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Old 02-27-2006, 02:17 PM   #1
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Hi,

We are traveling to Maine and parts North and East in early September. Any recs. of what to see and where to camp? Diane has already given us some great tips! Anyone else?

Randy
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Old 02-27-2006, 03:55 PM   #2
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One of my sisters has traveled to Newfoundland, and enjoyed it so much that they have returned, and are planning another visit this year. The downside, particularly for someone traveling with a trailer, is that "the Rock" is a substantial ocean ferry trip from anywhere you can get to by road. See Marine Atlantic for routes, schedules, and rates, and keep in mind the overall length of your tug & trailer combination (mine would be in the 30' to 40' class, but there might be some 13' eggs on smaller tugs that are under 30' total).

The primary draw for my sister is wildlife viewing, but that's not the only attraction. Coastal cruises seem to be the way to see much of the wildlife, but I'm not familiar with the details.
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Old 02-27-2006, 04:25 PM   #3
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Hi Randy:
Spend as much time as you can in Newfoundland. We were there just last July for the month with the 17ft Bigfoot. Best holiday ever!
I tried to see as many peninsulas as possible, chasing down lighthouses and visiting fishing villages. Bonavista Bay is a favourite. Don't miss the Cape St Mary's Ecological Reserve where you walk the trail out to the cliffs to view all kinds of bird species. Amazing!
Another highlight, take the ferry to Fogo Island (north end of Newfoundland). Yes, take the trailer and camp at the community centre park. sponsored by the Lions club, I think (the OPP officer will direct you there).
What I did was look at the web pages for Newfoundland tourism, find the campsites with hydro and water.
Only caution I would give for a trip in September - that may be quite cold and not all the campsites may be open. June and July is best for icebergs.
If you don't want to take trailer in cold weather, every little village has bed and breakfast accommodation. Thats what I would do next trip.
Enjoy!
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Old 02-27-2006, 09:09 PM   #4
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Way back in the day we took the ferry from Sydney Mines (I think it was) to Port 'o Basque (I think it was) ...that's at the southern tip of Newfoundlad, and drove north until the roads stopped being paved. My old Chevy wagon, AKA the green latrine, finally staged a protest that got me worried about the car's suspension, and we turned back.

But not before enjoying the wonderful experience it was. Fjords, lobster villages, folks who'd never seen a dollar bill, etc. Didn't have an egg in those days, of course, and we still laugh about that hot hot August night spent in a "hunters cabin" that had no screens to keep out the Newfoundland air force. It was behind a roadside "hunters' bar" which got us well lubricated.

Wonder how it all is now. Probably the same. Hmmm. What's gas cost up there?
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Old 02-28-2006, 07:45 AM   #5
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Hey Thanks Brian, Myron and Harry!

Now I ahve some great ideas to start with!

Randy
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Old 02-28-2006, 08:06 AM   #6
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Randy
We spent many weeks travelling the coast of Maine. My sister-in-law used to live there and we went to see her almost every year for 20 years. To us, it's absolutely beautiful with all the rocky shores and lighthouses. Several times we took ferry from Bar Harbor to Nove Scotia or over to New Brunswick. Was that ever something to see! If you like scenic views with lobster boats and light houses, it is outstanding. The northern part, Cape Breton Island was breathtaking with mountains coming down to the seashore. Always planned to go to Labrador but never made it.
Some links you might enjoy.
http://www.visitmaine.com/home.php
http://www.newfoundlandandlabradortourism.com/home.zap
http://www.whiddens.com/main.html
http://www.novascotia.com/ride/
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Old 02-28-2006, 07:20 PM   #7
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One of the best trips my wife and I ever had was a week-long trip to Maine when we were very young and had only been married for two years. We ended up driving the entire coast of Maine from New Hampshire up to Lubec. I think the most amazing sight of the trip--and one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my life--was on our drive out to see the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. We were on the long causeway out to the island and we looked to our left, toward the ocean. There was some kind of temperature inversion over the water and a white wall of fog was gliding toward us at great speed. It literally seemed to be a perfectly formed gigantic white wall just rolling across the flat, waveless gunmetal sea. It was quite frightening. By the time we got to the lighthouse (one of the most beautiful I've ever seen), the wall of fog hit us and it was like soup. Visibility was awful. After viewing the lighthouse, we drove back across the causeway in the fog.

But the sight of that impervious-looking wall skidding across the ocean at us is something I will never forget.
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Old 03-01-2006, 08:39 AM   #8
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Randy, we've traveled extensively in Maine and the Canadian maritimes ... and highly recommend the trip!

Recommended stops:

In Freeport, Maine, you'll want to visit the LL Bean store and the outlets. There's a nice commercial campground called Flying Point that's right on the ocean. Need reservations. Tell them you're small. Ask for site L ... right on the water.

Acadia National Park is also on the route. Recommend staying on the "quiet side" inside the park at the "Seawall" campground. Climb/drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain at sunrise to catch the first rays to hit the continental US.

Next stop ... Saint Johns, New Brunswick. There's a nice municipal campground, located right in the middle of a botanical gardens, called Rockwood Park. Ask for one of the smaller "bluff" sites overlooking harbor.

