Lilypad! I'm looking for some travel advice. In September, I'm going to a work thing in Portland, ME (a joint exercise with US Coast Guard on costing oil spill response, if you must know. The excitement!) Once the actual agenda is nailed down, I may stay an extra night to sight see. But even if not, the four of us that are going are all buddies and we want to have some fun. I'm looking for: - Restaurant recommendations that can deal with a vegetarian and a wheat allergy. - Local microbrews - Fun, short, local sightseeing tours we could take? Possibly to see lighthouses, or perhaps old haunted things? But most importantly, I am looking for some reading material to get me in the Maine state of mind. What is the Maine-iest book you've read? (Not written by Stephen King) I am more of a murder-mystery person than a romance person. If that helps.
It's been a good while since I've been to Portland but I rarely if ever found bad food there. All the hot new restaurants I ate in are a decade old so I'm not even recalling names. Wish I could join you! Have a great time!
Oh! When? We are headed there in September too! Um, I'm no help though. The last time we were there we took a train, ate at the pier, and checked out the piece of the Berlin wall from Germany.
I have never been, so no travel advice, but I can give you a few recommendations for reading. They are set in Maine, not necessarily Portland specifically. Empire Falls by Richard Russo A Piece of the World by Christine Baker Kline Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout The Country of the Pointed Firs and Other Stories by Sarah Orne Jewett The Beans of Egypt, Maine by Carolyn Chute Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Thanks for the list @gonewiththewind ! @bestcee the conference is September 10-12. Depending on what else is going on, I might take a vacation day and stay until the 14th. Do we overlap?
If you can take time, Acadia National Park is not to be missed...worth an extra day there just to see the magnificent rugged coast. Lobster. Lobster. Lobster. Our only experience with whale-watching was a boat-load of seasick people.
September is a fabulous whale watching month. We enjoyed both times we did whale watching. One out of ME and one out of Boston. They were both great!
@bestcee aww!! That's too bad. @SharLamb I would love to go to Acadia National Park and see the puffins if I have time. I actually watch a Maine puffin cam when I'm at work and need to destress. If you are interested in whales, we had the best vacation ever in Tadoussac, Québec and the Saguenay, St. Lawrence Marine Park. It's an estuary, and the mix of salty and fresh water creates a lot of food that attracts many varieties of whales. We were there for three days and saw Belugas, Blue Whales, Fin Whales, and Harbour Porpoises. It's very close to the northern part of Maine.
@djp332 I sincerely hope at least one of those lighthouses is haunted by the ghost of a long-gone lighthouse keeper.
