GregWCIL wrote:
My wife and I are heading to Maine this summer to visit relatives and (in my case) doing a fair amount of photography. This is our first trip there - about 2 weeks total time. Likely flying into Boston, spending a day or so then heading north along the coast. We'll be spending a few days around Portsmouth guided by our cousins. Then heading north to Acadia NP. Other possible destinations would be Moosehead Lake, then circling back south perhaps through Vermont.
We mainly enjoy outdoors pursuits. I enjoy landscape and wildlife photography equally. Will have my D500 with some long lenses and either my D800 or (hopefully) a new D850.
I'd appreciate any suggestions for special places to photograph along the coast, quaint fishing villages, mountain vistas. I'd classify us as "mild" hikers. We don't do 1000 ft. elevation gain hikes these days. Top wildlife catches would be loons, moose, bear and puffins. I checked and the tours that actually land on the puffin nesting islands are booked except for the boats which simply circle the islands.
Thank you for any help you might have.
Greg
My wife and I are heading to Maine this summer to ... (
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Since you have only 2 weeks, it is important to plan where to spend the most time. You will not be able to do it all!
I live in Vermont, and drove to Acadia NP several years ago. Just as you are planning, I took the coastal route and got to see quite a few interesting places. I used David Middleton's book "the photographer's guide to the Maine Coast", which breaks the trip down into regions and lists quite a few places to go. He especially likes the fishing villages. [He also wrote "the photographer's guide to Vermont", which is where he lives.] If you like lighthouses, there are some worth visiting, but be aware that there will be plenty of other people there as well.
York, Maine: Nubble Lighthouse - On an island not accessible, but good parking area and views
Portland, Maine: Portland Head Light - You can walk around this one, and several vantage points from which to take pictures.
Pemaquid Point: Pemaquid Lighthouse - I got to go inside and up into the light, but it was in the fall, not sure about how it will be in summer. Narrow rocky point, lots of marbled rocks which if you want you can walk down onto for a different view and photographic angle.
If you like harbors and boats, you might like the South Freeport Harbor. It is not a tourist destination, but there are plenty of boats of all types. If you go early enough you can see the bait barrels being loaded onto the lobster fishermen's boats and chat with some of the guys who do the loading.
I stayed at the Econolodge on Route 1 south of downtown Freeport, and followed Pine Street down to the village and the harbor. If visiting LL Bean, you can get there by following Bow Street [off Main St near the store] to South Street, turn right and follow it to South Freeport Road.
Just about anywhere you go along the Maine Coast, there are fishing villages. Some require a bit of a drive from Route 1, so you should take that into account when deciding where to visit. A lot of people like to visit Boothbay Harbor, but I skipped it because of time constraints. I did travel down to one of the points in the Harpswell area, where I crossed over the cribstone bridge between Orrs Island and Bailey Island. I was going to stop in Rockland, but got a bit turned around and did not see a good place to stay. Instead I continued on to Rockport, where there is a pretty harbor with a "working" side and the "public" side. Of course, I went to the "working"side! Another place I skipped was the Blue Hill Peninsula, which has a nice little town, the Blue Hill, and Blue Hill Falls [a "reversing" falls - changes direction with the tides!]. Farther south is Deere Island and Stonington village and harbor.
When you get to Acadia NP, there are all the usual places to go, following the park loop. But once again if you like lobster fishing and harbors, you should head out to the Southwest Harbor portion of the island. At the southern tip of that area are Bass harbor one one side of the small bay, and Bernard is on the other side. On both sides there are lobster fishing bait houses and docks, with lobster traps, bait barrels, and plenty of boats to see. Plus the Bass Harbor Lighthouse.
Where to go in Vermont depends on what route you take when returning from Maine. If you are far enough north, the "Northeast Kingdom" has a lot of wild countryside. My favorite place in that area is Lake Willoughby, beautiful in itself, with areas at the south end where you can hike in [short hike] to the little coves and get some great pictures of the mountains coming down to the lake. We always stay in a very nice B&B in East Burke. Besides the lake, you can also travel around and see other sights in the area, and don't forget Willoughby Falls in Orleans, VT. From there you can travel south along the Connecticut River or seek out other spots on a different route. Along the river, you can take the local road instead of the interstate. At the town of Windsor, you will get to see the longest 2-span covered bridge in the world crossing the river into New Hampshire to the town of Cornish. This is where you will run into "decision time" - whether to continue south before heading east towards Boston, or to go back a little ways to I-89 and take the fast way back.
Of course, you will want to come back again, so make notes on what you missed that you want to put on your list for next time! I live in the southwestern portion of Vermont, known as the "tri-state area" because this is where Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York come together! Western Massachusetts has some nice spots to visit, and the whole western side of Vermont has a lot to offer.
Hope this helps rather than adding to the burden of information!
Susan
PS Take a look at photos I have taken: 500px.com/susanfromvermont/galleries