Submitted by cafenegroporfa t3_110envk in Maine

Questions about visiting, moving to, or living in Maine : Megathread

  • This thread is for all questions potential movers or tourists have for locals about Maine.
  • Any threads outside of this one pertaining to moving, tourism, or living in Maine will be removed and redirected here.
  • This megathread is for helping people, subreddit rules are strictly enforced.

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wafflepuddings t1_j9cai0j wrote

Hi! I am a current high schooler from southern California looking to study environmental science in Maine. I am looking at UMaine, UNE, and College of the Atlantic. Does anyone have any idea of the value of a degree from one of these schools, out of and in Maine?? Do people want to hire graduates of these schools?

Thank you so much for your help :)

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koaladisc t1_j9ffv0x wrote

I agree with the other comment. Outside of top ivy schools, a degree is a degree. Try to find a college and program that match your interests and visit if you can. For environmental science, I'd want to know what sort of hands-on fieldwork they do and other out-of-the-classroom options. Take a look at their program descriptions.

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bubba1819 t1_j9i3f8r wrote

CoA is a nice school but way over priced and from the people I know that went there, didn’t give them any kind of a leg up compared to other graduates. UNE is a good school but also very expensive. UMaine is well known for getting students hands on experience throughout their degree process. Honestly, what really sets one application apart from another after graduation is grades and hands on experience in and out of the classroom. Internships are everything in environmental sciences field. If you have any questions feel free to message me.

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Megraptor t1_j9kh6xo wrote

Hey there, I do not live in Maine BUT I do have a degree in environmental science.

Unfortunately, a degree is NOT a degree in environmental science. There is so much variation inbetween schools, and some schools are more rigorous than others.

If you end up in state or federal government work, they will usually check your classes and GPA, even 5+ years into your career. There are some unfortunate cases of this, where people with PhDs are missing undergrad classes for the job they want and they have to go take an undergrad class to qualify. I have seen this with wildlife biology PhD holders who are applying for entry level wildlife biology positions at the federal level with botany classes, because you need 9 (or 6, I can't remember) credit hours of botany to qualify for a federal wildlife biology position, and many undergrad programs don't require botany classes.

Take a look at the schools in question, and look at their curriculum. Take note of a couple things- do they have a good stats class? Do they teach GIS (geographic information systems)? Do they have topics you are interested in?

Also, sit down and think about what you want to do with this degree, because it's a very broad topic of study! Do you want to do soil science? Then make sure the schools have soil science classes! Water quality? Then look for water quality and aquatic ecology classes. Ocean? Waste management and recycling? Energy? Climate? Wildlife?

A note about wildlife- if you want to work in ecology/wildlife biology/zoology, do that major instead. All of these fields are very competitive, so having the right major is key.

Also, networking is VERY important in this field. Unfortunately, you often don't know how a school is about that until you get there or if you're lucky, you run into someone from those schools. I didn't go to them, so I can't answer that, I'm sorry. But! You can PM me with other questions, and I encourage you to check out r/environmental_science as a start, and potentially other places that relate to your interests within the field. There's a subreddit for everything these days!

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813stemcell t1_j9q3gow wrote

Wow this was incredibly helpful, thanks for your input

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bubba1819 t1_j9rw321 wrote

Having GIS certification can give you a huge leg up. A couple friends from college got their first jobs because of their GIS certification. It was one of the things that really made them stand out compared to other applicants.

If you’re interested in wildlife biology I would recommend looking into Unity College here in Maine. They have an excellent Wildlife Conservation program. Another school you can look into is the University of Maine at Machias which is UMaines coastal campus. They have one of the best GIS programs in the state and they have an excellent Marine Biology program. It’s also on the cheaper side if money is an issue.

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becsprites t1_j9dhpah wrote

In most fields once you have your feet wet with some work experience, where you got your degree won’t really matter all that much. Umaine is a decent school with a decent reputation, but it’s also in my backyard, so I might be biased.

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Lingonberry64 t1_j88yln9 wrote

Moving to midcoast Maine this summer for my spouse's job. Best brands of snow boots and waterproof gloves? Looking to take advantage of end of season clearance. Thanks!

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bern_trees t1_j8aewqr wrote

Ll Bean isn’t the company it used to be and Linda Bean is a terrible person.

