PHOTOS 5 MAP; Open Season: Shops in Bar Harbor stand at the ready for summer visitors. A tail to sell: One guess what's on the menu in Bar Harbor. Fresh fish: It's a short distance from the harbor in Camden, below, to the chowder houses of Belfast, above. orland's web: A church steeple in Orland once captivated writer E.B. White. It still has that effect on visitors. Staff photos/[Thomas Swick] Staff graphic Map: Locates various cities in Maine. IF YOU GO: MAINE Getting there: I flew to Boston, drove I-95 (about two hours) to Portland, then drove to Bar Harbor on Route 1. You can also fly into Portland. Lodging: In Portland, the Inn at St. John is an attractive small hotel with very reasonable rates (my single was about $75 a night). The neighborhood is a little drab, but it's an easy walk to see a Sea Dogs game, if they're in town. (939 Congress St.; 800-636-9127; www.innatstjohn.com). A more expensive option is the Portland Regency Hotel, in the Old Port, right in the heart of the nightlife. A member of Historic Hotels of America, the hotel has rates starting over $200. (20 Milk St., 800-727-3436; www.theregency.com). I chose Camden as my next overnight stop because...

UP & DOWNEAST FROM PORTLAND, THE ROAD WAS OPEN ALL THE WAY TO BAR HARBOR. AND YET, THERE WERE SO MANY REASONS TO STOP. LOBSTER ROLL, ANYONE?: Broward Metro Edition