Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

bls06820 t1_jd73fij wrote

Hmm Belfast or Lubec. Belfast is your quintessential New England village with shops to explore. Lubec is very quiet but hey you can see Canada from your deck. Both have spectacular views especially Lubec.

40

Henbogle t1_jd7jnnp wrote

Eastport. A community with economic challenges but they are not going down without a fight. Gorgeous area, lots of trails, beaches, nice camping nearby, whales!

30

JimBones31 t1_jd91ixt wrote

I was recently offered a job in Eastport but couldn't take the pay cut.

5

Henbogle t1_jd9ovcb wrote

Ooof. I'd love to live there, but need a lottery prize to do it.

2

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg45lu wrote

Also do they a hospital there? Where do people go if they get sick or injured?

1

Henbogle t1_jdgxilf wrote

There is a clinic in Lubec, a small hospital? In Machias, but the real hospital is in Bangor.

1

Seyword t1_jd8bl09 wrote

Oceanfront homes were selling for around $250K before the pandemic up there. Kinda crazy to own waterfront property at that price point.

2

HIncand3nza t1_jd8uei6 wrote

Not really. There is literally nothing around. 250k is a fair price for those homes. The average person in the area would be hard pressed to afford a house at 250k

6

Seyword t1_jd8wwlf wrote

I get that it’s isolated but that’s got to be some of the cheapest oceanfront real estate in the entire country.

7

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg4bja wrote

That would be Mississippi and Louisiana cause hurricane come in every few years and houses are destroyed.

It is probably the cheapest ocean front real estate on the east coast

1

intent107135048 t1_jdcd8vz wrote

They’ve also been neglected for years, if not decades. Tons of work to fix them up.

1

Seyword t1_jdcebc9 wrote

Couple I saw were nice move in ready 3 bedroom 2 bath homes. Nothing fancy but not rundown.

1

intent107135048 t1_jdcejoj wrote

You’re probably right. I used to know them as $175k homes where people were wondering why they were such bargains. They could have gotten some renos since then.

1

Seyword t1_jdcfk5b wrote

And this was back before Covid, so pre-2020

2

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg3ijx wrote

I would love to own waterfront property for $250,000. I would love to be able to find a house for under $500,000 that is livable. Here in WA a undeveloped waterfront lot 1/4 acre in size is $300,000.

1

intent107135048 t1_jdceqbc wrote

The people will drive you crazy though. Some are kind but the loudest right wingers run the city and county. At best the area has been economically depressed for a century.

1

Henbogle t1_jdclz29 wrote

True, but it is changing. I actually know 3 different couples who have or are retiring in the area.

2

intent107135048 t1_jdcohe9 wrote

I’d love to move back for retirement. But not raise my kids there.

1

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg4t4k wrote

Is it a good place to retire? I am retiring in few years. With my pension and social security I will only make about $4,800 a month. Would I be able to live in Eastport on that income?

1

intent107135048 t1_jdgwvlf wrote

Assuming you’re in good health and frugal, you’ll be able to live almost anywhere in the US on that income.

Eastport may be right for you but the only way to know for sure is to visit. The downsides are that it’s very far from the rest of Maine including proper medical facilities which a lot of older folks need.

1

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg4kl3 wrote

There is a reason it is inexpensive. What you need is for a lot of wealthy people to move into the area, buy lots of property, push all the locals out and make it the next tourist Mecca. Then everyone will want to live there.

1

itslizawithaz t1_jd7uwnh wrote

I love Damariscotta personally and am surprised it hasn’t been mentioned yet! I’m moving back there this summer. 🥰

30

MiddleRecognition224 OP t1_jd7v4ok wrote

I LOVE Damariscotta! I always stop by there when I go to Pemaquid Point.

6

itslizawithaz t1_jd7vl1n wrote

The guy I’m dating lives on Pemaquid Harbor Rd in Pemaquid, if things go well I might actually be a Pemaquid resident one day. I love that whole area so much, I’ve never felt so at home anywhere else.

9

goldlion0806 t1_jd9i74x wrote

Damariscotta is the sweetest! And pumpkinfest is so fun!

3

ScenePlayful1872 t1_jd9g0gf wrote

I see your user name and I really hope you’ve heard the song+album Minelli did with PSB. A hidden gem of Pop music.

2

itslizawithaz t1_jd9raj4 wrote

I had not heard of that, but thank you for introducing it to me. It's actually rather catchy!

1

Andrew_Lollo-Baloney t1_jdagnfm wrote

I came to say Damariscotta! I lived there for a few years and then I moved to portland and I miss it!

