Waves crash on the shore at Acadia National Park.
Penobscot River. Down East Maine is an outdoor lover’s paradise in the summertime, and one of our more unusual excursions was a stroll on the University of Maine’s Orono Bog Walk. Beginning with a pretty path that winds through the woods, we emerged onto an elevated wooden boardwalk that circles out across a bog. Plaques along the boardwalk explained the origins of this unique ecosystem, and we were treated to sightings of a spotted fawn and a vibrant black-throated green warbler. Leaving Bangor and driving toward the coast, we were quickly immersed in the fun touristy flair of “Vacationland” that Mainers boast about on their license plates. Colorful lobster buoys and lobster pots decorated many homes and businesses, and lots of restaurants were marked by huge red lobster signs out front. We stopped at one for a lunchtime lobster roll, a tasty treat made of lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise and spread on a toasted hotdog bun. It’s a delicious way to savor Maine lobster without the complexities of a full-fledged traditional lobster dinner where you don a bib, crack the hard shell with a nutcracker, pick out the meat with a mini fork, and dip it in a dish of butter that’s melting over a low flame.
Down East Maine makes for a wonderful RV trip.
Down East Maine Story by Emily Fagan Photos by Emily and Mark Fagan
A rich world of pungent woods, glittering blue ocean, craggy boulders, and jaunty lighthouses awaits RVers traveling to Down East Maine. Even though this special part of Maine is located in the farthest northeastern coastal corner of the state, it has been called “down east” since the earliest sailing days because boats voyaging from Boston and New York had to sail downwind in a largely eastward direction to get there. We traveled through Maine overland in our 36-foot Hitchhiker fifth-wheel trailer—not by sailboat. And after a dash across the middle of the state, we began our Down East trek in the city of Bangor. We first swung by the longtime home of thriller writer Stephen King whose house is decorated with bats and gargoyles. Following this with a walk on the delightful Kenduskeag Stream Trail, we then quenched our thirst with a delicious craft beer on the deck of the Seadog Brewery overlooking the
DOWN EAST MAINE
COAST TO COAST SPRING MAGAZINE 2018
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