The following list is everything that needs to be done when opening the house for the summer and closing it down in the fall.
How to OPEN the condo:
Turn on the light in the utility closet and turn on the hot water tank (circuit 3&4)
Turn on the water by turning the yellow handle to the right.
Plug in pipe warmer (if it’s not already on), orange cord over the door handle, in the winter.
Run water through all sinks and flush all toilets to get air out of the lines.
Turn on power strip for the main floor TV
Turn on power strip in master bedroom for TV
How to CLOSE the condo:
Vacuum and wipe down all surfaces – carpets, rugs, hard floors, bathrooms and kitchen counters, and tables.
All dishes cleaned and put away
Leave all beds and towels in the rooms, but nothing on the floors
Fold blankets and put all things back where you found them.
All electric heaters and appliances unplugged.
Deck door locked and draft blocker in place
Bedroom curtains closed and all lights off
Empty garbage and take to the shed
Turn hot water tank off (circuits 3&4)
Turn off water
Drain pipes by flushing all toilets, opening all water spigots and hold the hose over opening on the floor in utility room (blue twist handle)
Leave cabinets to water pipes open and close all toilet lids
Make sure both heaters are set to 64 degrees, in the winter. Make sure both heaters are off in the summer.
Make sure all windows and doors are shut and locked.
Close basement door and main floor door
Lock front door (make sure it is completely shut by trying to open it after)
Campfires
Campfires are regulated in Maine, but all they ask is that you register online the day you are planning on having a Campfire. Visit the site: burningpermit.com and use zone 9 when you register.
As the picture shows above, when the trees change color it can be spectacular. Columbus day weekend is from a seasonal change perspective, prime time to go out and take pictures and breath in the fresh air. For some reason, the people of the North East feel an irrepressible urge to head out on the road, clog the highways and byways, and generally cause havoc. Just to look at the leaves.
This is actually a huge money making opportunity for hotels and restaurants (witness the $200+ price for the room we stayed in on Friday of columbus day weekend.)
Then, theres the Fryeburg Fair. As it turns out, Mainers love their fairs. There are several across the state all through the warmer weather, but it seems the biggest is the Fryeburg Fair. On the surface this seems like a pleasant and quaint tradition, and by all indications it is. It is also a huge money maker for the area. A study conducted last year estimated that the fair brought in somewhere between $100-$200 million to the region, plus a whole bunch of fair seasonal jobs.
Then there’s the traffic. For the week of the fair and the day before and after, the traffic is about the worst you will ever experience. Anywhere. Traffic backs up in both directions heading into Fryeburg, and the delay can be hours. It is not uncommon to sit in traffic moving 1 or 2 feet every minute or so. I’m not exaggerating. Route 302, which is just about the only route through this part of Maine, is 2 lanes with little or no shoulder (breakdown lane) no center turn lane, and much if it is a no passing zone. During Fryeburg Fair week, route 302 is for all intents and purposes, a parking lot.
While we’re on the subject of roads to and from the fair, Conway NH, which is just west of Fryeburg over the state line, has one of the most absurd intersections ever devised by road engineers. The intersections of routes 113, 16, and Pleasant st/Washington st (see image below) is the cause of much delay during Fryeburg Fair week. On Rt 113, there is a traffic light at the corner of Pleasant St, and there is also a traffic light where Rt 16 splits off to the north east. These two lights are roughly 375′ part. Does that sound like a lot? It’s not, it is approximately 25 car lengths. And to top it all off, the lights are not synchronized. For instance, when the light at Pleasant st turns green, the light at Rt. 16 is still red. About 25 cars max will advance to the next light, and stop. While as absurd as this sounds, I believe this is intentional and is the Great State of New Hampshire’s way of regulating the flow of traffic through Conway. There has to be a better way, I just wish someone would figure it out and tell the folks in Conway what it is. Anyway, if you are heading to the Fair from points west, you will probably see firsthand what a mess this all is.
So, add it all up: Columbus day weekend, leaf peepers, fair goers = STAY HOME. Really, just stay home. Chances are you can go to a local park and see just as impressive display of fall colors and you don’t have to block of the roads.
