I am planing a trip to Portland Maine and would appreciate some advise on photographic opportunities. Also any suggestion on a good location to stay for the time i will be there. I am planing to stay four or five days in the area
THANKS
Michael I will be there in 2 weeks. First we are going to Arcadia and after 3 or 4 days in that area we are staying in South Portland for one night on the way home. I have a list of lighthouses to see down stairs. In the mean time I'm curious to see what responses your question will generate.
Michael I will be there in 2 weeks. First we are going to Arcadia and after 3 or 4 days in that area we are staying in South Portland for one night on the way home. I have a list of lighthouses to see down stairs. In the mean time I'm curious to see what responses your question will generate.
legion3 wrote:
I am planing a trip to Portland Maine and would appreciate some advise on photographic opportunities. Also any suggestion on a good location to stay for the time i will be there. I am planing to stay four or five days in the area
THANKS
Portland is a great little city to walk around - Congress Street, Commercial Street and Old Port offer some street photography if that is your interest. The only place I've stayed in that area is Marriott's Residence Inn which is just a short walk from Commercial Street with good restaurants (DiMillos is one of my favorites) and on Commercial Street you can catch a number of boat tours. The Mail boat tour will take most of a day and it visits ten or more different islands. Portland has a magnificent performance hall on Congress Street; if this interests you, check out the schedule at Merrill Hall.
But without a car you will be missing out on quite a lot of good scenery - so I'd suggest renting one for at least a couple days. Portland Head Lighthouse is supposed to be the most photographed lighthouse in the area and it is but a short drive from Portland. Some nearby peninsulas - Bailey Island in particular are worth a visit with a camera. Nearby Harpswell also has some good photo opportunities but they are not as obvious (look for the Dolphin Marina) however Estis Lobster house is a great place for Lobster.
Try to find some time to get to Boothbay Harbor - the Coastal Gardens there are well worth a visit and further up the coast (they call that "down east Maine" there since it is down-wind from Portland) and a trip to Camden is worth the extra time. It is a beautiful little town and a harbor cruise on a schooner is a lot of fun - offering good photo opportunities when the weather is clear. Just south of there near Rockland you can find the Owl's head Lighthouse and the Transportation museum is a great stop if you like old cars and airplanes. If you are into fine art, the Farnsworth museum is worth a stop as well.
legion3 wrote:
I am planing a trip to Portland Maine and would appreciate some advise on photographic opportunities. Also any suggestion on a good location to stay for the time i will be there. I am planing to stay four or five days in the area
THANKS
I don't remember the name of this pizza joint. It is on the water side of the shopping area. On a side street right after the row of stores end. Ther is a massive stone oven the place is very eclectic. It has the best pizza. Very casual fun place.
Take a ride on Rt.1 head North.
We lived in Cape Elizabeth ME. for 5 years, I recommend shooting the Portland Headlight, it's a great scene, classic Lighthouse with a rocky coast line. Also bring your camera to the Marginal Way great rocky coast line and a small harbor with some fine restaurants.
legion3 wrote:
I am planing a trip to Portland Maine and would appreciate some advise on photographic opportunities. Also any suggestion on a good location to stay for the time i will be there. I am planing to stay four or five days in the area
THANKS
No suggestions, but a comment. A friend just spent a week in Maine with some friends - no pictures! What's the matter with people?!
sb
Loc: Florida's East Coast
In South Portland is the iconic Portland Head Lighthouse (a "head" is a rocky outcropping - it is not a headlight
) which is probably the most photographed lighthouse in the world. That doesn't mean you won't want it in YOUR collection! The Old Port section of Portland is fun - but you can also catch the Casco Bay Ferry and head out to walk around Peak's Island. There are a few good restaurants near the ferry landing on Peak's Island to get a really decent bowl of "chowdah" for lunch. Have a pint of Allagash Belgian White beer for me! From Portland the one-hour drive to the White Mountains of New Hampshire is very scenic, and doing the loop around the White Mountains (the Kancamagus Highway) provides dozens of photo opportunities of the mountains, waterfalls, covered bridges, etc. And if the weather is clear, take the cog railroad to the top of Mt Washington for a real treat!
