A Day in Boothbay Harbor

Church in Boothbay Harbor

The coastal community of Boothbay Harbor is a tourist Mecca in the summer, so rather than waiting for the season to kick into high gear, we decided to visit a couple days before the first day of summer.

Upon arrival in Boothbay, we made our way to the Maine State Aquarium.  It was a bit difficult to find due to the meandering roads around Boothbay, and when we arrived the parking lot was packed.  As it turned out our trip coincided with the first race of the lobster boat race series that takes place each year in fishing villages up and down the Maine coast, so spectators were lining the shoreline in front of the aquarium.

Two-toned lobster

Touch tank at the Maine State Aquarium

The aquarium is not very large, but has a number of tanks with marine life native to Maine coastal waters.  My favorite was the two-toned lobster.

There were two touch tanks where you could pick up crabs, sand dollars, scallops, and sea urchins.  When Bethany picked up the scallop, we watched as it began to close its shell, then all of the sudden it squirted a stream of water right at Ashton, soaking his t-shirt.

The cost was $5 for adults and $3 for children 3-12.  You probably wouldn't spend more than 45 minutes there unless perhaps you listened to one of the staff talks.  When we arrived a number of people were listening to an educational program about lobsters, but we didn't join in.

After departing the aquarium, we stopped by the Beach Cove Inn around noon to see if by some chance our room was ready, and it was, so they let us check in.

Front of the Beach Cove Inn

We carried our stuff up one flight of stairs to the deluxe rooms overlooking the lake - Yes, I said lake.  While the hotel is in Boothbay, it is about a mile away from the hustle and bustle of the harbor area, on a lake that appears to once have been an inlet before the road to Southport Island separated it from the ocean.

View from our deck at the Beach Cove Inn

The view from the deck reminded me more of an inland lodge than a hotel in an oceanside community.

Although the inn had been around for a few years, it was quiet and comfortable thanks to some upgrades, including new paint and new beds.

Our room was huge.  It had two queen size beds, a sleeper sofa, flat screen TV, refrigerator, microwave and a big deck.  Even with all this furniture, you could have added another bed or two and not been crowded.  It was one of the largest rooms I'd seen in a long time and for the price, $99.00 + tax, it was a great value.

It has an outdoor, heated pool that my son used twice, and with a little coaxing, got me to join him the second time.  Actually the water temperature was pretty comfortable once you got use to it.

They also have canoes and rowboats you can borrow at no cost, to paddle along the lake, which we did Sunday morning.

Orne's Candy Store

After lunch on the deck of our room, we headed into town to poke around, making sure to stop at Orne's Candy Store right in the heart of the village.  Here, my wife and son picked up some rock candy, while I contemplated the chocolates - opting not to succumb to the temptation.

At 3 o'clock we boarded the sightseeing boat Novelty, operated by Balmy Day Cruises, for an hour-long harbor tour.   The price was $16 for adults and $8 for children 3-11.  It was a warm, breezy day, so we opted for a seat on the open upper deck.  The tour included periodic commentary from the captain as we cruised passed Burnt Island Light.  If you have time and are looking for an interestnig experience, the Maine Department of Marine Resources does a Living Lighthouse Program that shows what the life of a lighthouse keeper was like in the 1950s.  You are transported out to the island, meet the keeper and his family and participate in educational programs related to the marine life and floral and fauna on the island.

For dinner on Saturday night we went to the Lobster Dock.  It's the kind of casual place where the menu is hanging on the side of the building and you place your order at a take out window.  We chose a seat on the deck overlooking the harbor and our dinner was delivered right to our table.  They had a combination of seafood and land food, so we all had a nice meal before heading back to the hotel.

The next day we took a ride around Southport Island, making a stop at an off-the-beaten-path restaurant called Oliver's.  It was a new place overlooking the appropriately named Cozy Harbor that is quintessential Maine.

Our overnight in Boothbay Harbor was a relaxing escape.  And while it was only 50 miles away, it seemed like another world. 

