So I am planning a trip to Maine for our 15th anniversary. We are looking at The end of September. I’d like to see Acadia N.P. Eat some lobster, take some hikes and generally enjoy some relief from the scorching Texas heat. We also may drive to P.E.I. Or ride the ferry to Halifax. Does anyone have any suggestions of things we shouldn’t miss?
Thanks in advance!

Visit PH Paul and eat some lobster!

I can’t help it. The post title was just too close.

Eat lobster and steamed mussels

This is a great time to go there as the summer crowds start to go down after Labor day and school has started.
The water there is very cold for swimming so while the beaches can be nice, you won't be in the water for long, I promise.
Acadia back down to Kennebunkport area, Goose Rocks Beach and Cape Porpoise is a nice area. I would just look around on the net for whatever is in between those points and see what you like.
It can get cool at night so you'll need a variety of clothing. LL Bean is in that area too, if that's something you'd like to go to.
Of course there's Lobster prepared every way you might want it.
A beautiful place.

https://www.planetware.com/tou...tions/maine-usme.htm

It's still summer at this date. As a mater of fact, it's nice warm weather into December with a few cold days mixed in. When I was in the corporate world, we had our sales and strategic meetings there several times in December. We had food catered on the beach until 9 pm. Shorts and light shirt.

There is a fabulous botanical garden near Boothbay. Absolutely stunning and should be beautiful in Fall. The climate there is several region numbers higher than surrounding area due to warming effect of the bay. I am definitely not a plant type guy but this place was amazing.

honeymooned there in October 1991. enjoyed the delicious seafood at restaurants with no waiting to be seated. Pack warm clothing

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:
It's still summer at this date. As a mater of fact, it's nice warm weather into December with a few cold days mixed in. When I was in the corporate world, we had our sales and strategic meetings there several times in December. We had food catered on the beach until 9 pm. Shorts and light shirt.

Either you're mis-remembering, or you're thinking about an entirely different state/part of the country! Of course all of the 'sales and strategic meetings' I participated in generally involved lots of alcohol after sunset...

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:

Eat lobster and steamed mussels

Back in the 1980s we lived in the Chicago suburbs, wife and I rode our BMW motorcycles east, through Maine, into Nova Scotia. We OD'd on lobster!

Dude in a lobster place showed us how to tell the difference between boy lobsters and girl lobsters. Mainly of interest to other lobsters, but of interest to lobster eaters who like the roe, so you can pick girl lobsters.

Eat lobster, Portland, ME has become quite a food center for all of New England. As a someone from the West Coast, I'm always fascinated with all the old mills/factories, many have been repurposed. Did I mention eating?

Nobody has mentioned the Kittery Trading Post?! Fabulous outdoors/gun shop with very friendly staff. Definitely make a stop there.

My last trip was for partridge hunting up north. The northern woods is ruggedly beautiful if you have the time to go exploring. Had to pass through a checkpoint on the golden road and pay like $50 for having out of State plates (I think my Maine buddies paid $10).

Saw my first bald Eagle in the wild up there.

Sig factory or new Sig store/range?
Exeter,NH is just across the Maine border.

How long are you staying and where in Maine. It is a surprisingly large state. PEI is not a day trip. It is a many hour drive north of Acadia. If you do go up, St. Andrews, NB is a nice place. They ferry to Halifax takes along time too. It’s not a day trip.

Kittery is in Southern Maine and just across the river from Portsmouth, NH. KTP is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. The Sig Experience Center is about 25-30 min from Kittery.

Thanks for all the ideas. They are great.
We are looking at eight days or so. Planning on 4 ish in Maine one for travel and 3 in PEI. I’ll look into St Andrew’s as well. I didn’t realize that the Sig mothership was so close, we might have to make that happen.

quote:

Originally posted by hbabler:
Thanks for all the ideas. They are great.
We are looking at eight days or so. Planning on 4 ish in Maine one for travel and 3 in PEI. I’ll look into St Andrew’s as well. I didn’t realize that the Sig mothership was so close, we might have to make that happen.

With all your talk about PEI, I'm sure you already know to have a passport or Passport Card with you. Just making sure in case you don't.

You would normally be pre-leaf timing, but with our drought you might be lucky with prime views on your trip.

SIG has the pro shop in Epping (15 minutes off I95, 25 minutes from Kittery Trading Post)

Watching this post closely, so keep coming with things to see/do. Wife and I will be in Portland in early October. Looking to see if we might retire up there. Looking to get as far from south Florida as possible-

End of September, specially northern Maine puts you close to fall foliage season. Much of Maine has been in drought. Don’t delay on making reservations. Seasonal businesses typically close on Columbus Day. Staffing may change that.

https://www.rangeleymaine.com/

Check out the trolls at the gardens.

https://www.mainegardens.org/


LL Bean in Freeport.

Used guns department at KTP

Try Fisherman's Co—op’s for the lobster.

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs...oliage/whenandwhere/


Visit a lighthouse.

https://lighthousefoundation.o...ms/lighthouse-tours/


https://owlshead.org/

in '95 I spent most of the year there in Bath/Wiscasset area working on a project at Maine Yankee nuke plant when it was open, and days off were spent running Rt. 1 north and south. The towns and scenery are spectacular, and if I recall the locals got a bit friendlier when the summer tourists left for the season

We used to get lobster right off the boat at the Boothbay Fishermen's co-op. On the way into Acadia NP one day, we stopped at a little lobster shack on the side of the road and they had the lobsters in floor tanks separated by size and my FIL had to have the biggest lobster I ever saw. I swear the big claw looked like a catcher's mitt. It was so big that the cook had to come out with a wooden mallet to break the shell since the cracker would not fit over it.

Acadia and Cadillac Mountain obviously is not going to be missed by you , and hopefully some of the crowds will be smaller.

We also enjoyed Freeport, with Bean and the outlets being there, also a couple of short railroad trips are available. I just used to head out on Rt.1 and have some fun. Portland had a minor league baseball team when I was there and we would catch a game once in a while but I am pretty sure they will be wrapping up by the time you are going.

If you are starting off by flying into Portland or Boston, there is a lot to do around Portland. As mentioned by others, KTP is a fun stop.

Just an fyi for getting into Canada. They are now requiring that you download the Arrivecan app and fill it out no more than 72 hours before your expected crossing. It's not too bad but you'll need good internet service to fill it out. We've been in Atlantic Canada for the past month...