Coastal Maine Attractions

Bar Harbor is located in northern Maine, on the east side of Mount Desert Island and is surrounded by Acadia National Park on all sides. Families looking for stunning scenery and lots of outdoor activities will love a vacation here. Puffin watching, anyone? Although technically an island, you can drive your car onto Mount Desert Island, via the Trenton Bridge. Bar Harbor is just secluded enough, while still offering plenty to do for families. Visit Agamont Park and the Village Green, hike the shore path, or just give the kids a bucket and let them roam. The name Bar Harbor comes from the large sand bar that appears at low tide, and it's the perfect place for children to poke around for little ocean critters. There is a cool little oceanarium and lobster hatchery where kids can see real lobster babies, dress up like seals and play with wind-up boats.

The 41,000-acre Acadia National Park is as stunning as it is vast, and encompasses much of Mount Desert Island. Exploring it with kids may seem like a monumental task; but a good map is all you need. Take the kids on the auto loop, which is a convenient and scenic way to introduce you to the area. The park is covered with hiking trails and carriage roads, so you may want to take along or rent bikes. The best beaches for families are Acadia's Sand Beach (brr, the water here is cold!) and the freshwater beach at Echo Lake. Because Acadia is a national park, kids can participate in the Junior Ranger Program, which provides kids 18 and under with a booklet to complete a series of activities throughout the park. When they complete them, they earn a Junior Ranger patch.

For a fun boating adventure approximately an hour and a half long, take Kylie's Chance Scenic Lobster Tour up the river and out to the natural habitat of seals. Enjoy fabulous views of the Maine Coast and Walker's Point (the Bush family's oceanfront estate), learning about lobsters while kids enjoy pulling up a lobster trap, and hearing the lore of the Kennebunkport coastline. It is a large boat with a portion of the seating under cover and soda, snacks and beer are available on board. The cruise is offered daily from June 26 to Sept. 5 at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for children ages 3 to 15 years, and there is no charge for children under the age of 3, although be sure to include them in your reservation.

Wells National Estuarine Reserve at Laudholm Farm is a wildlife reserve offers seven miles of hiking trails and walkways through marshes and wetlands and out to the ocean. There is a nice Visitors Center and exhibits and it is open year round. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the summer and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the remainder of the year. The Visitor Center with Gift Shop is open in the summer from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and has shorter hours in the fall and winter.

The Seashore Trolley Museum holds the largest collection of trolley cars in the world, but what really appeals about the museum for families is the narrated ride through the Maine countryside on authentically restored streetcars. The museum is open daily from Memorial Day to Columbus Day and on Saturdays in May and October. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5.50 for children ages 6 to 16 years and children under the age of 5 ride free.

For families with 'tweens and teens, take a guided trip kayaking on the Kennebunk River. Rentals and guides are available through Aquaholics Surf Shop. Open year round and daily from May 15 to Labor Day. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays. Seasonal hours apply at other times during the year.

In nearby Portsmouth, N.H., the Strawbery Banke Museum is an outdoor living museum that portrays what Colonial life was like for villagers in Portsmouth, NJ from the late 17th century to the mid-20th century. You should plan for at least two hours at this museum and tickets are good for two consecutive days. Open May 1 to Oct. 31 daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 5 to 17 years old and free for children younger than 5 years old. There is an attractive family rate of $40.

As you make your way further north, there are several towns along Maine's mid-coast that are amenable to a family vacation, many of which you'll find are slightly less crowded than spots along the southern coast. The towns of Camden/Rockport, Boothbay Harbor and Rockland are good choices for families. If you are planning a lengthy stay and want to visit several different areas of Maine, this is good home base.

Camden is home to Maine's Windjammer fleet. The tall ships sail to scenic islands off the coast of Maine, including Deer Isle, Fox Islands, Islesboro Island, and of course, Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. While the official minimum sailing age is 16, they have been known to make exceptions for children over 12, if you ask nicely. Camden has its own State Park, which offers more than 5,000 acres for roaming and hiking.

