Lobster Bakes and Other Seaside Activities Par for the Course on a Maine Vacation

Lobster, steamer clams, corn on the cob and a cold beer or two. Ahh . . . we must be in Maine during the summer! Nothing quite exemplifies Maine like lobster, and indeed there are usually plenty of the delicious crustaceans to go around in this oceanside New England state. Vacations in Maine often are remembered best for the activities one can partake in while enjoying the coastline and all it has to offer, from lobster to swimming to boating and more.

If you plan to stay near the ocean on your next visit to Maine, consider taking a charter cruise around the Casco Bay islands. Nicknamed the “calendar islands,” there are rumored to be 365 islands peppering the waters off of Maine’s rocky coast. A unique and active way to enjoy Casco Bay is to do it from a lobster boat itself. There are a few select tours that allow you to join a lobsterman and his crew while they pull their lobster pots and fill their tanks with lobster. If the take is good and the lobsterman is generous, you may even be able to take home your catch for a modest per-lobster fee.

Moving up the coastline, there are a number of fine establishments that await your arrival and are ready to pamper you with more luxurious activities to remember your Maine vacation by. The Sebasco Harbor Resort provides its guests with a variety of special activities to add to the enjoyment of Maine vacations. Visitors can visit the full-service spa and relax in the company of professionals ready to make you forget all about pulling those heavy lobster pots from the ocean! A lovely meal in the Pilot House restaurant tops off a rejuvenating day at the spa or an invigorating day of golf. No matter what you choose, you’re destined to arrive home refreshed and full of great memories of Maine.

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Whale Watching in Maine

Summer is the perfect time to go on a whale watching adventure and Maine is the perfect place to go on one. Beginning in mid-April, a variety of species of whales arrive off the coast of Maine to feed and stay until October. A variety of hotels and resorts offer special Maine Vacation Packages and can help you set up you whale watching trip.

Humpback whales, pilot whales, minke whales and finback whales (which can grow up to 80 feet in length) are frequently found off the coast. Less frequently sighted, though still found, are Sei whales, sperm whales, orca whales and right whales.

Maine whales may be seen from a number of onshore sights with the help of a good set of binoculars. Bring a picnic, a comfortable chair, and spend the afternoon gazing off the rugged Maine coast in search of the whales. If you prefer a closer look, a variety of whale watching cruises are available – some even offer a money back guarantee if whales are not sighted.

Along with whales, the Maine coast is home to seals, dolphins, puffin, and a variety of other coastal creatures. Whale watching offers a great day for the whole family.

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Maple Syrup - An Information Overview

There are many reasons people like maple syrup. The majority of them have to do with the fact that it can make a dish very sweet. Most people like the taste of sugar and the natural sugar contained inside this product usually adds a very amazing flavor to most dishes.

There are many individuals that choose to use the substance on pancakes and other breakfast related items. This is the most common way to use this particular type of seasoning. There are also people that use it and main dishes such as pork chops and other main courses for a meal.

Many individuals also enjoy the fact that candy can be made using this particular substance. This product will be very sweet and can only be in small quantities before someone feels sick to their stomach. It is also a very natural product and comes from the sap that many trees give off.

It can take a tree along time to produce enough sap to create a whole bottle full of product. This means that an individual that is going to sell this product needs to have access to multiple trees so that they can make a lot of the product very quickly.

Harvesting usually happens once per year which means that people must plan ahead so that they can make the maximum amount from their crop. Turning the tree sap into a finished product can sometimes be a very involved process. Many people do not have the equipment in order to be able to do this properly.

It can be very easy to understand the reason that people are interested in maple syrup. It is a great way to give a unique flavor to any dish all year round. Many individuals do not even realize the many ways that this product can be used to season even the most simple of dishes.

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Maine Museums- Fun And Facts For The Entire Family

If you are planning a trip to Maine, a visit to some Maine museums can really help you get a feel for the history and flavor of this historic state. Whether you are interested in Maritime history, fine art or other culturally related attractions such as historic homes, you can find museums that will interest and educate your entire family.

There are over three hundred museums located throughout the state. They offer information on everything from state history to more unique topics such as fibrearts. If you are interested in touring these sites, you may want to make plans in advance. This can allow you to make sure that all points are covered and that you do not miss any museums that you particularly wanted to visit.

There are a number of websites that you can use to plan your museum tours. One of the most excellent sites is visitmaine.com which lists a large number of different attractions. There is a site dedicated specifically to museums in the state and you can use the site to access museum tours and museum specific sites.

If you want to visit several museums back to back, you may want to take one of the art trails that plan journeys from one museum to the next. Two of these are the Folk Art Trail and the Maine Art Museum Trail. The Maine Art Museum trail takes in seven art museums that are located within a comfortable distance of each other. You can see the work of artists who have lived or vacationed in Maine as well as the work of internationally renowned artists as well. The Folk Art Trail is a bit more extensive and covers eleven different museums. If you are on either one of these tours, you will be unable to enjoy all of the sites in one day, so there are a number of hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts that cater to people following either tour.