2

figment1979 t1_jd6z7tn wrote

Boothbay Harbor - seems like a very “chill” town and some incredible food. Views from the footbridge are amazing.

27

CYBarSecretGloryhole t1_jd7mmbq wrote

Lived there for a summer for in 2019, evening bike rides around Southport island are some of my favorite memories from that time

7

6byfour t1_jd87280 wrote

Old Orchard. I like fat, drunk motorcycle chicks with 3rd degree sunburns eating clams by the pound.

27

Sixfeatsmall05 t1_jd8csgo wrote

And Canadians

8

wait_what888 t1_jdb1ezb wrote

lol this is the most accurate description of OOB

Also their rolls rolled into spandex

2

Expert_Drama9374 t1_jd7sw4q wrote

Lubec, Home of the Easternmost point in the US. The Sunrise comes up first there. So Beautiful. Bay of Fundy, Highest Tide swells in the world. My Mom Lives there.

25

MiddleRecognition224 OP t1_jd7tduh wrote

It’s so beautiful up there! However, I believe Mars Hill sees the sunrise first, because it is a very tall hill. Though Lubec is farther East, it is at sea level. Mars hill has a 1,660ft elevation, and gets the sun first.

2

Tight_Procedure t1_jd7vxbn wrote

It varies by time of year.

  • October 7 to March 6 Cadillac Mountain, Bar Harbor, Maine
  • March 7 to March 24 West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Lubec, Maine
  • March 25 to September 18 Mars Hill, Maine
  • September 19 to October 6 West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, Lubec, Maine
24

MiddleRecognition224 OP t1_jd7wwwp wrote

Oh yeah I forgot the sun changes positions. But majority of the time it’s Mars Hill.

0

modernlove914 t1_jd8curl wrote

I thought Katahdin saw the sun first. I could be wrong. Just let me know if I'm wrong 😅

1

intent107135048 t1_jdcexgz wrote

Last I heard, the locals were complaining about the influx of people from away. How are things now?

2

Expert_Drama9374 t1_jdcjpma wrote

I think the majority of Locals would love to see out of towners Go somewhere else, but the cat is out of the bag. It's a beautiful place and people will continue to come whether they like it or not.

1

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg4yqg wrote

That’s what happens to all beautiful places. Also Eastport is heavily promoted by the tourist board as a top destination to visit downeast.

1

hike_me t1_jd7hmzc wrote

I live in Bar Harbor but the over the top tourism gets to you after a while.

I kind of like Castine. Lots of historic homes and way more low key and less touristy.

17

VinceGchillin t1_jd7ta9b wrote

I worked at MMA in Castine for a few years. It is a pretty chill place, a few decent places to eat in the summer and some great views, especially from the Dyce Head lighthouse. Also, highly recommend the Compass Rose bookstore there!

6

mnews7 t1_jd815qx wrote

Came to say Bar Harbor specifically in the winter.

It's been almost a decade since I lived and worked there but the day everything shut down was perfect.

3

hike_me t1_jd8370y wrote

It seems like more restaurants used to be open in the winter, and Bar Harbor has gotten a lot more seasonal as year round renters were displaced when their landlords all converted to AirB&Bs

8

mnews7 t1_jda64pj wrote

Yeah, I'm thankful I was renting there before AirB&B.

1

Lieutenant_Joe t1_jd7lb5e wrote

I really like Belfast, but Winter Harbor is also dope (largely cuz of the name, but not exclusively). Also a real big fan of Harpswell. Lots of good coastal trails in that town. And it has my favorite bridge.

13

MiddleRecognition224 OP t1_jd7qwwl wrote

Mine is Ogunquit. Walking along Marginal Way and shopping at Perkins Cove makes a nice summer day. Especially when all the flowers are in bloom along Perkins Cove.

13

JuliaNATFrolic t1_jd9yixx wrote

Camden.

Wonderful hiking, wonderful food, wonderful library, wonderful harbor, wonderful lighthouse, wonderful ducks, and I have a free place to stay there. Thanks MIL!

10

Lissma t1_jd7ohxb wrote

Rockland. I have very fond memories of spending Father's day weekend there with my mom, sister, and nieces (but ironically not my dad) going sailing.

9

DidDunMegasploded t1_jd6ij4g wrote

South Portland. It's got its issues but things like Bug Light and the Greenbelt and nostalgia keep me coming back.

8

Sixfeatsmall05 t1_jd8ckc5 wrote

Damariscotta- plenty of parking, shopping and food choices. Completely walkable downtown area that you can see in a couple of hours. Good location for side trips to Bristol, Christmas cove or boothbay.

