Maybe it’s summer to act like a select tourist.
The pandemic continues to make the concept of overcrowded beaches and parks less exciting for many. So instead of looking for Maine’s most popular attractions this year, such as Portland Head Light or Old Orchard Beach, you may need to get off the beaten track and locate other less-visited scenic spaces and ancient sites. Possibly he would place a position he has never been before, a position that will be a new favorite.
Some of them are found in state parks and public lands; some are in your neighborhood, so they are easy to ignore. Others are more of a state of the brain than a place.
Below are some tips for getting to know Maine’s most popular tourist attractions.
LOOK AT THE LIGHT
People come from all over the world to see Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, don’t they? But like Mainer, you’ve probably noticed it more than it is right. So, this summer, why not explore some lighthouses in other parts of the state, some you would possibly have in the past? You can drive east to West Quoddy Head Lighthouse at Quoddy Head National Park in Lubec. It is the easternmost lighthouse in the state, built around 1858 and occupied by resident lighthousekeepers until 1988. It is known for its white and red stripes and for being one of the first places in Maine to see a sunrise. For more information about the park and lighthouse, stop at the Quoddy Head State Park page on the Ministry of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry website.
A BETTER BEACH?
For an over-choice of Old Orchard Beach, perhaps Maine’s most famous, visit Owls Head State Park near Rockland. There is a very small rocky beach, so it probably wouldn’t attract swarms of bathers. But there’s also Owls Head Light, built in 1852 on granite a hundred feet above Penobscot Bay. There is a picnic domain and a view of Rockland.
SCENIC DISPLACEMENT
Red’s Eats in Wiscasset is definitely a Maine destination, known for its lobster rolls. But you can create your own at home and avoid the queues. After all, you live in Maine, with fish markets everywhere and lobster at your local supermarket. So why not take a look at a lobster roll recipe, or maybe just create one on the go? You can have this century-old debate about whether it’s better with mayonnaise or melted butter. But don’t cough up the hot dog bread. You can watch an instructional video on how to make one through Wilfred Beriau, a former culinary instructor at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. Or check out a recipe that was in Maine restaurateur Sam Hayward’s Food and Wine magazine. Once you’ve made your lobster rolls, take them picnic to one of the other indexed stalls here.
DO YOUR JOB
Maine has many historic forts to explore, in very elegant waterfront locations as they were built to protect the coast. Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth (home of the Portland Head Light) is well known in Greater Portland, and in peak summers there are more buses than a Greyhound terminal. So why not take a look at a new fort that might have a little less scale? The Fort Edgecomb State Historic Site in Edgecomb is located on an island on the Sheepscot River, opposite the Wiscasset. On the heights of the park there is an eight-sided fort, built in 1809 and incredibly well preserved. You cannot enter at this time, due to COVID-19, but you can explore the sloped slope and shaded corners and cranks overlooking the water. There’s a giant lawn and plenty of picnic tables. We know that other people see seals and ospreys from the property. For more information, visit the Fort Edgecomb page on the Minischeck out of Agriculture, Conservation and Forescheck out website.
SUCH HEIGHTS
Most summers, visitors can’t wait to climb the Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park and watch the sunrise, not to mention the amazing ocean views. For another view, head north from Rumford on Highway 17 to a landscape known as Height of Land. It is located at an altitude of 2,200 feet and is probably the ultimate scenic barrier along the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Highway, which leads to the mountains of western Maine.