Heading north you can go up the coast along Rt 1 - the "midcoast" area. Lots of traditional Maine towns, starting in Boothbay. The Pemaquid peninsula has another iconic lighthouse - very beautiful spot. Camden is a great little town to walk around in. And then you get to Bah Hahbah. I always look online to find the ship schedule before going to Bah Hahbah any more. When a cruise ship docks the town quickly fills up to the brim. But Acadia (not "Arcadia") is a national park as stunning as any! From the top of Cadillac Mountain to the Otter Cliffs. Don't ignore some of the little fishing villages around Mount Dessert Island also - like Seal Harbor. If you REALLY want to see Maine, head "downeast". Downeast, by the way, is a term snatched up by a lot of Mainers, but the true "downeast" Maine is East of Ellsworth and Bah Hahbah. Little fishing villages like Jonesport (with a great day hike on adjacent Great Wass Island - I have a post on that) and all the way to the end of the earth is Lubec with the great West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. (The folks in Lubec argue that "it ain't the end of the eahth - but you can see it from heyah!"). IF you bring your passport you can cross the bridge from Lubec on to Campobello Island (New Brunswick, Canada). At the far end is another famous lighthouse, the EAST Quoddy Head Lighthouse. A spectacular old wooden lighthouse and rescue station.
FYI:
Campobello:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-221396-1.htmlJonesport work:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-231046-1.htmlGreat Wass Island:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-235057-1.htmlA REAL Haddock sandwich:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-235058-1.html (This little ocean-front diner on Beal's Island - across the bridge from Jonesport - just won the USA Today contest for the best Lobstah Roll in New England!)
Cutler, Maine - Western Head trail:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-239148-1.html Have a great trip!!!
If you have the time I'd go north to Acadia too. If you don't want the crowds go to Schoodic Peninsula just north of Mt. Desert Is. Just as beautiful as Acadia but no crowds. Just beautiful rugged coastline. That whole peninsula is beautiful. Little fishing villages like Corea and Prospect Harbor, Winter Harbor. Then just a little further up the coast is Lubec...my favorite part of Maine. Go across the inlet and you're in Campobello New Brunswick, Canada. Awesome lighthouse at the top of the island. Take your passport if you go. In Lubec stay at The Inn at the Wharf...an old sardine cannery made into a gorgeous motel. Sit on the deck in the evening and watch the sunset. In Lubec you have West Quoddy Light, in Campobello Quoddy Head Light to which you can walk during low tide...oh so many things to see and photograph! I'll try to post some pics. We just got back Wed. from our visit and this is our 5th time there. Look for my photos...I'll label them Main Coast if I can figure out how to upload them. Well worth the extra couple of hours from Portland. Have fun!
Elsiss
Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.
Maine has beautiful photo ops, especially the lighthouses. Make sure you bring along mosquito repellent with you along with your photo equipment😉. Have a great time.
If you have the time I'd go north to Acadia too. If you don't want the crowds go to Schoodic Peninsula just north of Mt. Desert Is. Just as beautiful as Acadia but no crowds. Just beautiful rugged coastline. That whole peninsula is beautiful. Little fishing villages like Corea and Prospect Harbor, Winter Harbor. Then just a little further up the coast is Lubec...my favorite part of Maine. Go across the inlet and you're in Campobello New Brunswick, Canada. Awesome lighthouse at the top of the island. Take your passport if you go. In Lubec stay at The Inn at the Wharf...an old sardine cannery made into a gorgeous motel. Sit on the deck in the evening and watch the sunset. In Lubec you have West Quoddy Light, in Campobello Quoddy Head Light to which you can walk during low tide...oh so many things to see and photograph! I'll try to post some pics. We just got back Wed. from our visit and this is our 5th time there. Look for my photos...I'll label them Main Coast if I can figure out how to upload them. Well worth the extra couple of hours from Portland. Have fun!
Along the trail by West Quoddy Lighthouse
Prospect Harbor Lighthouse
Mulholland Point Light, across inlet from Lubec
East Quoddy Lighthouse, Campobello
The Standard Baking Company is on Commercial, which is the main street in the Old Port area. It has some of the best baked products I have ever tasted, but be sure to get there early, as they sell out almost every day. If you like fish, Street and Company, also in the Old Port, is great. About 20 or 25 miles north of Portland is the town of Freeport, national headquarters of LL Bean. The whole town is a good discount outlet, and LL Bean is open 24/7.
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.