8

banjo123717 t1_jd6g2no wrote

Biddeford, just feels like home

7

big_bertnor t1_jdpqrug wrote

Fortunes Rocks during the off-season is home as far as Im concerned.

2

agentpoopybutthole t1_jd7ad5m wrote

York. I lived there for a little while, and it is beautiful. I like long sands. Short sands has like it's own little town, which is neat. And of course, the lighthouse. It's a cool place

7

shopgirl56 t1_jd8m5cc wrote

Love damariscotta & rockland for city- friendship & pemaquid for country

7

Itskialikethecar t1_jda4xo7 wrote

People actually like friendship? Most of the people I’ve encounter from weren’t very friendly.

2

shopgirl56 t1_jdcaa98 wrote

I know they dont like trash lol ...

1

JediMasterPopCulture t1_jd6py2f wrote

York because it’s beautiful and in York Harbor it’s peaceful watching the boats go in and out.

5

Character_Screen_265 t1_jd7tvgm wrote

My favorite is Castine. So much history, signs everywhere walking around the town. I love their little sheltered beach - Wadsworth cove beach (even though it's not quite sand, it's not all rocks so that's a win in Northern Maine). Not sure about shops or food, I only go there as a day trip. It's just a nice chill town to visit and you don't feel mobbed by tourists because it's not just off a major road.

5

ShawneeMcGrutt t1_jd7v6bw wrote

South Thomaston or better known as the 'Keag.

5

Seyword t1_jd8bub7 wrote

PORTLAND

It’s not perfect but it’s unique combination of job opportunities and amenities can’t be beat. Anyone who was lucky enough to snag a home pre-pandemic has no plans of ever leaving.

5

fezzik4652 t1_jd7s3z0 wrote

What type of feeling are you looking for, I would have to say that Boothbay Harbor is mine, a nice “quaint” little town with shopping, a waterfront, and good restaurants. If your looking for views/ walking on the beach I’d say York, Cape Elizabeth is nice for Fort Williams and 2 Lights State park, along with lots of rocky areas to climb

3

MiddleRecognition224 OP t1_jd7sjr8 wrote

I agree with you 100%! I’ve been to Boothbay and it’s really nice! Especially the Botanical Gardens and the Harbor. York and Cape Elizabeth is nice as well. But my favorite walkway is Marginal Way in Ogunquit. Beautiful shoreline, shops and restaurants along the way, and lots of great shoreside hotels/motels.

5

fezzik4652 t1_jd7t82v wrote

I’ve only been to the center of Ogunquit, so I can’t comment on how nice Marginal way is, but it does have nice, if not super crowded town center in the summer

2

Definitelynotcal1gul t1_jd9e47m wrote

It's Uber gentrified. Completely changed in the past decade or two. Lovely in the off season though.

2

rosatter t1_jda2hej wrote

We visited in November and it was so lovely. It's what inspired us want to move to Maine. 2024 can't come quicky enough.

1

likes_sawz t1_jd82tvy wrote

Georgetown, because of Reid State Park. We used to go there a lot when I was a kid, many happy memories.

3

sjm294 t1_jd8jpqi wrote

We used to go there too. I loved it there and we would spend hours. I would get the worst sun burns. My mom would slather Noxema all over me and I would have fever dreams. So it was always the best day with the worst night 😂

3

mqqj2 t1_jd8ph2w wrote

Boothbay Harbor - so peaceful, near the botanical gardens, I love browsing the touristy shops

3

Soccermom233 t1_jd9k5dq wrote

I like how wiscasset smells?

But i don't have a favorite town.

3

jinnaquyn t1_jd9o347 wrote

Eastport or Lubec. It's hard to choose because they both are awesome. I live in Cutler, so I'm close to both of them! Gotta say, it sure is nice living somewhere beautiful!

3

saxy_for_life t1_jda5em9 wrote

My favorite that I've been to so far is Rockland. I like the harbor and the proximity to Camden Hills, but I like the downtown better than Camden. Plus walking the breakwater is really relaxing.

3

Dizzyluffy t1_jd8ic4j wrote

Bar Harbor. May be a super rich town now but it’s still nice. Grew up in Belfast and I hate it there.

2

theaback t1_jd9l3uo wrote

not from Maine but why do you hate Belfast

2

Dizzyluffy t1_jdehk87 wrote

Eh it may just be my personal growing up experience. When I was a kid/teen there was nothing to do in town, especially in the winter. So many people turned to drugs and alcohol seemingly out of boredom. I’m not a “country” outdoorsy type of person and never felt like I fit in there. Also it seemed that the city council over the years had cared more about things like random art on the sidewalks than fixing the town proper. However, I will say Belfast has seen quite a lot of development in recent years with the new shipyard and other community projects, so there’s that.

