Check the website (www.maine.gov/doc/parks/parksinfo/popham/pophambeach.shtml) before visiting. When the tide is high in peak hours, beach space is limited. You’re better waiting until the tide is going out to ensure you have space to spread towels and blankets on the beach.

Popham Beach Details

Popham Beach spans more than three miles, so there’s plenty of room for everyone. There’s a large parking lot, and then you walk over a slight hill to reach the beach area. The sand as you approach the beach is very soft, so if you have difficulty walking, you may want to stop by a lifeguard tower and ask to use the beach wheelchair.

The beach consists of the main area, two sand bars, and then an island a few hundred yards from the beach. When the tide is low, it’s easy to walk out to the small island via a sand bar. Avoid the island when the tide is coming in, as it can be dangerous to be out there stranded. There’s a memorial on the island that pays tribute to a college student who drowned in the waters near Popham Beach.

In between the two sand bars is a current that forms a shallow river during low tide. This current becomes a popular attraction with kids who like to float from one sand bar to the next. It can be tricky walking across it as the current makes the sandy bottom uneven. You might be ankle-deep one step and knee-deep the next.

For parents of young children, there’s a huge tide pool that’s relatively shallow and suitable to the younger crowd. It’s away from the ocean surf, so you don’t have to worry about your child falling over with a strong current.

Popham Beach is a popular beach with the surfers and kayakers because of the strong currents. If you go into the ocean beyond the sand bars, watch for riptides, surfers, and kayakers.

After the beach, drive farther south to Fort Popham and explore the historic fort. If you’re lucky, you might see some harbor seals playing in the surf.

Getting to Popham Beach

Popham Beach State Park is in Phippsburg, Maine, off Route 209. The beach is well-marked, so you shouldn’t have difficulty finding it. As you near the entrance, parked cars line the shoulder, so heed the signs that tell you to slow down for pedestrians.

Per 2012, non-resident adults pay $6 per person to visit Popham Beach, and Maine residents pay $4 per person. Non-resident seniors 65 or older receive a $2 discount, and Maine seniors don’t pay anything. Children 5 to 11 pay $1, and children younger than 5 are free. This fee includes use of the shower and toilet facilities, parking, and full access to the beach and island.

Ogunquit Museum of American Art

Located about 30 miles south of Portland, the Ogunquit Museum of American Art is one of the smaller museums you’ll visit. One of the highlights of this museum is the Sculpture Court. This spacious room houses American sculptures, but most importantly, floor to ceiling windows offer amazing views of the ocean. There are 1,600 graphics, oil and watercolor paintings, photographs, and sculptures. Artists on display include Isabella Howland, Reginald Marsh, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, and Carl Walters.

The museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., from May 1st to the end of October. 2012 pricing is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and students, and children 11 and under are free. To reach Ogunquit Museum of American Art, take Route 1 to Shore Road and the museum and parking lot are on the left.

Portland Museum of Art

From the outside, the Portland Museum of Art looks like a standard, modern museum. Step inside and the architecture blows you away. Much of the museum is set inside the historic McLellan House, built in 1801, and the details are not to be missed. When viewing the works of art in these rooms, don’t forget to look up, or you’ll miss some amazing details.

The museum takes up four floors, plus a ceramics display in the basement near the food court. You’ll see paintings from well-known artists like Monet and Gaugin, some photography, sculptures, and unique sculptures in the outdoor garden area. There are also many Maine artists on display. Interactive stations throughout the museum allow you to learn more about the art and its artist.

Photographs within the museum are prohibited in many of the galleries, and you cannot post pictures you’ve taken in the permissible rooms on commercial websites. Additionally, you must turn off your cell phone when you enter the building. They also enforce the rule on not being within 18 inches of the paintings and other works of art, so watch your children closely.

Portland Museum of Art is in the center of the city at 7 Congress Square. Parking on the street is challenging, so you’re better off heading to the parking garage about 1/4 mile down the street. The museum is open year-round from Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (9 p.m. on Friday night).

Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and students, $6 for 13 to 17 year olds, and free to anyone 12 or younger. If Friday night is an option, visit the museum between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. and enjoy the museum for free.