If you love history, there are two different things you may be interested in checking out. If you want to view state history, you should check out the Maine State Museum which is located in Augusta. It covers the history of the state and its people as well. There is a new historical tour as well that you may want to take in. The Portland Freedom Trail is not one museum but rather a walking tour that takes in some of the historically significant sites around the city of Portland. It commemorates the important role that the city played in the abolishonist movement and the Underground Railroad.

If you are looking for a way to link history and nature together, you may be interested in the Thoreau Wabanaki Trail. This is not a museum in the conventional sense but it does allow you to get the feel for the voyage made by Henry David Thoreau, a world famous American author and philosopher. He wrote a number of books during his lifetime. One of them, Walden, Or Life In The Woods, is incredibly well known and has profoundly influenced the lives of many people around the world.

In fact, there are a number of historic sites that are scattered throughout the state that are worth looking at. These include historic homes and buildings and there are usually one or two to be found in many towns, cities and villages in Maine. A great tourism guide can be a huge benefit when it comes to locating them so you may want to check in with the Chamber of Commerce in any city you visit. There, you will be able to find tourism guides, pamphlets and information on different local attractions.

Take the time to visit Maine museums. There are so many of them that you can spend weeks or even months taking a trip through the past. Learning about the past can be one of the best ways to connect with our future so visiting museums is an important and fun thing to do.

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Visiting Ogunquit Maine

Trying to decide where to go for your next vacation trip to Maine, then give Ogunquit Maine a try. Known to the Abenaki Indians as the “beautiful place by the sea,” Ogunquit is a beautiful seaside village in Maine featuring a world-class beach and famous Maine coastline that attracts vacationers from around the world. The Ogunquit River separates a couple miles of Ogunquit's sandy beach from the granite ledge along the shoreline which literally spills over into the ocean. Thousands of people walk Ogunquit's Marginal Way each summer, a scenic cliff-walk that zigzags along the ocean's edge for over a mile.

This seaside destination is filled with many activities for families or couples. The town hosts a little over one thousand two hundred residents year round. This quaint little seaside community is a total of four square miles. However, in this small area there are tons of things to keep you occupied. Your visit will not be dull.

Ogunquit has everything for every type of vacationer. There are a myriad of activities to participate in or see. Of course, there is one of the finest beaches in Maine and all of its fun. The sand and surf are wonderful and one can spend many a day frolicking in the Atlantic ocean or basking in the sun working on a tan. Rest and relaxation abound in Ogunquit as well. There are a number of world-class spa treatments and salons to pamper oneself.

The theatrical arts abound in this small town. Theater lovers will want to attend one of the summer stock performances performed nightly at one of the many playhouses in the area such as the Booth Theater, Leavitt Theatre, O2 Cafe & Lounge, the Ogunquit Playhouse and the Ogunquit Performing Arts. Do research online before visiting to find out the current performance schedules.

Another fun way to spend the day is to visit the many fine art galleries and boutiques in town. Shopping is always a fun thing to do after a long day at the beach. Pick up some souvenirs from the local shops and stores. There are many shops to choose from that sell jewelry to clothing. Taking a stroll through Ogunquit's main street is a great way to spend the day or evening. Shoppers rave about the assortment of galleries, boutiques and gift shops and one could find a new wonderful treasure to take home.

There are many fine restaurants in this small town as well and discriminating diners have an abundant selection of fine restaurants to satisfy nearly every taste. Restaurants vary from taverns to inns and ice cream shoppes. Naturally, seafood is a mainstay in this ocean town. You might want to give a few Maine seafoods a try while visiting. Many of the local restaurants have outstanding seafood chowders or other local fare such as Maine lobster. If a celebration is in order, one might want to try the fine dining of Gypsy Sweethearts. There a diner can feast on a Lobster Quesadilla or Chile Crusted Rack of Lamb. Those items sound like divine dining. There are also restaurants that are more casual for families.

Sailing, sea kayaking and whale watching are popular activities as well as hiking nearby Mount Agamenticus or the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm. The Ogunquit Heritage Museum is another stop that should be on your list to see. It offers local arts, historical artifacts and information on Ogunquit. The museum even offers some children programs.

Ogunquit Maine is a quaint little seaside town that has a lot to offer the visitor. Soak in the sun and surf. Rich in history, one can be entertained with the local arts such as the art galleries, performances in local theatres or historical sites and museums. Food is abundant and delicious. A visitor can find something to get them excited from the local fresh seafood to a mere slice of pizza. Whatever you would like, it is available in Ogunquit. Finally, shopping for souvenirs is a fun way to spend some time. Browse through the local shops and you will be glad you did. A treasure of fun awaits you in Ogunquit, Maine.

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