My favorite topic: Food. The picture above is a typical lobster dinner we have just about every summer when we have friends and family up to our place. There are a few places locally (that I’ve mentioned in other posts) where you can get fresh Maine lobster and some will even cook them for you. I highly recommend this as it is downright impossible to feed an entire party at once without some serious firepower. Literally, you need a lot of heat and some really large pans of boiling water to do it right. Leave the cooking of the lobsters to the professionals.
I’m going to move up the coast starting in the southern Maine coastal region and move up the coast. We’ve been to a number of places up and down the coast and for the most part I will cover “Mainely” seafood places. There are a few notable exceptions to this rule, but let’s face it. You can get most types of food anywhere, but if you want fresh seafood you really have to go to the coast (east or west).
Jake’s Seafood – Ogunquit Maine
On a recent trip to the coast (winter ’15) we were on a mission to find a real wooden lobster trap that we intend to turn it into a coffee table. We found an antique/curiosity shop on route 1 in Ogunquit, close to the Wells/Ogunquit town line. We were also in the mood for some seafood so we stopped by Jake’s on route 1. They had a good selection and weren’t too pricey. Note: pricey is a relative term. This isn’t McDonalds.
The Lobster Claw – Saco Maine
Just down the road from Old Orchard Beach on Ocean Park Rd (rt 5) there is a place where you can sit down to picnic style dining and dig into some fresh seafood. The dining area is large Marquee (in the british sense, a large tent) covering picnic tables where you can seat yourself. It’s been a few years but I believe you go up to the window and order your food. This is actually quite common in coastal areas.
Note: Moving up the coast the next major location we have visited with frequency is Portland, ME. Portland has enough points of culinary interest to warrant it’s own post. I will cover Portland, as a place to fill your gullet, on it’s own page.
Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster Company – South Freeport Maine
Just outside of Freeport (yes, home of LL Bean and many other shopping locations), there is the little village of South Freeport. If you are traveling to Freeport from the southern region, you will most likely exit route 295 on exit 20, which dumps you right onto route 1. Just as you exit the expressway and curve to the right, if you keep to the right and head down route 1 south about 50 yards on the left you will see Pine Street. Take a left onto Pine st and follow it down all the way until it crosses South Freeport Rd and becomes Main st. Continue on Main st to the very end. Park in the lot to the right just before the big red building. Again you will find picnic style seating (both inside and out). Order your food around the backside where you can see them pick the freshly caught lobster right out of the tanks and cook them right there for you. My recommendations are of course the large whole belly fried clams, a fresh steamed Maine lobster, and you must try the lobster bisque. You may think you’ve had lobster bisque (sorry Tommy, Palmer’s is campbell’s soup in comparison), but until you dig into a bowl of the Harraseeket’s bisque and pull up large chunks of lobster meat (clearly discernible claws, chunks of tail) you haven’t had bisque.
Buck’s Naked BBQ – Freeport Maine
This is the first exception to my seafood only rule. Buck’s used to have several locations in southern Maine, Freeport, Windham, and Portland’s old port, but last I checked the only remaining location was in Freeport. I haven’t been to the Freeport restaurant but I’ve been to the Windham location. The best thing I have had there is no longer on the menu. They made a terrific Banh Mi on a fresh roll with greens and I think BBQ short ribs. Anyway, they also have a huge sampler plate that will fill even the hungriest appetite.
The Independent Ice Co. Portland Maine (Old Port)
The Independent Ice Co is located in Portland’s Old Port between Fore St. and Commercial St. at the corner of Warf and Union streets. We made a point of visiting this place because there was an article that listed the best whiskey bars in the US and Independent Ice Co was number 2 on the list. It did not disappoint. Great whiskey selection, excellent food. The cocktail of the day was an excellent Rosemary Whisky Sour that Donna really enjoyed. To top it all off the waiter was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and even told us where we could buy a bottle of Blanton’s Bourbon and pay normal price ($65) and not get gouged. (Anyone who knows anything about Blanton’s knows how hard it is to find and liquor stores often charge as much as $200 per bottle.) Definitely worth stopping by even just for a drink.
Note: I have pictures so when I can find them I will post them.
