Submitted by lil_splooter t3_11wt2xa in Maine
Hi everyone, I’m potentially moving to Waterville from Bangor for work in the very near future. What’s the city like? Are there areas I should avoid going/living? What is there to do? I currently live in Hammond Street near downtown in Bangor for comparison, if that affects anyone’s answer.
Oh also sunrise bagel is newish and good
No bagel place is gonna top Bagel Central in Bangor. That’s the only damn thing I miss about Bangor.
Sunrise is better, lived in both towns and have been all about both.
That’s one of the things I think I’ll miss most. I’ve never had bagels so good, even when I went to visit friends in Brooklyn 😂
You’re in for a treat, my dude. I’d rank Sunrise above Bagel Central. They don’t have quite the variety but what they make, they make well. Try the kennebec with ham on an Asiago bagel. You’re welcome.
Hahaha, alright, I’m heading down that way to tour an apartment tomorrow, and you’ve convinced me to stop in and give them a shot. I’ll give their bagels and lox a try and see how it stacks up :)
I’m looking forward to hearing what you think
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How does the ambiance compare?
Sunrise is definitely better than Bagel Central. And their homemade cream cheeses are immaculate. I’ve lived in both Bangor and Waterville. I was born in wtvl. They both have their charm. Live in Vermont now (after 33 years in Maine) and save for not having a coast, I love most parts of it better than Maine.
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Gonna second the recommendation of Universal Bread. Best baguette outside of Portland. Just get there early as they sell out regularly.
Other good food in the area:
Big G’s in Winslow for giant, unique sandwiches.
Meridians in Fairfield for well-executed upscale gastropub type fare.
Buen Apetito for reliable Mexican food. Some great salsas there.
Most places in the area make reasonably decent food, but you’re also only 25 minutes from Augusta/Hallowell/Gardiner for better quality & a lot more variety.
Like, Jewel of India is passable for curry, but you can do way better by driving down to Mughal Palace in Chelsea.
Don’t think Mughal is open anymore
Ate there last Thursday. Still open, mostly just for takeout at the moment.
I’d probably avoid renting anywhere in the south end: not inherently awful or dangerous statistically is just the “worst” part of town and it’s kinda gross. Cheap though lol
Oh stay the fuck outta Cancun too, it’s a trashy shit hole of a bar/restaurant trying to act like a nightclub. I got dragged in there three times last year and it almost always ended in having to deal with a belligerently drunk Colby kids that like to pick fights and will loudly exclaim they are Colby students like it makes them immune to the consequences of acting like a dickhead
Agree with this. Used to be the best food in town. Now it’s Rapey. Proper Pig and Opa are awesome to eat at as well. Amici’s is also good. Things to do? There isn’t a ton, but your only an hour from the Coast and an hour from the mountains. So that’s nice.
Had a friend who got roofied at Cancun, def avoid it. South end has a bad rep but really isn’t too bad, though chez paree area can get a bit dicey
It used to be a good spot for food, but I never hung out for bar crowd
Food might be good still; honestly I have no idea.
The bar crowd is ass though, that much I do know lol
Is Colby a school?
Edit: yep, small area college
I used to eat at Cancun before they changed it to the bar in the middle of the dining room. Went back to visit Waterville last year or so and someone told me they'd been shut temporarily for health code violations. Sad to read about women getting roofied there.
I like Silver Street Tavern and there's a bar in Oakland on the way down Kennedy Memorial Drive on the right hand side, after all the little strip malls and stuff. I forget the name but it's a nice little place. Used to get lobster rolls from the Korner Store in Oakland. The beach at Messalonskee Lake has a nice green space and there is also a nice trail running alongside Messalonskee Stream in Oakland.
I lived off First Rangeway, there are several streets running between that and Cool Street and some have apartments but mostly single family homes. There's also a ballfield nearby so take that into account if it would bother you. But it's close to the Hannaford and all the stuff on KMD, I like J&S Oil for car washes, but KMD can get backed up on nice days by people waiting in line for a wash.
Uncle Dean's is a local health food store past the Hannaford on KMD and down a side road, 104, I think? There's also a sushi place next to the Hannaford that does the flaming stainless steel grill table side chef stuff, but I used to just get sushi in the dining room part. Scallop sashimi and gyoza pretty good.