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AssumptionLivid6879 t1_j8iptvv wrote

Linda Bean has no decision making or association for LL Bean today other than filling a worthless seat (non-executive director) on their huge board of directors; she’s just a trust fund holder that fails starting up other businesses from family wealth. Think about George’s position in Seinfeld for her late wife’s trust committee; she has the same role.

The association was propaganda created by Patagonia when she privately donated to the Republican Party, and was a shit attempt at grabbing what little market share LL Bean has left.

Compared to LL Bean’s competitors, they produce way more goods in the USA. Hate the product, hate the brand, sure. But associating Linda Bean as a decision maker for LL Bean is misinformation.

Editorial: https://www.pressherald.com/2017/01/12/our-view-l-l-bean-boycott-would-harm-the-wrong-people/

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Hefty_Musician2402 t1_j8ux3tw wrote

Yup. I work for Beans. The former CEO who passed away a few years ago was supposedly a great guy. My coworker, a fellow machine operator in the warehouse, said he used to chat with him every morning. He used to go on walks with the wife and CEO. As far as being an employee, I have no complaints whatsoever. I mean, ffs we got a 12% cash AND 8% 401k bonus last year. Is it a perfect company? No. Do they treat us well? Hell yes. Also, the bean boots are still made right in Maine (dad works in the boot factory)

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Tony-Flags t1_j8dwpmd wrote

I have a pair of Sorel waterproof boots for snow that I like.

You might want to invest in a pair of Muck Boots as they are good for the mud season when everything melts. Basically you are going to want a pair of warm warm boots for snow, and a pair of waterproof boots that aren't as warm (but can still be insulated) for when things get sloppy.

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Lingonberry64 t1_j8o8tbb wrote

Thanks for your rec! Just bought a pair of lightly used muck boots and they're so comfortable, I think I'll live in them.

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Live_Badger7941 t1_j8kao4h wrote

I'd go with LL Bean Duck boots for midcoast - you're actually going to be dealing with a lot more months of slush and half-frozen mud than actual snow. If you're planning on heading inland frequently in the winter, get a pair of Sorrels for the cold, dry snow.

For gloves... I like Astrid for a huge pair of mittens to walk around in when it's really cold. But they're not waterproof. For waterproof maybe get something from a ski/snowboard store. (I happen to have Burton, but really anything marketed for skiing/snowboarding should be fine.)

Also you didn't ask about coats, but I like Canada Goose.

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robinsons_922 t1_j8fqfgs wrote

I'm a big fan of Bogs. They work wonders for mud, too.

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Hefty_Musician2402 t1_j8ux904 wrote

I wear Lacrosse hunting boots. Full rubber almost up to my knees. Had em for 6 or 7 years now

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embolia6 t1_j9zfmsi wrote

Also love Bogs! Super comfy, super warm, and waterproof. What more could you want!

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Standing2Close t1_jaam5wf wrote

Bogs for sure, not comfortable though, more of a utility boot but dry and warm

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AmbroseSoames t1_j89uud6 wrote

Flylow’s Oven Mitts are the best mittens I’ve found. Not too sure about gloves.

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drnefariosminion t1_j89s9hc wrote

Ll bean boots for sure. Any mittens or gloves made from leather are great

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Pomegreatful t1_j9d5qn3 wrote

Hi- I am planning on driving down from Canada and would like to take the train from Brunswick to Boston. I’m told there is a free parking lot (Park & Ride Brunswick-Cedar St, I believe) and one that costs $2 per 24 hours (Brunswick Station-Union St) Are either okay/safe to leave my car for maybe 3-5 days? Any advice is appreciated!

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Tony-Flags t1_j9juhld wrote

I've left my car for a few days at the $2/day lot, which is right at the end of the platform. I wouldn't leave anything sitting out visible in the car, and I imagine you would be fine. Its not a high-crime area by any means.

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aDigitalPunk t1_j88yqf6 wrote

Which suburb of portland has the most/best gluten free restaurants?

