Finding the right location

[EmptyNest]

As much as I love my bed and breakfast I will sell it at some point. It is turn key and if the right person comes along I could be sooner than later. Just give it some thought..

Sounds like we should talk Sandynn!
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E-mail me off line.
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its probably right in front of me, but I cannot find a way to email you off line. Some posts include an evnvelope to click on but there is not one on yours (or mine either)

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its probably right in front of me, but I cannot find a way to email you off line. Some posts include an evnvelope to click on but there is not one on yours (or mine either)

You won't get the email link unless you are logged on.
But you are correct that sandynn doesn't have the link. And as I am absolutely awful about remembering who owns what inn, I can't even email you to tell you the name of her place.
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[newinnlove]

Just got back from a whirl-wind tour of ME. We went up as far as Bar Harbor, which we decided is too far up and too isolated. Loved Booth Bay area and southward. We thought Camden was great and it looks like there would be plenty for us to do year round. Anyone know much about Camden? Also did a little reconnaissance near Long Lake and Sabago Lake. Beautiful area and would have a longer season. So many choices!

 

[gillumhouse]

Just got back from a whirl-wind tour of ME. We went up as far as Bar Harbor, which we decided is too far up and too isolated. Loved Booth Bay area and southward. We thought Camden was great and it looks like there would be plenty for us to do year round. Anyone know much about Camden? Also did a little reconnaissance near Long Lake and Sabago Lake. Beautiful area and would have a longer season. So many choices!.

The windjammer cruises sail out of Camden. However, I do not think that would do much for a B & B. We arrived on Sunday, spent the night onboard, sailed on Monday, and returned on Saturday - loaded car and it the road. Same scenario when it was a 3-day cruise just different days - unless the cruise people chose to stay in Camden for the other 2 days of the week. Nice town. We wandered around and had lunch either before ort after - can't remember which because the last time I was there was 1994. Probably changed a lot since then.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

 

[Morticia]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)
.

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)

I was surprised about how early things closed up! We happened to be in Rockland on Sunday and all we could find to eat was at a local pizza/ice cream place, I love pizza, but it wasn't what I was in the mood for, but everything else was closed (and it was still light outside!). I don't like a town that's covered with fast food places, but a few of them that will give you some options of after 7pm eating is a good thing

, or better yet, how about local sandwich/sub/pizza shops staying open later?? The kids in those small towns must go stir crazy!!

 

[gillumhouse]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)
.

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)

I was surprised about how early things closed up! We happened to be in Rockland on Sunday and all we could find to eat was at a local pizza/ice cream place, I love pizza, but it wasn't what I was in the mood for, but everything else was closed (and it was still light outside!). I don't like a town that's covered with fast food places, but a few of them that will give you some options of after 7pm eating is a good thing

, or better yet, how about local sandwich/sub/pizza shops staying open later?? The kids in those small towns must go stir crazy!!
.

Another reason to ban the fast food is called keeping the town CLEAN. As in no trash all over from the sandwiches, beverages, etc. The only "fast food" in my town is the greasy Mc that is about a mile from my house. Just far enough to finish that "fast" meal and toss the wrappers and bags out on my corner or in my yard.
My City has a Chinese that is open until 10 and several pizza places - at least one of which also does salads and sandwiches. Not much else after dark. After dark is when you go home.

 

[Morticia]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)
.

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)

I was surprised about how early things closed up! We happened to be in Rockland on Sunday and all we could find to eat was at a local pizza/ice cream place, I love pizza, but it wasn't what I was in the mood for, but everything else was closed (and it was still light outside!). I don't like a town that's covered with fast food places, but a few of them that will give you some options of after 7pm eating is a good thing

, or better yet, how about local sandwich/sub/pizza shops staying open later?? The kids in those small towns must go stir crazy!!
.

OK, you've been to my small town. Restaurants open until 11 PM, unless there are no patrons...then they close, why hang around for the possibility someone might walk by? Stores close anywhere from 6 PM to 9 PM.
I just came back from vacation and NOTHING was open after 8 PM. If you wanted to have dinner, you got there by 7, in case it was slow and they all decided to go home. The local cafe closed at 3 PM. No stopping in for a latte on the way home from school. We got there at 2:45 and the girl working there invited us in and started up another pot of coffee. When another patron walked in after 3, she seated him, took his order and went and made it herself as the cook was gone home.
It's just small town life. It's the same everywhere.
I have no idea what kids do here, I don't have any young enough. My friends' kids do homework, join sports or theater, that sort of thing. In the summer they work or hang out with friends or go on vacation with parents. My neighbors let their kids host outdoor movies on the weekends.

