Maine.
We are getting married in Boothbay Harbor,
The most north-easterly state in the USA,
Maine has a special place in our hearts:
Becky went to college there,
we have spent many summers hiking and swimming there,
we go there for the New Year, and it's the home of delicious lobster.
Look out for a sign on the side of the road as you enter Maine from New Hampshire:
"Maine: The Way Life Should Be..."
It's true!
We are looking forward to sharing our love of Maine with you.
The easiest way to get to Maine from London is to fly to Boston's Logan Airport and then rent a car (public transport outside of Boston is non-existent).
Boothbay Harbor is approximately a 3 hour drive from Boston.
The standard return airfare flying direct from London to Boston in September is around 410 pounds.
British Airways, Virgin, and American fly direct from Heathrow to Boston.
British Airways has 3 flights per day to and from Boston and is often the cheapest and most convenient
of the direct carriers although Virgin (1 flight per day) may undercut BA by about 10 pounds or so.
You might want to consider flying in to Boston and out of New York or Newark if you want to do a round trip.
The cheapest flight available (typically 370 pounds in September) is usually with Icelandair changing in Reykjavik or Lufthansa via Frankfurt.
All the usual car hire companies are represented at Boston's Logan Airport although the deals will be found by booking in advance from the UK.
The best 'fly-drive' deals are found via London-based travel agents
We hope we're worth it! But in case you have any lingering doubts, we suggest that you make the trip really worth while by taking a week off work and spend time discovering the beauty of New England. September is probably the best time of year to come to New England: the temperature is pleasantly warm (Maine is on the same latitude as France!), the humidity has subsided, and the trees are about to turn to stunning autumnal colours. We have some suggestions of our favourite locations and places you might like to go. [link: Things To Do In New England]
Firstly, make sure you are sitting near the front of the plane. The line for the immigration for "non US citizens" is a shocker at Logan airport so don't dawdle on the plane - make a swift move for the exit.
Secondly, once you are through immigration, picked up your bags, gone through customs, you will be deposited at the shiny newly-refurbished Terminal E. Hire car buses leave from outside. If you are taking public transport into Boston, there is a free shuttle bus that takes you to the nearest "T" station, Boston's underground, which is on the Blue line.
Thirdly, you have your car, now you have to negotiate your way into Boston if you are staying there, or head north if you are going to Maine. Here are some links to useful maps:
Boston
Boston Downtown
T schedules
Boston and Cambridge
Frommer's Boston
More Boston maps
From the airport:
Look for signs marked Route 1 North or Interstate 95 North.
See directions page.
From Boston:
See directions page.
See this map for a bigger scale view of the Boothbay region.
If you're not in a rush to head up north, you might want to consider these detours...
Portsmouth,
Lunch / dinner in
New Hampshire.
Our favourite place is the Gas Light Company, 64 Market St.
Take exit 7 off I95 in New Hampshire. It's the last exit before the big Piscataqua Bridge into Maine.
At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn right towards Portsmouth, bearing left where it splits after the docks.
The Gas Light is on the right.
This is where unsold items from the brand name shops get sold off cheaply.
There are some good bargains to be had.
Freeport has a slightly larger selection of shops than Kittery,
but Kittery is more convenient if you are short of time.
Kittery is Exit 3 off the I95 once you enter Maine.
For the serious bargain hunters, Freeport is north east of Portland, Exit 20 off the I295.
Main Street has all the shops on it.
Check out L.L.Bean's flagship store at the north end of Main Street
for every type of hard core outdoor equipment imaginable.
Lobster Shack near Two Lights State Park at Cape Elizabeth, just south of Portland.
After turning on to the I295 south of Portland,
come off at Exit 4, onto Route 1 crossing the river and then bear right onto Route 1/1A.
After about 1 mile, take a right onto Route 77 which will take you over over the huge Casco Bay Bridge.
Follow Route 77 for about 5 miles. Look out for Two Lights Road on the left. Follow that to the end.
You've arrived at Cape Elizabeth.
The lobster shack should be in front of the car park, next to the lighthouse.
in Brunswick, Maine, where Becky (and her Dad!) went to school.
Becky's favourite place is Wild Oats Bakery for "the best sandwiches ever"
in the tiny Tontine Mall at 149 Maine Street, Brunswick.
Or try
Scarlet Begonias, 212 Maine Street.