Standish Maine

Standish, ME or Ocean City, MD for your next  Sundance Vacation?

Sundance Vacations offers beautiful destinations across the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean, so why do so many travelers still choose to vacation in Ocean City, Maryland, every year? We wondered too! So we challenged our employees to tell us about an alternate destination – Standish, Maine. They convinced us that it’s better than Ocean City, Md. and perhaps they can convince you too.

Why spend a summer week Sebago Lake, Maine instead of Ocean City, Md., you ask? Well pull up a chair, neighbor, and have a cup of tea and a blueberry muffin-wild blueberries are Maine’s official state fruit, by the way. I’ll tell you why.

Some people love the beach. They dig the surf and the salt, and the sand between their toes. But that sand, it gets everywhere! Your shoes, your car, your beach bag, even in your bathing suit! And everyone loves the beach, so you know, it draws a crowd. And I’m just not a crowd person. But the lake, now that’s a different story! I’d love to pack up my little Suzuki and head off to Sebago Lake with my boyfriend Mike. We both love the mountains and woods and lakes. And we’re both big Stephen King fans! We would definitely plan a day trip to Bangor while we were in Maine to see the town that inspired Castle Rock and Derry, the fictional towns King uses in several of his novels. And since we’re both of Irish descent, we’d have to stop at Gheagan’s Pub for dinner. Also a craft brewery, they’re known in Maine for both their food and their spirits!

What’s that you say? There’s an Irish Pub called the Black Bear Café close to Nickquenum? We’ll have to check that out!
We’d definitely have to visit the Old Red Church in Standish while we’re there. It’s over 200 years old, red(of course!), and reportedly haunted! It’s one of the more popular historic destinations in Maine. Those spots would definitely inspire ghost stories as the sun sets over the lake.

You say that the Parsonsfield Seminary is another haunted historical place nearby? Oh wonderful, that gives us more ghost story
inspiration, thank you friend!

How would we spend the rest of the time, you ask? Ahh, sweet nature! Walks by the lakeside and through the woods, just absorbing the beauty of nature surrounding us. We’ve both been to the Adirondacks and the Appalachians, and love the mountains. A walk out in nature is such a serene experience, it balances the mind and spirit, and refreshes the body. And Sebago Lake is a perfect spot for those long nature walks!

But it’s summer, what about the beach, right? Well, it IS a lake, after all. And the ocean is just an hour away! So naturally we’d have to take a drive to Portland, maybe do some clam digging on the beach, and get our lobsterfest on at one of the local eateries. We might squeeze in some site seeing in Portland before heading back to the peacefulness of Nickquenum and beautiful Sebago Lake.
Oh of course, we’d definitely visit the Portland Japanese Gardens before heading back. Already have that on the to-do list!
Oh yes, Sebago Lake would be THE place to go for a summer vacation! I can almost taste that steak on the grill now, and the s’mores for dessert! Watching the fireflies dancing in the dusk to the music of the pines around us. Why, can’t you faintly hear the crickets chirping now?? And the wind whispering “Come to Sebago” through the trees? A vacation should be a time to relax, away from the hustle and bustle of the world around us. And for 2 busy people who rarely get the chance to get away and just relax, Nickquenum would be just what the doctor ordered! There in our lakeside getaway, we’d delight in that relaxation, while enriching our minds with mini adventures in the area around us. We’d take lots of pictures, savoring the beautiful memories we’d make there for years to come!
How’s that? Would we hop on the highway to get home? Oh no, friend, definitely not. I think we’d go a little bit out of the way to drive along the coast for a bit. Savor the drive back, enjoy the scenery!

So, there you have it. That’s why I’d pick a week at a mountain lake over a week at a popular ocean beach. I know that everyone has their own thing they like to do. And some people do the same thing every year. But me, I say step OUTSIDE that box! Climb a mountain! Go bird watching! Go visit a haunted house or historical town! Take a boat out on the lake and hunt for a sea serpent-maybe even discover Sebago Lake’s version of Nessie. You won’t be disappointed! And as for the beach, well, you can always go back to that next year! Think about it. I hope you enjoyed the muffins. Here, take a couple with you. There are plenty of wild blueberries in Maine, after all! I can’t wait to pick some while we’re there, before we come home, so we’ll have a taste of Maine to keep our most memorable memories of Sebago deliciously with us for months to come. And that alone is reason enough. You can’t get fresh Maine blueberries in Ocean City!

Oh yes, you’re right, no blueberries in Ocean City, but plenty of fresh crab.

Maybe next year, my friend.
Maybe next year.

To read a complete list of essays about why Standish, ME may be a better vacation destination than Ocean City, MD, click here.