You also need to stop at Fundy National Park. Stay inside the park. Buy a "season" Canadian Park pass, because you'll be hitting a number of national parks. Wonder at the highest tide recession in the world. Large ships float at high tide and rest on the ocean floor at low tide. Chignecto campground is inside the park. Drive up to the Hopewell Rocks and walk underneath mushroom shaped islands that are exposed at low tide.
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Old 03-01-2006, 08:40 AM   #9
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Head on up to Prince Edward Island ... take the causeway or the ferry (you only have to pay one way). PIE is shaped like a butterfly. Everyone visits the center.. few visit the "tips". We love Red Point Provincial Park campground, near Souris. My mother's family long ago used to farm potatoes in the red dirt near there.

Souris is also where you can catch a long ferry to the iles de la Magdalen .. but that's best saved for another trip.

Then head off Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia. My father's family long ago were "Capers" ... so we spend most of our time up on Cape Breton Island ... which is connected to mainland Nova Scotia via a causeway.
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Old 03-01-2006, 08:43 AM   #10
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Don't miss touring the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

Stay a couple of night inside the park at Cheticamp. Unfortunately, lobster season will be over by the time you arrive ... so you won't be buying them off the boats ... but there will still be plenty to eat!

On the very tip of Cape Breton National Highlands is one of our all time favorite campgrounds ... Meat Cove Camping. Absolutely thrilling views. My wife and I plan to eventually have our ashes co-mingled and thrown off the cliffs at Meat Cove.

On the east side on Cape Breton National Park is Broadcove ... a nice quiet campground where you can stay to explore the east side of the highlands.
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Old 03-01-2006, 08:44 AM   #11
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And, of course, you then have mainland Nova Scotia, with the obligatory stop at Peggy's Cove (which will seem downright boring when compared to Meat Cove).

I could go on and on ... but you probably have enough to think about.

My wife and I actually prefer to travel the maritimes during the black fly season ... why? I can deal with the flies ... it's the crowds I dislike.

If you were going in June ... I'd say you don't need reservations. Since you are going in September .... I would say get all the reservations you can get. Why? A lot of schools don't start until late September on the east coast. You'll still have families traveling ... in addition to retirees who think they can avoid the crowds and the black flies by going in September.
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Old 03-01-2006, 08:45 AM   #12
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A couple of black fly tips ....

Get some military developed "Permethrin" insect repellent that bonds with your clothing and lasts through several washings. Works like a charm. Also spray it on the screens in your trailer.

Three weeks before you head for black fly country, start taking orally Brewers Yeast tablets ... and continue to take the Brewers Yeast during your trip. Your body will "off gas" a smell that repels most (not all) of the black flies.

Hey, what's a few bug bites when you can avoid the crowds?
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Old 03-01-2006, 09:13 AM   #13
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Thanks Bob, Chris and Charles,

I will be making notes on the maps tonight! Will also start looking at the web sites suggested.



Randy
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Old 03-01-2006, 10:26 AM   #14
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NEWFOUNDLAND,has some of the nicest, most friendly,helpful people I have ever visited.You can camp just about everywhere unless there is a sign telling you not too. We camped with 3 other rigs , 3 years ago and all of us wont to go back. Wish we were going with you. AL P.
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Old 09-10-2006, 10:34 AM   #15
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I figured this would be a good post to append our trip report to. There isn't nearly as much info on this site about the East coast as there is the West.

My wife and I got away by ourselves in early August for a week in celebration of our anniversary. We stayed on Mount Desert Island (pronounced like "dessert") at the Bass Harbor campground. This was our very first camping trip so I don't have a lot to judge it by, but here goes.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. There was a mix-up with site reservations and when we arrived after driving all day we found another camper on our spot. Aparently someone in the office got numbered sites A and B mixed up when the other campers arrived. Because it was late in the day, we just set up on the other site and agreed that we'd figure it out in the morning. We actually liked that site so much that we spent the week there rather than moving to "our" spot. While it was a longer walk to the bathrooms, etc, it was a much larger and more private site. At nighttime or when the sounds in the campground had died down you could hear the bell on a buoy offshore from the lighthouse. Very relaxing.

The campground is on the "quiet" side of he island, away from the hustle and bustle of Bar Harbor but the island is small enough that it is not too far to drive over there if you'd like, as we did. It's a short walk to the Bass Harbor lighthouse, described as being one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country. There are also a couple of hiking trails out to the ocean that you could drive or walk to from the campground. The coast is beautiful - it's predominantly pink granite. We also drove to the top of Cadilac Mountain and the views there are breathtaking. The mountain itself is also mostly pink granite.

The campground is under new ownership. it looks like the previous owners had let it fall into somewhat of a state of disrepair but it looks like the new owners are working on bringing it back up. The bathroom facilities look... old, but clean. There is a rec hall and a pool, as well as a camp store and laundry facilities. The rec hall has a free wi-fi access point, which makes it easy to check your E-mail and keep in touch if you so desire.

While we were there, we saw no molded fiberglass other than one 16' Scamp at a gas station. The campground was populated by tents, mid-sized travel trailers, pop-ups, and a few larger 5th wheels and coaches. Other than that, we did see one vintage Scotty and an Aliner.

I had intended on staying at the Seawall National Forest campground, not far from Bass Harbor, but they don't accept reservations and I didn't want to chance driving all the way there only to find that they were full up.

All in all, I'd go back again. Acadia National Forest is beautiful and there are plenty of things to do on the island to keep busy. One of my most favorite activities was the tour of the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. They have a touch tank there where you can handle all different kinds of marine life. Fun AND educational!
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