 

[gillumhouse]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!

 

[Morticia]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!
.

7500 give or take. Year round population, we're not a 'summer residence' town. We have a community center with a teen lounge. I was doing 'homework help' there last year but most kids just wanted to hang out. You had to be 13 to join. They organize dances, etc. It was run last year by VISTA volunteers.
The neighbors have a big projection screen the kids use to show movies. They have all the lawn chairs out and have a firepit. It can be quite crowded out there! They quiet down around 11 which is all I really care about, the noise. They parked here once (by mistake, I think) but we talked to the kids and explained we need the parking spaces. They parked across the street after that.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!
.

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!

First the population of our town is aprox. 22,000+, and we are considered part of Metro-Atlanta...so of course it's to be expected that there's always something to do not too far away

Besides the norm of kids hanging out at each others house, going to parties they probably go to the movies most often. But I think that's probably pretty much everywhere. What we have here in our immediate city that would be open late is lots of restaurants, theatre and some bars/clubs. Probably 1/2 of gas stations are 24hour. We used to have a paintball place but they closed recently.
BUT, that being said, we live so close to many large cities that you can drive anywhere (if there's no traffic....) withing 15 minutes or so. A few of the cites close by have populations of: 33,000,44,000,62,000 & 470,000 (bet you can guess that's Atlanta!). Things to do immediately would be:
4 malls within driving distance (a few more within 30+miles)
2 different ice skating rinks open until 10pmish (year round) as well as a few skating rinks
Speed Zone (midnight & 2am) The 12-acre park in Kennesaw offers licensed drivers four different racing choices: dragsters, scaled-down Grand Prix racers, go-carts on a slick track and miniracers on a serpentine track. The parks are "adult-oriented, but family friendly,"
Minature Golf
Bowling
24 hour Wal Mart
about 8 different theatres, including IMAX
Art Center live plays and musicals, classes and camps, birthday parties, dinner and a play packages.
Dixie Speedway banked clay oval that hosts stock car racing. National Event to Weekly Races, Bombers, Sportsman, Cruiser Cars, and the Superfast 600 Horsepowered Late Models that headline the feature event each week. They do a lot of benefits for Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta.
Stone Mountain Park Located on 3,200 acres of natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety of fun family activities and things to do in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Amazing adventures await as you discover interactive children's attractions. Plus you'll not want to miss dozens of fun annual events such as the Yellow Daisy Festival, Stone Mountain Christmas, or the Indian Festival & Pow Wow. Stone Mountain activities are suitable for all ages
While I don't partake in a lot of the things (except the shopping

) I like to know it's there.

 

[Morticia]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!
.

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!

First the population of our town is aprox. 22,000+, and we are considered part of Metro-Atlanta...so of course it's to be expected that there's always something to do not too far away

Besides the norm of kids hanging out at each others house, going to parties they probably go to the movies most often. But I think that's probably pretty much everywhere. What we have here in our immediate city that would be open late is lots of restaurants, theatre and some bars/clubs. Probably 1/2 of gas stations are 24hour. We used to have a paintball place but they closed recently.
BUT, that being said, we live so close to many large cities that you can drive anywhere (if there's no traffic....) withing 15 minutes or so. A few of the cites close by have populations of: 33,000,44,000,62,000 & 470,000 (bet you can guess that's Atlanta!). Things to do immediately would be:
4 malls within driving distance (a few more within 30+miles)
2 different ice skating rinks open until 10pmish (year round) as well as a few skating rinks
Speed Zone (midnight & 2am) The 12-acre park in Kennesaw offers licensed drivers four different racing choices: dragsters, scaled-down Grand Prix racers, go-carts on a slick track and miniracers on a serpentine track. The parks are "adult-oriented, but family friendly,"
Minature Golf
Bowling
24 hour Wal Mart
about 8 different theatres, including IMAX
Art Center live plays and musicals, classes and camps, birthday parties, dinner and a play packages.
Dixie Speedway banked clay oval that hosts stock car racing. National Event to Weekly Races, Bombers, Sportsman, Cruiser Cars, and the Superfast 600 Horsepowered Late Models that headline the feature event each week. They do a lot of benefits for Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta.
Stone Mountain Park Located on 3,200 acres of natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety of fun family activities and things to do in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Amazing adventures await as you discover interactive children's attractions. Plus you'll not want to miss dozens of fun annual events such as the Yellow Daisy Festival, Stone Mountain Christmas, or the Indian Festival & Pow Wow. Stone Mountain activities are suitable for all ages
While I don't partake in a lot of the things (except the shopping

) I like to know it's there.
.

