Maine Travel Articles >
Portland Head Lighthouse.
The Long Way Around - A Drive Along Coastal Route 1
By Debra Conklin
Published: July 30, 2006
WHAT I would like to do in the next few articles for Maine.Info is take
a trip along Maine's Coastal Route 1. Starting at the tip of southern
Maine, I'd like to guide visitors to some of our more popular and
well-known attractions as well as some hidden beauties. Along the
way I'd like to share some of my own memories of these wonderful places.
Because it's summer and temperatures are finally beginning to rise here
in Maine, I think the first place to visit would be Maine's most famous
beach, Old
Orchard Beach. As a young girl of maybe seven or eight, I
recall the day my parents packed the entire family up and headed down
the interstate for a day at Old Orchard. To four young children the
two-hour drive seemed excruciatingly long and unfortunately for my
parents it was inevitable that they would have to hear, over and over,
the much-dreaded words, "Are we there yet?" And even worse, for
them, it was in four-part harmony.
When we finally arrived at Old Orchard we were in awe of the beach that
"never ended." It seemed to go on and on, the white sand blending
into the ocean and the sky. Once released from the confines of the
station wagon, we kids kicked off our shoes and ran around like puppy
dogs freed from our leashes. We jumped into the waves and then quickly
jumped back out because of the numbing coldness.
Although, there wasn't any money in the family budget to spend on any of
the rides at
Palace Playland, or to spend on carnival games, we all watched
with wide eyes as the other lucky kids screamed and laughed while being
twirled around and lifted high into the air. After a while though
mom pulled us away from the rides and led us across the sand to
The Pier.
Walking along, my sister and I became fascinated by the trinkets and
souvenirs on display. We pleaded relentlessly for mom to buy us
something . . . anything. Eventually we wore her down and she
indulged us by purchasing two small stretchy seashell bracelets.
We wore them proudly and once back home showed them off to all our
friends and regaled them with tales of a beach that goes on forever and
where amusement rides and fancy gifts are all found in one wondrous
place.
Just around the corner and down the street (or so it seems) from OOB, in
Saco, is
Funtown/Splashtown, USA. Although, it's been several years
since my husband, the kids and I have been there, we still vividly
remember our last outing there. Of all the rides in Funtown,
Dragon's Descent was by far my husband's and youngest daughter's
favorite. The experience of free falling from the top of Turbo
Drop Tower is a thrill you'll likely never forget. Dragon's
Descent is Funtown's tallest ride at 220-feet and once at the top of the
tower you'll get a panoramic view of Funtown and Splashtown, as well the
surrounding hills and mountains. It's a view that will take your
breath away.
Because, at the time, my oldest daughter had a
fascination with roller coasters, and Excalibur is Maine's only wooden
coaster, she was determined to ride this not once but several times.
Excalibur is the largest and tallest wooden coaster in this state and
has the distinction of being probably the best one ever built in New
England. But, my favorite ride was Thunder Falls Log Flume, which
is New England's longest and tallest log flume ride. As the day
wore on though, we became hot and decided to spend the rest of our
afternoon in Splashtown. Because there are 14 different slides, 2
pools, a child's lagoon and 5 children's slides, it would have been
impossible not to have fun there.
Other Maine attractions, which are an integral and rich part of Maine's
history, are our lighthouses. If you want to enjoy your vacation
by "lighthouse hopping" there are more than 60 in Maine and by
vacationing along Rte. 1 you'll find our more prominent ones. One
of the first ones you encounter when entering the state is our most
famous one, The Portland Head Light located in Fort Williams Park. The
picturesque beauty of this lighthouse makes it one of Maine's most
popular tourist attractions.
A little farther up Rte. 1, stop in
Freeport to
find a shopper's paradise of name brand and outlet stores. The home of
LL Bean, this is a must stop for a Maine born and bred
success story. Another nice way to spend the day in Freeport
is to take a few hours and go to the
Desert of Maine.
This natural phenomenon of an actual desert on the coast of Maine,
surrounded by towering pine trees, is as difficult to believe as it is
unforgettable. When we took our own girls here, several years ago,
they didn't understand the significance of what they were seeing or how
improbable it was that there was a desert in the middle of Maine.
What they were mostly concerned about was the thrill of the gem stone
hunt that was specifically designed with children in mind. They
raced around in the sand searching for the brightest and biggest stones
they could find. Stones which, by the way, I keep in my jewelry
box to remind me of our day spent there. What my husband and I
found fascinating was how the desert had literally taken over the
300-acre farm that had once stood there, many years ago. The only
building left standing was the family's 200 year old barn, which was
filled with photos and mementoes of what the farm once looked like.
For a more relaxing and peaceful day, try
Monhegan Island.
Being an island, the only way to get there, from here, is by boat.
Departures from Port Clyde are year round, but departures from Boothbay
Harbor and New Harbor are during summer months only. Be sure to
have your cameras ready though, because you'll definitely want to catch
on film, the antics of seals playing in the water or lying in the sun or
even the occasional porpoise or small whale rising just beyond the bow
of your boat. Because mainland cars aren't allowed on the island,
walking is the best way to enjoy the island. The 17 miles of
winding trails are the island's main attraction and they cover many of
the places made famous by local artists. The exceptional beauty of The
Cathedral Woods is almost overshadowed by the rumor that those woods are
home to fairies and unicorns. Tread carefully around the tall
spruce and be on the lookout among the waving ferns and mossy boulders.
Who knows what magic lingers there?
Sunset brings you to the whitehead cliffs on Monhegan Island and a
spectacular close to "just another day in Maine."
_____
Copyright 2006. Debra Conklin is a
published author who lives in rural Maine. Her interests vary from day
to day but always revolve around her family. She is the
author of This Ain't Shakespeare ... But It Sure Is Real