jemctag

Hello fellow FT'ers.

I would like to plan a trip this summer starting in BOS and driving up to Maine with my wife and 9 year old daughter. Specific dates, July 14-21

I've got BOS pretty well set from experience, however I've never been to Maine and really don't have a clue. Hence, your recommendations would be of great value.

Here's what I'm looking for:

1. Nice upper scale resort, cottage, etc. on the coast with water views. Beach would be nice, but a rocky beach is just fine.

2. Would prefer to keep my budget to around $300 per night. However, it's all about value and you typically get what you pay for. So, I'd prefer to spend more and be happy, than spend less and have a less enjoyable time.

3. Options to keep a 9 year old engaged instead of camping away on her IPad.

4. Really good and local dining, ie. LOBSTER, CLAMS, etc... Holes in the wall where the locals go are our favorites.

I know I'm not asking for too much , but any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

lo2e

One suggestion might be the Samoset Resort in Rockport, Maine. There are myriad dining options in nearby Camden, as well as addressing all of the other things on your list. They have a "Kids Club" that looks like it would keep the 9yo happy.

jemctag

Thanks for the suggestion! All I can say is "wow"! However, is there anything like Samoset within a 2-3 hour drive from BOS? I was thinking the Kennebunkport area or thereabouts?

Suggestions appreciated once again please?

Also doing some additional research, any info on the Chebeague Ialand Inn, Colony Hotel, Breakwater Inn and others similar?

Thanks again.

lo2e

The one place in Kennebunkport that I seem to hear the most about is the Nonantum. When checking their website, I didn't see much (or really anything) there in terms of kid-friendly activities, but it definitely qualifies as upper scale. I couldn't get their reservations system to work, so I'm not sure how it would fit into your budget (and it might be over it), but again, I've heard nothing but rave reviews for it.

One possibility in terms of things to do for the 9yo - Nearby is Old Orchard Beach, which is not nearly as upper scale, but has an arcade and amusement park right on the beach.

Analise

The Black Point Inn is about 15 minutes from Portland and within 2-3 hours of Boston. It is located on Prouts Neck which is simply gorgeous. It's a classic old Maine resort. Meals included, afternoon tea. Tennis, golf, swimming, kayaking, cycling. Prices are on the high side.

http://www.blackpointinn.com/inn/

Locals aren't going to go to resorts. You might be happier at a B & B. It's further than you suggested, but a 9 year old and his parents shouldn't miss Acadia National Park. It's just paradise IMHO. Plenty of B&Bs and resorts if that's really what you want.

BearX220

You might look at the Spruce Point Inn in Boothbay Harbor, about three hours from Boston.

http://www.sprucepointinn.com/

It's family-friendly and there's lots to do in the harbor during the short tourist season: informal seafood, boat trips, etc.

I would warn against a B&B stay for a nine-year-old... they are often not kid-friendly and your daughter would simply withdraw deeper into her iPad.

Also, be warned that in Maine there is a fine line between "charming rustic atmosphere" and "collapsiing mildewy s$%thole." Get independent reviews before reserving anywhere. Some of the most magical real estate photography in the world decorates marketing collateral for Maine lodging establishments.

Analise

Really? My parents travelled to B & B's with me as a preteen (starting at 7) and I thought they were great. Not everyone grows up needing to be in a kid-camp atmosphere while traveling with their parents. I guess if the OP's child needs a kid-camp, then B & B's won't be a good choice.

BearX220

Do you regard a standard hotel as a "kid camp"? There are more kinds of lodging in the world than B&Bs and "kid camps." That's a ridiculous assertion. I'm saying that at many of the twee, thin-walled, proprietor-run B&Bs in Maine that cater to an adult clientele, are filled with don't-touch bric-a-brac and are deathly quiet after 600pm, small children are somewhere between barely tolerated and explicitly unwelcome. That doesn't make inns, lodges, hotels, etc. "kid camps."

Analise

A little sensitive? I went to B & B's with my parents both in Maine and outside of Maine starting at age 7. A 9 year old isn't necessarily "a small child". A 2 year old is. Every child is different thus a generic statement that B&B's are not for preteens isn't necessarily true. It depends on the proprietor, the property and the child.

BearX220

Nor is she a small adult, and many B&Bs (I did say "often" above, with no blanket assumptions about either kids or establishments) are designed as adult environments. Check with both the establishment and your kid, is all I am trying to say. If she doesn't want a swimming pool, or a choice of breakfast entrees, or to bounce on the bed, or to watch TV, or to make any noise after 700pm, perhaps a B&B would suit her. Even then, children are often de facto if not de jure unwelcome, and it's not fair to put a kid in that situation.

jemctag

Thank you all so much for the information. I will do further due diligence based on your suggestions. It is quite disappointing that many b and b's clearly state that "this room is not suitable for children under 12", etc....

Again, your suggestions are appreciated and I'll check them out further.

Thanks for responding!

PWMFlyer19

Another in Boothaby: http://linekinbayresort.com/index.cfm

Has a kids club and if you sail or want to learn, they have them available.

Unlike many resorts, there is no fee for using our sailboats. Don’t know how to sail? No problem. Let our team of young but very experienced staff show you the ropes (or should we say lines).

We have 20 Rhodes 19 sailboats; they carry up to 5 passengers (4 guests and 1 instructor) but are easy enough to be sailed by a single experienced sailor. Our waterfront staff is there to assist in any way. Sailboats are signed out by our guests daily to enjoy exploring the bay and inner islands.