands
By Linda Tancs
On the southern coast of Maine lies Casco Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Maine. Blessed with a multitude of islands, the region is referred to as The Calendar Islands, suggesting you’ll need a calendar’s worth of time to see them all. Well, maybe not quite, but the slower pace of life will encourage you to take all the time you want. There’s something for everyone on the larger islands served by the year-round ferry. Cyclists will love the dirt roads on Cliff Island. Golfers will appreciate the ability to perfect their long drive on breezy Chebeague Island. Naturalists will enjoy hiking the trails along Long Island’s large conservation area. Historians can stroll around the former parade grounds of Fort McKinley on Great Diamond Island. Culture buffs will love the thriving artist community on Peaks Island. Need more inspiration? The Maine Island Trail Association offers a handy guide on places to explore.
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