See, you really needed to stay in Portland or Old Orchard Beach if you needed all that stuff. Maine just isn't the place if you have to have 'entertainment' all the time. It's nice to visit to get a sense of a quieter lifestyle, but it's not the sort of place that makes everyone happy. I've read some online reviews where folks were just miserable being in Maine. 'Nothing to do' was the biggest complaint. And one poor person who couldn't survive 2 nights in a cabin in the woods because there wasn't a phone in the room and the TV only got 3 channels. They also could only find a McD's to eat at so they left and went back to NH where there was 'something to do.'
I used to come here way back when with a bag of books, a blanket and some snacks. I'd walk the beach for hours, come back and read on a little balcony at the inn, eat my snacks and just relax. I never drove the car at all while I was here...just walked to everything.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!
.

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!

First the population of our town is aprox. 22,000+, and we are considered part of Metro-Atlanta...so of course it's to be expected that there's always something to do not too far away

Besides the norm of kids hanging out at each others house, going to parties they probably go to the movies most often. But I think that's probably pretty much everywhere. What we have here in our immediate city that would be open late is lots of restaurants, theatre and some bars/clubs. Probably 1/2 of gas stations are 24hour. We used to have a paintball place but they closed recently.
BUT, that being said, we live so close to many large cities that you can drive anywhere (if there's no traffic....) withing 15 minutes or so. A few of the cites close by have populations of: 33,000,44,000,62,000 & 470,000 (bet you can guess that's Atlanta!). Things to do immediately would be:
4 malls within driving distance (a few more within 30+miles)
2 different ice skating rinks open until 10pmish (year round) as well as a few skating rinks
Speed Zone (midnight & 2am) The 12-acre park in Kennesaw offers licensed drivers four different racing choices: dragsters, scaled-down Grand Prix racers, go-carts on a slick track and miniracers on a serpentine track. The parks are "adult-oriented, but family friendly,"
Minature Golf
Bowling
24 hour Wal Mart
about 8 different theatres, including IMAX
Art Center live plays and musicals, classes and camps, birthday parties, dinner and a play packages.
Dixie Speedway banked clay oval that hosts stock car racing. National Event to Weekly Races, Bombers, Sportsman, Cruiser Cars, and the Superfast 600 Horsepowered Late Models that headline the feature event each week. They do a lot of benefits for Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta.
Stone Mountain Park Located on 3,200 acres of natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety of fun family activities and things to do in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Amazing adventures await as you discover interactive children's attractions. Plus you'll not want to miss dozens of fun annual events such as the Yellow Daisy Festival, Stone Mountain Christmas, or the Indian Festival & Pow Wow. Stone Mountain activities are suitable for all ages
While I don't partake in a lot of the things (except the shopping

) I like to know it's there.
.

See, you really needed to stay in Portland or Old Orchard Beach if you needed all that stuff. Maine just isn't the place if you have to have 'entertainment' all the time. It's nice to visit to get a sense of a quieter lifestyle, but it's not the sort of place that makes everyone happy. I've read some online reviews where folks were just miserable being in Maine. 'Nothing to do' was the biggest complaint. And one poor person who couldn't survive 2 nights in a cabin in the woods because there wasn't a phone in the room and the TV only got 3 channels. They also could only find a McD's to eat at so they left and went back to NH where there was 'something to do.'
I used to come here way back when with a bag of books, a blanket and some snacks. I'd walk the beach for hours, come back and read on a little balcony at the inn, eat my snacks and just relax. I never drove the car at all while I was here...just walked to everything.
.

