Maine-ly Biking.

By Wendy Clinch •  Updated: 07/25/16 •  3 min read

If you’re looking for something really fun to do this summer,  here’s a suggestion:

Go biking along the coast in Maine.

Why? Well, where else do you get such a combination of gorgeous, rocky shore…………

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beautiful wetlands……

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lovely harbors……….

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and lobster?

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Each year my husband and I try to take a trip or two to Maine to do some road biking. This year we went to Cape Elizabeth, just south of Portland, for a celebratory 42-mile anniversary ride.

Here’s a map of our route:

Map

The route is great for a number of reasons: it’s not difficult, because the terrain is pretty flat. And with plenty of water views, the scenery is gorgeous. It also takes you by a number of lighthouses, from the very tiny “Bug” light to the quite large, iconic Portland Head Light. Here are a few:

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Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light

Some tips if you decide to go:

Lodging: Staying in Portland area can be pricey, especially if you opt for one of the hotels by the waterfront. We cut our costs by staying by the airport in South Portland, which is a short ride from just about anywhere you decide to go. Plus we liked the cancellation policy, an important consideration in case it rained and we decided to change our plans

Eats: Portland restaurants regularly get named among the best in the country, so there are tons of great options to choose from. Go on Yelp.com, and you’ll find lots of reviews. I love lobster roll, so I’ll put in a good word for Eventide Oyster Company (tasty but a bit small), Two Lights Lobster Shack (south of Portland near Two Lights State Park), and Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster (about 20 minutes north of town on the way to Freeport). If you love baked goods — and who doesn’t — check out Standard Baking in Portland and Scratch Baking in South Portland. Yum.

Shopping: If you’re so inclined and want to drop a few bucks, Freeport, of famous LLBean fame, is only about half an hour north. There are loads of outlet stores to investigate. We didn’t do it this time, but, well, just sayin’…….

Beaches: This is MAINE. There’s about 3,478 of shoreline. Sure, a lot of it is rocky, but there are plenty of beaches, too, and everyone has their own favorite. Remember, though; the water is C-O-L-D. We spent a day at Crescent Beach State Park, a lovely swath of sand on Cape Elizabeth. We also biked through Higgins Beach, which is about as charming a beach town as you’ll find anywhere, with a nice, though fairly narrow, stretch of sand.

Cool stuff: chairs made out of lobster pots!

Cool stuff: chairs made out of lobster pots!

 

 

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