Linda Bean’s – Freeport Maine
Right on main street Freeport, directly across from the LLB Flagship store is Linda Bean’s restaurant. We were able to catch New Year’s Eve dinner there a few years back just a about an hour or two before midnight. We sat in the front of the restaurant facing the windows where we could see all the excitement and festivities. I believe they even had fireworks. Honestly I don’t remember what we had for dinner but it was good and the evening’s entertainment was worth it.
El Camino Restaurant – Brunswick Maine
Just up the road from Freeport is Brunswick Maine. I have spent countless days in and around Brunswick as it is the closest town to our favorite vacation spot, Bailey Island. While we were looking to buy a place in Maine we explored several options in the Brunswick area. Our realtor was kind enough to make recommendations for dinner and sent us to the El Camino Restaurant. Unfortunately, we were there in January which was evidently a slow enough time of year for them to do some renovations. They weren’t open. I plan to stop there soon, the next time I get tired of seafood (it may be a while).
Cook’s Lobster House – Bailey Island Maine
I have been going to Cook’s Lobster House since I was young enough to not like lobster. My parents would make a point of dining there at least once maybe twice while we were vacationing on the island. I remember ordering their kids chicken dinner while the adults had lobsters, steamed clams, fried clams, you know, the good stuff. The dining room is very casual and is surrounded on three sides by windows that look out onto the ocean. Not much has changed in the restaurant in the last 40 some odd years I’ve been going there except the prices. Back then you could get a full two boiled lobster dinner for about $10.00. Now the lobster is marked “Market Pricing”. I’m pretty sure this is all because about 15 years ago Visa featured Cook’s on one of their “bring your visa because Cook’s doesn’t take American Express” type commercials.
To get there take route 24 south out of Brunswick off of route 1. About 1500 yds past the Bridge onto Bailey Island there is a right hand turn that takes you down to the waterfront and the restaurant.
Estes Lobster House – Harpswell Maine
Just across the water from Bailey Island is Harpswell. Technically it is a peninsula that runs parallel to the chain of islands that lead to Bailey Island. Take route 123 South out of Brunswick (just past Bowdoin College) on route 1. Again, take this road almost all the way to the end to find Estes Lobster House. You really can’t miss it. We finally got the chance to stop in there a few years back. We caught an early dinner (late lunch) so the place was nearly deserted.
Sea Basket, Wiscasset Maine
We stayed a week at the Snow Squall Inn just down the road in Wiscasset which is home to the ever popular Red’s Eats (more in the next paragraph). We found the Sea Basket one night when we didn’t want to wait in line at Red’s (again, stay tuned). They served a pretty big helping of fresh fish and other seafoods for a reasonable price (again see my note on pricing above under Jake’s).
Red’s Eats
Red’s Eats is one of those places that perennially shows up on the “Best Place to get a lobster roll” lists in newspapers and magazines. Red’s serves up a lobster roll filled with the meat of 1 whole lobster or more. They also eschew slathering the lobster with heavy sauces and give you the option of adding mayo or drawn butter on the side. If this was all they did they might still justify the long lines that begin before lunch and end sometime after dinner, BUT they serve so much more. Try the full-belly deep fried clams. I’m also told that they serve a really good hotdog, but truth be told, I’m not waiting in line for 1-2 hours just for a hotdog.
What’s that you say? 1-2 hours? Unfortunately, yes. This place is so popular the lines go across the front of the building, down the sidewalk and down the road onto the Wiscasset bridge. The first time we went to Red’s we were in line for over an hour and while in line we agreed to split a lobster roll and some fried clams. When I got to the window I ordered 2 lobster rolls and the fried clams. My wife said “I thought we were going to split one?” I said “I didn’t just stand in line for over an hour to split a lobster roll.”
My recommendation? Wait until about 7pm. The lines seem to die down after dinner.
Maine, as it turns out is home to a growing movement of craft brewers and distillers. Do a google search for breweries in Maine and you will quickly see that there are over 50 breweries and probably more being added every month. For more information on the growing brewery trade check out the Maine Brewers Guild website. Here’s a link to the 2016 Beer Trail Online guide:
One of my favorite beers comes from the award winning Allagash Brewery located right on the outskirts of Portland.