Bowdoin College Museum of Art

The Bowdoin College Museum of Art is in Brunswick, about 30 miles north of Portland. It’s pretty easy to overlook this museum at first. The entrance is a huge glass structure in the center of the college campus that leads to the underground level of the museum. Parking is on the street, but there are plenty of spaces when college isn’t in session.

The museum is actually impressive, featuring sculptures, paintings, photography, and sketches. Artists include many artists, such as John Adams Jackson, Peter Paul Rubens, and Winslow Homer.

Hands down, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art is the best free art museum in Maine. You don’t have to pay to view any of the collections, though donations are accepted in a box placed near the exit. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (8:30 p.m. on Thursday), and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

You may want to call before you visit. When a new exhibit is being added, certain floors are closed to the public. As the museum is free, you won’t feel ripped off, but touring just the basement level of the museum may not be what you were expecting.

The Service

While dinner service begins at 5 p.m., we arrived 30 minutes early, because we’d been walking all day in hot weather. The hostess graciously seated us, but she did explain that we’d have to wait until 5 p.m. to order dinner. In the meantime, they had reasonably priced Happy Hour specials.

The kitchen staff really know what they’re doing. Our table overlooked the open kitchen, and we were able to watch the chef and sous chef every step of the way. Pans were spotless and hanging in a very organized fashion from ceiling hooks. They cleaned consistently as they went, and they moved fluidly around each other seemingly having the time of their lives. There was none of the yelling and anger I’ve seen in other busy kitchens. It seems trivial, but this made the dinner even more enjoyable.

Our waitress served us efficiently and didn’t hover, a habit that I loathe. She kept away while we were eating and only came over to see if we needed anything a few times during our meal. I appreciate that.

The Food

We took advantage of the Happy Hour specials. Maine microbrews were as little as $3 a pint, sweet potato fries with garlic aioli was $3, and fried calamari for $5. Happily, the sampling of appetizers proved we were about to experience the meal of all meals. The sweet potato fries were light and crispy with the sweet taste of roasted garlic infused adding a little zip. The calamari was crispy, again light and not oily, and tossed with hot peppers for a little kick.

Dinner is truly magic at David’s. Start with a basket of fresh bread and flaky garlic knots that come with a bowl of warmed olive oil that’s seasoned with garlic and fresh Parmesan. Careful eating the bread because it fills you up.

The Lobster Dinner is the best choice on the menu. For $30, you’re treated to a three-course meal that leaves you feeling stuffed.

The first course is a bowl of New England Clam Chowder paired with a shrimp cocktail that is nothing like the shrimp cocktail most people know. The clam chowder is full of flavor, seasoned with a hint of brown sugar and thyme. I’m honestly not sure that the brown sugar is necessary as clams have a natural sweetness.

The shrimp cocktail on the other hand is something I’ll never forget. This is not the a-typical cold shrimp paired with a thick pasty mix of ketchup and horseradish; it’s simply amazing. Cajun grilled shrimp are paired with a small dollop of tangy Cajun sauce that was a blend of tomato, honey, and what tasted to be a small amount of cayenne pepper.

After this, you get a 1.5-pound steamed Maine lobster with melted butter, garlic mashed potatoes, and the vegetable of the day. In our case, the chef stuffed fresh snow peas into slices of zucchini that steamed without becoming soggy.

There is far more to David’s menu than lobster, though it’s hard to pass up such an affordable three-course meal. Other options include steaks, pasta dishes, vegetarian fare, pizzas, and burgers. Entree prices range from $12 to $30.

Though we felt stuffed after our meal, we couldn’t leave without sampling desserts. I highly recommend the Smoosh-in. This is the ideal choice for the chocoholic. It’s a decadent mix of brownie ice cream, Kahlua, and Bailey’s Irish Cream turned into a sundae that delivers a burst of dark chocolate and alcohol into every bite, and is topped with a gigantic chocolate filigree. At $7.25 it wasn’t cheap, but it certain was worth every calorie.

The Details

David’s offers both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking Monument Square. The restaurant is busy, so reservations are recommended. They even offer online reservations for your convenience.

www.davidsrestaurant.com
(207) 773-4340

Lunch: Monday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dinner: Sunday to Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Must-see Attractions

At two miles in length and no more than a half-mile in width, you might think Bailey Island is too small for any notable attractions. This is completely untrue.

