MTM Maine Tour Magazine
TM
Touring New England and Eastern Canada Spring 2019
From the Trap Remembering The Lobster LadyÂŽ
Along for the Ride Kansas Master Gardeners
Larger Than Life
Remembering
Awe-Inspiring Landmarks
The Lobster LadyÂŽ
Destination Cheesy Tours of New England
Group Tour Solutions
Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 1
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SPRING TRIVIA
Table of Contents www.mainetour.com • Spring 2019 • vol. 24/1
TRUE OR FALSE? 1. The lone red seat at Fenway Park marks what? a. If you happen to purchase this general admission seat, your Fenway Franks are free all day b. Where Babe Ruth hit the winning home run in the 1918 World Series c. Where Ted Williams hit the longest in-park home run in 1946 d. Where they made Mick Jagger sit before his last concert here 2. Which of the following is NOT a nickname for Maine? a. Pine Tree State b. Vacationland c. The Lumber State d. Old Dirigo State e. Land of Red Hotdogs 3. Which of the following was NOT invented in Connecticut: a. Pay Phone (what’s a pay phone?) b. TV Remote Control c. Frisbee d. Helicopter e. Polaroid Camera 4. Daylight savings time starts and ends on the same day throughout New England. 5. Turn your watch ahead ½ hour when crossing from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland and Labrador. 6. The term “sideburns” is named after Ambrose Burnside, a former governor of Rhode Island.
Larger Than LIfe
Cheesy Tours
Along for the Ride
Notes From the Trap • 4 The Lobster Lady®• and The Maine Tour Connection at 35
Larger Than Life • 6 Awe-Inspiring Landmarks
Signature Tours • 12 Along for the Ride • 14
Remembering
Kansas Master Gardeners
Destination • 22 Cheesy Tours of New England
The Lobster Lady® page 16
The Bus Stops Here • 30 Maine Tour Magazine is published biannually for an audience of over 2,500 domestic and international tour operators and group travel planners, as well as others interested in New England and Eastern Canada tourism. Direct information and inquiries to: Maine Tour Magazine, 96 Ocean Street, Suite 3, South Portland, ME 04106 • Copyright 2019 by Maine Tour Magazine (207) 878-8400 • 800-554-6246 • Fax (207) 878-9300 • All rights reserved. • www.mainetour.com • e-mail: Loblady@mainetour.com. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Maine Tour Magazine cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Publisher: The Maine Tour Connection; President: Chris Rackmyre; Art Director: Christine Richards; Advertising Sales: Chris Rackmyre; Alice Mazurie; VP Sales & Marketing: Donna Hanson; Writer: Robert Witkowski; Contributing Writer: Mary Lyons. Cover: The Lobster Lady®/Photograph by Felice Boucher.
ANSWERS on page 13
The
MAINE TOUR
Be sure to take a look at our website: www.mainetour.com
CONNECTION Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 3
Notes from the Trap Remembering The Lobster Lady®
foster’s Clambakes & Catering
Like the stately lighthouses on the rugged Maine coast, she was our guiding light. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, we to make a giant impression with
have been deeply affected here at tour passengers. The Maine Tour Connection by And, finally, it is with this issue the passing of our founder and of Maine Tour Magazine we offer our president, Jeanne M. thanks and farewell McGurn, “The Lobster to Mary Lyons, Maine Lady.” Tour Magazine editor Jeanne was since the magazine’s not only founder 1996 inaugural. We of The Maine Tour will continue to call Connection and Maine her “our friend, Mary Tour Magazine, she Lyons” as Jeanne did was, like the stately for so many years. lighthouses on Maine’s In her place, we rugged coastline, our are happy to welcome guiding light. Robert Witkowski, Jeanne made it who is also Creative clear she wanted Director at Visit Jeanne M. McGurn the business she Portland. 1955-2019 loved, The Maine No stranger Tour Connection, to to The Maine Tour continue, each itinerary booked Connection, Robert joined us with friendship and hospitality. over 10 years ago as a step-on We start with this edition of guide. Jeanne personally trained Maine Tour Magazine. I can’t help Robert, and they enjoyed some but think Jeanne has had a hand in inspired repartee. Over the years, our featured articles. Robert has continued as a guide, “Along for the Ride” is a and is honored to join Maine Tour reminder to enhance your Maine Magazine in this new and exciting visit with a custom itinerary—a role. hallmark of Jeanne’s vision. Sixty We want to thank you, our master gardeners from Kansas did valued clients, cherished vendors, just that with our Maine gardens and friends, near and far, for the tour, page 14. outpouring of love expressed in Can you say cheese? Our your many cards, emails, social wonderful step-on tour guides media messages, flowers, shared say it every day all around New memories, and gifts. England and Eastern Canada. Please turn to page 16 where “Cheesy Tours,” page 22, is we remember Jeanne. designed to whet your appetite with a full board of cheese-making stops. Don't miss our “Larger Than Chris Rackmyre, CTIS Life” feature on page 6—it’s bound President
4 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
Watch a live clambake:
fostersclambake.com/clambake
Authentic Downeast Maine Clambakes Located in historic York Harbor Minutes from scenic light houses, beaches, famous outlet shopping, group hotels and much more!
Handicapped Accessible Bus Parking Complimentary Meals Provided
fostersclambake.com
Call 800-552-0242
207.646.5511 OgunquitPlayhouse.org 10 Main St. (Rte 1) Ogunquit, ME
Join us this season! All titles subject to
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Your Group Will Enjoy • Award-Winning Broadway shows! • Plenty of free coach parking • Handicap-accessibility • Special menus and discounted ticket rates • A delightful meal before or after the show
92 Bourne Lane • 646-4777 Visit: JonathansOgunquit.com Over 40 years serving the traveling public.
Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 5
Larger
Than
©Dennis Jarvis
Life BY ROBERT WITKOWSKI
F
Paul Bunyan, Bangor, ME 6 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
rom lumberjacks to pilgrims, the northeast is home to larger than life landmarks waiting to delight. The Québécois expression “bon yenne!” expresses astonishment, so it is not surprising how similar it sounds to “Bunyan,” as in Paul Bunyan, history’s most famous lumberjack to emerge from the Great North Woods of Maine. The phrase—and name—evokes the awe-inspiring legends, not only of this superhuman hero, but of all the humbling landmarks throughout the northeast. The Forestry Capital of Canada is Nackawic, New Brunswick, so it seems natural a 23-foot long, PaulBunyan-size axe would be perched at the banks of the Saint John River, not far from the United States border. Though the early 1900 myths by J. E. Rockwell said the flannelwearing tree chopper was “eight feet tall and weighed 300 pounds,” the Maine statues are more in keeping with those of William Laughead. An advertising exec for Red River Lumber Company, Laughead’s 1916 depictions of Bunyan showed him with superhuman strength, towering over trees, like Bangor’s 31-foot statue of Bunyan across from the city’s Hollywood Casino & Raceway. In the western Maine paper mill town of Rumford, an 18-foot Bunyan
©Robert Witkowski
Eartha at Garmin, Yarmouth, ME stands sentry in front of the Rumford Informaton Center on Route 2. What he lacks in height, he makes up for with the company he keeps—Babe, his famed blue ox sidekick at his side. Beyond the pair’s presence, the Rumford rest stop next to Penacook Falls astonishes travelers with an 180-foot drop, the longest drop east of Niagara. While Bunyan is credited with creating Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes and Arizona’s Grand Canyon, a giant footprint clearly visible on a sheer rock embankment where Route 1 curves towards Bucksport is evidence he also may be responsible for Penobscot Bay. The Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory, the tallest public bridge observatory in the world, stuns visitors with its 420 tower and 360-degree views from three levels. It’s truly a Paul Bunyan view of Maine. In Freeport, L.L.Bean offers an all-weather boot in a size 410. Famous for quality outdoor equipment for over 100 years, it’s appropriate to find the 16-foot replica of the company’s signature rubber-bottom boot by the main entrance to their flagship store. With no locks on the doors, the perpetually open outfitter’s world headquarters and oversized shoe is a must-see for both giant lumberjacks and shutterbugs alike. Also on Route 1, Freeport’s 30-foot Native American has been welcoming shoppers to Casco Bay Trading Post since 1947. Commonly known as the BFI (‘Big Freeport Indian’), though some locals prefer MBNA (‘Maine’s Big Native American’).
