I was at Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth yesterday and there were seals right off the point in front of where I was sitting. Where there are Maine beaches, there are estuaries, and southern Maines quiet, wildlife-rich tidal creeks reward exploration particularly for those who prefer protected waters to open-ocean paddling. PARKING often requires a trip to the town office for a permit. The pier was rebuilt every time, and its current, 600-foot incarnation dates to 1980. Ten of these species occur on the West Coast: Guadalupe fur seals and nine cetaceans, including two distinct population segments (DPS) of humpback whale and the Western North Pacific DPS of gray whale. In 2007, archaeologists measured the hull and took samples of the wood. FAST FACTS ABOUT OGUNQUIT'S MARGINAL WAY, MAINE'S MOST BELOVED SHORELINE STROLL. Kitterys Route 1 is filled with outlet stores of every kind imaginable and famous Kittery Trading Post. , Millinocket. Many of the small islands off the coast of Maine are filled top to bottom with these charming little birds. Desert Island or mainland ports like Jonesport, Cutler, Bar Harbor, Millbridge, Stonington, Rockland, Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor and Port Clyde. Kids will certainly dig it, and the surrounding placards and artifacts tell the story of the Maine granite used to build everything from Sing Sing prison to Rockefeller Center. 6. First, you need to understand glacial rebound. From $179. For a little more seclusion, though, visitors can follow the footpaths to adjacent, undeveloped Kettle Cove (which also has its own parking area), a pebblier pocket beach flanked by dramatic granite shelves. North from Perkins Cove to Beach St., with multiple access points along the way. , Greenville. 25 Ferry Beach State Park Bay View Rd. Try the house specialty, a none-too-sweet blueberry martini. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. 8 Western Ave, Kennebunk, ME 04043, USA Visit the Easterseals Store. Alternatively, you may use. Maine Map. Sandy, free (limited) parking, lifeguards, showers and toilets. Eli Strauss, owner of Bass Harbor Island Cruises. A good pair of binoculars is a great way to enjoy them while still giving them enough distance so as not to disturb them. Lets start with the Project Puffin Visitor Center in Rockland. Get free ice cream with your kids meals at Kens Place, a locally beloved, counter-service seafood joint near Scarboroughs Pine Point Beach. They will shed their antlers in November or December and grow new, larger antlers in the spring. Hope it helps. 47 Shore Rd., Bass Harbor. 1A. Partially enveloped by the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, it supports only a fraction of the tourism infrastructure that beachgoers expect out of neighboring Kennebunk, so while you wont find showers or lifeguards, you may well spot harbor seals sunning on the white sand or hermit crabs skittering around the tide pools. Bowdoins environmental research station sits on 118 acres of varied terrain jutting into Harpswell Sound. One of southern Maines consistently excellent restaurants, Mark Gaier and Clark Frasiers 12-year-old seaside eatery manages to thread the needle of upscale ($30 dinner entres that wow, like an Indian-spiced braised lamb shank) and approachable (Thursday burger nights in the shoulder seasons, when a creatively topped burger and a local pint run you $13). Sandy, paid (limited) parking, no facilities. The trip departs daily at 5:30pm, and trips end in late August. 1945 Harpswell Islands Rd., Bailey Island. 31 Crescent Beach State Park Rte. , Greenville. I appreciate your time. Whale watching in Maine is kind of a big deal. Look out for the worlds largest mammals aboard one of southern Maines whale watch boats, and get ready to be splashed! Thurstons Lobster Pound MOVE OVER, OGUNQUIT, YORK'S GOT A DRAMATIC CLIFF WALK OF ITS OWN. Its a great place to spot wading birds and waterfowl and avoid people. The best time to spot sea glass, Mehlhorn says, is at sunset. See Bernard Langlaiss whimsical wooden creatures in the seaside sculpture garden at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art come Wednesday mornings for kiddie story time and crafts. One hard-to-miss difference is that puffins can fly and penguins cant. Hardy Boat Cruises, based in New Harbor on Maine's Pemaquid Peninsula, runs a Puffin Watch cruise in the Spring with Audubon naturalists starting in early June (and without Audubon naturalists beginning in mid-May). Shes