If you are heading east on Route 302 take a left onto Riverside St. (there is a Hannaford’s on the corner) and drive less than a quarter of a mile and you will find Industrial Way. This small road is packed with all kinds of non-industrial businesses. Most importantly you will find Allagash Brewing, Foundation Brewing, D. L. Geary Brewing, and New England Distilling.
I highly recommend taking the free tour of Allagash and New England Distilling. Allagash gives free samples so what’s not to love about that. Their signature beer is their Belgian White which is really popular all over Maine. Allagash has become so popular and well known you can now find it as far west as Rochester New York. I recommend trying all their beers, but the Saison and Belgian White are my favorites. I can also recommend some of their newer beers like the 16 Counties and the Tribute beer Hugh Malone Belgian Style IPA.(Hugh Malone Belgian IPA)
(Allagash Tour Guide)
Other notable breweries that I have personally sampled include Gritty McDuff’s in Old Port, Foundation (across the street from Allagash), Sebago Brewing Company, Maine Beer Co (try the Maine Peeper, it’s excellent), Geary Brewing, Sea Dog, Ship Yard, and probably several others. One notable non-Maine brewing company is Tuckerman’s of Conway NH. They make a really nice Pale Ale.
In 2015, Allagash decided that 20 years was worth celebrating so they decided to throw a street fair. On June 27th, they closed off Industrial Way and brought in a bunch of other brewers, some food vendors, mixed in some live musical performance, and a picture perfect weather day. It was a huge success and tickets for the event sold out way in advance (glad I bought mine early.) It was a well organized event complete with shuttles from nearby parking lots so you didn’t have to walk several miles to get to your car.
Afterward, I went on the Allagash facebook page and told them what a good time it was and I recommended that they do it every year. They took my advice and held the second annual Allagash Street Fair this summer on July 9th 2016.
(I think this tank holds large quantities of beer making stuff)
Take a quick trip down Industrial Way to New England Distillers and see how they
distill whiskey, gin and rum. Buy some while you are there.
Here’s a slideshow of recent pictures taken on one of the trails.
The park is protected under the auspices of the Loon Echo Land Trust. Here’s a link to their website page that details the properties they protect: Loon Echo Land Trust
On the Loon Echo Land Trust page there is a link to a PDF of a map of the park.
(How cool is that foot bridge?)
The Story Book trail is located in the middle of Bridgton behind the Magic Lantern Theater. The trailhead is located at Western end of the public parking lot with a Pavilion and informational kiosk marking the beginning.
The trail is sponsored by the Bridgton Public Library in partnership with the town of Bridgton.
As the few pictures I currently have show, there is a really cool bridge at the beginning that is actually a memorial named after a town native named Bob Dunning. Zoom in on the plaque for more details.
(I’d love to thank the wonderful person who left their cigarette butt at the base of the plaque. Nice touch)
So, full disclosure. I have not yet walked the trail. I plan to do so the next time I get up there. From what I can tell, there are references to story books scattered along the trail, all of which can be checked out at the Bridgton library.
So for now I’ll leave you all with these pictures.
I decided it was time to let some pictures say a thousand words or so…
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Images from Bailey Island Maine.
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Last summer we had our Condo Association’s first annual summer picnic over the Independence Day holiday. It was a way of anointing the associations “newly opened for use” Lake House.
More pictures to follow…
Bridgton – Home away from home
The image at the top of this page is of Pleasant Mountain and the Shawnee Peak Ski resort (as seen from across Moose Pond). When you look at a topographical view of the region, you realize that Pleasant Mountain is a bit of an anomaly. The surrounding area is hilly, but not mountainous. Pleasant Mountain sticks out. Off in the distance you can see the mountains that surround and make up the Mount Washington Valley including Mt. Washington itself, but they are 28 miles apart. Pleasant Mountain stands apart from the rest and looms large as the western backdrop of the town of Bridgton.