Silver Street dentist is good.
Library is nice too. Watch out for panhandlers near the Goodwill and that whole sidewalk up and down the strip mall. Especially at night. I've never felt unsafe in Waterville but I'm sure you will be able to tell who's cool or not if you are coming from Bangor.
I got kicked out of there on my 21st lol
You know how boring Bangor is. Yeah there is even less to do in Waterville. Just stay away from water st. I wouldn’t rent anywhere near there.
There is always meth. Meth is something you can do in Waterville.
Bangor isn't that boring compared to a lot of places
A dimly lit beige room is less boring than Bangor.
1.) Water front concerts, this summer: Dave Matthews, James Taylor, Weezer, tedeschi trucks, Chris Stapleton, Santana, Lumineers, Nickelback, Hank Williams Jr, Pantera, goo goo dolls.
2.) An hour from one of the best national parks in the eastern united States
3.) A nice casino
4.) Tons of bars and restaurants
5.) Miles of accessible hiking within a short drive
6.) A decent airport to fly to the rest of the country.
7.) Lots of shopping if your into that
What else could you ask for an eastern Maine town?
Fine, a dimly lit beige room is more boring than Bangor 🤷♂️. But that’s all ya get.
Hey! Fair enough
You gotta track down the gouda boys
No shit they have a place up that way ? Got a name
The area you live in now is worse than any area near Waterville 😂
Hahaha, that’s… fair
Local here. Food scene is rapidly improving. Opa is my favorite spot. Universal Bread is great. There’s skydiving if that’s your thing.
Overall, it’s a college town. Waterville wouldn’t be half as good without Colby. The average age lowers when Colby starts and raises in the summer. The quality of vehicles follows the same trend.
There are great hiking trails nearby, especially in the Belgrade Lakes region.
Flagship cinema has lower prices Tuesday night.
We do find ourselves going to Augusta more often for things to do and shopping.
Sunrise Bagel is the best.
You Know Whose is the worst.
Last time I was at You Know Whose was the night of the Winter Formal at MCI, 1988. We ate a pizza, then dropped the car off and dropped acid. Walked to the dance, stayed long enough to get our photo taken then left to go watch the finale of the Olympic women’s skating.
Anyhow OP, Waterville is fine. Decent grocery stores, wait for a haircut isn’t too bad, and there is a good frame shop downtown.
Well I don't know that they have any bagels there.
Their food is pretty decent... Good pizza! If you want unpretentious bar food and a cool old townie bar, go here. If you want to feel like you're going to some fancy restaurant, don't.
Also Mirakuya Japanese restaurant is some of the best food but also the worse customer service around. Asian Cafe in nearby Winslow is absolutely the best of both worlds.
South end is not as bad as people make it out to be. It’s low and lower middle class and elderly folks who grew up there just trying to get by and raise kids the best they know how. I grew up in the projects and luckily don’t have to raise my kids the same but no judgement. You can find some really good people to befriend in those areas. All the kids in the nice areas of town is who I try to keep my kids away from or at least the few kids I have met in the nicer parts of town anyway. That’s just my opinion I guess. Plus sunrise bagel is on the south end technically and everyone loves that place. Waterville is okay. Colby town so lots of young aspiring adults and arts. lots of good food places and if your into weed you can find a shop every other address on college ave. Lol. No place is perfect. We just need good people to even out the bad. Have fun and enjoy life.
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Stay away from water st and the south end. Other than that you'll be fine, mostly working class neighborhoods.
It will definitely feel a lot smaller than Bangor, but for a town that size it has a decent amount going for it (mostly thanks to Colby money).
Walking/skiing/bike trails on Quarry Rd, movies at the new Schupf Arts Center, shows at the opera house, decent bars/restaurants downtown. A lot of people still kind of have a bad opinion of Waterville but I liked living there more than Augusta.
> What's the city like?
As far as I can tell, it's college-town-quiet. There are some shops in the downtown area, near the college, and there are some decent little places to walk or hike. Waterville has plenty of amenities, and while I could see someone exhausting the different things to do quickly, it's fairly centrally located to other locations you may find fun activities at.