North of Freeport, a bigger “Indian,” reaching 62-feet tall sits atop a 20-foot base in Skowhegan. This tribute to Maine’s Abenaki people was created by local sculptor Bernard Langlais, and is considered the world’s tallest Indian sculpture. Hiding in plain sight on High Street, behind a convenience store, the Indian, portrayed as a peaceful fisherman, was restored in recent years to its original 1969 grandeur, ready for close-up selfies. Explorers who care to continue on Maine’s winding Langlais Art Trail may be surprised to discover its ferocious 10-foot tall wooden bear when they enter the expansive lobby of Portland’s waterfront visitor information center at Ocean Gateway. On Portland’s waterfront you'll also find three panels of the toppled Berlin Wall. The freedom from repression expressed on the cement slabs along Long Wharf by DiMillo’s represent a shining moment in time. And the world is yours in Yarmouth, where you'll find the three-story glass atrium at Garmin (formerly DeLorme), home to Eartha, the “World’s Largest Rotating Globe.” When it was created in 1998, Guinness World Records confirmed Eartha’s massive size, with a diameter of 41 feet, eclipsed a similar 33-foot-wide globe in Italy. And even though the rotating installment mimics Earth’s 23.5 degree axis, Continued on Page 8
Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 7
Larger Than LIfe
©Robert Witkowski
Eartha rotation is completed in a mere 18 minutes. Len Libby Chocolatier on Route 1 in Scarborough redefines a chocolate moose. Their roadside confections entice with wafting aromas, but mouths more than water when people see Lenny, a life-size moose made of 1,700 pounds of milk chocolate. Almost reaching a real moose’s height of 10 feet, Lenny has a family of chocolate Maine black bears close by—a 350-pound mama bear, “Libby,” and her two 80-pound cubs. Happily, bite-size versions can be found to take home safely and the year-round store offers special group treat options. If large chocolate animals don’t speak to the inner child, then the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden in Springfield, Massachusetts should do the trick. Nestled in a grassy oasis surrounded by three museums and Christ Church Cathedral, the outdoor exhibit celebrates whimsical author Theodore Seuss Geisel, endeared to millions of readers as “Dr. Seuss.”A life-size Dr. Seuss works at his drafting table in the quad, surrounded by his beloved characters, including Horton, the Lorax, Sam I Am, and of course, The Cat in the Hat.
Mt. Washington Hiker, NH
And it’s impossible to resist a selfie with The Grinch—your heart is bound to grow three sizes that day! If size matters, Gardner, Massachusetts, may have the chair for you. New England’s largest chair—20 feet high, 10 feet wide, and 9 feet deep, tempts travelers to sit down and stay a while with its elegant design and ladder back slats. With the upcoming 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and founding Plymouth Colony, the 81-foot-tall National Continued on Page 11
8 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
©Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
Continued from Page 7
The Cat In The Hat Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden
In Historic Sturbridge, MA
• Complimentary Escort Room • Complimentary Coffee & Pastry • ½ Price Room for Driver • Complimentary Event Space • Nail and Hair Salon NEW! Tillyer House offering 28 dbl queen rooms w/health club and hospitality room (card room)
cpion@publickhouse.com 508.347.7323 x 282 publickhouse.com
Lake Morey Resort is the idyllic location for New England and Canadian tours.
• 130 guest rooms • Lakeside Dining Room • Lake and golf activities such as pontoon rides, putting contests, and garden tours • Located directly off Exit 15 off I-91 • Near dozens of popular attractions including maple sugaring, local artisans and natural wonders.
Fairlee, Vermont Tel: (800) 423-1211 lakemoreyresort.com Visit us today!
Portsmouth, NH…YOUR PERFECT HUB & SPOKE Experience New England from this historic Port City Portsmouth Points of Interest: • Dining options available on and off-site • Trendy downtown • Strawbery Banke – living history museum • USS Albacore – submarine experience • Isles of Shoals Harbor Cruises
Located an hour from Boston and less than 2 hours from the White Mountains of New Hampshire. • Easy on and off of I95 • Complimentary bus parking • Complimentary escort room • Bus driver room ½ price Contact: Tanya MacLean 603-431-8000 sales@hiportsmouth.com
www.hiportsmouth.com 300 Woodbury Avenue, Portsmouth NH
A Visit to New England is not complete without a cruise on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee, NH aboard the historic
Cruise Lake Winnipesaukee New Hampshire
M/S Mount Washington Breakfast, dinner, lunch & cocktails are available on board. Scenic Cruises Foliage Cruises Dinner Cruises Sunday Brunch One way or round trip (Season: Mid May–late October)
603-366-5531 www.cruiseNH.com 10 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
cruiseNH.com
Larger Than LIfe Continued from Page 8
Monument to the Forefathers (formerly known as the Pilgrim Monument) is a photo op not to be missed. This massive memorial, celebrating the story of America’s formation beginning with the interaction of the Wampanoag and English peoples, is thought to be the world’s largest solid granite monument.
The memorials are as unique and inspiring as the people they celebrate. Race cars, angels, soccer balls, furniture, portraits ... Barre, Vermont knows something about granite—it’s the Granite Capital of the World. At 600 feet deep, Rock of Ages Smith Quarry is believed to be the largest operating deep-hole, dimension granite quarry in the world. Nearby Hope Cemetery features over 10,000 sculptures in its 85-acres, a testament to the many Italian artisans who settled in Barre. The memorials are as unique and inspiring as the people they celebrate. Race cars, angels, soccer balls, furniture, portraits, and metaphorical vignettes capture the lives well lived. Warren, New Hampshire is not a big city, but as the only American town with a ballistic missile in the town square, you better believe they get some attention. The red-and-white painted cone is a Redstone rocket, often used by NASA early in the space program to launch astronauts. The 66foot Space Age relic evokes the excitement of childhood wonder as it reminds visitors of a remarkable era in travel. So grab your camera. These larger than life landmarks are the perfect backdrop for that "wish you were here" vacation shot. n
ALL ABOARD!
Located in Stowe, Vermont,
Experience old-fashioned train rides, all departing from our 1874 Victorian station in North Conway Village, NH.
the Commodores Inn offer an array of
activities for the outdoor and sporting enthusiast, with music, art, and theater for the cultural buff, and an abundance of shops, restaurants, and sightseeing opportunities.