The village of Bridgton (incorporated in the Town of Bridgton) is nestled right in the middle of the lakes region of the Oxford Hills. It sits at the bottom of Highland Lake, and lies between Long Lake, Moose Pond, and Woods Pond. The region survives largely on the tourist trade. Unlike many areas the rely on tourism and mainly make their money in the summer months, Bridgton enjoys year round activity driven by the ski resort, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and a myriad of water related sports and activities. The lakes provide fishing, water skiing, paddling (canoeing, paddleboarding and kayaking) and swimming. There are also several youth summer camps that are nestled on the shores of moose pond and offer parents a great place to send their kids for the summer.
The village offers a variety of shops and restaurants. There is a bookstore (Bridgton Books) a movie theater (Magic Lantern), and in the center of the whole village is Reny’s. Reny’s is a Maine tradition and they have 16 locations across southern and central Maine. Bridgton is fortunate to be one of those 16 locations.
As a side note, anyone who reads the works of Stephen King knows that he grew up in Maine and uses Maine towns (some fictional, some real) as the backdrop for many of his stories. Any avid Stephen King reader knows about Castlerock and Derry (which don’t exist). But if you’ve read any of his more recent works, you will find that he often mentions Bridgton and the surrounding towns. Most recently his novel Doctor Sleep, being the sequel to one of his (arguably) best and scariest novels, is set in the fictional town of Aniston, NH. In this story one of the characters tells her grand daughter to take her child to the Bridgton Hospital. King also mentions North Conway, NH and Fryeburg, ME. Here is an interesting website that does a good job of researching and presenting King’s references to the area. http://maddrey.blogspot.com/2013/07/stephen-kings-maine-day-5-bridgton.html
Places to eat
One of my favorite topics. Food. It is one of the many things that keeps me going back to Maine. Seafood is abundant, but that is not the only type of food you can expect to find. I’m going to break this down by the regions that surround our place in Bridgton, extending into the neighboring regions including New Hampshire, which is just a half hour down the road.
Bridgton
Gastro Pub – located on Rte 302 in the center of Bridgton. This is a new addition to Bridgton and they offer an excellent variety of beers and ciders and an exceptional menu. If they have it (I think the menu changes often) try the Burnt Ends or the Crispy Sprouts. Both are so good you’ll be back for more.
The Campfire Grill – [Update] located on route 302 east of the village just past the drive-in theater, the Campfire Grill is probably our favorite place to eat. The Campfire Grill used to be attached to a motor court on route 302 between Moose Pond and the village of Bridgton but recent events caused them to look for a new location. Judging by the packed parking lot every night it seems to have been a good move.
The Campfire Grill has a really good menu. Don’t let the casual environment fool you; the chef has some serious chops. Many of the dishes are named after local towns, indiginous creatures, or points of interest. I recommend the Coyote Calimari and for a side try the Campfire Baked Beans. Ancora Italian Kitchen (previously known as Vivo)[Update]- just opened this year. We made a point of catching dinner there the last time we were in town and we were not disappointed. It has a really good menu and excellent staff. They serve one of the local favorites on tap: Allagash Belgian White (I’ll discuss Allagash more in-depth, later).
[Update] We recently returned to Vivo for a family dinner. We had a party of 6 that was easily accommodated (but get there early they don’t usually take reservations). Another excellent dinner and I highly recommend the Bolognese. Beth’s Kitchen Cafe – Excellent place to have breakfast, especially since she moved into a larger location. Bridgton House of Pizza (BHOP)– decent pizza and salads. Plenty of seating if you want to stay and eat. Ricky’s Diner – right across from the BHOP, I haven’t been there yet but my parents have and they said it was good.
Maine Lobster Express -Formerly known as Ken’s Cove (the address still shows up as Ken’s Cove on google maps). They sell a variety of sea food but my primary interest is the lobster. Call ahead and they will cook it for you which I highly recommend if you are getting dinner for more than two. This place is conveniently located on route 302 right where the road takes a bend at the monument.
The Black Horse Tavern – good food, moderately priced. For appetizers I recommend the Teryaki smoked wings and the Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo. Venezia Italian Restaurant – small and cozy, a little pricy, but good food.
Places in Bridgton I want to try but have not yet:
Toms Homestead 1821 Restaurant
Fryeburg Maine
302 West Smokehouse & Tavern – Fryeburg does not offer many choices for dining, but they do have excellent BBQ. We’ve eaten there once, but it was the best chili I’ve ever had in a restaurant.