been at it 50 years, so we asked her for some tips. The park is home to animals that have been injured, orphaned or are too dependent on humans to be released back into the wild. The Colony Hotel. A few best bets for paddling day trips: Harbor Adventures leads kayakers on a half-day lobster luncheon paddle that takes in Fort Foster and heads up shady Chauncey Creek, with a lunch stop at a lobster pound. Play Skee-Ball, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and more at the retro Fun-O-Rama arcade pavilion on York Beach. Come see us at the Visitor Center Monday to Friday, from 8:00-4:30. Cliff House. That means the southern coast has seen a gentle rise in apparent sea level (picture a slightly tilted plane with the sea in a higher position than the shore), so wave action preferentially piles up sand-size grains of sediment on the land (those same grains have a tougher time accumulating if the planes tilt is reversed). Races start at 10:30AM - registration accepted up to 1 hour before the race. 32 Kettle Cove Kettle Cove Rd. What a legacy Mary Louise Curtis Bok has given to the town of Camden! 207-729-5181. Do you consider yourself a history buff? does not look like an American town at all in place or in architecture. 207-730-1926. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-57646747', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Bar Harbor and another on the Cape. From $189. Yorks sandy beaches, good surf and fantastic scenery provide visitors with fun in the sun. Fresh (round!) At Acadia you will occasionally see harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) just offshore and in the area harbors. Sandy, free (limited) parking, no facilities. 59 Sea St., Camden. more. You'll visi You and the whole family are invited to exscape and relax in Maine's Aroostook County. In addition to two lab buildings that students use for marine and terrestrial studies visitors should be mindful of active research sites as they explore the property offers 3.6 miles of public trails that wind through spruce forests, meadows, and stands of hardwood en route to the jagged shoreline. rolls from Reillys Bakery in Biddeford, Kates Homemade Butter from Arundel, and fresh, hand-picked lobster meat: the unconventional rolls at this classic Kennebunk seafood stand, right on the Lanigan Bridge over the Kennbunk River, have racked up awards and accolades (expect a line). , Greenville, Maine's Lakes and Mountains Birding Trail, Plan an East Coast Whale Watching Trip: Public & Private Viewing Coastal Cruises From May to October, Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races, Finding Acadias Early Birds: A Special Maine Birding Excursion, 2023 Spring Birds of Acadia, with Puffin Cruise. Not a hiker? Oh, and we GUARANTEE that you see seals or you get YOUR MONEY BACK! 129, 2 miles north of the South Bristol drawbridge. Youll see Goat Island Light in Cape Porpoise and then travel to Goose Rocks for more seals and back down the coast to Wells. Where is the best place to see seals in the wild. Sandy, free (limited) parking, no facilities. P.O. 208. Maine is a destination for birdwatchers during all four seasons. The island is teeming with thousands of birds. . Driving from NJ where to stop for a night, Boston to Acadia via the coast and White Mountains. 1. 16. Getting pulled behind a speedboat is more relaxing than it sounds when youre drifting 1,200 feet above the waves. Address: The Southern Maine Coast region is a year-round vacation spot with miles of sandy beaches, many hotels, motels and inns, excellent restaurants, and both indoor and outdoor activities for every season. Pete Erskine, co-owner of Mexicali Blues, one-time summer person turned year-round resident of South Bristols Rutherford Island. You could make an easy and pleasant daytrip to Popham now and watch them from the beach, or wait a few weeks until Spinney's Restaurant is open and you can watch them while you eat! 14. But researchers haven't yet confirmed the origin this time. Best Places To See Wildlife In Southern Maine Eastern Egg Rock No, that's not a penguin you're seeing. 207-646-7088. Pebbly, free (limited) parking, no facilities. Visit Katahdin Air. Later in the day its time to kick back with some me time on the rocks or rafting together on the water. Heavy use. With over 1700 species of animals in the park, youre almost guaranteed to have an encounter with nature. 