My wife and I and two-year-old son needed to book some expiring voucher tickets that we received as a result of a UAL bump and decided we'd fly to Boston in mid-July (from Oregon). Plans are to spend two nights in Boston and then spend seven days in Maine (we will have a rental car).

Any recommendations on what to do and where to go? Never been there and would appreciate any and all ideas for places to stay, restaurants and things to do.

Here are my Maine suggestions: Camden (quintessential Maine harbor village, but bisected by US 1), Boothbay Harbor (not as truly picturesque as Camden, but off the main drag; small railway museum nearby), Bar Harbor/Mt.Desert Island/Acadia National Park (what comes to mind when you imagine Maine).

Of course you need to stop in Freeport (off I-95 just Northeast of Portland) to spend money at LL Bean. It's the law. Open 24 Hours - just like the liquor stores on I-95 in New Hampshire.

There are some nice B&B's in Camden, but I don't know about having a 2+ y.o. in one of them. Lots of tourist motels everywhere, though.

My most memorable Maine meal was buying hot lobsters "to go" (cracked open, with a lemon and a wet-nap) at a little retail shop in Camden and eating them al fresco on the sloping lawn between the library and the harbor. Beer available by the bottle at the gourmet grocery across the street.

I'm a little late in responding (what's a few months?) but Maine is my passion. If you love the beauty of mountains, the ocean, and lobster, there is nothing more "Maine" than Mount Desert Island. Home to Acadia National Park, a few days there will be so worth it for you. Go to MDI's and Acadia's website for more.

When you drive through Portland, make a detour to the most photographed lighthouse in the world, Portland Head Lighthouse in nearby Cape Elizabeth.

I used to summer in Maine (coastal and in lake regions in Oxford County). Feel free to email me if you have specific questions.

For a perfect afternoon, go to the Old Port in Portland, it's on the waterfront by the harbor. There are many cool shops and restaurants there. Then take the Casco Bay Ferry to Peaks Island www.cascobay,com/islands/ferry/peaks.htm (http://www.cascobay.com/islands/ferry/peaks.htm) Leave your car in Portland, you won't need it on Peaks. There is a parking garage right next to the ferry, and another one about a block away if the one by the dock is full. Last summer it cost $5.50 per person RT. It is a wonderful 20 minute ride through Casco Bay, past some other interesting islands including one with a fortress. You can often see harbor seals on the ride over. Once you get to Peaks, walk up the pier road about a block until you hit the main road. Take a left and walk about 100 yrds to Brad's Recycled Bike Shop on the right side of the road. Rent a tandem bike, or a regular one, they have dozens to choose from, and they are dirt cheap. I am pretty sure they'll have one with a child seat but you can call and find out for sure 207-766-5631. Go to the grocery store across the street. Get a bottle of cheap champagne, some snacks, put them in the basket on your bike, and take a nice ride around the road that circles the island (about 4 to five miles (takes about 30-45 minutes to go all the way around at a leisurely pace) find a nice scenic place to stop. Sit, sip some champagne and enjoy a priceless view. There is a huge population of deer on the island so you are likely to see one. After returning the bikes, and while waiting for the return ferry back to Portland, stop into Jones Landing, a restaurant/bar that overlooks the ferry stop. From their deck, you get a million dollar view of the Portland skyline and Casco Bay, and can watch for the ferry while sipping a drink, listening to one of their great live musicians, and munching on some tasty grub.

For excellent lobster, take a drive out to Bailey Island (there's a bridge, so no ferry needed) off of Harpswell, just before Land's end. Cook's Lobster House is among the best in the world. www.cookslobster.com (http://www.cookslobster.com) My personal favorite is the Split Tail Special which includes a choice of clam chowder, fish chowder, or lobster stew, and three lobster tails. To die for. It goes for market price, which is in the ballpark of about $30 or so, worth every penny.

I would concur with the other posts that if you have the time, the drive to Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park is excellent. If you go, be sure to stop at the Jordan Pond House and get one of their famous popovers and some of their homemade lemonade and be sure to eat it on the tables on the lawn overlooking the pond. There is a nice trail that circles the pond which makes for a pleasant easy hike (takes about an hour at a leisurely pace). Also be sure to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain. The view is spectacular. On the road from Bangor to Bar Harbor, there are numerous clam shacks and lobster shacks where you can get lobster in the rough (basically like eating on picnic tables at an icecream stand) for very good prices. There is an old fashioned movie house in town that still has a balcony. In Bar Harbor you can take a boat ride/tour on a working lobster boat and see/help them bring in their catch. You might be able to go whale watching, but July may be a bit early in the season to see a lot of action. You might want to consider sleeping in Bangor instead of Bar Harbor while you visit that area if you want to save some serious money. Hotels in Bar Harbor (which has such a brief season) are generally very expensive, while hotels in Bangor, about 35 minutes away are quite cheap. Governor's Restaurant in Bangor is a great inexpsensive casual/family restaurant that makes incredible homemade desserts and pies. It's not fancy, but the food is good, the portions large, and the desserts are to die for. I think I read on the desster menu that John Travolta flew all the way to Maine just to have one of their desserts. They have other locations in Maine too and are well worth a look-see. Although they are a chain restaurant, they are only in Maine, so they have a very Maine feel to them. www.governorsrestaurant.com/ (http://www.governorsrestaurant.com/)

Edited to fix typo in web address

Edited again to add:

If you want to go to the beach, one of the finest is York Beach Short Sands, not to be confused with York Beach Long Sands which is just down the road a bit. York Beach Short Sands is the quintessential gorgeous little Maine coastal village with great little shops and restaurants. If you like pizza, Paris Pizza is quite good. The Sun & Surf has good fried clams and onion rings. A must is walking by the Goldenrod to look in the window and watch the taffy machine make their world famous Goldenrod Kisses. If you like saltwater taffy, they make the best. There is candlepin bowling (a type of bowling unique to New England that uses small bocce-sized balls and candlestick pins)literally on the beach, the front steps end on the sand, with an old fashioned arcade next door that has both new arcade games and some cool, still working antique ones too. At the beach they rent canvas/rubber rafts for riding the surf, although be forewarned, the water in Maine in July is quite chilly (think major shrinkage). Also in town about a block and a half from the beach is York's Wild Kingdom Zoo and Amusement Park, which your child might enjoy. Around the corner from the beach is Nubble Lighthouse, one of the most picturesque in the world, I'm sure you've seen pitcures of it. Don't miss driving out to the lighthouse, it is well worth the drive. The parking lot (parking is free) sits atop a rocky bluff that is fun to walk around and explore the tidal pools in seach of star fish and tiny crabs and watch the fishermen surf casting. There is a restaurant (I forget the name, but it's the only one there) adjacent to the parking lot that serves excellent lobster.

Another cute village is Perkin's Cove in Ogunquit Maine. It makes for a nice stop for a few hours. It is postcard pretty and has some quaint shops and restaurants. There is a nice pedestrian path called the "Marginal Way" that follows the bluff. There is a unique drawbridge for pedestrians. You can get some good steamed clams, chowder or a lobster to go with a frosty pint of Sam Adams at Barnacle Billy's. For a few photos of these things click here www.michaelmccumber.com/collections/coastal-maine/ (http://www.michaelmccumber.com/collections/coastal-maine/)


[This message has been edited by hhonorman (edited 03-22-2003).]

[This message has been edited by hhonorman (edited 03-22-2003).]

[This message has been edited by hhonorman (edited 03-22-2003).]

[This message has been edited by hhonorman (edited 03-22-2003).]