Lovell
Ebenezer’s Pub – this place is for serious Belgian beer lovers. They pride themselves on having the best selection on tap. Haven’t been there yet but they have been rated an A+ by Beer Advocate Magazine. Their hours are a little irregular so call ahead to see if they are open. According to the website they have a new location in Brunswick Maine (home of Bowdoin college, imagine that, a brew pub in a college town).
North Conway, NH
Black Cap Grille – located in the plaza next to EMS, the Black Cap offers a varied menu in a casual but modern atmosphere. I really liked the wings I had there at the time but looking at their menu I think that is something they change often.
Merlino’s Family Steakhouse
The Blueberry Muffin – our go to place for breakfast when we are heading home. Try the cinnamon roll french toast. Yes, it is made from a real cinnamon roll.
Peaches – Another excellent place for breakfast or lunch. I believe they are open until 2pm. Located in what used to be a house on route 302 in N. Conway, the menu is interesting and reasonably inexpensive.
Muddy Moose Restaurant and Pub – try the ribs. Excellent.
May Kelly’s – an Irish pub right in the middle of NewHampshire. My neighbor Mike (who is half Irish from Bahston) loves this place. Check them out. Naples ME
Butcher’s Seafood – 3.7 miles east of the causeway in Naples on route 302, there is a sign with a huge pink lobster. This is Butcher’s seafood. They sell live Maine Lobster and other local seafoods including full belly steamed clams. If you haven’t had a Maine full belly clam, you haven’t had clams. Butcher’s has a friendly staff and they will steam your lobster if you call in advance. Make sure you call early, if you want your lobster close to closing time be warned they turn the steamers off around 5.
Next Blog…
Places to shop in and around Bridgton
…Stay tuned
Years ago, I rented a co-worker’s cottage (r.i.p. Steve Wilcox) on Keoka Lake in the Oxford Hills region of Maine and he spent a great deal of time mapping out the quickest route from Rochester, NY to Waterford, ME. I wish I had saved his route. I have tried several different paths that seem to follow the same or similar route but none of them are quicker. If I ever figure it out I will post an update. But for now, here is one of my routes. As I get my pictures organized I plan to post a blog for each group of photos I find that directly relate to a point of interest mentioned below.
Through the mountains (to western Maine)
This is our favorite route just about any time of year as it takes you through both Vermont and New Hampshire. Here are the specifics.
NYS Thruway east to the Amsterdam Exit (27). Right onto Route 30 into the city of Amsterdam.
After crossing the Mohawk River stay in the right lane and continue onto route 67 East. Follow 67 East all the way to Ballston Spa.
Once in the village of Ballston Spa you will come to a stop light at the corner of routes 67 and 50. At this point turn right, follow route 50 south/67 east, continue on 50 south where it splits off to the left (just past the Speedway gas station). Follow route 50 south/67 east until you get to route NYS 87 (the Northway). You’ll go through 3 traffic circles until you reach the 87 North entrance ramp.
Take 87 North to exit 20 (Fort Ann/Whitehall Route 149). Follow route 149 east to Fort Ann. Take a left onto route 4 North. Follow 4 North to the town of Whitehall. [1]
Alternate route for busy season (summer). The Adirondack mall draws a ton of visitors during the summer months. Take exit 19 (Aviation Rd/Aviation Mall) and take a right on Aviation Road which becomes Quaker rd. Follow this for 2.4 miles to route 9L. Left onto 9L for another 5 miles to connect with Route 149. Take a right on 149 and continue with the rest of the directions.
Once into the town of Whitehall Route 4 splits off to the right and crosses over the Champlain Canal. [2]
Follow route 4 all the way to Rutland Vermont where it joins up with route 7.[3]
Take route 7 North/4 East (left) and follow up through the city. Route 4 splits off to the right in 2 1/4 miles.
Continue on route 4 all the way through Vermont, through Woodstock, through Quechee, until you get to route 89. [4]
Take route 89 South for about 3 miles and exit onto VT 91 North. Pay attention as the North and South exit ramps run together.
Take the Route 91 exit (North/South) (Brattleboro/White River) and head North (stay to the left on the ramp).