240 Bayview Rd., Orrs Island. .eb-col h4 { line-height: 1.1em; margin: 0 0 20px 0; color: inherit; font-weight: bold; } Down south, though, glacial rebound has been more subdued these last couple thousand years. Moderate use. Light use. Maines Birding Trail highlights the best spots to watch feathered friends of all types. 12 Wells Beach Mile Rd. 1447 Five Islands Rd., Georgetown. .eb-hr {margin-top: 110px;} 11. 77. All rights reserved. .page .content .inner { padding: 20px 10px 20px 20px; } Its not every day you see a moose. Marginal Way Dont show up without calling or going online to check out local parking regulations first. Any suggestions? This summer, hell be at Sacos Ferry Beach on July 19, Cape Elizabeths Crescent Beach on July 26, and Fort McClary on September 23 (plus Reid, Popham Beach, and Wolfes Neck state parks, farther down the coast, in August). June and July are the best months to see puffins, but the general season is May through August. Other puffin-preferred places on the Maine coast include eastern Egg Rock in the MidCoast & Islands region, and Seal Island and Matinicus Rock at the mouth of Penobscot Bay. 207-204-8888. southernmainekayaks.com. Ride a restored streetcar at the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport. When you look out on the Jonesport and Beals harbor, you see only working lobsterboats. Explore Maine using our interactive map that features local businesses, guides, restaurants, lodging and more. As intimate and adventurous as a small music festival gets highly recommended. The 3-mile beach consists of two well-protected crescents, and the slope is gentle, making Goose Rocks a favorite of families with young kids. Another itinerary question-Moosehead Lake? Gray seals are bigger; they're between 7 and 8 feet long, and can. The deskbound can get a moment of zen thanks to live webcams operated by the nonprofit Marginal Way Preservation Fund. Sandy, no parking (bike in is best), no facilities. 8 Beach St., York Beach. You dont see a mast. Acadia National Park,a couple hours north of Portland, Maine,is one of the best places to see wildlife in Maine for many reasons other than moose. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. This does not include mammals, such as seals and whales, that must live in ocean environments or domestic mammals like cattle, dogs, and people. Seals like to "haul out" to rest, sun themselves on rocky ledges or rocky shorelines on islands. Been ahotel on this spot since 1872, but generations of modernization and expansion have rendered it quite contemporary. A good pair of binoculars is a great way to enjoy them while still giving them enough distance so as not to disturb them. Follow the crowds to the Original Pier French Fries stand near the Old Orchard Beach pier, where daily shipments of New England potatoes are delivered whole, then washed, peeled, crinkle-cut by hand, and fried golden brown (but soft inside). 8 Ogunquit Beach Beach St. Sandy, paid parking, concessions, lifeguards, showers and toilets. An Ogunquit landmark since 1961, Billys is where you go for boiled lobsters and steamers if youre tying up in Perkins Cove. Maine has a wide . To aid her search in sand, Mehlhorn uses a sifter attached to a long handle. A great spot for a none-too-challenging family hike. 23 Biddeford Pool Beach Rte. Every time it happens. Pebbly/sandy, paid parking, toilets. What is your time frame? The Port can only be found in the coast of Southern Maine; a distinctive coastal blend of food, shopping, and beaches combine with beautiful scenery and charming hotels and BnBs for a memorable visit. Pebbly/sandy, paid parking, lifeguards, no facilities. Where should we go to see whales, seals, puffins without a (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? 39 Wildflower Ln., Beals. Bass Harbor Island Cruises .eb-col { width: 31%; float: left; margin: 7px 2% 0 0;} Plenty of outfitters offer kayak or stand-up paddleboard rentals and tours. .eb-col a { text-decoration: none; } A best-in-class spa, cool mod art collection, breathtaking ocean-view infinity pool, and crisp seaside dcor help make Cliff House among Maines swankiest splurge lodging options. Fresh flowers in each room, an exquisite restaurant, and complimentary bikes and canoes are a few of the perks From $348. Light use. Ride the Ferris wheel at Palace Playland for a birds-eye view of the iconic Old Orchard Beach pier. In southern Maine, no place is better than Eastern Egg Rock for spotting the puffin. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-60977754', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise off shore.