North of Harpswell Island, the Cribstone Bridge is Bailey Island’s connection to the mainland. The Bailey Island Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and worth a closer look. Granite slabs formed the structure of this curved, narrower bridge that uses natural spacing between the slabs to allow water through during high tide. There’s a pedestrian-only path to the side so that you can walk from one island to the other without worrying about traffic.

The Giant Stairs is accessible via a well-groomed trail that covers about 1/3 mile on the eastern side of the island. There’s parking near the church off Washington Avenue. The actual “stairs” are huge rocks that take the form of a staircase leading down to the water. There’s also a marker honoring Captain Henry Sinnett and his wife who donated the land to public use. Pets are welcome on this trail.

Take time to view the Fisherman Statue at Lands End. The statue honors Maine’s fishermen who “devoted their lives to the sea.” The statue sits adjacent to walking paths and rocks that overlook the waters and rocky Lands End Beach on the southern tip of Bailey Island. Be careful when strolling the area as the roses are intermixed with patches of poison ivy. The Lands End store does carry a remedy, as well as homemade fudge, Maine goods, and clothing.

Mackerel Cove is the place to watch lobstermen hard at work. You can watch lobsters being sorted, banded, and crated here. There’s a small sandy beach and a Red Cross monument in the small park. It’s also part of the Johnson Field Preserve, so you can spot birds in the surrounding fields and shrubbery.

There are four restaurants on the island, including the popular Cook’s Lobster House. Save money and eat at Morse’s Cribstone Grille. The food is amazing, service is excellent, and prices are far more reasonable.

Where to Stay on Bailey Island

Bailey Island is home to four suitable hotels: Bailey Island Motel, Cook’s Island View Motel, Driftwood Inn, and Log Cabin Inn. All four hotels are on the northern end or center of the island. If you want to be closer to Lands End and the public beach on the south end, your best bet is to rent a cottage.

There are dozens of rentals available to tourists. Prices depend on the season, but the cost often is lower than a week in one of the area hotels, and you enjoy privacy by having a home to yourself. This home includes a kitchen, which helps you avoid the expense of meals out every night.

Getting to Bailey Island

Bailey Island is south of Brunswick, Maine. After exiting Route 1 or the 295, follow Route 24 all the way south.

When you stay at this world class resort, you will be offered an array of fine dining. Enjoy the panoramic views of the crescent shaped white sandy beaches from the intimate dining room of the Sea Glass restaurant or relish in the most magnificent cocktails and signature wine list. Chef Mitchell Kaldrovich gives you anything your taste buds should crave as you wine and dine in the most elegant Glass restaurant in Maine.

Surround yourself with beauty and luxury as you have the most relaxing experience at the Spa at Inn by the Sea. As the waves crash onto the shore and the wind rustles over your silk body, the spa offers you a scenic beach view and a full range of body treatments, massages, and aesthetics. Unwind during your travels and allow the luxury to come naturally at the Inn by the Sea.

As luxury is top priority in this fabulous resort, you will encounter luxury in all fifty-seven guest rooms, suites, as well as cottages. Pampering you with comfort in a relaxing array of dark red and dark gray furnishings adorned in fine art and sophisticated décor, the Inn by the Sea is a truly tranquil experience for all who go for a stay.

Of course comfort and luxury is the most important, but what about entertainment? Well, the Inn by the Sea even takes care of that. With various summer activities such as:

• Jazz on the Lawn
• Summer Activities
• Children’s Story Telling
• Garden Dinner Parties
• Bug’s Life Tour
• Beach Ecology Walk
• Adult Yoga
• Guitar by the Fire
• Dinner Parties
• Children’s Art
• Child Yoga

There is a little something to do for everyone whether you’re a kid or an adult, your time at the Inn by the Sea is never a dull moment. Pick something for every day of the week, and have a luxurious entertaining time.