NEW in 2019! ● Our 1921 steam engine returns ● A beautiful 1956 Vista Dome LoungeDining Car, expanded dining options ● Notch Train excursions through Nov 2
• Ideally located • Complimentary reception • Prompt baggage handling included • On-site parking for coaches • On-site restaurant and lounge
800-232-5251 ● 603-356-5251 ask for Gay Howe, ext. 12
1-800-44-STOWE
carrie@commodoresinn.com
ConwayScenic.com
www.commodoresinn.com
Vintage seacoast charm meets classic New England style
MTM
In Our Next Issue: • Maine’s Small Town Secrets
• Tour Friendly Hotel With Accessible Rooms and Public Areas • Complimentary Hampton Hot Breakfast • Complimentary Welcome Reception • Indoor Heated Pool & Fitness Facility
• Destination: A la Carte Adventures • Along for the Ride: Montreal, Quebec & the Adirondacks
Kennebunk
207-985-9200 • 207-985-9205 (Fax) Holly.pritchard@hilton.com
Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 11
The Lobster Lady’s®
Signature Tours
Call today to book your Signature Tour!
The
MAINE TOUR
CONNECTION
Maine BEACHES & BUOYS May - October • 3-4 day options available
A special seacoast tour with evening DIY art program—make a souvenir decorated buoy, maritime ornaments, or beachy driftwood sign to take home. Visit coastal villages from York Harbor to Kennebunkport, sing along with a barbershop quartet, ride on a lobster boat, and collect seashells!
BETHEL BACKROADS
May - December 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
Make Bethel, Maine, your home for 2-3 nights with your choice of a classic inn or mountainside resort accommodations. Make your own balsam fir bag, pan for Maine gems and go moosin' with a local guide.
BEST OF BAR HARBOR June - October 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
Ahhhh…three nights to enjoy ocean breezes and views from your balcony overlooking Bar Harbor’s splendid bay. Features a guided tour of Acadia, horse drawn carriage ride, lobstering cruise and lobster bake, spine-tingling lumberjack show, and more!* * Optional Campobello Trip – full day guided tour to the famed New Brunswick Island on Maine’s border. Includes FDR cottage, box lunch with “Eleanor,” and blueberry pie!
BOOTHBAY SCENERY & SHOW
June - September • 3 days / 2 nights / 4 meals
Salt air, spectacular sunsets, and salty breezes abound on the Boothbay Harbor waterfront. Includes boat and train rides, garden tour, and Carousel Music Theater performance.
MAINE LOBSTER FESTIVAL
July 29 - August 2, 2020 5 days / 4 nights / 8 meals
Book the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland early to have your choice of coastal accommodations. Seafood dinners, a lobster boat ride, souvenir Maine lobster hat, and spectacular coastal vistas are all in the mix. Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, and a whale watch put the finishing touch on this Maine coastal tour.
MAINE MOOSE, LAKES, AND LOONS June - Sept. • 3 - 4 nights
The historic Rangeley Inn is your destination for two nights. Hear the loons on a narrated lake cruise, pan for gold, and ride with your guide to the best moosespotting locales. Makes a nice loop tour with a Maine seacoast night and New Hampshire’s mountains with two unique bear offerings, or Squam Lake wildlife program. MIDCOAST MAGIC HUB & SPOKE
Sept. 8-12, 2019 • 5 days / 4 nights / 4 meals
Hub-n-spoke from water view accommodations at the Rockland Harbor Hotel. Enjoy Maine’s scenic villages with local guided tours of Boothbay, Camden, Rockport, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park! $450 pp double occupancy
12 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
OGUNQUIT BEACH GETAWAY
Sept. 9-12, 2019 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
Salty breezes and shoreline tours await in Ogunquit, which means “beautiful place by the sea.” Stay 3 nights just steps from the sandy beach and charming village shops. Full day with south coast treasures and a full day in Boothbay Harbor (or Portland/Freeport option). $385 pp double occupancy THE PRACTICAL THEATRICAL TOUR Sept. 22-25, 2019 • 1, 2 & 3 night options
Get your toes tappin! Take advantage of the value season with accommodations at Meadowmere Resort and a fabulous, funny Ogunquit Playhouse musical. Experience the scenic south coast at a quieter time with a host of sightseeing options. Starting at $200 pp double occupancy MAINE TRAINS
Sept. 24-27, 2019 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
A Maine coast getaway from Kennebunkport to Bar Harbor with abundant scenery, historic train and trolley rides plus Acadia National park tour. Overnight in Saco, then 2 nights overlooking the ocean in Belfast, Maine. $380 pp double occupancy
Book your tour today! 1-800-554-Maine www.mainetour.com info@mainetour.com
New England PILGRIMS & PATRIOTS
LEAVES & LOCOMOTIVES
May - November 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
Sept. & October • 5 days / 4 nights / 8 meals
Where living history comes alive. Dine with a pilgrim at Plimoth Plantation and include a tour of the Freedom Trail on the Best of Boston and Plymouth historical tour. Special Plymouth tour options in 2020.
CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS May - October 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
All the sights from Hyannis to Provincetown, plus a day exploring Nantucket Island or Martha’s Vineyard. Choice of dune ride or whale watch on this fully guided tour. Optional Newport, Plymouth, and cranberry bog tour.
NEW! COASTAL RAIL & SAIL BOSTON & BOOTHBAY HARBOR May - October 4 days / 3 nights / 5 meals
Sail scenic Boston Harbor as well as Maine’s classic Boothbay Harbor! Sightsee on southern Maine trolleys and narrow gauge trains, and take a behind-the-scenes tour. 1 night Boston’s North Shore, 2 nights Boothbay Harbor or Bath waterfront with lobster dinner and maritime presentation featuring “The Lady in the Red Cloak.”
CONNECTICUT COASTLINE May - October • 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
Hub-n-spoke from a beachfront resort or casino hotel. Explore Mystic Seaport, step on board a submarine, ride the Essex Steam Train and set sail to Block Island for the day. Makes a great combo tour with Cape Cod, Plymouth, or Boston.
A spectacular New England foliage tour featuring New Hampshire gourmet dinner train, mountain rides, and two Maine train excursions. Two nights New Hampshire, two nights southern Maine.
LAKES & LIGHTHOUSES, NH & ME May - October 3 days / 2 nights / 5 meals
Lunch with Little Red Riding Hood accents a journey north to the New Hampshire Lakes Region. Spend one night in Laconia, NH, and one night in Ogunquit, ME, accompanied by a tour of Castle in the Clouds, a bountiful buffet lunch cruise, and unbeatable Maine coast scenery!
NEW ENGLAND DELUXE FOLIAGE WITH NEWPORT September - October 8 days / 7 nights / 14 meals
Put it all together, it spells New England in capital letters: the mansions of Newport, RI; haunts of Salem, MA; and the rocky coastline of Maine (Rockland & Bar Harbor). Then, New Hampshire and Vermont for fabulous foliage, White Mountain dinner train, and Shelburne Museum. Head south to the Berkshires for final night and dinner in Norman Rockwell’s Stockbridge. Step-on guides included!
NEW ENGLAND FOLIAGE LOOP WITH MARTHA’S VINEYARD September - October 8 days / 7 nights / 12 meals
Cape Cod’s Hyannisport and a scenic cranberry farm, Martha’s Vineyard and Maine’s south coast, plus the Conway Scenic dinner train and White Mountains foliage tour. Loop closes with Vermont sightseeing and stay at Lake Morey Resort. Lake Placid add-on also available!