Take Route 91 North all the way to Exit 19, Littleton, route 93 south. [5]
Stay on Route 93 south into New Hampshire for 22 miles. Exit onto route 302 east towards Bethlehem, NH.
Continue on Route 302 through New Hampshire and into Western Maine. [6]
Alternate route through New Hampshire
At the beginning of this post I mentioned that we used to go to a co-worker’s cottage in Waterford, ME. My wife decided to ask google maps to plot a course to waterford instead of Bridgton and that made a big difference in the roads it chose. Never underestimate the stupidity of computers and the randomness of which they seem so capable. Even though both routes take you through Fryeburg Maine (where the two routes diverge), the roads selected are very different starting back in Vermont. I believe what follows is either the same route we used to take, or very close to it. Times have changed, some roads have changed, so there may be some variation. I plan to test this route out next time I travel to Bridgton. The reason I am pointing out this route is that it takes you through the White Mountain National Forest via the Kancamagus (Kanc to locals) highway. One of the prettiest stretches of road in the US. It is a 40 mph trip through the forest and take heed, once you are in there are no more gas stops until you exit on the other end. There is a gas station not long after you get on the highway and they will warn you that they are the last gas until the other side of the highway. Fortunately it is not that far so even if you only have a couple of gallons of gas, you can make it to the next station.
Momma moose on the Kancamagus Highway. Just east of Lincoln NH.
Starting at step 8 above, where it says to take route 89 south and exit at VT 91 North, replace step 8 as follows:
8. Take route 89 south and continue on through White River Jct and into New Hampshire, past the first exit for route 4, past Lebanon, and then take the second exit for route 4 east.
9. Continue on route 4 through the towns of Enfield, Canaan, Grafton, and finally picking up route 104 East towards Andover in the town of Danbury.
10. Take route 104 through the towns of Bristol, New Hampton, crossing under route I93, and taking the entrance ramp on the left to get on route I93 North.
11. Take route I 93 north to Lincoln NH, exit 32 onto route 112 East (Kancamagus Highway.
12. Take route 112 East for 40 miles to the town of Conway NH. Take a left (East) onto route 113. Continue on until route 113 ends and becomes route 302, just west of Fryeburg Maine. We are back to where we were in the previous directions, step 12, route 302.
Alternate to the alternate
Starting at step 9 above, replace steps 9 -12 with these steps.
9. Take the Route 91 exit (North/South) (Brattleboro/White River) and head North (stay to the left on the ramp). Continue on route 91 north to exit 16 for route 25 (Bradford)
10. Take route 25 east to Piermont (approx. 2.7 miles). Take a left onto route 10 heading north. Continue on route 10 (Dartmouth College Highway) for 9.2 miles.
[Update] As a bonus, 2 of the last 3 times I have driven this route I have seen a fairly large black bear crossing route 10. You may not think of this as a bonus but I do.
11. Take right onto route 116 heading east for 10 miles. 116 ends at Rte 112, the Kancamagus Highway. Take a right onto 112 East.
12. Continue on 112 East through the White Mountain National Forest, into Conway NH. Through Conway, until 112 ends and merges onto 302 East.
Points of Interest (alternate route)
Loon mountain Ski Resort – one of the places you will pass one you get on route 112 is Loon Mountain. It is a fairly large ski resort right in the middle of the white mountain national forest.
Along the Kancamagus Highway, about 7 1/2 miles past loon mountain you will drive through a hairpin turn. We’ve all heard the term before but rarely do we actually see a true hairpin turn. I believe the good state of New Hampshire tells you to slow down to about 20 mph. They are serious.
Points of Interest
rest area – on route 87 north bound between exits 17 and 18 there is a decent rest area with bathrooms.
[1] Adirondack Outlet Mall– typical outlet mall shopping. Can be a little hairy getting through here in the busy (summer) season. Take alternate route shown in step 4.1 above.
The Loft at the corner of route 9 and 149. It’s a decent little burger joint but takes cash only. Note. Google maps lists The Loft as both a restaurant (you’ll see the little fork and knife graphic), but it also lists it as a woman’s clothing store, which it is not.