> Are there areas I should avoid going/living?
Living, I'm not certain. Going? I wouldn't worry about where you go. Waterville seems tame.
What are the things you like? Knowing that may help folks point you in the right direction.
Surprised no one has mentioned the Lion's Den restaurant, Awesome food.
The south end/Water St area has a lot of run down older apartments. You would probably never have a problem living in that area.
I lived in the north end Ticonic street area for 9 years. Never once had an issue other than my car was burgled once (forgot to lock my doors, damn kids).
And if you're looking for marijuana, Waterville is your town! Couple of recreational stores and you can't spit without hitting one of the 56 bazillion medical places.
I grew up in Bangor area and live in Winslow. When I returned to maine after being away for 20 years, a month spent in Bangor and I was hell bent on NOT settling in Bangor. I like Waterville area much better. 1 hour in each direction and you’re at the ocean, mountains, or Bangor or Portland if you want.
Am I the only one that thought Opa was overrated? Seriously I paid like 26 bucks for a chicken and potatoes meal. The chicken was dry and the potatoes were well potatoes. The sauce on both was good but wasn't anything that I couldn't have recreated at home with a basic recipe search. Did I miss something with them?
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I grew up in that area! Waterville isn’t a bad town to live in by any means. There’s a lot of changes happening that are fueled by Colby money, which can be good or bad depending on who you ask. I would also avoid the South End personally, but like other people have said, it’s not even close to the level of bad that other non-Maine cities are.
For food, I loved going to Big G’s for breakfast every week with my family. Sonny’s in Fairfield used to have really good sandwiches, but that might have changed since I was there last. For trash food, Belangers (also in Fairfield) is my go-to. I’m surprised no one has mentioned Ming Lee yet. That chinese food slaps, but I do prefer Cheung Lee in Fairfield (but honestly, you can’t go wrong with either).
For activities, Waterville has a really awesome trail system. They go down by the Kennebec river in some parts and you get some awesome views. There’s a skating rink in Augusta that’s fun too. In August, they have the Greater Taste of Waterville which is a super big food festival with games and drinks and music and I love that. North End park is fun for kids, and the Alfond Center next door has fitness classes and other activities. In the summer, the public pool opens and there’s slides!
Between Waterville and Augusta, there's some decent restaurants and bars. You'll find a groove.
Welcome to Harold Alfond Colbyville™ ! Jokes aside, Waterville is very fortunate that the colleges exist. Generally, the closer to the Kennebec the more rundown it is. The Hathaway creative center apartments are the exception but good luck getting in. Waterville’s selling point (to me at least) is that it’s centrally located. You’re about hour drive from the coast, mountains, airports, and less than an hour to lakes. It’s less busy in the summer (college students are away). Has most anything you need in town. Messalonskee stream is a great place to canoe/kayak. Of course, there’s a former Mayor turned former Governor who’s name will not be mentioned. But I’m told he’s moved down south to be with more like minded people. Still, Waterville is pretty good at picking some real stinkers for mayor (see Nick Isgro). In closing, there will be days where you will sound like George Bailey yearning to leave this crumby little one horse town. But upon returning from trips to Disgusta (those Sam’s Club bulk buys am I right!), you’ll be grateful you live in Waterville.
Hope this info is helpful.
If you want nightlife, there’s not much in this area (Waterville, Winslow, Oakland, Fairfield, Benton - all close neighboring towns). You’d likely have to travel the 20-30 minutes to Augusta / Hallowell, or back up to Bangor. Things we have that come to mind are Flagship Cinemas, some walking trails, community pool and a playground.
I’d recommend you contact the Mid Maine Chamber of Commerce for a list of businesses so you can get the full picture. Waterville is home to MaineGeneral Thayer campus and Northern Light’s Inland Hospital.
The south end of Waterville has a less than stellar reputation for housing; however, more areas are joining in that too, sadly. Be sure to ask that question when home searching.
This area has pot shops up the wazoo.
As someone who has lived in this area all my life, I continue to struggle with eateries I enjoy AND can afford, but I don’t know how it compares to Bangor. We often go with Chinese, burgers, pizza and sandwiches, though we do have a few franchises, and some fine dining options out of my budget. Again, the trip to the Augusta area would be an option.