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flocking_north t1_j9b4jku wrote

Fyi, because I'm not a dick, they're making fun of you because "suburbs" of Portland are pretty residential. Portland itself looks more like a suburb than a city to people who are from a city. Also, you should ask this in r/portlandme instead. Realize that many of the rural folk lurk here rather than there and so you will get snarky responses to things like your dietary restrictions as gluten-free could be seen as a hippy "fad-diet" (though that may not be the case for you). Best bet is probably this though: https://www.findmeglutenfree.com

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aDigitalPunk t1_j9b7ma0 wrote

I appreciate your feedback. Im all over find me gf. Ill def point more city related questions to r/portlandme. Thanks

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eshrum66 t1_j99zzub wrote

I have celiac and may be moving there, so I'm curious too

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abbeyrxad t1_j8x8gtm wrote

moving from midcoast maine to winslow. any good parks in the area?

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Steel-kilt t1_j97qgy2 wrote

ISO rock climbing guides. I’ll be staying in the Trickey Pond/ Naples area this summer, but don’t mind a bit of a drive to get to good rock. Any recommendations?

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Buckscience t1_jaap2l2 wrote

There are reportedly some decent climbs in the Sumner/Peru area, according to my BiL, who is into that kind of thing.

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hike_me t1_jab63fo wrote

If you’re in Naples I’d probably book someone out of North Conway. Plenty of options there.

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Steel-kilt t1_jadyyst wrote

Thank you. I’ll do a search for North Conway. I’d welcome any recommendations.

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likes_sawz t1_jaellvg wrote

Can't help with a specific recommendation for rock cllimbing but if you're staying near Trickey Pond it's a shorter drive up 302 to North Conway than it is to Sumner, even further to Peru.

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PilgrimRadio t1_j9c7dl8 wrote

I'm thinking about coming to see Maine in mid-March. Looking for advice on my timing. Am I picking a bad time to come? I'm thinking in terms of weather/road conditions. I've never been to Maine and am itching to get up there, but I'm hesitant about coming when the weather is brutal. I have no experience driving on icy roads and don't wanna come at the wrong time. Probably wanna go to Portland first and then take it from there. Should I wait?

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[deleted] t1_j9cbofw wrote

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PilgrimRadio t1_j9dtd5l wrote

Ok thanks for the reply, not that worried about shops, beyond the basic necessities. I just wanna see Maine and form some opinions, seeing it while it's still cold would be valuable.

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ecco-domenica t1_j9z92cl wrote

It's hard to predict. Can you keep an eye on the weather and make your plans accordingly? That's kind of what we have to do. We are a state of tentative planners.

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PilgrimRadio t1_ja3pet8 wrote

Not a bad idea. I'm currently in Virginia, from the deep south. Taking some time to explore places I've never been that I think sound cool, Maine being one of them. And yes, I can do exactly what you suggest and take the tentative route, thanks for the reply.

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IRHahn t1_j8lxkof wrote

As a visitor from NJ what foods (brands) are unique to Maine?

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A_Common_Loon t1_j9mqcut wrote

Fox Family potato chips. Needhams potato candy. Moxie soda. Those are the big ones I can think of.

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sladeblade t1_j9rajbl wrote

Is there a hiking trail that you can also drive to the peak? I'll be staying in Westbrook for a bachelor party in April. I think more than half would want to hike but I'd like to have a photo of all of us there. Is this feasible? Thanks!

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Guygan t1_j9ta2pp wrote

Mt. Agamenticus has hiking trails to the top, but also a road and parking at the top.

It's in Ogunquit, maybe 35 minutes south of where you'll be.

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[deleted] t1_j9kfdw5 wrote

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Guygan t1_j9mjwsl wrote

> do you have spring leeks/ramps up there?

Yes.

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Leningradka95 t1_j9vhytj wrote

Hello. I’m planning to visit Maine this August and would like to forage for blueberries and mushrooms (yes, I know how to ID both). After much googling, the only area I’m coming up that appears to be best for that is Cherryfield. Is that correct? I don’t want to go to a “you pick” farm, I want to go hiking in and picking blueberries (like I used to growing up in Eastern Europe). I have also looked at land locked salmon fishing, and it appears that East Grand Lake was the top recommendation. Is that also a good area for foraging? I will be camping, not staying in hotels. Thank you!!

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Guygan t1_ja0oavl wrote

> visit Maine this August

> forage for blueberries

The wild blueberries will be long gone by August.

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Guygan t1_ja0o2ly wrote

Maine is a very big state. Where will you be camping?

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hike_me t1_jab6v36 wrote

In and around Cherryfield the wild blueberry barrens are owned by commercial berry harvesters and you can get in trouble for stealing from them.

