2020 Official Maine Camping Guide - 86

Cruising Through Maine:
You Can (Really) Get There From Here

merica begins its day in Maine. It's a statement denoting
that ours is the first state to see the sun - the state
motto Dirigo translates as "I Lead." Spend a little time
here though, and you might just spy the myriad small ways that
put us ahead of other places, ways that have kept generations
past - and will keep generations to come - enthralled with the
almost indescribable beauty and broad diversity of experiences
to be had in our magnificent state.
So no matter where you choose to watch the sun's rays peak
over the horizon: from a rocky Down East outcropping up near
West Quoddy (yes Down East is "up"), atop Mount Katahdin at
the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, or marveling
its quiet spectacle while collecting shells along the tide line at
York Beach, your days spent in Maine will leave you yearning to
return for many, many more.
The Maine Beaches
Our Maine Beaches are a most welcome way to enter the
state known as Vacationland since 1935. Miles and miles of
sugary sand punctuated by small cities and towns that balloon with visitors looking to capture a few days or maybe a
week or two of perfect summertime bliss. From Kittery to Old
Orchard Beach, the beaches have long been mainstays of the
ideal Maine vacation. Just follow US-1 from the state line up
through some of the nation's oldest communities, visit cultural enclaves like Ogunquit and the "Kennebunks" rife with
the trappings of any major American city: museums, cafés,
brewpubs and boutiques. Spend a little time at Old Orchard
Beach under the dazzling lights of our oceanfront amusement
park. Each step you take here, whether through the history of
York, the natural beauty of the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge,
the cool wooded splendor of Sanford, shopping at Kittery or

spending a little time along the main streets of Saco and Biddeford, will have you curious about what more there is to see
here in Maine.
Cities & Towns: Kittery, York, Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford, Saco and Sanford
Roads & Highways: I-95, US1 & 1A, Rt. 9, Rt. 202, Rt. 11, Rt. 4,
Rt. 103
Notable Features: The Nubble Light, Ogunquit Playhouse, Funtown/Splashtown,Palace Playland, York Wild Kingdom, Saco
Drive-in, sunset cruises and whale watching
Greater Portland & Casco Bay
Wandering north along US1, I-295 or on Rt. 202 from interior
parts of the state will bring you into the "big city scene" of
Portland. Set high upon a peninsula overlooking the southern
corner of Casco Bay, Portland's urbane but friendly inhabitants may sometimes seem a little too relaxed, but they are
just a part of the scene. It's these touches that add character
and make this welcoming city worthy of deeper exploration.
Morning, noon or night, there is something happening along
its cobbled side streets, broad avenues and salty old wharves.
Shoppers, foodies and people watchers alike should start in the
Old Port or up along Congress Street to find the keys to the delights of this fun and funky town. Looking for the offbeat? Visit
Munjoy Hill or the Arts District and make sure to set aside time
to savor the collection at the Portland Museum of Art or any of
the city's many galleries. When night falls, you can just as easily catch any of a dozen performances as you would a fly ball
at the game - from chamber music at Merrill Auditorium to a
touring act at The State Theater or Seadogs baseball at Hadlock
Field.Got a little time on your hands? Explore the islands of
Casco Bay by ferry or take a drive through the many welcoming
communities that surround the city. Just to the south seek out
continued on page 87

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2020 Official Maine Camping Guide

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2020 Official Maine Camping Guide