Maine’s 2022 April Update

April 5, 2022

Three New Hotels Will Open in Time for Summer

Bar Harbor’s newest in-town lodging is Queen Anne’s Revenge. Named after a famed pirate ship, the inn’s design evokes the era of the Tall Ships. Located in downtown Bar Harbor, the property was created out of what were five separate summer cottages. Every room is different in size, furnishings and layout. Queen Anne’s Revenge opens for the season in June, 2022.

Salt Cottages, located in Bar Harbor, is scheduled to open its doors this summer on the Fourth of July weekend. It’s a nostalgia-laden version of a Maine coastal getaway, upgraded for 21st century travelers seeking smart design and upgraded amenities. Set on a hillside overlooking Hull’s Cove, the resort features a total of 40 accommodations, including 30 stand-alone cottages and 10 motor lodge rooms. It’s aimed at both couples and families. The former Colony Cottages, it was bought last year by developer and hotelier Tim Harrington, owner of The Claremont and The Lincoln Hotel, among other properties.

Located in a former textile mill, The Lincoln Hotel offers 33 stylish guest rooms in the heart of reborn Biddeford. It has a state-of-the-art fitness center and it’s aimed at visitors who want to explore Biddeford’s dining and cultural scene, art galleries and artisan shops. A branch of Batson Brewing and Distilling will open in the building this spring and the rooftop pool and bar will open in the summer of 2022. Developer and hotelier Tim Harrington, owner of Salt Cottages and The Claremont, is also behind this project.

Fishing Season in Maine

Maine’s 6,000 lakes and ponds, its prized rivers, and 3,500 plus miles of spectacularly rocky coastline make it a special and unique destination for anglers. For freshwater fishermen, it is known for its large population of wild brook trout, as well as landlocked salmon and rare arctic char. Large and smallmouth bass abound in Maine’s lakes and ponds. Bass fishermen head out onto Western lakes in the morning mist, casting their brightly colored lures along rocky shorelines from their well-outfitted, low-slung bass boats. Kayakers might take a small fly rod out on flat water in pursuit of trout or bass. Landlocked salmon is the prize on Maine’s deeper bodies of water, like Sebago and Moosehead, where it’s not uncommon to spot someone trolling slowly with a downrigger to reach the cold depths in pursuit of a trophy fish. As for saltwater angling, along the southern coast of the state, fisherman head out onto Casco Bay all summer long, eager to cast to striped bass and bluefish. Go to Visit Maine for more details.

Maine’s Sporting Camps

For those who want to take their Maine fishing experience to another level, it’s time to consider a spring or fall stay at a sporting camp, when trout and landlocked salmon fishing are at their peak. The history of such camps dates back to the 19th century, when “sports” from New York, Philadelphia and Boston journeyed to such storied lakes as Rangeley, Mooselookmeguntic, and Aziscohos, as well as rivers like the Rapid, Magalloway, Kennebago and Kennebec. The sports still come from around the world to these legendary waters and stay at classic Maine sporting camps tucked into the great north woods, places like Bradford Camps, Libby Sporting Camps, Kennebago River Camps and Red River Camps. Sporting camps typically feature lake-side cabin accommodations and home-cooked family style meals. Sports head out for the day, often in the company of a Registered Maine Guide, by boat, canoe or even floatplane to explore different waters. Check in with the 40-plus members of the Maine Sporting Camp Association, scattered across the northern half of the state. They offer some of the best fishing and old-fashioned accommodations in the Northeast.

A New Event Comes to Portland

Resurgam is a festival organized by the Maine Academy of Modern Music on June 12, 2022 at Thompson’s Point in Portland. This new inclusive community-minded music and arts festival will spotlight Portland’s creativity and youth. It will feature live music, Maine makers, food trucks, a children’s parade and more. The event will be free and open to the public.