Text size:

Not to late to plan a summer vacation in Maine

BY BETH J. HARPAZ | Associated Press

July 20, 2008

I spent the July Fourth weekend lying in a hammock on the shore of a pond in central Maine. I liked it so much, I'm going back in August. Big activities planned include listening for loon calls, watching the moon rise and picking sprigs of wild mint. Maybe I'll take a canoe out - but only if I get really ambitious.

It's not too late to plan your own vacation to Maine this summer. You can still book lodgings, tours and tickets.

If you're the type to plan ahead, consider a trip in early fall when the leaves start to turn and the weather cools off.

The state's coast, lakes and woods are well under a day's drive. Figure 300 miles if you're driving from Long Island to the sand, sun and amusement park rides at Old Orchard Beach (oldorchard beachmaine .com). It's 450 miles to Bangor, where you can catch the American Folk Festival Aug. 22-24 (american folkfestival .com) or take the Tommyknockers & More Bus Tour (Aug. 10, Sept. 21 and Oct. 26) in honor of the legendary horror writer Stephen King, who lives in Bangor ($12, 800-916-6673, bangorcvb.org /content/4012/stephen_ tabitha_king).

Shopping trip

Sick of shopping in SoHo? It's 340 miles to Freeport (Maine, that is), where you'll find the L.L. Bean flagship store, open 24 hours a day, and 170 other retailers from Timberland to Brooks Brothers (freeportusa .com). While you're there, check out one of Bean's $15 "Walk-On Adventures," 90- minute programs in fly casting, archery or clay shooting, or a 2 1/2-hour kayaking session (llbean.com).

With kids

If you have kids or you're feeling energetic, two activities that my family enjoyed were white-water rafting at The Forks (forksarea.com) and moose-watching on Moosehead Lake. The Birches Resort in Rockwood offers two-hour moose cruises on Moosehead daily at 7 a.m. ($35) and 4 p.m. ($45). You can eat at the resort or stay over; accommodations range from lodge rooms ($81-$122) to rustic log cabins ($173-$216, 800-825-9453, birches.com).

There's also a shuttle boat from Rockwood to Mount Kineo, an island on Moosehead Lake where you can play golf (mooseheadlakegolf.com) or climb a 700-foot cliff.

Things to do

Summer is festival time in Maine. My kids always love the Skowhegan State Fair, this year Aug. 7-16, with rides, agricultural exhibits and shows (skowheganstatefair.com). And if you're into bluegrass, there is no finer display of fiddling than the Blistered Fingers Family Bluegrass Music Festival, Aug. 21-24 in Sidney (blisteredfingers.com).

The Annual Great Falls Balloon Festival is the setting for balloon launches Aug. 15-17 at Simard & Payne Memorial Park in Lewiston and Festival Plaza in Auburn (greatfallsballoonfestival.org).

Where to stay

Greg Dugal, spokesman for the Maine Innkeepers Association, said this year's bookings are "occurring on a short-term basis, with two weeks being the benchmark lately." Rates start as low as $85 a night (maineinns.com).

A Microtel Inn & Suites hotel opened in York in June, with $149 a typical nightly summer rate (207-363-0800, microtelinn.com).

The Appalachian Mountain Club also has wilderness cabins and lodges in Maine, inexpensively priced, and a variety of programs, from teen wilderness adventures to family programs to "Adventure Weeks" for those 50 and older, Sept. 14 and Sept. 28. A night at the AMC's Little Lyford Pond Camps bunkhouse starts at just $77 for adults, including three meals a day (outdoors.org).

For a more upscale experience, check out the ocean view at the Cliff House Resort & Spa in Oguinquit and then get a blueberry facial or a wild rose body wrap (207-361-1000, cliffhouse maine.com).