• Old Orchard Beach – this is one of the most popular beaches in the area. It has seven miles of sand, amusement parks, food and games all next to the beach. The low surf makes this the best spot for swimming, taking in some sun, and playing in the sand. The boardwalk has many family style restaurants with hotdogs, pizza, French fries, or cheeseburgers. There are rides and video games and so much more to do at Old Orchard Beach.

• Ogunquit Beach – another popular family beach it has 3.5 miles of soft white sand and warm surf. It has snack bars and is accessible by trolley and has plenty of parking areas. It is a great place to swim and is a beautiful picture perfect beach.

• Sand Beach – this is a favorite beach and is a part of Acadia National Park, it is not very big but stunning none the less. It is enclosed by granite rock walls with a perfect southern exposure and views toward the sea. As an outcome of the hammering surf, the sand is produced from crushed shells. It is a great little hide away.

• Crescent Beach – as the name implies this is a crescent shaped beach that is lined with beach cottages. It has the greatest salt water seashore in the area. It has 243 acres of park and beach area with snack bar, play area, picnic area with tables and grills.

• Long Sands Beach – it is a 1.5 miles of long sandy beach with surfing area. It has raft and beach umbrella rentals, shops and restaurants within walking distance and is a great time for the whole family.

• York Harbor Beach – nestled along the rocky shoreline is this small, sandy beach. It is locally called Mothers’ Beach since it is the perfect beach for toddlers due to the gentle surf. The Hartley Mason Park borders the beach and has benches and trees for shade.

There is so much to see and do in Maine. The beaches are sunny, with soft sand, and beautiful sea to swim in. The landscape is gorgeous, and it is the perfect place to take your family for a vacation.

The cinema showcase is displaying the art of film with the diversity all around us. The Portland International Film Festival presents films from more than three dozen countries. The festival is a product of the Northwest Film Center that is a non-profit local mass media arts resource and service association. They were established to inspire the learning, admiration, and application of the film arts, to nurture their creative and specialized distinction, and to help produce an environment in which they may thrive.

The Whitsell Auditorium is found inside the Portland Art Museum and is a high-tech theater. It serves as the principal location for the film center programs. The Film Center displays about 1,000 screenings and 100 guest artist attendances every year.

The school of film is one of the biggest community-based film arts programs in the region; it offers demanding practical classes and workshops in film production to 1,500 developing entertainers, educators, occupational adult students, children, and teenagers yearly. With award-winning media producers for instructors, they are joining with higher education organizations to offer university degree opportunities.

There are so many different highlights for the Portland International Film Festival such as:

• New Directors – each year, among the surprises of the Portland International film festival, is discovering thrilling new filmmaking artists.

• Oscar Submissions – each year the Festival showcases the premier of Portland films that have been submitted for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Some of the 20 films submitted this year were from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, and France, just to name a few.

• Short Cuts- the Festival features’ programs showcasing unforgettable snapshots of cartoon or computer animated, live action, documentary, investigational, and storyline from all over the world.

• Documentary Views – each year the Festival features fresh perspectives on our world and the interesting people that we live with.

• PIFF After Dark – Festival late-night series for those of us who like to push the boundaries, this is a night time cinematic adventure.

• Global Classroom –introduces for the next generation of movie lovers grasp of our world through film, by enhancing the high school class experience and widening young people’s perspective.

Other highlights include Films for families, Alaska Airlines audience awards and Panel discussion:

Censorship and documentary. There is so much to do at the Portland International Film Festival it is a must for movie lovers everywhere.

• The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine – this is a place where children’s imagination can be free. It is part play museum and part playground. Challenging kids’ social and motor skills, creative and cognitive thinking with themed and interactive exhibits. What a better way to spend the day then discovering and learning at the Children’s Museum

• Lucky Catch Cruises – this is an exciting cruises experience which takes you through beautiful picturesque scenery, past amazing historic lighthouses, and to catch fresh Maine lobsters in Casco Bay. If you are a fan of lighthouses this is a must do on the list of Portland adventures. It will help make your vacation memorable.

• Casco Bay Lines – all the yearlong this ferry gives ship rides from the Casco Bay islands. This is a fun way to see the lovely scenic bay and be part of the delicious lobster bake cruise.