See, you really needed to stay in Portland or Old Orchard Beach if you needed all that stuff. Maine just isn't the place if you have to have 'entertainment' all the time. It's nice to visit to get a sense of a quieter lifestyle, but it's not the sort of place that makes everyone happy. I've read some online reviews where folks were just miserable being in Maine. 'Nothing to do' was the biggest complaint. And one poor person who couldn't survive 2 nights in a cabin in the woods because there wasn't a phone in the room and the TV only got 3 channels. They also could only find a McD's to eat at so they left and went back to NH where there was 'something to do.'
I used to come here way back when with a bag of books, a blanket and some snacks. I'd walk the beach for hours, come back and read on a little balcony at the inn, eat my snacks and just relax. I never drove the car at all while I was here...just walked to everything.

I think being somewhere like Camden would have been nicer to me if I knew in advance what would be there. I didn't realize how quiet it would be there. I'm still glad we went there but I would never make it my destination again. We drove up to Belfast and that was really something!

I would like to go to Orchard Beach next time. We did go to York and that was really cute!

 

[gillumhouse]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!
.

How late do things stay open in your town? What is there for kids to do in your town. What is the population of your town? Before anyone takes this as contencious I want to state that we are trying to find things for the kids in my town and I am on a fishing expedition of "OK, what is out there? What so you have?" on the basic tenet of innkeeperhood - if you find a good idea- steal it!

First the population of our town is aprox. 22,000+, and we are considered part of Metro-Atlanta...so of course it's to be expected that there's always something to do not too far away

Besides the norm of kids hanging out at each others house, going to parties they probably go to the movies most often. But I think that's probably pretty much everywhere. What we have here in our immediate city that would be open late is lots of restaurants, theatre and some bars/clubs. Probably 1/2 of gas stations are 24hour. We used to have a paintball place but they closed recently.
BUT, that being said, we live so close to many large cities that you can drive anywhere (if there's no traffic....) withing 15 minutes or so. A few of the cites close by have populations of: 33,000,44,000,62,000 & 470,000 (bet you can guess that's Atlanta!). Things to do immediately would be:
4 malls within driving distance (a few more within 30+miles)
2 different ice skating rinks open until 10pmish (year round) as well as a few skating rinks
Speed Zone (midnight & 2am) The 12-acre park in Kennesaw offers licensed drivers four different racing choices: dragsters, scaled-down Grand Prix racers, go-carts on a slick track and miniracers on a serpentine track. The parks are "adult-oriented, but family friendly,"
Minature Golf
Bowling
24 hour Wal Mart
about 8 different theatres, including IMAX
Art Center live plays and musicals, classes and camps, birthday parties, dinner and a play packages.
Dixie Speedway banked clay oval that hosts stock car racing. National Event to Weekly Races, Bombers, Sportsman, Cruiser Cars, and the Superfast 600 Horsepowered Late Models that headline the feature event each week. They do a lot of benefits for Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta.
Stone Mountain Park Located on 3,200 acres of natural beauty, Stone Mountain Park features a wide variety of fun family activities and things to do in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Amazing adventures await as you discover interactive children's attractions. Plus you'll not want to miss dozens of fun annual events such as the Yellow Daisy Festival, Stone Mountain Christmas, or the Indian Festival & Pow Wow. Stone Mountain activities are suitable for all ages
While I don't partake in a lot of the things (except the shopping

) I like to know it's there.
.

OK with that kind of population you re going to find the money to have "things to do". We have a population of about 2500 (we have had a few funerals but not the right ones) and the City has more needs than money. We do have our Blueprint Team that is starting to make things happen and Shinnston Area Development Association that funds a lot of things (but I have been helping them spend their money and we had another person who was willing to spend it on HIS projects and with the current market funds are down) to help the City and the schools, but is getting low in the bank account department.
We have a younger group (I am now among the old folks rather than the baby of the group) now who are more forward thinking - but funds are tight. City and business (some anyway) and citizens are working together so it is going to progress. We are still a bedroom community.
Tomorrow I am scheduled to make a presentation to the Travel West Virginia class at the high school. It is a tourism & marketing elective. I have been a resource for several teachers and ignored by others. This is another new teacher and she was told by the first teacher of that class that she is missing a good resource if she does not use me. So she called. We will see how it goes.....
Edited to say: Here is my City. Come visit it www.shinnstonwv.com I am the official Tourist Information Center for our City.

 

[hawley]

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut..

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)
.

We stayed for 2 days in Camden this Summer. I don't think it was technically in season yet since everything closed early and there wasn't much to do....it was a pretty town but we felt closed off from things. I asked a young man who was working in a sandwich shop what there was for young people to do in the area and he said "nothing". We don't eat much fast food at all, but sometimes you just "need" something, and there was no fast food restaurants for probably 20-30 minutes away, and then it was only like a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.