Ashton on the Novelty

Burnt Island Lighthouse

Ashton and Bethany on the hotel deck

View of Cozy Harbor from the dock at Oliver's Restaurant

Willowbrook Historic Village - Newfield, Maine

Store at 19th Century Willowbrook Village

After more than a week of rain, it was time to get out of the house.  We were brainstorming about where to go, but it seemed as though we had done just about everything there was to do in New England.  Then Bethany came across 19th Century Willowbrook Village in Newfield, Maine.  We've known about it for years, but decided it would be a good day trip.  It was about an hour from Greene, in the southwestern part of the state.  An area that lacks the heavy tourist crowd one finds along the coast or even in the more recognized inland areas like Sebago Lake, Bethel and Rangeley. 

It's a rural area of the state, only about 30 miles from Portland and about 10 miles to the New Hampshire border, dotted with small villages.  It seems like these communities have been seemingly forgotten by the masses, but I don't think that's truly the case.  There are many lakes in the area like Lake Arrowhead, Little Ossipee Pond, Square Pond, Great East Lake, Mousam Lake, and Wilson Lake, to name a few, with camps where it is likely that families from in-state and out-of-state make summertime memories.

I'm sure the towns in the area have a history much like Newfield, that was once home to a thriving carriage and sleigh making industry.  Today, it's a place where your family can step back in time and spend a couple hours learning about life in the mid-19th Century.

We drove there along Maine Route 11 and just about the time when we thought we were in the middle of nowhere, we saw the sign directing us to Willowbrook.  As you come over the rise a cluster of 25 buildings surrounding a mill pond lay before you and you think you might have just wandered into a Norman Rockwell painting.

The welcome center is a neatly kept three-story, white clapboard house and attached barn with a well-manicured lawn that gently slopes down to the mill pond.  This is the Amos Straw Country Store which offers penny candy, Maine crafts and other gifts and souvenirs. We bought our tickets and headed straight for the attached barn.  A video providing the back story on Willowbrook is available for those interested, but we were with a 10-year-old who was more interested in exploring the buildings in person than sitting and watching a video about them.

Milk Delivery Carriage

 The barn had several exhibits including creamery, laundry, spinning and weaving, corn broom shop, shoe making, harness making and the Furber Pump Company.  Apparently, Mr. Furber was the guy who invented the manual well pump that took the place of lowering a bucket into the well to get water.  An actual Furber Pump is on the front lawn of the Amos Country Store and kids and adults alike are welcome to test it out.

Milk bottles in the Durgin Barn

There were three floors in the barn.  Upstairs were old bicycles, sleds and sleighs.  The basement of the barn had a wide array of antique machinery that would have been used on the farm during the day.  One of the biggest machines was a horse treadmill that could be hooked up to other machinery.  As the horse walked it operated the machines.

When we arrived, Asthon got a little brochure called the "Passport Through Time" and an ink stamp.  At various exhibits throughout the museum, there were educational tidbits and hands-on interactive exhibits.  As he visited these exhibits, he could stamp the Passport and at the end of the tour he turned it in for a small gift. 

1849 Concord Stagecoach

From this barn, it was off to the Carriage House with 25 restored carriages, wagons and sleighs, including a wagon used by a salesman who sold housewares.  But the pride and joy of the collection is the 1849 Concord Stagecoach.  This beautiful stagecoach used to carry passengers from Bath to Small Point, Maine prior to the Civil War, about a 15-mile trek down the Phippsburg peninsula.

Armitage Herschell Carousel

When you go to Willowbrook, be sure to go when the historic Armitage Herschell Carousel is running.  Apparently it is one of the oldest in the country and for an additional cost, Ashton and I went for a spin.  It was a little different because rather than the horses going up and down, it kind of felt like they were galloping along.  There is an interesting story about how this carousel came to be at Willowbrook, but I don't want to spoil it, so you'll have to visit yourself to find out more.

One Room Schoolhouse

For the next hour or so we visited the rest of the buildings which had many interesting exhibits related to carpentry, gas-powered equipment, printing, logging, cider mill, maple sugaring, haying and a cooperage, among other things.