• Museum of African Culture- created in 1998 this educational and interesting museum is dedicated to sub-Saharan African culture and art. They display a fantastic eclectic collection of elaborately carved wooden masks in large and small scale, fabrics, ceramic, bone, ivory, and cast copper statues.

• Deering Oaks Park – this is Portland’s largest public park with 51 acres. It is a beautiful park with some tall hardwood trees that are older than 200 years old and lots of grassy fields to play in. It is great for relaxation, picnics, football, basketball, playing Frisbee, jogging or walking.

• Southworth Planetarium – watch amazing astronomy shows all year long. They offer family shows with specials on holidays and exploration of biblical stars, it is educational and exciting fun for everyone.

• The Maine Mall – this is the fantastic mall with over 140 shops, it is Maine’s largest shopping center. You are sure to find your favorite store and much more in the exciting shopping adventure.

• Portland Museum of Art – see works of art by many different artists. From traditional and historical artwork to contemporary and modern art work you are sure to be entertained as you become enthralled with the beautiful and interesting artwork.

There is so much to do in Portland; this is just a small portion of all the fantastic and entertaining things to do in this beautiful city. From the gorgeous scenic beaches and lighthouses to the educational and interesting museums your trip to Portland is sure to be memorable.

How about dinner and a movie? Visit the museum Café and get a ticket to watch some of the best Exchange Street, foreign, classical, and art films in the state! The museum features the following films:

• OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies- This film is a easygoing and entertaining send-up not only of spy films of that era and the sophisticated secret agent character, but the very idea of Western secret affairs in the Middle East.

• Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance- Together, Joffrey and Arpino transformed the idea of dance with a bold new perspective and edgy ballet moves that changed the conventional ballet into an aggressive tour to America’s White House at Jacqueline Kennedy’s invitation, on to Russia for a month-long tour during the height of the Cold War, and beyond.

• Gerhard Richter Painting- This thrilling recording of an energetic process of artistic creation and personal destruction turns Belz’s life into a work of art in itself.

Explore art on a personal level with adult workshops in painting, sculpture, design, and architecture. Allow children to learn, grow, and explore with hands-on art making, activities, and watercolor classes. Artists can create masterpieces, but how did they discover that? Through exploration and creativity in a hands-on experience, children and adults alike discover the artist inside them.

Featuring works by artists such as Winslow Homer, Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Louise Nevelson, and Andrew Wyeth, the Portland Museum of Art mesmerizes you with beauty and color. Come enjoy a day filled with color, magic, activities, and fun. Or, come hungry and eat dinner and watch a movie. Whether you want to travel the three building combining three centuries of art, or take a lesson in creativity, you will find just the experience you are looking for. To find out more about special events, lessons, tickets, and schedules you can visit the Portland Museum of Art website at www.portlandmuseum.org/.

Photo by William Brehm

You are sure to find a lot to do at the Botanical Gardens. Form fabulous events, extraordinary learning experiences, out of this world concerts, to fine arts, exhibits, fine dining, and memorable activities, there is fun for everyone! The theme for this year is “Feathers and Foliage” which celebrates birds and plants in Portland, Maine.

Come experience two-hundred and fifty-four acres of mystical miracles happening right before your eyes. Enjoy the beautiful sounds of music as you stroll through the vibrant display of color. Relish in the special events and walk the vivacious paths exploring all of the gardens’ energetic blooms. Go on a picnic and enjoy a scenic experience in one of the gardens or by the water. Conclude it with a stop at the showrooms in Freeport on the return trip home.

Engage your curious children in a program at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens as you delve into the captivating world of plants, gardens, nature, science, art, and culture. Enrich the learning experience through combining your visit with a trip to Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden and the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, or a walk along our many trails.

Enjoy a blooming good time through the month of August as you experience the Maine Fairy House Festival. You will make & take crafts, have fun with fairy house building in the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden; enjoy live performances, play Gnome Games, and the Great Bubble Machine; listen to small performances and partake in workshops; and lavish the mouth-watering Fairy Tea.

With just a glimpse of what the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Boothbay Harbor has to offer, you can see it’s truly a place worth visiting. For more information on events, concerts, shows, activities, and admissions, visit the website at www.mainegardens.org/.