Many Maine towns BAN fast food establishments as they don't want to set that sort of tone for the area. Coastal areas can be tricky for certain amenities like restaurants. I think there are 2 places where SS just left and one of them is closing and moving to another town. I hate to say it, but no one comes to Maine to 'do' stuff. You need to be in or near a BIG city to have movies and things like that. Small, summer kinds of places have local theater and outdoor activities. Nothing in the evening, for the most part unless you're near a city.
I can drive 10 miles in either direction and be at a movie theater, but if you don't want to drive, this town doesn't offer much after dark. (Altho we do have a couple of places that now offer live music every night year round. That's a big change.)

I was surprised about how early things closed up! We happened to be in Rockland on Sunday and all we could find to eat was at a local pizza/ice cream place, I love pizza, but it wasn't what I was in the mood for, but everything else was closed (and it was still light outside!). I don't like a town that's covered with fast food places, but a few of them that will give you some options of after 7pm eating is a good thing

, or better yet, how about local sandwich/sub/pizza shops staying open later?? The kids in those small towns must go stir crazy!!
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Another reason to ban the fast food is called keeping the town CLEAN. As in no trash all over from the sandwiches, beverages, etc. The only "fast food" in my town is the greasy Mc that is about a mile from my house. Just far enough to finish that "fast" meal and toss the wrappers and bags out on my corner or in my yard.
My City has a Chinese that is open until 10 and several pizza places - at least one of which also does salads and sandwiches. Not much else after dark. After dark is when you go home.
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We live 4 blocks from McDonalds and are on the main street thru our neighborhood. Other streets are closed off. We also have a number of apartments around us. The sacks, papers and cups from fast food blow down the street all the time. We pick up trash every day. Have to pick up the yard before we can mow. It goes with having fast food near us.

 

[newinnlove]

Hope your presentation went well Gillumhouse.
There are so many considerations when choosing a place for our B&B. Figure I'm going to have to decide the area I want to live in and then look for a B&B from there. I'm sure you all have been there. So many choices......
Maine is a bit on the quiet side, but I like that. A balance between quiet and civilization... do need a couple of restaurants and a movie theater nearby. The coast is such a draw for me but I am concerned about the short season. Guess if I find the right numbers it would work.
I spent summers as a kid in York Beach GeorgiaGirl, it is a great place. I'd buy something there in a heartbeat if it weren't so expensive!
I'm with you Bree on the reading and the walks. Getting away from the rest is my idea of a vacation.
Its great to get all different view points. Makes me consider things I might otherwise miss. Thanks!

 

[gillumhouse]

Hope your presentation went well Gillumhouse.
There are so many considerations when choosing a place for our B&B. Figure I'm going to have to decide the area I want to live in and then look for a B&B from there. I'm sure you all have been there. So many choices......
Maine is a bit on the quiet side, but I like that. A balance between quiet and civilization... do need a couple of restaurants and a movie theater nearby. The coast is such a draw for me but I am concerned about the short season. Guess if I find the right numbers it would work.
I spent summers as a kid in York Beach GeorgiaGirl, it is a great place. I'd buy something there in a heartbeat if it weren't so expensive!
I'm with you Bree on the reading and the walks. Getting away from the rest is my idea of a vacation.
Its great to get all different view points. Makes me consider things I might otherwise miss. Thanks!.

Thanks, the presentation went well. I touched on a lot of areas including telling them that everything they are learning right now is being used by me today. Since the teacher did not give me a topic she wanted me to talk on, it was a bit difficult - and kids do not ask questions.
Re Maine being quiet. Are you referring for guests or for you?
My Illinois neighbor told me that she just did not picture me being ready for a WV kind of life. When I asked what that was, she said sitting on the porch. Within 7 minths I was sitting on City Council and had weeks at a time that I was not home in an evening. I bet that you can be as busy as you want to be in any "quiet" area. Just be willing to volunteer - not by showing up and saying Here I am! but by letting folks have a chance to get to know you and they will invite you to join in. THEN you will be BUSY!!
Not on Council any longer but still busy and loving where I am! I even get to be a "pot stirrer!" A road block resigned from a group last night because pot stirrer did not give him his way - and everyone went whew! he quit!