TOP OF NEW ENGLAND
September - October 5 days / 4 nights / 10 meals
A classic trip following the Top of New England color trail—two nights in Vermont, and leaf peeping through the mountains with a night in central New Hampshire. Final night is north of Boston with a tour of Cape Ann’s Gloucester, MA, and a traditional lobster dinner! TOP OF NEW ENGLAND BACKROADS FOLIAGE
Oct. 14-19, 2019 6 days / 5 nights / 10 meals
Spectacular foliage views on the road less traveled with two nights and moosewatching at the charming Bethel Inn followed by 2 nights in Lincoln, the heart of NH White Mountains and final night in eastern Vermont.
NEW! RHODE ISLAND FALL FOOD & FUN Oct. 6 - Nov. 1, 2019 3 days / 2 nights / 4 meals
Explore the Ocean State with guided tour of Newport, plus an opulent mansion, culinary museum, and harvest buffet dinner at Providence’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. Mouth-watering foodie tour option, too! Add a night for Plymouth or Salem activities.
VERMONT VISTAS
October • 3 days / 2 nights / 4 meals
Get a taste of real Vermont from the maple sugarhouses to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, with scenic views and unique rural stops. Customized tours for foodies and foliage fans staying in Killington, Stowe, or Fairlee, Vermont! Trivia from Page 3: 1. C; 2. E; 3. B; 4. True, 5. True, 6. True Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 13
Along for the Ride Kansas Master Gardeners
Photographs courtesy Kansas Master Gardeners
BY ROBERT WITKOWSKI
y exploration of Vacati a d e v i f A onland’s hortic ultural treasures.
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
“It was all eye candy for our gardeners,”said Carol
Fowler when she led not one, but two, motorcoaches of master gardeners from Johnson County, Kansas on a garden tour of Maine that surpassed even her expectations. “We announced the tour at 5:00 pm Friday in February, and were surprised Monday morning to find people lined up at the office at 8:30 am,” Fowler said. “The trip was full in less than two hours. We added another bus, and that filled up quickly.”
14 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
Fowler was able to include 60 master gardeners in a five-day exploration of Vacationland’s horticultural treasures. “The timeline was about perfect. We had an early morning flight to Bangor from Kansas City, and enjoyed a master gardener demonstration at the University of Maine’s Rogers Farm in Orono. The time of year was wonderful. By going just after Labor Day, we didn’t get the summer traffic, and still made sure flowers were in bloom. We saw just amazing gardens on Mount Desert Island.” Choosing to visit the northeastern-most state was by design. ”Maine was a part of the country most of our
Portland Head Light
Enjoying the Ride: Kansas Master Gardeners
people haven’t been. The notion of the ocean and the coast was very attractive.” And apparently did not disappoint Fowler’s group. “We went out on the Acadian and that was a key part of the trip—folks from landlocked Kansas on a nature cruise in Frenchman Bay, circling around a lighthouse while drinking wine! How do you get any more Maine than that?” The Kansas horticulturists were thrilled to experience the magnificence of Mount Desert Island, including Acadia National Park, Asticou Azalea Garden, Garland Farm, and the exclusive Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden—on the last day of the season. All while absorbing the refreshing sea air from their rooms in Bar Harbor’s Atlantic Eyrie Lodge.
The landlocked master gardeners from Kansas thrill to the coastal lilies, lobsters, and lighthouses of Maine.
Touring the colorful gardens over several days exposed the group to several coastal communities, including Camden, Rockland, South Paris, and Bailey Island. Cellardoor Winery’s rolling vineyard in Lincolnville was an obvious stop. “An excellent experience,” Fowler said. “We toured the winery and learned about local grapes and all the different wines they produce. People on the tour bought wine and had it shipped back home.” But the trip extended beyond the botanical beauty as the group also soaked in iconic lighthouses, living history, and lots of lobster.
“Maine has the best lobster!” Fowler said, remembering how lobster was enthusiastically sought after at almost every meal. “Seriously, we had so many lobsters, but the group thought the lobster bake dinner we had together on Bailey Island was the most fun and the best lobster we had.” And yes, all 60 master gardeners were even wearing their Lobster Lady hats while they devoured it! “It was just fun!” In the greater Portland region, the group enjoyed a hay wagon ride at Wolf’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment in Freeport and toured the saltwater farm’s production fields. After, people were given the choice to shop at L.L.Bean in downtown Freeport—conveniently open 24 hours a day—or continue to their Portland hotel and relax. “Many enjoyed the nightlife in Portland, the harbor, and walking in the downtown area,” Fowler said. However, of those who stayed to explore L.L.Bean’s always-open flagship campus, she admitted, “a lot of people have now seen the mother ship. Either way, a lot of shopping was done!” In the center of Maine’s largest urban area, the group enjoyed the garden oasis, behind The Wadsworth-Longfellow House, the poet's childhood home, built in 1786. ”Being able to hear the history of the house, and care in restoring and tending the gardens, is a fascinating story,” Fowler said. “It was a nice change to include a historic home.” Continued on Page 21 Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 15
Remembering
The Lobster Lady® Gifted
LOYAL
True
PIONEER SMART
Hilarious
Loving
SIGNATURE TOURS
Jeanne had a gift for mapping out the best tours: what to see, where to go, how to get there, and where to stop—and always the tchotchkes: hats, souvenirs, and gimmicks that made everything more fun. If there was a lobster dinner in your package, you’d get a lobster hat. Moose sighting on the itinerary? Moose hats all around.
A
“It’s not a bus, it’s a motorcoach.”
fter graduating from Westfield State College, Jeanne McGurn started her professional life as a special education teacher. On summer break she worked as a guide in Portland, and became hooked on the tour business. In 1984, she took a leap of faith and started The Maine Tour Connection. The tour business was, “a lot like teaching”she liked to say, “except you don't have to tell people to keep their feet off the seats.” At her first National Tour Association (NTA) convention, a delegate from Vermont wearing a fox cap encouraged Jeanne to wear the lobster hat she had brought along. “People will remember you,” he said. And they certainly did. She was a tourism star. Jeanne began calling herself The Lobster Lady®, trademarked the name, and used it to create a memorable presence in the motorcoach industry—on tours, and throughout the state of Maine. It was marketing genius. What could be more closely identified with the state of Maine than a lobster? But it was hard work, enthusiasm, and a great sense of humor that built The Maine Tour Connection into a respected tour company.