Sorry I took so long to respond, didnt even see that I got a reply to this 😳

2

Efficient_Dog4722 t1_jdb59e9 wrote

Also grew up in Belfast in the early 90s. It was pretty bleak then, it’s changed a lot but still wouldn’t move back.

1

Skippyandjif t1_jd8wnjz wrote

Bath because my family lives there, and I used to live there! A lot of good memories. I really miss the antique stores though, those were so awesome…and Harbor Light cafe… I remember having quesadillas there when I was like 6 and then bothering my mom constantly to go back there because, well…quesadillas! Lol

2

WalkerBRiley t1_jd9jtl7 wrote

Rockland used to be, because...you know...hometown and all.

But it's been taken over almost entirely by private art galleries over the course of the last decade or so.

I think the nail in the coffin for me was changing the Navigator Inn to the much more boring and forgettable Rockland Harbor Hotel. Let's just keep ripping more of the character out and replacing it with art galleries, I guess.

Most of it isn't even good art to begin with. It's all Wyeth imitations.

2

Breezy207 t1_jdapd2i wrote

Chiming in for Castine. Off the beaten track, so no traffic and MMA gives a flavor to the town you won’t find anywhere else. Park your car and walk to Forts, the Lighthouse, the Wilson Museum, gorgeous old homes and gardens on the town commons, the beach at the backshore, hike in Witherle Woods, take a bioluminescent kayak tour-there’s even a great walking tour app! From Castine its a day trip to Acadia, Belfast, Camden and Rockland. And its on the Blue Hill peninsula so easy trip to Deer Isle and Stonington, lots of breweries, best bakery in the State, ‘nuf said…

2

Lady-Kat1969 t1_jdb7iw1 wrote

Heading up the coast from the south:

Damariscotta: The downtown is mall enough to walk around but has a lot of interesting places to see/shop. It's also quite pretty and has a lot of scenic areas within a reasonable drive.

Camden (in the off-season): Bigger but still walkable, also pretty with some good drives nearby, and one of my favorite buildings in the state is there. (Norumbega)

Northport: I love driving Shore Rd and wandering through the old Victorian summer colony.

Belfast: I love the Co-op and the whole downtown area. I haven't been able to walk the footbridge but I love that they have one.

Bucksport: Hate the bridge, love Fort Knox and the downtown. Especially Friars.

Castine: Beautiful, walkable, historic.

Southwest Harbor: Bar Harbor has its points despite the tourists, but when it comes down to it, I like SW Harbor better.

Machias: Okay, I've only been through a couple of times, but there's some good views and a few neat shops here.

Lubec: Only got here once and it was pissing down, but I would like to return and explore it properly. I liked what I saw.

2

big_bertnor t1_jdpr9o0 wrote

Camden off season is best, otherwise traffic disaster when you forget coming back from the dump/post office.

2

vgallant t1_jd7obz7 wrote

I live just outside Belfast so It has zero charm for me, really. I really like Stonington. Matinicus is one of my favorites too, but harder to get to.

1

Cockatiel_Animations t1_jd82ubp wrote

I've been to Bar Harbor most, but I've been to Belfast and South Portland on a few occasions. That being said, I'm partial to Bar Harbor. Mostly because of nostalgia.

1

_elisheba_ t1_jd8m6wi wrote

Boothbay Harbor/East Boothbay.

Very blessed to have a generational summer cottage there, and some of my family lives there year round. I've been going there my whole life. It's my happy place ❤️

1

Katcoffin t1_jdcos5k wrote

Georgetown because it is where I grew up! And it Has Reid State Park

1

tzarface t1_jdcsjb5 wrote

Wiscasset and Boothbay Harbor by far! Reasone: I was born in West Boothbay Harbor

1

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg393v wrote

Harpswell. Very quiet. Not touristy but close to everything. No tacky tourist shops or crowds. I came all the way from Seattle to show my wife authentic Maine .

1

Extension-Ad-1997 t1_jdg4156 wrote

Interesting to read all your responses. I’m not from Maine but did grow up on the east coast. All the towns you mentioned seem very touristy. When you do a Google search for the best towns to visit in Maine most of the ones mentioned are in the responses. I like to go to the places the locals know about and don’t want the tourists to know. I had to do some searching but was able to find a few places.

1

Icy_Look_7332 t1_jdrnzow wrote

Belfast, because I grew up loving Perry's nut house and I love their vibe and Machias for WC because of Helens and UMM.

1

rofopp t1_jd9821q wrote

Porter

−1