That being said you can find wild blueberries along many of the dirt “logging roads” in that area, but probably not in August.

Grand Lake Stream is a fishing Mecca. Hire a guide and you’ll have a good time.

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[deleted] t1_j8a2c87 wrote

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Spirited_Meet_4817 t1_j8a79bp wrote

Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe SAD51- Cumberland/NY is the highest payi mg district. Hopefully I’m not passing on an urban legend.

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livunia t1_j9bbrsn wrote

Hey! I was looking at planning a trip to Maine this summer with my family & hitting Portland, Camden, and Bar Harbor. As I would looking at some restaurants (specifically in bar harbor) I noticed many were temporarily closed!! Is this a seasonal thing? Will these places open back up in May-Juneish?

Secondly, if anyone has any must see or do for those three cities, I’d love any and all recommendations 😊

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[deleted] t1_j9bdofd wrote

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livunia t1_j9bdubl wrote

Why would that be ..?

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[deleted] t1_j9bf9wj wrote

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livunia t1_j9bgzr0 wrote

Well I’d recommend you do the same then. I searched “temporarily closed” in this subreddit and found nothing. This thread also LITERALLY says “any threads outside of this one pertaining to … tourism … will be deleted and redirected here.” So I’m not exactly sure what “information” you’d need about me to answer whether or not places are closed seasonally or where you’d prefer I look.

Also, an amazing tip for the internet, you can literally just choose to not respond 😊🫶🏻

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[deleted] t1_j9bivau wrote

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livunia t1_j9bszrm wrote

Good thing Bar Harbor is in Maine I suppose 🙂

Thank you for the insight that was kindly and promptly answered in 7 words, yet stretched out to 3 paragraphs.

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A_Common_Loon t1_j9cnqzt wrote

Stuff usually opens up again after Memorial Day. Yankee and Downeast magazines both have a lot of trip planning resources and ideas. I would start there.

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DingoDoug t1_j9flxh2 wrote

How is the Bath area for raising a family? Is there enough things to do?

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PleasantParfait48 t1_j9k36s1 wrote

I live in Bath with two children. Personally it's been a wonderful place to raise a family. The Chocolate Church Arts Center has amazing children's programming. The library has a beautiful children's area and lots of kid-friendly activities. There are lots of weekend events and festivals that are very family friendly and fun.

There are also lots of ways to make your own fun here. Close to beautiful beaches, good hiking and pretty parks.

Considerations: the cost of housing has increased exponentially over the past couple of years and there is also very very little housing on the market. It's extremely difficult to find a property to rent or buy in the area - affordable or not, there's just no stock.

If your kids are in daycare, there are very few childcare options and waitlists are long.

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[deleted] t1_j9b0my3 wrote

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hike_me t1_jab6f3t wrote

I breed prizewinning salamanders. 1.3M/yr.

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AssumptionLivid6879 t1_j9jmerg wrote

I make $500,000 a year creating misinformation on Reddit, TikTok, and Instagram.

Most recently telling people snow is made out of plastic because snow doesn’t catch on fire when lighting it with a lighter. As long as the middle class and lower class bicker to each about worthless things, life is good.

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Dismal-Ad3992 t1_j88yx2x wrote

Hi all! I'm a 31yo F planning to stay in Maine for October & November. My main goal is to enjoy the fall foliage & the outdoors, and hopefully not break the bank (max budget ideally $2100/month). I would like to live within an hour of hikes or parks or other outdoor attractions. I would also like to be within an hour of a more urban area so I can check out, say, karaoke or live music in the evening. What Maine neighborhoods would you recommend? Greatly appreciate any insights you might have!

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Guygan t1_j890bn1 wrote

> within an hour of a more urban area

So, that's basically Portland. It's the only "urban" area for that sort of thing. But in national terms, it's basically a big town.

> like to be within an hour

Draw a circle around Portland and then narrow down some areas based on parks and "outdoor attractions" that seem good to you. Then start Googling.

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Dismal-Ad3992 t1_j891qzh wrote

Fair advice on the Google radius!

I would love any suggestions on good parks/hikes. My ideal location would be one where I could easily do a trail run or at least a long walk during my lunch break (so something within 15-20 minutes), and then drive no more than an hour and a half on the weekend to a broader variety of trails or parks.