16 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
Starting in a one-room office, Jeanne made herself known at conventions, befriended a Broadway star, and attracted tour operators from across the country to the state of Maine, and Eastern Canada—for 35 years. With genuine warmth, Jeanne shared her love for Maine with everyone she met; few would forget meeting her, and many became lifelong friends. Jeanne was an invited guest at Barbra Streisand’s farewell tour, and during a live performance, comic Dame Edna invited her on stage where she belted out Aretha Franklin's “Respect.” Jeanne was a great example of how to create bonds with colleagues and customers. It was as rewarding to her, as it is to us, to welcome a group when they arrive, be on hand to assist them when the unexpected occurs, and see them off. Jeanne knew that for many, it would be a trip they would always remember— whether they were seeing the ocean for the first time, or eating a lobster. Jeanne called the office “The Trap” and made it clear she wanted the business she loved, The Maine Tour Connection, to continue in her tradition of friendship and hospitality—and, it will. n
★
Jeanne M. McGurn The Lobster Lady®
lingo:
The Trap = the office Lobsterettes = the staff
ady rL
M
The Lobster Lady®
AI NE
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS
ALL-STAR LINE-UP
While Jeanne had standard issue business cards, she favored her baseball cards and had at least six versions over the years—collectibles!
n Kathryn M. Weare Award for significant contributions to Maine Tourism by the Maine Office of Tourism
LIFELONG GENEROSITY Jeanne’s lifelong generosity reached beyond her close circle of friends and colleagues. In 2006, she solicited donations for disaster relief in Mississippi’s Gulf Coast region. Joining 330 Tourism Cares volunteers from across the country, Jeanne and the Lobsterettes organized a trip to Gulfport. Suitcases filled with school supplies and $10,000 in gift cards, they donned work gloves, boots, shovels, and paintbrushes to clean up and re-plant tourism sites ravished by Hurricane Katrina. In a postcard home, she wrote, “We needed the luggage space so badly, I gladly left my giant can of Vavoom hairspray at home.”
e Lobste h T
I Met
CREATING A BUZZ:
Convention was a time to be seen and remembered, and Jeanne knew just how to create a buzz—with her "I Met The Lobster Lady" stickers.
n Served as Chairman of the Board, Greater Portland CVB n R.O.S.E. Award ("Recognition of Service Excellence”), Greater Portland CVB n Served on the ABA Marketplace Advisory Committee for their Annual Marketplace n Served NTA as the Receptive/Sightseeing Liaison to the National Tour Association Tour Supplier Council, Marketing Committee, Speakers Bureau, and Orientation Volunteer n Maine Tourism Award recognized by the Maine Senate and House of Representatives for “…her support of the Maine tourism industry and the wealth of awardwinning exposure she has brought to Maine.”
The
MAINE TOUR CONNECTION
n Hall of Fame Award by the Maine Tourism Association for her “efforts in promoting tourism in Maine and her outstanding leadership in the tourism industry.”
Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 17
NEW ENGLAND/EASTERN CANADA
Wonderful Memories, Incredible Friend CAPE COD CUSTOM TOURS
ATLANTIC TOURS LTD.
rene@capecodcustomtours.com 1-888-793-8687 capecodcustomtours.com
rarnold@atlantictours.com 1-800-565-7173 atlantictours.com
René Pierre Poyant
18 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
Richard Arnold
Maine Prison Showroom Handcrafted Goods Since 1824
MUSICAL MAINE SUMMER TOUR
Nautical Items Birdhouses Home Goods Keepsake Boxes Wooden Toys & Games and much more...
The
MAINE TOUR
CONNECTION www.mainetour.com
Nowhere else in New England can you ride the rails behind a vintage steam or diesel train surrounded by an historic Maine village and view a superb antique auto collection.
Ask about exclusive group packages!
June - August 3 days / 2 nights / 5 meals Two show-stopping Broadway musicals at Ogunquit Playhouse and the Maine State Music Theatre, plus a sea shanty sing-along and special organ concert. Add a night to include the Carousel Music Theater and Boothbay Harbor or the North Shore Music Theater and Cape Ann.
Engineering Experiences with Maine History
Open 7 Days, 9AM-5PM
Buses Welcome Until 4PM 358 Main Street, Rt.1 Thomaston, ME 207-354-9237
Facebook: MSPShowroom
207-633-4727 staff@railwayvillage.org
RailwayVillage.org Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 19
Cap’n Fish’s Waterfront Inn & Nature Cruises
Waterfront Inn 53 Air Conditioned/Heated Rooms, All w/Private Baths, Cable TV, Phone, & Free Wi-Fi • Hearty Buffet Breakfast in Our Coffee Shop • Special Group Rates Sundecks w/Picnic Table & Lounge Chairs • Beautful Waterfront Location • Minutes to Shops, Restaurants, Lobster Docks & Music Theater
Waterfront Inn 1-800-633-0860 www.boothbaywaterfront.com
Nature Cruises Seal • Lighthouses • Puffins • Whale Watches • Lobster Hauling
65 Atlantic Ave. • Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Boat Trips 1-800-636-3244 www.mainewhales.com
LET US HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP! $ Multiple guided tour options $ Nearly 300 acres for nature exploration $ Lunches available on site M A I N E G A R D E N S . O R G B o o t h b a y , M a i n e
207-633-8050 or groups@mainegardens.org
Kennebunkport Welcomes Bus Groups
Free Bus Parking | Lodging Packages with Free Welcome Reception | Traditional Waterfront Lobster Bakes | Boat Charters from our Marina TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Winner | Complimentary Motorcoach Parking, Welcome Reception & Breakfast www.nonantumresort.com
800.552.5651
20 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
95 Ocean Avenue
Kennebunkport, Maine
Along for the Ride
Visit the Longfellow House & Garden, the enchanting boyhood home of the beloved poet.
Continued from Page 15
Latitude 43° 45’ 1”
PORTLAND ME
MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 489 Congress Street Portland, Maine (207) 774-1822 mainehistory.org
207-770-2404 Photos: Lucas Sharpe
“We try to mix up activities to experience something local and related to the area wherever we go,” Fowler shared. The master gardeners embraced the historic seaport with a half-day tour of Portland and area lighthouses. “Obviously we don’t have lighthouses in Kansas. It's a nice break so the tour is not overloaded on gardens, but also gets a sense of place." If there was a disappointment in this near-perfect initial trip, it was that “we felt we only scratched the surface at Boothbay’s Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens,” Fowler said. The group was caught off guard by the magnificence of the expansive grounds. “Next time, we definitely want to spend a whole day here! This trip will go down as one of the best trips for our Johnson County Kansas Master Gardeners. We have people who were not able to attend asking us to consider repeating it!” n
From classic to contemporary...
from Maine boiled lobster to Maine craft beer You can get it all here at Cook’s Lobster & Ale House, where all great things come together for one
amazing experience!
Offering Coach Parking and a Complimentary Meal for escort and driver. For menu and tour information, please email jen@cookslobster.com
cookslobster.com
Longitude -69° 59’ 32” Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 21
Destination
©Pickard Theater
©Swallowtail Farm
Cheesy Tours of New England
Swallowtail Farm Portland, ME Town Hill Tomme, Smiling Hill Farm, Westbrook,
C
" Cheese in Maine is becoming like Napa Valley wine in California, or Bourbon in Kentucky by Robert Witkowski
heese in Maine is becoming like Napa Valley wine in California, or Bourbon in Kentucky,” says Pam Laskey, owner of Maine Foodie Tours. “The best ones never make it out of the state!” And this culinary queen, with over 50 food-themed walking tours in six Maine cities, knows about cheese. Indeed, over 80 of the registered farms and dairies within the Maine Cheese Guild are represented at the State of Maine Cheese Company in Rockport, a popular stop offering a wide-ranging selection of curds. In nearby Linconville, Cellardoor Winery teams up with Belfast, Maine company Eat More Cheese to offer complimentary pairings involving a sampling of different cheeses from around the state. An elegant event overlooking rolling vineyards, the tastings feature cheese bites paired with Cellardoor vintages. Laskey poses a Jeopardy-style clue: “City of Ships by Hahn’s End Farm, Little Bloom from Tide Mill Creamery in Edmunds, and Chèvre Marinated in Olive Oil from Appleton Creamery in Appleton.” The answer: “What American Cheese Society (ACS) gold-medal-winning cheeses are made in Maine?”
