Tag: Maine Travel

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New Airline Alert: Elite Airways Will Hit The Skies This Summer

May 22, 2013 at 9:27 AM | by | Comments (0)

It’s been some time since we got to talk about a new airline, and that’s probably because they just never seem to start flying—we’re looking at you PEOPLExpress. Anyway, there’s a new carrier coming to town, as Elite Airways, a charter carrier based up in Maine, looks set to expand within the next few months, offering service to and from Louisiana.

Obviously there’s still a lot to be decided and plenty of cash to be raised, but it seems that airline officials have a general idea of how to get this new venture up into the air.

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Where to Celebrate a Same-Sex Marriage in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington

November 7, 2012 at 11:19 AM | by | Comment (1)

After (probably) staying up late last night and biting off all of your fingernails, Election 2012 finally came to an end with the result that there won't be any packing up going on in the White House.

Here at Jaunted, we always look at the travel angle and, of course, there was a huge issue to watch: that of gay marriage. Four states— Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington—had a proposal on the ballot for the legalization of same-sex marriage. In all four states it passed and now happy couples of all sorts can say their "I dos" in each (not to mention a few others). This ultimately opens up the possibility of gay marriage travel and honeymoon travel. And voila, you have the travel angle.

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Three August Festivals to Celebrate All Things Blueberry

August 2, 2012 at 12:54 PM | by | Comments (0)

While we we've busy enjoying the warmer weather it’s been all work for those responsible for tending to this year’s blueberry crop. Thankfully things must have gone according to plan, as it’s time to harvest. Before August slips into September it’s time to celebrate blueberry season, and here’s three of the best festivals where you can do exactly that:

National Blueberry Festival – South Haven, Michigan

Running August 9-12, this festival has everything and anything involved with the berries that are little and blue. All the events go down right on the shores of Lake Michigan at the town’s Riverfront Park. Blueberry Pie Socials, Lawn Tractor Pulls, Pie Eating Contests, and a Blueberry Cookout round out the weekend’s events.

Organizers are expecting at least 40,000 hungry visitors as the event celebrates its 49th year filled with live entertainment and way too many blueberry pancakes. If you need a blueberry break—like that’s even possible—just swing by the Sand Sculpture Contest scheduled to do its thing at North Beach on Sunday afternoon.

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Maine's Famous Topless Coffeeshop Finally Sees Justice

January 2, 2012 at 9:46 AM | by | Comments (0)

In the long tradition of destination stories here at Jaunted, we've never abandoned covering the dramatic history of the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop in Vassalboro, Maine. Opening nearly three years ago with $3 coffee and $2 donuts and free gazing at the waitress' gazongas. As expected, the joint was controversial from the start and even a mini-documentary went about profiling the place and its customers.

Then it burnt to the ground. Suspiciously. Well CBS News shares that the arsonist has finally been convicted, and he wasn't doing it for morality reasons at all; he was angry at his ex-girlfriend, an employee of the Grand View who had left him to shack up with the coffeeshop's owner. Raymond Bellavance Jr. is now headed to jail as the Grand View gets on with business.

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Foreign Grocery Friday: The Lobster Ice Cream of Las Vegas

September 9, 2011 at 2:01 PM | by | Comments (0)

When we travel, one of our favorite things to do is to pop into a local grocery store and check out the food products and candies we'd never find anywhere else. So we're trying out this new feature, Foreign Grocery Friday, where each week we'll feature some of our (and your) favorite overseas treats. Got a recommendation? Let us know!

Okay so it's not technically foreign, but the Lobster Ice Cream at Las Vegas' new Lobster ME food kiosk in the Miracle Mile mall is totally worth a feature on its own. For one, it's totally Vegas in that it's something so weird, so novelty, so foreign to Vegas that's cool by default. In fact, perhaps the only people in the country who wouldn't turn their nose up at the stuff would be visitors to Vegas, open to wild and crazy new experiences (and with coin to drop on expensive ice cream).

Even a friend from Maine traveling to Vegas with us—a person who knows his lobster—refused to try it, instead opting for Lobster ME's lobster grilled cheese.

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36 Hours of Gluttony in Portland, Maine

October 19, 2010 at 2:55 PM | by | Comment (1)

When we think of cosmopolitan capitals of cuisine, some pretty well known names come to mind: Paris, Tokyo, New York…and Portland? Yes, it’s true. The hardscrabble main metropolis of Maine has concocted a special alchemy of farm-fresh fare, seasonal seasonings, and good old-fashioned gourmet cooking that makes it one of our top foodie destinations. Here’s how we recently spent 36 gluttonous hours there.

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Get Your Plastic Bibs Ready for the Maine Lobster Festival

July 19, 2010 at 2:01 PM | by | Comments (0)

While President Obama and the first family were doing their thing in and around Acadia National Park this weekend, organizers down the coast were preparing for some excitement of their own. Obama should have reconsidered his schedule, because he'll have just missed the Maine Lobster Festival set for August 4 through 8 in Rockland.

