Boothbay, Maine
As much as we loved our time in Salem, we're happy to be moving to cooler temps on Friday morning.
The dump station for the park is off-site. No address is provided with the directions so we can't use GPS. Unfortunately there are no street signs telling us where we're supposed to turn. First we end up in a horseshoe parking lot where I eek by a fire hydrant to make the very tight turn. Next we end up in a residential area and I give up. We have FHUs at our next stop so let's just go!
Although we spent a couple months in New England two years ago, we didn't visit Maine. We were running out of weather, and wanted to spend at least two weeks in a state we knew was special.
This trip east, Maine is a priority, and on this Labor Day weekend we enter our 34th state.
Last year our pals Linda and Steven (The Chouters) traveled the east coast and stayed in some really wonderful places. Naturally I want to stay there too!
Boothbay Craft Brewery and Tavern has 6 FHU, 50 amp sites in front of their very cute, authentic pub. Owners Laurie and Win are delightful and very welcoming. The five cabins are adorable, with large, well maintained green space.
The very best part is that we have the place to ourselves for the three day holiday!! One cabin has a small family the first two nights, and a Class B pulls in for one night, but otherwise it's just us. The pub closes at 4 PM, and is closed Sunday and Monday, so it's very quiet.
Getting there is "interesting" as our GPS doesn't know about the traffic circle in town. The right turn onto Adams Pond Road is un-doable, so you have to get turned around to make it a left turn. We're routed through bumpy roads so narrow there are no lines, but we make it fine. After the way our drive began, I'm glad to get parked!
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| How we like to spend our holiday weekends. |
The visit starts well as I get free admittance for having a BofA credit card - saving $15 is always nice!
I stand in front of the first piece and the tears come. I'm not an easy crier, but I'm so moved to have this experience! My favorite Wyeth painting, Christina's World, is at New York's Museum of Modern Art, but there are several here from the same setting - Olson's House here in Maine.
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| Tempera (originally made with egg white, water and powder pigment) painting, I didn't get the name. |
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| Several artist's mock ups are included. I always enjoy seeing personal notes like this. |
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| The final piece. Great clouds out the windows. |
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| A rare photo of Olson House. Andrew in the wagon. |
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| One exhibit features Maine artists and artifacts. |
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| Some "art" really confuses me. I prefer most grafitti on the sides of train cars to these hung in a gallery. |
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| Andrew's father, Newell Convers Wyeth, was a master illustrator. 16 of the 17 originals created for the book Poems of American Patriotism are displayed here. All of them are incredible. |
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| Part of the poem for each painting is included - this familiar piece was the front panel. |
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| This depiction of the American spy Nathaniel Hale is my favorite. |
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| A very talented family, Andrew's sister Henriette's work is very different. |
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| Clear skies, 70 degrees, light breeze, fresh seafood, and views like this. All we were hoping for in Maine! |
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| Neither of us like IPAs, but their ales and stout are tasty. |
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| The interior feels like a vintage tavern. |
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| We get a couple growlers of ale and one of stout, |
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| and enjoy one back at our pretty home. |
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| Pemaquid Lighthouse - commissioned in 1827 by John Quincy Adams and still active. The light stands at the entrance to Johns and Muscongus Bays. |
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| The bay sparkles beyond the rocky shore. |
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| The Fisherman's Museum on the first floor of the Keeper's House is staffed by the City of Bristol. |
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| The 38' tower is the most photographed light in Maine. |
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| Many families enjoy the pretty park surrounding the lighthouse, including these little cuties. |
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| The bedrock along Maine's coast resists the erosion of brutal Atlantic storms and looks much the same as it did two centuries ago. |
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| Hendricks Head Light at the east side of Sheepscot River. She has an interesting history, including Keeper Wolcott Marr who was born, married, and died in the same room in the lighthouse. |
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| Although privately owned, the light "continues as an active aid to navigation". |
In addition to the RV park recommendation, Linda reminded us that the best ever Blueberry pancakes are in Boothbay Harbor. Nothing to do but give them a try!! Monday morning we find a parking spot right in front of the Bridge Street Cafe.
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| Where the magic happens. |
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| We agree - they're the best we've had! |
We were looking forward to seeing Maine, and Boothbay has been a perfect introduction to this beautiful state.
Tuesday we move to our northern-most stop on this route, Bar Harbor, where Bill checks off a long-time bucket list event.
I've never been to Maine--would love to go but getting the Cowboy that far east is probably never going to happen.
ReplyDeleteMight be a good place for your annual girls get-together! It's beautiful here.
DeleteMaine is one of the three states I haven't visited. Between Sherry and you, I'll be more than ready with lots of extra places to visit.
ReplyDeleteSherry was right to spend over a month in Acadia! There's so much to see and do that a week was just overwhelming.
DeleteLoving your posts, Jodee. I can literally smell the pines. Love Maine!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jim - it is a special place!!
DeleteAny place all to yourself on a holiday is a miracle. Can’t believe you are still following your GPS. Threw mine out the window years ago. I’m with you on loving the Wyeths. Thanks so much for those pictures and the ones of the lighthouses. As for the most photographed lighthouse in Maine, I’ve read that about two other lights including the one in Acadia. I can’t even imagine how wonderful it would be to live in my privately owned lighthouse with no public access. Even a month isn’t enough for Maine. We spent more than that in Acadia alone. Enjoy! Enjoy! So beautiful there. Stay put until after Florence.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't updated our GPS in months so it's partially our fault - the traffic circle would have made a big difference :-). I was skeptical about the "most" on the lighthouse, but if it's on the Internet.... :-)) There's no way I gave us enough time in Maine. Although we don't hike or kayak, there's so much to see here. It was almost too overwhelming! I know we'll come back. We're going to stay north of Delaware until we figure out the amount of damage in the areas we were heading for.
DeleteSuch lovely photos of Maine. It is truly a beautiful place. I just wish it wasn't so far away. The little park at the Brewery was a great find. I can't believe it was empty for the last big weekend of the summer.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely far away from the grand kids!! I was initially thrilled that there were only six sites and I got one of them. Then to have it to ourselves was a big surprise!
DeleteWhat a great find, to stay at a brewery! And the tavern is so inviting. Boothbay looks lovely, just like Maine "should" look. You're adding lots of great ideas to my ever-growing list for next fall. I can't believe that little RV park wasn't full on a holiday weekend!
ReplyDeleteWe liked Bar Harbor, but for us Boothbay was the best!!
DeleteWhat fun to read about places we have been to and loved, and see that you loved them, too. Steven's parents were with us so we have tons of great memories from Boothbay! Your photo of the pancakes just makes me cry. I loved them so much. I loved that little cafe, as some of the dishes they had on their walls were the same pattern we had for years. Very cozy! :)
ReplyDeleteYour post got us here and it was the best of Maine! Those dishes are so sweet in a very cute spot. Those giant, juicy blueberries are unbeatable.
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