22 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
©Mark Hinsta Continued on Page 24
©Smiling Hill Farm
Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, VT
waiting on more photos
Silvery Moon Creamery, Westbrook, ME
©US Dept. of Agriculture
And Maine has other notable farms that enjoy a cheeseboard aroma. Pineland Farms, located in the rolling hills of New Gloucester, is a pastoral 5,000-acre sustainable working farm, northwest of downtown Portland. Visitors enjoy recreational pursuits, educational programs, and daily farming activities. Delicious on-site shopping and dining goes beyond local cheeses. Whitefield’s Swallowtail Farm reaches its urban fans through its Milk & Honey Café in Portland’s trendy East Bayside neighborhood. Surrounded by craft breweries, bistros, and distilleries, this eclectic café adjacent to an art studio and magazine publisher presents over a dozen of their cheeses along with yogurt, beverages, jams, and herbal products. West of Portland, Silvery Moon Creamery creates artisanal cheese at the 500-acre Smiling Hill Farm. The farm—open for tours, tastings, and exploration—was founded by the Knight family in the 1700s. It was Jennifer Betancourt that started the creamery in 2003, with additional cheese makers expanding their offerings. While Maine has an increasing presence, the Vermont Cheese Trail, with 46 farms and creameries, dazzles its fromage-friendly fans. Vermont claims the most of any state in cheesemakers per capita, producing over 150 varieties. The Trail spans through the Green Mountains, but it can be easier to connect with the masters directly at the Annual Cheesemaker Dinner in August. This stellar soirée held at Waitsfield’s Inn at Round Barn showcases the best curd craftsmen Vermont has to offer. The event includes a cocktail reception featuring local wines, spirits, and beers paired with small Vermontcheese-themed bites amid the property’s romantic flower gardens, followed by a multi-course dinner. The following day in neighboring Shelburne, enthusiasts enjoy tasty artisanal samples at the annual Vermont Cheesemakers Festival at Shelburne Farms. A 19th-century “summer cottage” on Lake Champlain built by a member of the Vanderbilt family, this event is a cheese-lover’s seventh Heaven and impresses with the setting’s opulance and majesty. Over 40 cheesemakers are represented at this daylong celebration of all things cheese, featuring live cheesemaking demonstrations, recipes from The Cabot Creamery Cookbook, and workshops focusing on Vermont blue cheese. More than 200 cheeses, beverages, and assorted foods can be savored at this event. Beyond the festival, during a mid-May to mid-October visit to Shelburne Farms, patrons enjoy a menu of farmgrown dishes from the Farm Cart, located in the Farm Barn. Their award-winning six-month cheddar should not be missed.
Cabot Cheese, Waterbury, VT Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 23
Cheesy Tours Continued from Page 23
Upping its cheese cred, the town of Shelburne is also home to Vermont Farm Tours, which can schedule mozzarella-making workshops and artisan cheese tours. Not be outdone, Vermont’s Cabot Creamery makes their craftsmanship known throughout New England. The Creamery started when ninety-four families from the town of Cabot formed a co-operative to ensure their livelihood. Now owned by more than 800 farm families, the award-winning Creamery employs over 1,000 people in three states. Beyond their Vermont headquarters, they reach 290,000 loyal customers with specialty shops in Waterbury Center, New Hampshire, and Portland, Maine’s Old Port. Free samples are available at all locations. New England cheese connoisseurs can also savor
other stops featuring Vermont ACS winners, including Bonne Bouche at Vermont Creamery (one of the leaders in America’s artisanal cheese movement); Parish Hill Creamery’s Reverie cheese, a Greek Style Feta in Boston Post Dairy; and Spring Brook Farm’s Tarentaise Reserve. Upping its cheese cred, the town of Shelburne is also home to Vermont Farm Tours, which can schedule mozzarella-making workshops and artisan cheese tours. To the south, three restaurants and eight farms comprise the Berkshire Farm & Table Cheese Trail that winds its way through eastern Massachusetts. They vary in size and cheese types, but their eclectic mix keeps the journey intriguing.
MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM This is Maine. The rest is history. Experience the best of Maine, past and present. Bring your group to our beautiful 20-acre campus on the Kennebec River in Bath for lighthouse cruises and guided tours of our 1906 schooner Mary E, historic shipyard and Victorian-era home. You can’t miss the Wyoming, the largest sculpture in New England, and guests can enjoy our world-class collections in the comfort of airconditioned galleries. Food service available by special arrangement.
Named #1 Museum in Maine by USA Today! 243 Washington Street • Bath, Maine • 207-443-1316 x0 • www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org
Where Acadia meets the Sea
Overlooking a crystal blue harbor, at the edge of Acadia National Park, the Kimball Terrace Inn has all the amenities today’s travelers expect, in a picturesque setting. All rooms have A/C and most enjoy views of the harbor and luxury marina. Full service restaurant on site. Discounted escort rate and comp room for driver
The Tan Turtle Tavern Restaurant & Lounge on site Our friendly staff is ready to welcome your group for an unforgettable stay
24 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
The Kimball Terrace Inn
Huntington Road Northeast Harbor, Maine 04662 1-800-454-6225 • Fax: 207-276-4102 www.KimballTerraceInn.com Email: Info@kimballterraceinn.com
While there are no official tours, visitors at Cricket Creek Farm, can experience farm life, and guided tours are available by appointment at Hawthorne Valley Farm. Unlike Vermont’s single-day Cheesemakers Festival, the Bay State's city of Springfield hosts The Eastern States Exposition, otherwise known as “The Big E," a two-week extravaganza in the fall (September 13 - 29, 2019; and September 18 - October 4, 2020). While not strictly a cheese festival, it's the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard (and considered “New England’s Great State Fair”).The Big E attracts top cheese producers from states throughout the northeast and beyond. The Farmers Market features a Cheese Cave and fairgoers can sample and purchase award-winning cheeses at the The Big E Gold Medal Cheese Competition. Cheese aficionados wanting to indulge might enjoy the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The charming town, made famous by Norman Rockwell’s art, is a wonderful respite when traveling the Berkshire Farm & Table Cheese Trail. A recurring winner of Wine Spectator’s "Best of Award of Excellence,” this Victorian-era inn around the corner from the famous “Alice’s Restaurant,” is the spot to pair a crisp, dry rosé (or any of their 560 wines) on a summer afternoon with the hotel’s house-made cheeses. Wherever the cheese wheel takes you through the region, enjoy them while you can at the makers’ facilities or shops. Many of their limited availability are quickly gobbled up by locals, and some don’t ship. It's best to buy them when you’re there, because as Pam Laskey warns, “the best ones never make it out of the state!” n
HUB-N-SPOKE TOUR
More scenery, less luggage. Make Augusta, Maine’s capital, or LA (Lewiston or Auburn) your home base for super easy and exciting explorations. Day trips take you to Freeport, Boothbay Harbor, Rockland, and Portland. Excursions include a scenic cruise, oyster farm outing, and private lighthouse tour, plus stops at the Maine Maritime Museum, as well as Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens or the Boothbay Railway Village. Enjoy all the Mid-Coast has to offer, while unpacking only once! The
MAINE TOUR
CONNECTION www.mainetour.com
Get carried away with Maine’s festivals and attractions Great Falls Balloon Festival • Great Falls Brewfest Dempsey Challenge • Emerge Film Fest Museum LA • Many Local Restaurants A Convenient Stop on the Way to Acadia National Park!
