Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Seasons
What does “in-season” and “off-season” mean when it comes to
rates for lodgings and restaurants? In most cases, rates are high
when the season is in and lower when it's off. Generally, the sea-
son in Maine runs from Memorial Day until Labor Day, although
the fall remains strong and bargains may be few and far between
on busy foliage weekends. In recent years the times formerly re-
ferred to as the “off-season” (anything not in season) have
changed. Late spring and most of fall are now referred to as the
“shoulder-seasons.”
Most chambers of commerce produce new information-packed booklets
each year and will also have websites with the latest details on lodging
and meal rates and dates.
Hotels, Motels & House Rentals
Quiz the owners or staff before deciding where to stay. Key words that
may mean one thing in your state may mean something totally different
in Maine. Rustic to you may mean no HBO, while in some rural areas it
means a longer-than-normal walk to the outhouse. Do not assume all
motels offer cable television and in-room phones. Also, do not assume all
rural cabins have electricity.
Cabins and rental houses can run from as little as $400 in the Greenville
area to as much as $2,000 a week on the coast. Most areas have a wide
price and amenity selection. The standard weekly rental runs from Sat-
urday to Saturday, with check-out time around 10 am and check-in
around 3 pm. Some places will not accept reservations for a single week
until after a certain date in late spring to allow those wishing longer
stays an advantage.
Many popular places will book up months in advance.
Above all, remember that reservations are a necessity in high summer. It
is not unusual for visitors to have to drive 100 miles back from Bar Har-
bor in late July and in August to find an available room. In Northern
Maine it is risky to go to Greenville, Millinocket or Rangeley in high win-
ter (snowmobiling and ski season) without reservations. And, like any-
where else, you will probably get what you pay for. Prices in excess of $95
dollars a night for a hotel room with no view along the coast are average.
When the sign says “$26 per night for two,” don't expect room service and
