Tips for photographers in Bar Harbor and Portland

[dapelfrey]

My wife and I will be cruising to Quebec and back on Celebrity Summit in late September and early October. I like having the chance to take decent pictures on my excursions--i.e., NOT through a bus window--so I'm looking for tours with lots of photo stops. Currently I'm considering PW15 Lighthouses of Maine and BY02 Best of Acadia National Park & Cadillac Mountain. Any comments on these or other suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance!

[diane.in.ny]

Acadia National Park should give you an opportunity for dramatic cliff/ocean shots.

 

Is there an excursion to Peggy's Cove? Very photogenic.

[SailBadtheSinner]

My wife and I will be cruising to Quebec and back on Celebrity Summit in late September and early October. I like having the chance to take decent pictures on my excursions--i.e., NOT through a bus window--so I'm looking for tours with lots of photo stops. Currently I'm considering PW15 Lighthouses of Maine and BY02 Best of Acadia National Park & Cadillac Mountain. Any comments on these or other suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

After reading the description of tour BY02, here are the only stops that I could identify:

• Sieur de Mont Springs Nature Center,
  
• Thunder Hole (will only hear thunder with an onshore breeze on a rising tide, about 4 hours after the start of flood tide)
  
• Northeast Harbor (is outside of Acadia National Park),
  
• Jordon Pond House
  
• summit of the 1530-foot Cadillac Mountain.
  

Are five stops enough or would you like more?

 

Here's how I would rate each stop:

• Sieur de Mont Springs, OK
  
• Thunder Hole, very good if you walk the Ocean Trail that parallels the Park Loop Road and not wait for the thunder unless your visit is at the right time.
  
• Northeast Harbor - very picturesque,
  
• Jordon Pond House - good but I go there for the food
  
• summit of the 1530-foot Cadillac Mountain - the best, pray for a clear day.
  

One way to have more stops would be to hire a taxi for a custom tour or rent a car. Here are 2 taxi companies that offer tours:

 

At Your Service Cab Co - http://atyourservicetaxi.com/

Acadia Taxi & Custom Tours - http://www.acadiataxi-customtours.com/

 

There are 2 tour companies in Bar Harbor which offer 2 hour tours of ANP but offer less than the cruise ship excursion.

 

 

SBtS

[dapelfrey]

SBtS: Good point. But if I'm going to pay for a more custom tour, perhaps I should consider BY19 The Ultimate Island Experience, which looks to be cheaper than renting a taxi. Your thoughts on this?

 

Diane: I'll look at excursions to Peggy's Cove in Halifax--thanks!

[SOPOME]

My wife and I will be cruising to Quebec and back on Celebrity Summit in late September and early October. I like having the chance to take decent pictures on my excursions--i.e., NOT through a bus window--so I'm looking for tours with lots of photo stops. Currently I'm considering PW15 Lighthouses of Maine and BY02 Best of Acadia National Park & Cadillac Mountain. Any comments on these or other suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

The lighthouse tour will give you some great shots along the coast. If you like architecture, then there is plenty of that walking around Portland. Here is a thread from a while ago that I contributed some suggestions..does this help at all?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1233031

[dapelfrey]

Sopome: Thanks! My wife and I actually prefer exploring ports on our own when we can. Is there a self-guided walking tour you might suggest for Portland?

[SOPOME]

Sopome: Thanks! My wife and I actually prefer exploring ports on our own when we can. Is there a self-guided walking tour you might suggest for Portland?

 

You're welcome!

 

This might be a good website to start with -- let me know if you have further questions after reading it!

 

http://portlandlandmarks.org/events-tours/Self-Guided.php

[dapelfrey]

You're welcome!

 

This might be a good website to start with -- let me know if you have further questions after reading it!

 

http://portlandlandmarks.org/events-tours/Self-Guided.php

 

There's definitely some interesting architecture, and I'm particularly intrigued with the Portland Observatory which should still be open when we're there. Is all of this within walking distance of where the ship docks?

[SOPOME]

There's definitely some interesting architecture, and I'm particularly intrigued with the Portland Observatory which should still be open when we're there. Is all of this within walking distance of where the ship docks?

 

"Within walking distance" means different things to different people! :)

I'll give you some reference points, but keep in mind you can very likely find taxis near the ship to take you one way, and then walk back if the total distance seems to much...

 

There are 2 cruise terminals/docks now in Portland, but they are only 1/4 mi apart, both on Commercial St. Use the corner of Commercial and Franklin as a starting point, then you can use google maps or mapquest and see how far everything is. For instance from there the observatory will be about a 3/4 mi walk. The observatory is about half way to the Eastern Prom. Fort Allen Park might also be interesting with some good shots...including a panoramic view of Portland Harbor, and Fort Gorges.

 

The Maine State Pier is at the Commercial/Franklin starting point, by the way. If you happen to dock at Ocean Gate terminal then that is closer to the observatory.

 

The "Old Port" is right along the waterfront where you will be and 5 or 6 streets inland as well. Lots of old buildings with shops, restaurants, etc.

 

The Western Prom is in the opposite direction (obviously!) from Commercial/Franklin, and would be about 1.5 to walk. The views aren't as nice as the Eastern Prom, but the architecture is better in my opinion. Maine Medical Center, (the largest hospital in Maine) is located on the Western Prom. If you find that on a map and then trace a route along Western Prom toward Casco Bay/Commercial St, then that is where the most prominent architecture is.

 

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can help further.

[dapelfrey]

I just created my own Google Maps tour and will probably take a taxi to the observatory for an overview, then take specific photographs on my way back to the ship. Thanks for all the help!

[SOPOME]

I just created my own Google Maps tour and will probably take a taxi to the observatory for an overview, then take specific photographs on my way back to the ship. Thanks for all the help!

 

Great!

 

Here's a website that shows the "Eastern Prom Trail". The map shows the observatory, and if you are up for the walk you can head up to the Prom and then back down along the trail to the ship. (not sure what route you may have mapped out..!)

 

http://trails.org/our-trails/eastern-prom-trail/