[2] Skene Manor: About .6 miles from where route 4 splits, turn left on Mountain St. and take it to the end where it splits to the right into Potter Terrace. Here you will find a really cool old mansion called Skene Manor (http://www.skenemanor.org/information) You can see the manor high upon the hill when you first turn right onto route 4. After passing by year after year we finally decided to track down what we saw. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to take the tour and have lunch in the tea room.
[3]Rest area – as soon as you cross the border into Vermont there is a rest area on the right hand side. Vermont rest areas are some of the nicest you will find and usually have coffee (free but they accept donations). This is also a great spot to let the dogs out for a sniff.
[4] Woodstock Vermont. Woodstock is the quintessential New England town with quaint and picturesque shops and restaurants. There are several Inns and Motels for a weekend visit. Woodstock also has one of our favorite rest stops where you can rest, grab some food and even cool your feet in a mountain stream. Just west of the village of Woodstock you will find the White Cottage Snack Bar.
White Cottage Snack Bar
Here you can get food, drinks, and ice cream and take a break from driving. They close for the season around Columbus Day and re-open in the spring. As you can see below it is a great place to kick back an relax and take a break. It is pet friendly (outside) and always a relaxing break.
This is a view of the picnic area along the Ottauquechee River at the White Cottage Snack Bar.
Scotland by the Yard. Past Woodstock, but before the Quechee Gorge there is a specialty shop called Scotland by the Yard which features goods imported from Scotland.
Quechee Gorge. Just west of Woodstock and just before you get to VT route 89, you will cross paths with the Great Quechee Gorge. There’s a park, an animal preserve featuring Raptors, a quaint plaza with several cool shops including a Cabot Cheese Shop and a Vermont Distillery.
[5] King Arthur Flour bakery, cafe and store. Exit 13 off of 91 North. Turn west onto VT 10A, left onto route 5 south and about 1/2 mile on the left is the King Arthur Bakery and store. Also note: If you turn east onto 10A you will cross the White River into Hanover New Hampshire, the home of Dartmouth College.
[6] Crawford Notch – Route 302 will take you straight through Crawford Notch State Park which features several road side waterfalls (depending on the time of year) and also passes by the AMC Highland Center which is maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club.
North Conway NH. Great tax-free shopping. Outlet malls, local shops, good food. Try Peaches for breakfast or lunch. Merlino’s for a good family dinner.
White Mountain National Forest – hiking trails and camping. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the country is located here.
Five years ago we bought a house in Maine, and have spent the following years giving advice and recommendations to friends, relatives and co-workers on where to go and what to do in Maine. Because we make frequent trips to our place in Maine, many short in duration, we often find ourselves sampling the local fare and trying out new restaurants instead of cooking our own meals. We also have a passion for local beers, wines, and liquors (especially whiskey) so we try to make the rounds and find new places to sample.
So who exactly are “we”? My name is Joe and my wife’s name is Donna. We have two grown children, a son who is a biologist, and a daughter who is a pastry cook/chef. We also have two children of the furry variety (yorkshire terrier/poodle mix) whom I will often feature in pictures.
So what is my intention for this blog? I plan to use it as a place to point people when they ask me “I want to take a trip to Maine, where should I go? What should I do?” Another popular question is “what is the best way to get to Maine? Which way should I go?” Over the years we have experimented with many different routes getting to and from Maine. Most people assume taking the Mass turnpike is always the fastest route. This is far from the truth. If you’ve ever traveled the Pike on a holiday weekend you know this is true. Also, because we often take back roads and alternate routes, we often find quaint little towns and places that are off the highways in other states. I will try to provide a good log of these places.
Lastly, why Maine? Why do I go there? Why would I want to talk about it? Well for close to 50 years, I have been traveling to and vacationing in Maine. Initially I went with my parents and sisters, and then later with my own family. When I was about 8, my parents started taking summer vacations to Maine, typically going to a small place on Bailey Island (near Brunswick), but often stretching out and trying other locations. For those who may wonder why Maine? I will try to answer that question with both pictures and words.
(Hugh Malone Belgian IPA)
(I think this tank holds large quantities of beer making stuff)
Take a quick trip down Industrial Way to New England Distillers and see how they
Maine Travelog dotcom 