Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The South Coast
Unlike much of the rest of Maine, which
is famous for its rock-bound coast, the
South Coast of the state is best characterized
by its long, flat, sandy beaches.
Great swimming and sunning begins in
Kittery, just across the border from New
Hampshire, and continues north up the
coast through York, Ogunquit, Well,
Kennebunk, Biddeford and, of course, the
grand dame of South Coast beaches, Old Or-
chard. Here the amusement pier and honky-
tonk main drag attract visitors by the thou-
sands, including scores of Canadians who
shed the cooler climes of Quebec and flee
down Routes 201 and 302 in search of fresh sea air, the scent of sun tan
oil, and the feel of fine white sand under foot.
But the South Coast is more than just beaches. There are scores of pictur-
esque harbors, quaint shops, cozy inns and bed and breakfast establish-
ments, as well as outlet shopping in Kittery, which is also home to the
renowned Kittery Trading Post, an outfitter selling everything from
cross-country ski wax and tents to firearms and hunting apparel.
Portland
, Maine's largest city, reigns over the region. Too poor during
the 1960s to afford the type of urban renewal that leveled historic struc-
tures in many New England towns of similar size, Portland was perfectly
positioned when the restoration boom of the 1980s took root. Its famous
Old Port section, characterized by gas-lit cobblestone streets, now bustles
with trendy shops and charming restaurants and bars.
Portland, along with the docks in South Portland to the west, is one of the
busiest seaports on the Eastern Seaboard. Here the waters of Casco Bay
are traversed daily by tiny lobster boats and sprawling ocean-going bulk
carriers. The city is also home to a major art museum and the
Seadogs
,
the state's only minor-league baseball team. The state's largest retail
shopping complex, the
Maine Mall
, is located in South Portland.
To the northwest is one of Maine's premier freshwater playgrounds,
Sebago Lake
. The towns that surround it boast long, proud histories