I've also found that karaoke, trivia, live music, etc does not necessarily mean a big town. I currently live in a 2k population town about 40m outside Denver, and they have their own rotation of karaoke nights & live music that are moistly sufficient for me (I supplement by driving into Denver on occasion). But it's hard to know which little towns have these things without actually having lived near/in them. I'm hoping there are towns other than Portland that offer what I'm describing & that the kind folks of reddit can help me identify them!

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Aggressive_FIamingo t1_j89fdfb wrote

> I've also found that karaoke, trivia, live music, etc does not necessarily mean a big town. I currently live in a 2k population town about 40m outside Denver, and they have their own rotation of karaoke nights & live music that are moistly sufficient for me

The Denver metro area has a population almost double the entire state of Maine. Obviously smaller towns are going to have more amenities there because there are more people in the surrounding areas.

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Guygan t1_j89zg0e wrote

> there are more people in the surrounding areas.

Also more young people. Small Maine towns are full of older, provincial folks who definitely don’t do karaoke.

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Guygan t1_j8923so wrote

> it's hard to know which little towns have these things without actually having lived near/in them

I'm willing to bet nearly none of them. That's why I suggested using Portland as your center.

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Tony-Flags t1_j8dx559 wrote

I went to karoake in Searsmont this past Friday night at Threshers Brewery. They actually had a good crowd in there. They do it once a week.

Also, the Newcastle Public House does karaoke once a week. Those are the only ones I know of in the Midcoast region.

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kelizarod t1_jaa1c9b wrote

If you want to enjoy foliage, you'll want to arrive a little earlier. Peak foliage in Maine is typically the tail end of September/beginning of October. Trees are bare by November.

The Rockland area might be a good fit for what you're looking for depending on how flexible your definition of "urban" is (population ~7k). You've got Camden Hills State Park right there for some incredible hiking, plenty of coastline to explore, and a decent live music/entertainment scene as far as small-town Maine goes. You're about an hour and a half from Portland and two hours from Acadia, so day trips in either direction are totally feasible.

As with literally everywhere else in the state, we're definitely in the midst of a housing crisis in the Midcoast. You've got a healthy budget, but just keep that in mind when you're looking for housing.

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StarWarder t1_j9fnymq wrote

One thing you might consider is where you’ll live. Maine has a sort of rental crisis right now. Hard to find affordable apartments

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embolia6 t1_j9zg6vv wrote

Is that $2100 just housing budget? Or total monthly expenses?

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Dismal-Ad3992 t1_ja0b6t8 wrote

Just monthly housing budget, ideally including utilities

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Dr_Mabuse38 t1_j8in99r wrote

I'm seriously considering moving to Maine around next January. I'm a remote worker in North Dakota, so I think I won't be surprised a lot by the snow/cold aspect of the move or even the small population.

If possible, I'd like some suggestions of towns in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, and/or Androscoggin counties. These four counties are on the list since the pay I'd receive in them would be higher than in the rest of the state. Ideally, I'd like to find a town that is near to:

a. Québec

b. Boston

I know that Portland would most likely be one of the most, if not the most suggested place, but I'd like to keep other opens open. Other factors I'd like to have within the region is to be about a 90 minute drive from either mountains or a beach. I would assume that any town recommended would have any fun city/town stuff, or would be covered by being near one of the two regions (or Portland) I mentioned above since I could go to either one for a weekend without much difficulty.

If there is any place outside the four counties, please feel free to mention them as well. I don't mind making less if the place ends up being better than in any of the four counties.

Thank you in advance!

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Guygan t1_j8pxpuu wrote

> Ideally, I'd like to find a town that is near to: > > a. Québec > > b. Boston

Look at a fucking map.

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Tony-Flags t1_j8j8cza wrote

Big sigh...

You got kids? How old are you? Single? If so, are you going to be looking to date people wherever you move?

You planning on renting? You planning on buying a place? What's your expected budget?

Do you want a condo with zero maintenance? Do you want an old farmhouse with a bunch of land? Something in between?

Does walkability matter to you? That is, do you "need" to be able to walk to stores/restaurants/bars etc or are you okay with (much more likely) not being able to do so?