Younger kids will enjoy a trip on the Maine Eastern Railroad, which runs restored streamliners, and has service from Rockland up to Brunswick, with stops in Bath and Wiscasset. Rockland is also home to the Farnsworth Art Museum, which houses a great collection of Andrew Wyeth pieces, its Wyeth Center.

Just north of Maine's southern beaches are Portland and the Casco Bay region. A lot of out-of-staters think Portland is the capital of Maine, which is totally understandable. It's the largest city in the state, and one of the most popular spots for families. My kids really love Portland. I think it's because it offers the diversity of activities of a city, but it is as manageable as a large town. One of our favorite stops in the city is the downtown Portland Children's Museum, which is ideal for kids 10 and under and has cool science and art exhibits for kids, as well as frequent appearances by live performers. From Portland you can take a ferry to Nova Scotia or a commuter boat to the Calendar Islands in Casco Bay. About 15 minutes north of Portland is the outlet shopping Mecca of Freeport, where you'll find LL Bean among a couple hundred other outlets. If you have pre-teens and teens that love to shop, they'll want to say they've been here.

Southern Maine's beaches rock. The coastal towns of Kittery, The Yorks, Wells, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, and Old Orchard Beach are all good choices for families. For those looking for a more upscale experience, the towns of Kennebunkport and Ogunquit have the most options, as well as top-notch boutiques and restaurants that you won't find in such abundance in other nearby coastal towns -- but they remain kid-friendly.

The Yorks
The Yorks consist of York Beach, York Harbor and York Village. For those looking to be near or on the ocean, look for accommodations in York Beach or York Harbor. There are three public beaches: Harbor Beach, Short Sands and Long Sands, or "Long Beach" as some non-locals call it. As the name implies, Long Sands is the largest stretch of beach in York, and is great for renting floats, amateur surfing and flying kites. Short Sands is just north and while smaller, it has more to do for the kids. There you'll find Fun-O-Rama, a large arcade, The Goldenrod, where kids can watch saltwater taffy being made, and Animal Forest Park, a great little amusement park with rides and a small petting zoo. In between Short and Long Sands is the Nubble Light, a must-see if you're visiting the area. While there, take the kids across the street to Brown's Ice cream, the best around.

Ogunquit
Ogunquit Beach's 3.5 miles of sand and sea is reason enough for families to visit this popular coastal town -- in fact the name means "beautiful town by the sea" in Abenaki -- but there is just as much to do off the beach in Ogunquit. Hop on the town trolley and take a tour, the kids will get a kick out of these old-fashioned bright red vehicles that are a constant fixture on the streets. Ogunquit's famous Marginal Way is a gorgeous 1.25-mile walk along the shoreline in Ogunquit, which starts at the Sparhawk Hotel and ends in Perkins Cove, a quaint area with shops and restaurants. Stroll Main street's shops by foot, or stop and rent a bike or scooter from Hut sixty 6. If your family is looking to get out on the water, there are deep sea and whale watching charters that leave from Perkins Cove in Ogunquit. The Seashore Trolley Museum in Ogunquit is a fascinating place for older children, with 250 transit vehicles, mostly trolleys, from all over the world. Admission includes unlimited rides on their demonstration railway.

Old Orchard Beach
For families looking for a little more action, visit Old Orchard Beach, locally called OOB. While this beach does not rank at the top my family's list of places to stay, we love to visit; and I would definitely recommend it for a day trip. OOB's hopping seven-mile beach is great for families, as is the pier, which juts out 500 feet over the ocean. The pier is home to many shops and restaurants, as well as weekly fireworks and concerts during the summer. Palace Playland Park in OOB is a beachfront amusement park (the only one in New England) with a Ferris wheel, carousel, roller coasters and arcades.

Kennebunkport
Everyone recognizes the name Kennebunkport as the upscale community where former president George W. Bush spent his summers -- but Kennebunkport has a lot to offer the rest of us as well. A big chunk of Kennebunkport's three-mile Goose Rocks Beach (locally called GRB) is open to the public, while a portion of it is private. Parking where there is public access is limited which means it doesn't get overly crowded, which makes it a real find. Kennebunkport Marina has fishing boat, canoe and kayak rentals.