The last stop was the the schoolhouse where the museum staff offered a program on what it would have been like to go to school around the turn of the century.  Boys sat on the right and girls sat on the left and the teacher had a switch that was used for discipline.  On the wall was a discipline chart showing how many lashes a child would get for breaking the rules.  One of the biggest offenses was picking on the girls.  That would get you 10 lashes - so be nice.

Footbridge to the carpenter's shop

 After having toured the grounds, we took a break at the Sandwich Shop and Ice Cream Parlor where you can get a full lunch, a snack and, or a dish or cone of ice cream.  While Ashton and Bethany enjoyed a bowl of ice cream, I refreshed myself with a root beer float. 

It was a fun day and well worth the trip.  The cost was $12 per adult and $5 for children 6-12.  We also took advantage of the AAA discount that saved $1.00 off per adult.  The carousel ride added $3.00 each, but it was worth the added expense.  We spent about 2 to 2-1/2 hours there and that was without reading every display and probably passing by other displays more quickly than we should have.

While sitting at the picnic table in the shade of a huge oak tree overlooking the village, Ashton summed up the visit by saying, "I thought this was going to be lame, but it turned out to be awesome."

View of the Amos Straw Country Store and Band Stand.

Bicycling the Papermill Road in Lisbon, Maine

Trail sign at the entrance to the Papermill Road Trail on Route 196 in Lisbon.

Springtime has bloomed in Maine and it's the perfect time to dust off the frame, pump up the tires and strap on the helmet for some casual exploring of many bicycle trails that dot the landscape.  While this post only features one ride, our family has already determined that we will be seeking out new places to ride throughout the state, and probably outside the state too.

The Papermill Road Trail in Lisbon was a great start for the season.  We accessed this paved path from the parking lot at the corner of Route 196 and Frost Hills Road, which also happens to be the boat launch at the confluence of the Androscoggin and Sabattus Rivers, so if you like paddling, this is a good place to put in to explore the Androscoggin.

The trail runs along side the Sabattus River for nearly 3/4 of a mile through mostly hard woods.  The first part of the trail had a slight incline, but there was only one place my son got off of his bike and walked it, and that was only for about 25 yards.  Along the way are granite benches for those looking for a quiet place to relax and reflect.

Rock hopping in the Sabattus River.

About half way up the trail on the left were a couple of well worn paths down to the Sabattus River.  The river is pretty shallow as it runs across flat rocks and a riverbed full of boulders.  This is a great place to make a game of hopping from rock to rock in the middle of the river, working your way from East bank to the West bank and back.  There was also a neat rock formation that had likely been worn away over centuries of spring thaws.

Rock shelf worn by the river

About 2/3rds the way up the trail are signs identifying the remains of the old mill that once stood along the river banks, but Ashton wasn't interested in stopping to learn more, so I can't give you any insight about that.

The first leg of the trail ended at the Lisbon Community School on Mill Street.  On this particular day there was a 5k fundraising run/walk, so the school grounds and the second leg of the bike path were quite busy.  The second leg of the trail meandered through rolling grass pastures that spread across the landscape like a beautiful green carpet.  Each leg of the trail was about .75 miles, so the round trip was about 3 miles.

The ride back down the trail from the school was all downhill, so we coasted along with little effort.  My squeaky brakes warned pedestrians of our approach and we slowly eased by people en route back to the car.

It was a great little ride for our first outing, and has us looking forward to the next bicycling adventure.

Battleship Cove

A couple years ago, while scouring the Internet for something fun to do in New England that we hadn't already done, we came across an attraction in Fall River, Massachusetts called Battleship Cove.  Their brochure boasts the world's largest naval ship exhibit, and sure enough they lived up to their promise.  You could tour four old naval vessels including the battleship Massachusetts, destroyer Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., the submarine Lionfish, and a missile corvette Hiddensee.

Apparently, the name Fall River was derived from the Wampanoag word Quequechan which means "falling river."  I assume that since Fall River is easier to pronounce than Quequechan, the name stuck.  What was once a thriving textile mill city is now blossoming as a tourist destination, and one of its star attractions is Battleship Cove.