The four counties you describe are where a majority (I'm guessing, could be wrong) of the population of Maine lives, so there's a fair amount of towns that fit there. You will get better info if you give better info. Not trying to be a dick, but vague questions get vague answers.

> about a 90 minute drive from either mountains or a beach.

Basically everywhere you listed is within 90 minutes of the coast. Most of them will be within 90-120 minutes of Sunday River for skiing, closer if you want just any old mountain.

>I would assume that any town recommended would have any fun city/town stuff

You would be incorrect in assuming this. There are lots of towns that don't have much fun stuff, or very limited amounts of fun stuff, and you have to drive to another town for a bit of variety in fun stuff. The only 'real' city in Maine is Portland. There are nice towns, but they aren't cities. (and before anyone says, "AKSHULLY- Lewiston/Bangor/whatever is officially a city, okay?"- no, they are large towns. Maybe legally they are incorporated as cities, but they're not really cities.)

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Dr_Mabuse38 t1_j8kr0eg wrote

> You got kids? How old are you? Single? If so, are you going to be looking to date people wherever you move?

Sorry for not specifying. I thought that me just using the singular form would have sufficed. No kids, single, mid-thirties. Dating is something that can happen if I move there, though I assumed that since I was looking mainly within four areas the dating angle wouldn't make much of a difference since the four areas are-to my understanding- relatively close to each other.

​

> You planning on renting? You planning on buying a place? What's your expected budget? Do you want a condo with zero maintenance? Do you want an old farmhouse with a bunch of land? Something in between?

​

Renting. Specific's aren't particularly important to me. That is to say, I won't die on a hill for an apartment, condo, house, etc. Budget wise 2k on rent would be the max of the budget. Anything higher than that is doable, but it would be on the irresponsible side of the budget.

​

> Does walkability matter to you? That is, do you "need" to be able to walk to stores/restaurants/bars etc or are you okay with (much more likely) not being able to do so?

​

Walkability would be nice, but it's not a do or die. I've driven everywhere my entire life so my expectation is to continue to do so while living in this country. So walkability would be a bonus and nice, but not necessary.

​

> The four counties you describe are where a majority (I'm guessing, could be wrong) of the population of Maine lives, so there's a fair amount of towns that fit there. You will get better info if you give better info. Not trying to be a dick, but vague questions get vague answers.

​

That's understandable, which is why I also posted here. I have surface knowledge of the area so without knowing the particularities of each area I didn't include specific information since I didn't think it would be applicable. For example: you mentioned earlier budget. I was operating under the presumption of seeing options and then narrowing that down with the details (budget being one of them). Likewise, I thought that me saying that I'd have no problem doing somewhat long drives during the weekend would translate as well as not having a problem with doing short drives (several towns over for example) for other stuff. I was mistaken on that aspect.

​

> Basically everywhere you listed is within 90 minutes of the coast. Most of them will be within 90-120 minutes of Sunday River for skiing, closer if you want just any old mountain.

​

Any old mountain would do. I grew up being able to see mountains routinely, and having lived in the plains for a while I would like to see mountains on the horizon or at least a stone's throw away.

​

> You would be incorrect in assuming this. There are lots of towns that don't have much fun stuff, or very limited amounts of fun stuff, and you have to drive to another town for a bit of variety in fun stuff. The only 'real' city in Maine is Portland. There are nice towns, but they aren't cities. (and before anyone says, "AKSHULLY- Lewiston/Bangor/whatever is officially a city, okay?"- no, they are large towns. Maybe legally they are incorporated as cities, but they're not really cities.)

​

That's why I wrote " or would be covered by being near one of the two regions (or Portland) " on the post. However, if you're trying to add emphasis on that there's really nothing fun outside of Portland (to the point that the second part of the sentence you quoted was cut out) then I understand. That is useful to know because if the scene is so scarce, then that would by default reduce the options to Portland or at least near by it. For example: if there aren't any movie theaters except for Portland within a 60+ mile (or say an hour's distance) radius, then that reduces options drastically.

Would it be safe, then, to assume that everyone within driving distance to Portland goes there for fun/ hanging out because the surrounding towns/cities are only for housing?