A great thing about this area is that you can generally get from home to a store in 5-10 minutes. We have a Walmart, Home Depot, Staples, JC Penney, Hobby Lobby, Hannaford, Shaws, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, Marden’s, etc, and some smaller locally owned stores.
What we have to offer really depends on what your expectations are. I’m happy here and have no plans to relocate. Best of luck to you!
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I live near in waterville. It is a nice small town.
I made the Bangor to Waterville move a couple years ago for work. Waterville is a lot like Bangor was 10-15 years ago. Exploding downtown arts scene, some nice restaurants and some good/some rough neighborhoods.
Housing is difficult, like everywhere now. Check out apartments or houses in person and drive by at different times of day/week. You'll get a feeling for neighborhoods quickly.
It's a small (physically) City so walking or biking is a good way to get around. Also no public transit or regular Uber, etc. Taxis are nasty I hear but haven't any first hand experience.
Welcome to Waterville, you'll feel at home quickly.
I moved to Waterville a year ago, and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Lots of good restaurants in that area, great access to the lakes and mountains, so many good friends. Also, ignore all of the negative comments about You Know Whose — that place has the best locals and coolest bartenders you’ll ever meet. Happy answer to more if there’s anything you want to know.
It’s a pretty chill area depending on what street you live on. Water st and certain parts of eastern Waterville / Fairfield area can be sketchy. Cops watch the bars like hawks which sucks but overall I don’t mind it here.
Waterville has it's pros and cons. I don't mind it here. What are are you moving to? Near what landmark?
Avoid the south end of Waterville. Whatever you do.
What’s in the south end? And how far south is the south end?
I’m a former Waterville cop and still live in the area. The south end is a mixture of low and middle class blue collar folks. 99.9% are great people who work hard, take care of their families, and look out for their neighbors. There isn’t a street in the city that I wouldn’t let my own mother live on.
Those that think of the south end as some crime ridden hell hole are idiots that have clearly never lived outside of Maine.
Basically the area between Silver St. and the Kennebec River, bounded by downtown at the north end and the cemetary to the south.
It's the lower-income, higher-crime part of town, but you have to put that in perspective--it's still Maine, not Detroit. It's not the part of town I'd want to live in if I moved back, but I think the comment you're replying to makes it out to be worse than it actually is.
As someone who lives on Water st currently and has lived many places in the US there’s nothing crazy here, its mostly just low income families. There’s a brand new skate park in the area and a community garden down the street. There are some areas I wouldn’t walk at night, and I try not to leave anything visible in my car, but other than that its not a bad area.
Not familiar with Bangor but I grew up in the Waterville/Winslow/Fairfield area. Not much going on there unless you like going out to the bar. Did that for a while but it's not my thing. Especially when fights break out pretty regularly. I moved out of the Waterville/Winslow area to Augusta near the Belgrade side and it's much better as far as things to do. Closer to more stuff. I don't know many people in the Augusta area though.
One of the nice things about Waterville is how central it is to many other places. Hour to Bangor for a concert. Hour and a half to sugarloaf. Just over an hour to Portland and the same to the mid coast. A lot of good day trip options.
Sweet dirt cannabis is nice and I love old soul! Have fun.
Waterville is a bit slummy and more like a larger Hammond street
i’m looking for new female friends i just moved here 💙
Any town surrounding Waterville is a better option (except Fairfield or Winslow), cheaper houses, cheaper taxes, way better schools. The majority of people I know that relocated to Waterville from away quickly moved to another town.
Dump, all areas, nothing,
Why would you move to Maine to live in a city ?
Seeing as I was born in Bangor and lived between Piscataquis and Penobscot counties all my life, I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m moving to Maine…
Seeing as I was born in Bangor and lived between Piscataquis and Penobscot counties all my life, I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m moving to Maine…
iknowyourded t1_jd01qcc wrote
Have lived in Waterville for several years, it’s not bad. Downtown is getting revitalized. Checkout universal bread, jewel of India and silver street for good local food and bakery spots. North street park just got some improvements and river walks there are nice. You know who’s is alright too if you want drinks.