We arrived early on Monday, Patriot's Day, and found a parking spot right away.  From the parking lot we could see the battleship U.S.S. Massachusetts whose towering gray mass rose ominously from the harbor.  We paid our $35.50 entrance fee for two adults and one child (thanks to some $2 off coupons my wife found in a brochure rack) and headed for the gangplank of this floating piece of history.

Ashton standing below the 16" guns.

Once on the deck, you are immediately struck by the size of the 16 inch guns and the enormity of the ship.  As I was taking pictures, my son urged me along, like any 10-year-old boy intrigued by what lies below the deck of this massive vessel.   Ok, I admit it.  I wanted to get inside too.

Mess deck on the U.S.S. Massachusetts

The tours are self-guided, so we went to the first entrance we could find to go below deck.  One of the first rooms we came to was the mess deck.  Given that this ship would have a crew of about 2,000, I'm sure the guys who worked here kept extremely busy.

Barber Shop on U.S.S. Massachusetts

For nearly two hours, we explored every nook and cranny on this ship.  I was fascinated by the number of services on board.  We saw a print shop, shoe shop, clothing shop, laundry, and barber shop, among others.  The thing that surprised me most was the size of the barber shop.  I believe there were six barber chairs in it.  I grew up in Montpelier, Vermont and the most barber chairs I ever saw in one place in that town of 8,000 was three.

On the bridge of the U.S.S Massachusetts

We continued wandering aimlessly from deck to deck, going up ladders and down ladders.  And when we thought we'd seen all of the ship, we discovered another place we hadn't yet explored.

Eventually we wound our way back up to the deck and out into the fresh air because we were supposed to meet some friends who were on their way back from Mystic, Connecticut.  After hooking up with them, we opted to check out the submarine.

If the battleship was the sprawling university, the submarine was the one-room schoolhouse.  When operational, it was manned by a crew of 85, and I'll be darned if I could figure out how that many people fit on this sub. 

It didn't take us long to go through this and then it was on to the Hiddensee.  One thing that struck us while touring this ship was that instructions were written in both English and Russian.  This puzzled us until we found out that this vessel was built in St. Petersburg, Russia for the East German Navy.  It was decommissioned in 1991 and somehow got recommissioned in the U.S.  Okay, I'm still puzzled, but at least we know why it had Russian writing.

Shells in U.S.S. Massachusetts

We had a picnic lunch at Fall River Heritage State Park, overlooking Battleship Cove before touring the last vessel, the U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.

By about two-o'clock we called it a day.  Had we spent time reading the exhibits more carefully, this could easily have been a full day affair.  They also run a show entitled "The Pearl Harbor Experience" on an outdoor screen that includes sound effects, giving you the feeling of experiencing the invasion first-hand.

On the way out, we let the kids take a ride on the old Fall River Carousel, an antique ride that was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.  For one dollar, you can ride one of the four dozen wooden horses on this beautiful piece of historic entertainment.

Fall River Carousel

View of Fall River from Battleship Cove

As we left Battleship Cove, we drove past the Old Colony & Fall River Railroad Museum and the Marine Museum at Fall River, giving us at least two reasons to perhaps visit another day.

Boston Museum of Science

One of the nice things about living in Maine is that we're not very far from Boston.  And one of the nice things about Boston is that there are many things for families to enjoy.  About three years ago we did the New England Aquarium through which my son, who was about 7 at the time, set a land-speed record visiting.  I don't think we were in there more than 20 minutes before we exited to stand in line at the IMAX theater where we watched one of those 3-D shows.  We spent about $120 for the aquarium, movie and parking, making me think it might have been cheaper and we could have entertained ourselves longer if we'd gone to Atlantic City and played Roulette.  During that same trip we wandered through Faneuil Hall and did the observation deck at the to of the Prudential Skywalk Observatory.

This time around we went to the Boston Museum of Science.  My son's now 10 and he is much more interested in science and some of the other cool stuff in this very worthwhile attraction.  This time around we spent about $100 including museum admission, IMAX movie and lunch, and we were there for about four hours.