15 Lincoln Street • Lewiston, ME 04240 207.344.1000 www.lewistonauburn.hamptoninn.com
14 Great Falls Plaza • Auburn, ME 04210 207.784.4433 www.auburnriverwatch.hgi.com
Call and book your group today! Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 25
The
MAINE TOUR CONNECTION www.mainetour.com
Holiday Hoopla
KENNEBUNKPORT CHRISTMAS PRELUDE Dec. 6-15, 2019 and Dec. 4-13, 2020 3 days / 2 nights / 4 meals
Get in the holiday spirit with Kennebunkport’s annual Christmas Prelude celebration. Shop the boutiques and craft shows, ride an old-fashioned trolley through the woods, and warm your soul with wine and cheese by the crackling fireplace. Outlet shopping and Ogunquit village festivities take place on the second weekend. CHRISTMAS AGLOW - PORTLAND & BOOTHBAY December Weekends 2018 & 2019
Light up your holidays with Freeport's Sparkle Weekend and the Gardens Aglow holiday light extravaganza in Boothbay Harbor. Old Port shopping in Victorian style and your choice of holiday performance.
VINTAGE PORTSMOUTH CHRISTMAS Dec. 7-9, 2019 and Dec. 5-7, 2020
Celebrate the season in New Hampshire’s historic seaport. Enjoy a holiday theater performance, guided city tour, Holiday Stroll with carolers, and all the charm of colonial Strawbery Banke. One or two night options—including our favorite one-of-a-kind shops! NEWPORT CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL & FINERY Dec. 2018 & 2019 • 4 days / 3 nights
Tour several Newport Mansions decked out in Gilded Age Fashion, plus Newport Playhouse luncheon and holiday show.
TWO-NATION VACATIONS PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, NEW BRUNSWICK & MAINE May - October • 6 days/ 5 nights / 12 meals
Photograph ©Tourism PEI
The
CONNECTION
www.mainetour.com
June - Oct. • 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals
MARITIME NATIONAL PARKS
Discover the mountains of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom at Jay Peak Resort. Full day touring Vermont with a peaceful lake cruise and Trapp Family Lodge history tour, then a full day guided tour to Old Montreal with Notre Dame, Olympic Village, and authentic French dinner. MONTREAL & QUEBEC CITY
May - Oct. • 8 days / 2 nights Maine / 5 nights Maritimes / 13 meals
May - October 5 days / 4 nights / 7 meals
Travel through Maine to Saint John, taking in breathtaking parks along the New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia coasts. Includes astounding Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy, Green Gables, Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail, and Nova Scotia’s Evangeline Trail. Ferry ride takes you back to St. Andrews, Campobello Island, or Acadia National Park (your choice).
Book early to snag the very best of two charming cities. You’ll savor historical sites, a river cruise, guided tours, a traditional Sugar Shack feast, and luscious French Quarter treats. Lake Placid, Niagara Falls, Thousand Islands, and Vermont stops can be added on!
Atlantic adventure with full-time Canada guide. Two nights in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and one night in St. John, New Brunswick, with Maine nights en route. Discover the astounding coastal scenery of PEI and Bay of Fundy National Parks, as well as charming St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. Toes will tap to Celtic songs and the heart-warming Anne of Green Gables musical.
MAINE TOUR
MOUNTAINS & MONTREAL
26 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
A Land and Sea Adventure
through Portland
Come Experience our Hospitality
— MAINE MALL/ SCARBOROUGH —
• Group rates over 10 people • Convenient drop off & pick up • Complimentary for driver/escort • Book your group now!
Guaranteed to
QUACK YOU UP! Contact Kris today! kris@maineducks.com
195 Log Cabin Road, Kennebunkport, ME
- Accessible rooms and public space - Complimentary Full Hot Breakfast - Complimentary Welcome Reception - Shuttle to the local area - Airport Shuttles - Fitness Facility - Outdoor Seasonal Pool (May-Sept) - Complimentary tour bus parking
We LOVE Tour Groups!
Vernon Briggs, General Manager 207-883-0300 ext. 714 vbriggs@girihotels.com 2 Cummings Road, Scarborough, ME
We offer: Customized tours Fun, engaging guides Easy parking Loading & unloading Museum Gift Shop Coffee/snacks available Sunny and rainy day fun!
Open May - October, First two weekends in December
Sumptuous SumptuousBreakfast BreakfastBuffets Buffets Lip Smackin’ Luncheons Lip Smackin’ Luncheons Fabulous Downeast Fabulous Downeast Lobster Clambakes Lobster Clambakes 46 Years of Experience 35 YearsofofHappy Experience Thousands Groups!
Route 1, MEGroups! Thousands ofWells, Happy (207) 646-8467 Route 1, Wells, ME bullnclaw@yahoo.com (207) 646-8467 Just 30 min. to the Kittery Outlets bullnclaw.com 10 min. to Kennebunkport Village& Just 30 min to the Kittery Outlets View and Tour Menus at 10 minGroup to Kennebunkport Village
Make Your Reservations Today! 207-967-2800 ext 111 finance@neerhs.org www.trolleymuseum.org
Next tobullnclaw.com Lighthouse Depot Gifts
Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 27
• Easy access to I-295 and downtown • 1.5 miles from the heart of Portland’s Old Port • Ample, secure coach parking • Interior corridors and two elevators • Microwave and refrigerators in every room • Indoor heated pool, hot tub and fitness center • Luggage service available • Onsite restaurant and lounge • A full American breakfast buffet • Banquet facilities with customized menus to meet your budget and dietary needs
The Clarion Hotel Portland Maine is the right ‘choice’ for your Hub-N-Spoke location in Portland!
Complimentary room policy, welcome receptions and other specials are offered or may be included!
Contact: Heather Levesque heather@pwmclarion.com
1230 Congress St. • Portland, ME 04102• www.clarionportlandme.com • 207.553.9544
SAVOR NEW! SEACOAST SUPER June-Sept. • 5 days/4 nights/8 meals Includes super-savory seafood meals at a super-saver package price! Unpack just once in Portland, your base for day trips to Kennebunkport and Boothbay Harbor. Two cruises, a traditional island lobsterbake, a private lighthouse tour, and stops at the Maine Maritime Museum and The Boothbay Railway Village MAINE TOUR CONNECTION make this a tour to remember! www.mainetour.com
WvaneHorizThirdMTMFall2017_Layout 1 6/30/17 1:09 PM Page 1
, Come Taste NewEnglands Favorite Seafood!
E SINC 1969
Complimentary meals for the driver and leader of your tour group of twenty or more. Always plenty of Motor Coach Parking. 306 U.S. Route 1, Kittery ME 207-439-0330 2 Dover Point Road, Dover NH 603-749-2341 174 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua NH 603-891-1776 379 Dover Road, Route 4, Chichester NH 603-225-4044 Weathervane Drive, Rte 12A, W. Lebanon NH 603-298-7805 Like Us On Facebook
28 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
Visit: www.weathervaneseafoods.com
Group Tours a Specialty
Open to the Public! The Lobster Lady® Maine Coast Tour JOIN US on this special fully-escorted motorcoach
tour operated by The Maine Tour Connection and VIP Tour & Charter.
Ride the Trolley!
