Maine... looking to move there.

I more most familiar with the Portland and lakes area of Maine as I know people who own 2nd homes and have lived in these areas. I travel to Maine all the time. It is a beautiful state. Portland is a great city, not too big right on the ocean with a lot nice shops and restaurants. They even have the minor league team, the Portland Seadogs which became an affiliate of the Red Sox last year. Lots of artsy type of stuff. There are a lot of small towns along the ocean going up through Maine that can offer different things depending on what you are interested in.

There is also a beautiful lake area with the largest lake called Sebago Lake and many other smaller lakes. Nice quiet pretty area not too far a drive from Portland. Then of course the mountains - many ski areas to offer.

Also as you go further up north things become even more remote. I am not as familiar with that area so I can't comment on it much. There is a lot of French Canadians that vacation and live in Maine so most places will have signs in both languages and many speak both. It is really hard to answer unless I know if you have questions on a specific area or what you interest are.

I lived in Northern Maine for just short of 10 years. For the most part it's quiet and built on the tourism, forestry and outdoor sporting businesses.

Taxes tend to be below average (nationally) but utilities are well above average.

What part of Maine are you considering?

I'm looking at the Portland or Augusta areas.

Portland is an easy drive to Boston and anywhere along the coast. It's been consdiered a "hip" and "trendy" city for some time now. I think it's the biggest city in the state too.

One thing you will find if you keep looking up there is that there are "3 Maines". The bulk of the state's population is in the 2 or 3 counties from Portland down toward Portsmouth NH. Then you have Central Maine - east fof Portland and covering Lewiston-Auburn, Augusta and as far as Bangor. Beyond Bangor you have no-mans land. Down East to the south east of Bangor and Aroostook County (aka 'The County") to the north of Bangor. Those regions are sparsely populated.

Maine is OK...
I personally do not care for Maine but I am also a person who likes to be in very populated areas such as cities and where there is alot of shopping. I think if you were to move to Maine you should move in the Portland area because that is one of the few areas in Maine where there are alot of businesses. If you are in some parts of Maine, the closest grocery store might be a hour away!

If you are into the quiet life, wildlife and nature, however, then Maine has absolutely gorgeous scenery. Southern Maine is full of outlet shops and beautiful beaches. Northern Maine is where it is very woodsy and the coastal towns are usually shipping towns.

Portland is located around central Maine so you would be able to get both sides of Maine and at the same time be nearby many shops and restaurants. Portland is a small city though.

Re: Maine is OK...


Did someone move Portland while I wasn't looking?

lol
I thought it was in central Maine... I guess I was wrong. lol.. but I have been there twice.

may I put in a word for the lonely fog swept washington County coast. Its the downeast that youve read about. Anything North of Hancock gets you out of the goddam tourist areas. If youve gotta live in a bigger town, Portland was voted as one of the top 10 most livable cities in the US . (I believe it was very near the top) Augusta Hallowell, ehh, not so nice. Lewistown, Saco, brunswick,, Skowhegan, Waterville, worse yet. I like Bangaww (Bangor) and stay away fromHoulton (think of the first syllable)

Its like art, you gravitate towards what you love. We hate crowds and phony tourist traps where you can buy lobstah traps and where people give you bibs to eat a lobster. Look like a damn fool with a drool cloth
id say, anywhere between Jonesport and Calais and over to rt 9 (the 'airline"). If you stay near the watah, you will be blessed with much fog. If you move a bit inland you miss the fog so whenever you drive to the boat, you dont know what the weathers gonna be till you get there.

iT IS DAMN COLD IN THE WINTAH> and, more than the cold, you will be annoyed by the lack of light. The sun comes up around 8aM and sets by 330 PM. its not like labrador or Northern Canada but, if youre used to at least 8 hours of light, forget it.

We have a camp along the Passamaquoddy Bay and we go into Fundy and out to sea , so , in the summah, Its glorious. Except for that fog thing. You gotta have Radah, or you aint goin nowhere on the watah. .
Downeast Maine is ruled by the sea. So is your diet. Its our favorite spot. Sea and islands of rock. whales and fishermen. Big boats and small .

I like western MAine too, but, for me, its gotten too built up in recent years. Too many yupster skimansions and villages full of people with annoying New York accents. Northern Maine is still pretty rural, and theres a talk that huge tracts of lumber company land are going into land preservation. Nortern Maine can get really cold. We have some friends that live in Penobscot County , in site of Mt Kaqtahdin . Theyve had -25 F frequently in the winter.
Near the water its not so bad but its still a cold snowy winter, and unless you like snowshoing and skidooing, you are stuck around home cause they dont plow alot in the counties.