It was a Sunday morning, the day before the 2013 Boston Marathon.  We arrived around 9:30 a.m., found a parking place in the parking garage about 50 feet from the entrance to the museum, and didn't have to wait in line to pay admission.  We figured since most people tend to start on the first floor and work their way up, we would start at the top and work our way down.  On the top floor, we practically had the place to ourselves.

Ashton liked the Science in the Park exhibit best, which presented the essentials of physics, but through fun, interactive exhibits.  His favorite display was the bed of nails.  In this exhibit, you lie on a plastic bed and when someone pushes the button, about 1,000 nails rise up through the plastic, so you are literally lying on a bed of nails.  Ashton was very excited to try it out, but only after dad, the Guinea Pig, did it first. However once he did it he went back and tried it a couple more times.

Ashton lying on a bed of nails.

The Light House exhibit was not about lighthouses, but about light and how it refracts, reflects, etc.  There was a neat exhibit where you could sit on a stool and see your self in a wall full of mirrors based upon how the mirrors were angled.  I shot the photo below from directly over Ashton's head and left wondering what it would be like to have quadruplets, eight times over.

Ashton's reflection in 32 mirrors.

We laid in a replica of a space capsule from the Apollo missions and stood in a big tube, which looked like a big test tube, to experience what 78 mph winds would be like in a hurricane.

Ground Control to Major Ashton.

Dorothy and Toto would be proud.

After exploring three floors of exhibits, it was off to the IMAX movie called Journey Into Amazing Caves, that showed cavers exploring regular caves, ice caves and underwater caves in search of new micro-organisms that they hope could some day help cure disease.

We ate lunch at the Riverview Cafe in the museum where you could find pretty much anything you wanted to eat.  I don't like the term "Something for everybody" because I often think that it really means "nothing special for anyone", but this place had a good variety of foods.  My wife and I split a Southwest chicken wrap, but you could get burgers, fries, pizza, spaghetti, PB&J, Mexican, Starbuck's coffee, salads and many other things.  And for what we got, I didn't think $28.50 was bad for lunch for three.

After the museum, we boarded the Boston Duck Tour for a 75 minute tour with Guido Gondolier at the wheel - or is it helm?  It's an interesting tour as you pass by many historical and modern-day landmarks and end up boating about in Back Bay, where Ashton (and other kids) got to drive the duck.  The tour was about $90 for the three of us, but it's a nice way to see the sites of Boston and think about other places we might visit on a future trip to the city.

Riders disembarking after the tour with Guido in the striped shirt.

We found that with the museum, IMAX movie and Duck Boat tour, we filled up our day pretty well and we went back to the hotel for a dip in the indoor pool and to rest our weary bones in preparation for day two - our trip to Battleship Cove.  Stay tuned for this.

P.S.  We stayed at the Comfort Inn in Danvers which is about half hour north of downtown Boston.  If you ever find yourself in Danvers and want a good pizza, check out Captain Pizza in Middleton.  They serve very excellent Greek style pizza.

Fort Knox...No, There's No Gold Here

Fort Knox, Prospect, Maine

A few weeks ago my family took a drive to Prospect, Maine, home of Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory.  This is not the Fort Knox with all the gold.  That one's in Kentucky.  This Fort Knox is Maine's largest historic fort standing watch over the Penobscot River and the town of Bucksport, and one of our favorite spots to experience a touch of Maine history.

Exploring the passages within the fort walls.

My 10-year-old son loves to explore the labyrinth of tunnels circumventing the fort's interior and exterior walls.  The walls of the fort were designed to allow soldiers to patrol the perimeter of the fort without having to go outside.  It's important to bring a flashlight, as the tunnels can get pretty dark.  During this outing, we opted for headlamps so as to keep our hands free.

Fort Knox overlooking the village of Bucksport.

If you're looking for a good workout, take the stairs from the fort down to Battery "B" on the river's edge.  These enclosed stairways stay cool in the summer, since they are mostly underground, and will beat your "Stairmaster" any day.  In this area you'll find a cannon ball furnace that heated up cannon balls that were to be fired at ships.  The cannon balls were heated at such a high temperature, they could start a fire if it hit the ship the right way.

