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Maine: Portland, Taking the Kids to the Sea.  Watch seals or sail a windjammer; pick blueberries or eat rhubarb pie; enjoy a lobster bake or sing sea shanties; sit on the beach or ride on a trolley; all in one family vacation.
Have lobster for breakfast. Locals and tourists alike succumb to the lure of lobster. Served for almost everywhere, no one need suffer lobster withdrawal. Many communities have lobster suppers where everyone is welcome and local entrepreneurs delight in arranging lobster bakes seaside. In Bar Harbor Captain John takes guests out on Frenchman Bay on a traditional lobster boat. Passengers learn about the actual working of a lobster boat, watch seals and hear about local history and folklore. (Lulu Lobster Boat Harborside Hotel & Marina. 55 West Street, Bar Harbor.1 (207) 963-2341, 1-866-235-2341 (toll free in Maine only) or www.lululobsterboat.com)
Take to the sea. Whale watching and wildlife viewing are popular activities along the coast of Maine. The Atlantic coastal waters provide the ideal habitat for migrating whales, seals, porpoise, eagles, puffins, and other marine animals. From Bar Harbor there are many intersecting ways to view the natural residents. Some options include narration by a National Park Service Ranger while others provide the thrill of encounter via a high-speed, high-tech catamaran or a relaxing sail on a historic windjammer. Discovery: Bar Harbor's Music Festival is simply the best and the terrific concerts are held on the Bar Harbor Village Green in July and August. (Bar Habor, www.maineguide.com/barharbor)
Take a carriage through Acadia. The tree density alone is impressive within Acadia National Park. Add to that a slew of unnamed coves, rocky forbidding inlets, mountainous terrain, inland freshwater lakes and a network of more than 120 miles of trails suitable for walking, jogging, biking and about 45 miles suitable for horse drawn carriage rides. The result is splendid and not to be missed. The Park, which encompasses more than 47,633 acres, is refuge to fox, coyote deer, beaver, otter, squirrel, seal, puffin, osprey, and an occasional black bear. Bonus Points: The warmest months of the year bring a host of songbirds, ducks, and shorebirds as well as birds of prey. (Acadia National Park. Visitor Information at 1(207) 288-3338 or www.nps.gov/acad)
See history in motion. Kennebunkport is the home of the Seashore Trolley Museum, the oldest, and largest electric railway museum in the world. Established in 1939 with one open trolley car, the current collection contains more than 250 transit vehicles. A visit to the museum includes a ride over a portion of the old Atlantic Shore Line Railway interurban trolley line and provides a glimpse of Maine during the early 1800’s. (Seashore Trolley Museum, 195 Log Cabin Road Kennebunkport, 04046. 1(207) 967-2712 or www.trolleymuseum.org)
Ride a Downeast Duck. Portland offers visitors a unique and energizing way to see the city aboard an amphibious touring craft known as a “duck.” Passengers ride along cobblestone streets of the Old Port and hear local anecdotes about historical buildings and the lively working waterfront before launching onto the water of Casco Bay. (The Duck Stop located at DiMillo's Long Wharf, Commercial Street, Portland. www.downeastducktours.com or downeastduckadventures@gmail.com)
Talk with a marine scientist. MDI Biological Laboratory, the largest coldwater marine research facility in the eastern United States, offers free tours of their marine biomedical research laboratory during July and August each year. The tour includes a brief scientific program and video presentation followed by hands-on touch tank demonstrations and presentations in the Myers Marine Aquarium Visitors Center. The true value of visiting MDI is opportunity to have time at a working marine research facility. On site docents conduct an assortment of activities for all ages and interests. Learn about the world of whales, sea life, plant life, see a lobster hatchery, take a marsh walk, and examine archeological and historical artifacts. Bonus points: On tours visitors get to listen to listen to the soundings of whales. (Myers Marine Aquarium Visitors Center. The tour meets at the Maren Auditorium on Old Bar Harbor Road, just off of Rt. 3 north of Bar Harbor in the village of Salisbury Cove. 1(207) 288-3147 or www.mdibl.org)
Slide down giant dunes.  Even Maine has a desert, small but dry. Located in Freeport, the natural phenomenon must-be-seen, to-be-believed. More than two hundred years ago, the location was a working farm owned by the Tuttle family. Slowly, due to overgrazing, lack of proper crop rotation and other factors, the topsoil eroded exposing the sand. Now visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the 45 acres of sand dunes and learn about the area’s connection with the last ice age. Bonus points: Other activities include gem stone hunts, independent hiking and a small farm museum. Need to know: The Desert of Maine and Museum is open to visitors from May through mid-October each year. (Desert of Maine and Museum. 95 Desert Road, Freeport 04032. 1(207) 865-6962 or www.desertofmaine.com)
Try a lighthouse with a view. Portland Headlight & Museum, commissioned by George Washington in 1791, is Maine's oldest lighthouse and the second oldest in America. Located adjacent to Fort Williams Park, the museum’s interpretative displays are contained within the former Keepers' Quarters. The view alone is worth the stop. (Portland Headlight & Museum. 1000 Shore Road, Cape Elizabeth, 04107. 1(207) 799-2661. www.portlandheadlight.com)
Absorb living history. Maine is full of surprises and a terrific place to time travel with kids. The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum is at the heart of the only active Shaker community in the world. Visitors are encouraged to explore and enjoy the community which combines work and worship. About one third of the community’s buildings are open to visitors. The functional sites showcase exhibits focusing on the 200-year Shaker heritage in Maine. Bonus Points: Guided tours provide first person viewpoints and anecdotes about Shaker life past as well as the present. (The Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum. The Village is 25 miles north of Portland, and 12 miles west of Lewiston-Auburn. United Society of Shakers, 707 Shaker Road, New Gloucester, ME 04260 1(207) 926-4597 or www.shaker.lib.me.us)
Shop ‘til you drop. Freeport, Maine has outlets but Kittery, on the north side of the Piscataqua River, has it beat with more than 120 outlets along U.S. Route 1. Traffic is crazy most of the time but for those that consider shopping a sport that takes practice this is the place to perfect bargain hunting.
Set sail on a windjammer. Looking for a vacation on the water where you can bond with your adolescents without going over the deep end? This summer, take it easy with your kids on a windjammer cruise. Maine windjammer vacations give parents and their teenagers a perfect balance of time together and time apart. On board a Maine windjammer, kids have plenty to do learning to tie knots, taking a turn at the helm, hauling sails and getting to know crewmembers. They can also learn about the natural world, explore uninhabited islands and help out in the galley. Discovery: Most afternoons, windjammers anchor off one of the 3,000 deserted islands dotting the coast. This affords families the opportunity to go exploring, or if the port of call happens to be a tiny fishing village, guests are able to poke through Maine's well-known craft boutiques and galleries. Bonus points: Because the response to family cruises has been so overwhelmingly positive, some captains have lowered the age limit and are offering family cruises geared specifically toward younger children. Young children can't resist helping to crank the ice cream, skipping stones and picking berries and undoubtedly learning to tie knots. A Maine windjammer cruise offers something for everyone, both young and old, and provides the perfect setting for a family reunion. (Maine Windjammer Association. PO Box 1144, Blue Hill 04614, 1-800-807-WIND or www.sailmainecoast.com)
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© 2009 - Content based on destination visits and researched by FamilyTravelFiles for Travel Communications, Inc.
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