Probably one of the most delicious summer food festivals out there, this year’s crustacean celebration features live music, art, photography, and of course a huge parade where 25,000 lobster fans are expected to line the route. Organizers are ready for the crowd as they expect to have 20,000 pounds of lobster steaming away, so be sure to bring along some spare butter to help wash it all down.

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Maine Makes Presidential Ice Cream to Prep for Obama's Family Vacation

July 16, 2010 at 9:34 AM | by | Comments (0)

Why is President Barack Obama getting into an electric car? Well, he made a friendly visit to the town of Holland, Michigan yesterday, in order to check in on companies manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles. Although he did fly Air Force One in to Holland's Tulip City Airport, he sadly didn't take time from his busy schedule to go Dutch clog shopping or eat any homemade appelmoes (applesauce) . Like other US cities named for European towns, Holland, MI takes the affiliation a little too seriously and you can bet all of these things are offered.

After Michigan, Obama is back in DC today packing for a weekend trip with his family. They're headed to Mount Desert Island, Maine nearby Bar Harbor. The first family will keep it low-key with hiking in Acadia National Park, some golf at Kebo Valley Golf Club, and loads of quality time.

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Brrr! Maine's Topless Coffee Shop Reopens Just In Time For Winter

November 11, 2009 at 2:14 PM | by | Comments (2)

Maine's Grand View Topless Coffee Shop has had a dramatic year. After only opening up in the town of Vassalboro back in February, the place has been had it's moment in the media limelight, been burnt to the ground by an arsonist, and then reopened in a tent. Now it looks like it's back for good, as the owner has received the permit to reopen in a business trailer on the property—not as great as the original, but it exists nonetheless.

According the Boston Herald, business so far has been slow, but it could also be because the arson fire from last June is still under investigation. But for those anxious to have a place where they can make "I like my women like I like my coffee" jokes, the Grand View is back in business.

Things get a little more NSFW after the jump

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'Travel For Change' Is Sending Volunteers To Maine For Gay Rights

October 13, 2009 at 12:03 PM | by | Comments (0)

Usually, volunteer vacations are about helping the needy, but for some, they can also have a political agenda. Last year, Travel for Change helped send over 400 volunteers to swing states to work for the Barack Obama campaign. Now, they are helping send volunteers to Maine, where voters will take to the ballot box next month and decide whether to overturn a law that allows same-sex couples to wed. "Question 1," as it is being called, is similar to Prop 8, a same-sex marriage ban eventually approved by voters in California last year.

Travel for Change is working with the No on Question 1 campaign to get volunteers from across the country to Maine to work for marriage equality. The organization is raising funds and airline miles, matching volunteers to share rooms and cars, and placing them in appropriate jobs once they arrive in Maine.

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Maine Wants To Remind You What A Natural Night Sky Looks Like

September 11, 2009 at 10:33 AM | by | Comments (0)

See that mass of light on the horizon in Acadia National Park? That's the Milky Way—for reals.

Stargazers will see the blue yonder with new eyes at Maine's new Acadia Night Sky Festival, which celebrates the starry, natural nighttime sky. The festival, which starts on the sunset of Sept. 17 and ends at sunrise Sept. 21, tries to bring awareness to the problem of light pollution and the importance of preserving the pristine skies of Bar Harbor and and Acadia National Park.

Fest organizers say that a natural sky is increasingly rare, since artificial light from cities create light pollution and obscure our view of the glowing stars and other stellar matter. They add that two-thirds of the entire population of the Eastern Seaboard has yet to see Earth's own galaxy. In light of this (har, har), the Island Astronomy Institute, along with groups like the National Park Service and the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, decided to preserve the beauty of downeast Maine's natural sky. It's such a sight to behold, that on clear nights you can see the Milky Way swirl above Mount Desert Island.

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There Are Lobsters On The Loose In Maine This Weekend

July 30, 2009 at 3:04 PM | by | Comments (0)

It’s only Thursday, but things are well underway at this year’s 62nd Annual Maine Lobster Festival. The party kicked off yesterday and will run throughout the weekend, so get out your favorite lobster bib and have the drawn butter ready. Last year they cooked over 20,000 pounds of the crustacean critters and there’s plenty of other undersea delicacies if lobsters aren’t your thing—just bring your appetite and you’ll be pleased.

Although we have no problem with a festival just based on eating, in fact we prefer it, this summer fest has a lot more to offer than just seafood gluttony. There’s plenty of entertainment, cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, and of course, the coronation of the 2009 Maine Sea Goddess. The winner will be awarded a scholarship and will represent the town of Rockland and the lobster industry throughout the year.

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