• 1 night stay BW Merry Manor, South Portland • 2 nights Atlantic Eyrie Lodge, Bar Harbor • Portland Head Light • L.L.Bean – Freeport • Camden Village & Mount Battie • Full morning tour of Acadia National Park • Bar Harbor Nature Cruise The • Great Maine Lumberjack Show • Casco Bay cruise from Bailey Island CONNECTION to Portland August 27-30, 2019 • Maine Lobsterbake Dinner & Call VIP Tours for Cook’s Lobster & Ale House luncheon Reservations: 207-772-4457
Individual Passengers Welcome!
MAINE TOUR
Maine Moosin’ Tour Look for Maine’s gentle giants on a customized tour to southwestern Maine.
©Paul Tessler/Shutterstock
JUNE - SEPTEMBER 4 days / 3 nights / 6 meals Enjoy spring flowers or fall foliage on this trip designed to spot the gentle giants of the north. Spend three nights in the Rangeley Lakes Region or the Mountain Region of Bethel. Includes guided moose-watching, balsam fir factory tour, narrated lake cruise or Pineland Farms tour, and the Maine Wildlife Center where you will see Maine black The bears, bald eagles, rescued animals, and a “guaranteed” moose. CONNECTION
MAINE TOUR
www.mainetour.com
1-800-554-Maine • info@mainetour.com
The Best Way to See Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park!
for tickets and information log onto OlisTrolley.com
1 West Street Bar Harbor
207 - 288 - 9899 Maine Tour Magazine / Spring 2019 n 29
The Bus Stops Here
TOUR TIP:
Bay Ferries CAT crossing will be shorter this season, now sailing from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia into Bar Harbor (instead of Portland).
What’s better than a lobster dinner in Atlantic Canada? A lobster dinner on a lobster boat! Between Moncton NB and the Confederation Bridge to PEI, Shediac Bay Cruises has 4 daily trips. Once in Charlottetown, haul a PEI lobster trap on board Peakes Wharf Boat Tours.
n Connecticut Learn about Connecticut’s Native American history in an immersive, new puzzle game set in 1518 at the Wigwam Escape room in Washington. Traditional adult tours also available here at the Institute for American Indian Studies in the beautiful southwestern hills. The nearby Danbury Railyard Museum (where the Alfred Hitchcock movie “Strangers on a Train” was filmed) features a restored train depot and a quick 20 minute train ride for groups on the go!
n Maine The motorcoach permit fee for Fort Williams Park (home to Portland Head Light) for June 1 - Oct. 31, 2019, has been raised to $100. Free lighthouse park nearby is Bug Light Park in South Portland. VIP Tour & Charter located near the Portland waterfront offers overnight coach parking, bus washing, and lavatory services for visiting coaches.
n Massachusetts Turn back time in central Massachusetts with group friendly dining options. The Old Mill Restaurant & Country Store near Leominster offers waterfall views. Feast by the fireplace at Salem Cross Inn near Sturbridge. Keep your tour on track at Steaming Tender Restaurant in a restored railroad station halfway between Springfield’s Dr. Seuss Museum and Old Sturbridge Village.
30 n Touring New England and Eastern Canada
n New Hampshire Watch an old-time 19th century magic show with Father Christmas at Canterbury Shaker Village on December 7 & 14. The Mount Washington Cog Railway celebrates 150 years of rides to New England’s tallest summit, now with 2 authentic coal-fired excursions daily. Conway Scenic Railroad has acquired the “Rhonda Lee,” a stylish Vista Dome LoungeDining Car for their daytime Notch and Valley dinner train excursions.
n Quebec In front of Chateau Frontenac, you’ll find the free Musee du Fort, a small museum bringing history to life with an impressive sound and light show. Journey along the St. Lawrence River from Beauport, south of Quebec City, to LaMalbaie on the Train de Charlevoix. Seasonal stops at Baie Saint Paul and Le Massif Ski Resort.
n Rhode Island Don’t miss the “Sweet Rides – Summer Fun” exhibit in an upscale, artsy setting at Audrain Automobile Museum in downtown Newport. The restored VW bus and Woody with surfboards will bring back beach memories. You’ll have 60 minutes to solve the interactive puzzles at the Rhode Island Riddle Room in East Greenwich.
n Vermont See the covered bridge and learn how sweaters are made at Mad River Fiber Arts & Mill, offering a Farm to Fiber Experience in Waitsfield. Enjoy an on-farm lunch at Lareau Farm next door. Vermont’s classiest restrooms? At Vermont Marble Museum of course! Along with a resident marble sculptor, local quarry, and Hall of Presidents.
Images ©ClipArt.com
n Atlantic Canada
Bar HarMbor aine
Oceanfront
Our f a m il y o f hot el s w i l l m a k e ea c h t r i p un f orget t a b l e
Atlantic Oceanside (800) 336-2463 www.aobarharbor.com Bar Harbor Inn (888) 859-1572 www.barharborinn.com
Downtown Bar Harbor Grand (888) 766-2529 www.barharborgrand.com Quality Inn (800) 282-5403 www.barharborqualityinn.com Villager Motel (888) 383-3211 www.barharborvillager.com
Maine Stay Acadia Inn (800) 638-3636 www.acadiainn.com Best Western (207) 288-5823 www.acadiaparkinn.com Comfort Inn (207) 667-1345 www.ellsworthcomfortinn.com Hampton Inn (207) 667-2688 www.ellsworthhamptoninn.com Hampton Inn Saco Maine (207) 282-7222 www.hamptoninnsaco.com Ramada (207) 667-9341 www.ellsworthramada.com
Contact our Sales Team today to discuss special packages including lodging, dining and customized adventures for your group! Samantha Towne • grouptravel@withamhotels.com • 888-296-0403
Experience
Northern New England
... with these and other exciting
Tour Packages NH Mountains to Boothbay Harbor (5 Days / 4 Nights) Two Nights at Eagle Mountain House - Jackson, NH Two Nights at Tugboat Inn, Boothbay Harbor Inn, or Fisherman’s Wharf Inn - Boothbay Harbor, ME • Scenic NH Train Ride • White Mountains Touring • Cannon Mountain Tram
• Boothbay Railway Village • Boothbay Harbor Cruise • Boothbay Entertainment Program
Package Includes: 3 Dinners, including a Maine Lobster Dinner with Entertainment
Maine Islands & Lighthouses Tour (5 Days / 4 Nights)
Two Nights at Eagle Mountain House - Jackson, NH Two Waterfront Nights at Norseman Resort or Aspinquid Inn - Ogunquit Beach, ME • Scenic NH Train Ride • Maple Program at the Rocks Estate • Cannon Mountain Tram
• Guided Tour of Portland • Guided Tour of Kennebunkport • Narrated Portland Harbor Cruise
Package Includes: 3 Dinners, including a Maine Lobster Dinner
NH Mountains to Acadia - (5 Days / 4 Nights)
Two Nights at Eagle Mountain House - Jackson, NH Two Nights at Bluenose Inn or Wonder View Inn - Bar Harbor, ME • • • •
Mt. Washington Cog Railroad Fadden’s Store & Sugar House Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Narrated Harbor Cruise
• • • •
White Mountains Touring Old Man of the Mountains Museum Maine Maritime Museum Guided Tour of Acadia National Park
Package includes: 1 Box Lunch and 3 Dinners, including a Maine Lobsterbake
All packages include hot breakfast, luggage handling, taxes and gratuities. Call The Maine Tour Connection at 1-800-554-6246 for information on these and other Lafayette Hotels Tour Packages.
See Our Other Lafayette Properties www.lafayettehotels.biz
The
MAINE TOUR CONNECTION