The fort was built to protect Bangor from a British naval invasion.  Bangor was a strategic port in the mid-1800s because it was the Lumber Capital of the World with a huge exporting business.

Abutting Fort Knox is the Penobscot Narrows Observatory; the only bridge observatory in the United States.  Observatory admission is paid at the front gate of Fort Knox.

View of Fort Knox from the Penobscot Narrows Observatory.

A one-minute elevator ride rewards you with beautiful 360-degree views, including a birds-eye view of Fort Knox.  The observation deck is 420 feet above the river with some signage labeling what you're seeing out the window.

Penobscot Narrows Observatory, towering above the treeline.

Bethany and Ashton striking a pose between the old an new bridges.

Rangeley, Maine

Height of Land, Route 17 in Rangeley

Smalls Falls on the Sandy River

Rangeley, Maine is a town of about 1,200 near the New Hampshire border.  It's a four-season resort with seemingly unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities.  About 4 hours from Boston by car, the last leg of the drive is along the 52-mile-long Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway.

Just south of town, one of the easily accessible natural attractions along the byway is Smalls Falls, a 54-foot series of cascades tumbling down a rock face with two or three different pools that beckon swimmers to take a refreshing dip on a hot summer day.  A footbridge crosses the river below the falls and it makes a good vantage point from which to watch daring young men as they leap from the sheer rock faces into the churning pools below.  For the more reserved swimmer, there are crystal clear pools at the foot of the falls to keep you cool as well.  There is ample parking, and many picnic tables for those who wish to pack a lunch and spend a couple hours taking in this beautiful setting.

As you roll into town, the trees part ways and you are treated to a scenic vista of the lake and surrounding mountains, providing a taste of what has attracted outdoor enthusiasts for generations.

Scenic overlook on Route 4 as you head into Rangeley

The outdoor sporting heritage is evident throughout town, as the streets are lined with outdoor-related shops and float planes bob in the water along side the town dock.  Plus, don't miss the Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum in Oquossuc.  Built in 2010, this museum displays artifacts and memorabilia that represents the hunting and fishing culture that shaped this region.

Waterfront rental on Rangeley Lake

There are accommodations aplenty, so finding a comfortable place to stay is very easy.  One option is the  historic Rangeley Inn.  With its 35 inn rooms, restaurant and tavern, the Rangeley Inn has been serving up hospitality since the late 1800s.  You might also choose a beautiful waterfront cottage, or one of the many family-friendly motels.  No matter where you stay, you can always find a place to put your feet up and let stress take a holiday.  If you come, be sure to strap your canoe or kayak to the car, or perhaps rent a pontoon boat for a loon's-eye view of the area.  From most of the cottages, you are rewarded with views of Saddleback Mountain looming in the distance and reflecting in the shimmering waters. 

Saddleback Mountain is also a great ski resort in the winter.

If you're ambitious, you might take a day hike along the Appalachian Trail to the 4,116-foot summit of Saddleback Mountain.  But if you want a more family-friendly hike, I'd suggest Bald Mountain, a 2,400-foot mountain that sits smack dab between Rangeley Lake and Mooselookmeguntic Lake.  The views from the summit are absolutely stunning and the short, mile-long trail is just long enough so the kids can have a great  hike in the morning and get back to the lakeside lodge for a swim in the afternoon.


If you're not staying at a waterfront property, you can take advantage of the public swimming area at Rangeley Lake State Park on the south side of the lake.  Or, if you want a family camping outing, reserve one of the waterfront sites at the park.

Sunrise over Rangeley Lake

And as the sun begins to lower in the sky and night begins to fall, break out the marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers for s'mores around the campfire.  Most places have fire pits which can become a great place to make new friends beneath the starry skies.  But as you make new acquaintances, keep an eye to the sky and watch for shooting stars, because on a clear night the sky above Rangeley Lake is your own personal planetarium (I saw three shooting stars last time I was there).

For a memorable family vacation, Rangeley can deliver.