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ecco-domenica t1_j8nnwlb wrote

I don't know about others but you really have my head spinning as you're kind of all over the place with these questions that don't really make sense to me. I think you need to come to Maine yourself and get a better sense of the lay of the land. At least just spend some time with a map and maybe go google map driving around. Perhaps it's because ND and the other places you've lived are just so different from New England's geography and the way towns/cities/suburbs/roads settled in the 1600s and 1700s are laid out that we don't have a common frame of reference to communicate better. We seem to be talking at cross purposes. Also you seem to be very attached to radiuses and that's just not a very useful way to think about distances or rural vs urban areas here as there's perhaps more of a variety or combination of kinds of places (woods, ocean, small towns, farmland, mountains, lakes, Portland, Boston, Quebec, movie theaters) all jumbled up in closer proximity to each other than they may be in ND.

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MeanFluffyBunny t1_j97qvzx wrote

I live in the Palmyra area, Somerset county. Belfast is 50 minutes away and Bigelow Preserve (AT trail goes through there, 4k mountains). Bangor and Waterville are both 30 minutes away for all shopping needs. Obviously the big cities are far away but life up here is fantastic. You can even see the big mountains from here.

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remushtx t1_j9q5pky wrote

What's the deal with the lighthouses!

I want to visit, and all I know about Maine is their lighthouses. Can you go in them? Are they just pretty to look at it? Is it like a museum? Everything I've looked up just returns a list of lighthouses. I think it would be cool to go to the top of one, but is that even an option? Any other recommendations of what to do are welcome :)

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Tony-Flags t1_j9ql2dm wrote

Most of them you kinda just walk around, look at them and take a picture. Many are at very scenic places, so you know, you walk around and take a picture. Maybe bring a lunch and sit and eat your lunch while you look at the lighthouse.

There may be special days when you can go inside/up some of them, but not really. There are some that have little museums attached. Some are on islands, so unless you have a boat, you can't go there.

I can't believe I'm explaining how to go to a lighthouse to someone.

There's more to Maine than lighthouses. Like towns, and other shit to go look at. Check out some blogs on Maine tourism ideas, not hard to find.

Edit: I vaguely recall going up to the top of the Owls Head light, but that's not a very tall lighthouse at all.

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remushtx t1_j9rtnub wrote

Well. I understand I could've looked at blogs and online, but also thought that it'd be fine to go to an advice/Q&A platform literally about tourism to ask my questions about tourism and get a more nuanced answer. Obviously gonna do that too. Not sure why people downvote an honest question.

I'm from the south. I've never seen a lighthouse in my life. I hope the experience is better than this interaction

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ecco-domenica t1_j9z3tyx wrote

They're just another tourist attraction. Honestly, we don't find them that interesting. You can't go inside. A handful of them might get occasionally opened up for visitors maybe one day every five years or so. Some of them have nice grounds where you can have a picnic, look at the water, and take a picture of the lighthouse, all enjoyable ways to spend a summer afternoon. Others are at the end of breakwaters that you can walk out on. If it's a foggy day, you might hear a foghorn. That's about all the nuance I have to offer.

There isn't anything special about them we could tell you that you can't just google for yourself. There used to be lighthouse fan organizations, kind of like antique auto clubs so that might be a place to start. If you search this sub, you'll find nice pictures other people have taken of them.

If you take some time to get an idea of what area you want to visit or which lighthouses look interesting to you, and you still have questions about them, maybe try again. Specific questions get better answers than general ones. Maybe pick two you like the looks of and ask which is better to visit with little kids for example.

If I asked /georgia what's the deal with the peaches, I wouldn't expect to get much useful info.

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Standing2Close t1_jaanigo wrote

They’re all open to the public and free to climb! Just pick one and go! My favorite is jumping into the water from the top!

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Noobivore36 t1_j917767 wrote

Question about planning a family vacation from Philly up to Maine this June. We have a toddler and a 1yr old.

Where do you recommend we visit, and what kinds of kid-friendly activities are there? Also, if we drive up, are there multiple places to stop and see along the way?

Any package deals you know of (ie. packages including lodging and several activities like boating, museums, meals, etc)?

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Capeari t1_j9bv04t wrote

You are asking us to plan your journey and vacation? You want us to find you vacation packages?? Nobody is going plan your vacation for you. Please don’t treat us like we’re The Help. This is our home, it’s not a product to us, and we’re not going to sell you on it.

Do your own research, come back to us with specific questions and you’ll be more likely to get beneficial answers. Google is free. u/fleekadjacent

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