Cape Cod vs Maine Coast

[eastcoastpowderhound]

If you like to swim in the ocean without a wetsuit, go no further north than Cape Cod.

All depends on where you are...I was swimming in Liniken Bay last August (near boothbay) and the water felt as warm as long lake (bridgton, maine) had all summer...perfectly comfortable for swimming.

 

[snowmonster]

IMHO, the best parts of the Cape stretch from the elbow (Chatham) up the forearm (Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet and Truro). If I had the chance to spend an entire summer on the Cape, it would be at Wellfleet. Provincetown has great beaches, food and entertainment but it has too much going on sometimes that I feel like I've never left the city. I like my solitude when I go to the Cape and losing myself -- and the rest of the planet -- while walking along the CCNS is my thing. Plus, there's good baseball to be seen all summer!

I've never really been on the Maine Coast except for a weekend on Mount Desert Island. If you have the time and gas money, go. Great hikes and you can cool off by jumping in a lake. Except on really crowded weekends, you can hear yourself think while on the trail. The Bar Harbor Real Ale is great too. Take a sixpack home!

 

[Warp Daddy]

Spent a few Sabbatical leaves ( consulting in Boston Metro areas ) over the years on the Cape and in Ogunquit on an earlier leave .

I rented an incredibly beautiful beach home in Harwichport for 3 months in the late 90's, it was a dream stay for those 12 weeks --The Harwiches , Chatham ,Eastham, Wellfleet and Dennis including the West Denny and Bass River areas are AWESOME and each is substantively unique . We used our bikes daily to get around and learned every BACK road in those area so as to avoid the "28 crawl" whenever we did use the car.

Absolutely HATED Hyannis or " HIGH Anal" as we called it

However We now do BOTH MAINE and the CAPE ------------BUT in SEPTEMBER for obvious reasons

Can't wait for this years' trip

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I remember a nice glass shop in Hyannis..

 

[wa-loaf]

I've never really been on the Maine Coast except for a weekend on Mount Desert Island. If you have the time and gas money, go. Great hikes and you can cool off by jumping in a lake. Except on really crowded weekends, you can hear yourself think while on the trail. The Bar Harbor Real Ale is great too. Take a sixpack home!

September and October are my favorite time of the year on MDI. Crowds are gone after labor day. And you can't beat a place that has 3 breweries.

 

[ChileMass]

Wellfleet is my favorite Cape location............because it reminds me of Maine!

So I am conflicted - I love them both. Maine is easier to lose yourself and get away completely, but the Cape has the big dunes and more to do. The water is freaking cold either place, so that's even. The lobster is the same, too.

I guess I'll go with the Cape just due to proximity to my home in Mass., but it's really a toss-up......

 

[andyzee]

Wellfleet is my favorite Cape location............because it reminds me of Maine!

So I am conflicted - I love them both. Maine is easier to lose yourself and get away completely, but the Cape has the big dunes and more to do. The water is freaking cold either place, so that's even. The lobster is the same, too.

I guess I'll go with the Cape just due to proximity to my home in Mass., but it's really a toss-up......

Water's not cold on the bay side in Welfleet. the tip of the Great Island is sweet.

 

[snoseek]

If you do some investigating there are some nice mellow little beaches south of portland. I will force myself to swim in the water when I visit home next month.

Has the water been extra cold this year? Anyone? I heard lobster is like 5.99# in portand, cheapest in many years if so

 

[deadheadskier]

If you do some investigating there are some nice mellow little beaches south of portland. I will force myself to swim in the water when I visit home next month.

Has the water been extra cold this year? Anyone? I heard lobster is like 5.99# in portand, cheapest in many years if so

I've only been in a couple of times at the Wall in Hampton and it seemed colder than last year for sure.

Saw lobsters today for $4.99# in Kittery. The place that is on the Pisqataqua downtown off I think it's governor street.

 

[bigbog]

new england coastline is all about change

Cape Cod.....made for beaches;-)...as you guys have mentioned...the fewer people, the nicer. Maine coastline is beautiful too...just a little different character...smaller "stash" beaches mixed with some larger ones...and far fewer urbanites...8)
No matter where you go, if you're only going to go where magazines-XYZ list, you're going to experience only the things that magazines-XYZ's staff enjoys in life. Although they often DO point out where some food is to be found...but after a while, turns into another Coney Island.

If you do some investigating there are some nice mellow little beaches south of portland. I will force myself to swim in the water when I visit home next month.

snoseek.....ROIKA!!!;-);-);-) ..isn't that what TaPow(old & worn out StarTrek character)..used for ENOUGH! of that talk...
also said(I ThInK).."This Bumpfest....is to the Death!.." ...???

 

[snoseek]

I've only been in a couple of times at the Wall in Hampton and it seemed colder than last year for sure.

Saw lobsters today for $4.99# in Kittery. The place that is on the Pisqataqua downtown off I think it's governor street.

Wow, that's as cheap as I've seen in a long long time.