What can I shoot in...

This thread can be used by travelers heading to a destination with which they are unfamiliar. Post where you’re going and chances are there is someone who is familiar, or at the very least shot something there, that can offer suggestions. Allow me to start.


What can I shoot in the Little Rock, Arkansas area? I’m going there for business next week and it looks like I might have an entire business day to myself. I’ll have a rental car and I’ll be starting from the airport area. I’ve looked up a few of the state’s parks online, but I thought someone here might have some more details to help me get a successful day of shooting.


Thanks,
Bob

If you have the whole day off, I suggest heading west on 70 an hour or so to the Ouachitas. You'll pass Hot Springs on the way. You ought to be able to find something to photograph in Oachita National Forest. Ask the park rangers where the best photo spots are or email the national office ahead of time. Click this link to go to the forest webpage. Click on recreation on the left and you can find all the scenic roads.

Going to Miami this weekend. Any suggestions? Will be in Coral Gables, at the U. Miami, etc.


Thanks so much for starting this thread, Bob!


Randy

Randy,


If you have the time and like birds, you should make a trip into the everglades. I just moved to the area about a month ago, and have been loving the number of birds in the area to photograph, but of course I moved from Michigan and there aren't exactly a lot of birds there to photograph at this time of year.


great thread idea.


Any other suggestions for south Florida would be great for me too, since I haven't been here all that long yet.


Nick

Ok, giving this thread one more go 'round.

What can I shoot in... autumn-time Maine. My wife and I have always wanted to make this trip and we're targeting this October. From all the data I've found, we'll be relatively late in the foliage season, so we'll likely be staying in the southern half of the state. I know there has to be a few of you that have set your viewfinders on Maine this time of year. Any advice?

Big question....as for color, it depends on when in October. You may not be too late for foliage. Check out www.foliagenetwork.com foliage reports for the northeast over the last couple of years. I find them to be off a bit. For example, when they claim "peak" I think it is past peak. So look for "moderate" to "high" color. Looking at the report for October 6th from this past fall, you'll see a lot of Maine was still good.

But Maine is known as "vacationland" for a reason, what are you interested in doing? They have lakes, waterfalls, mountains, kayaking, wilderness, whitewater rafting, fishing, rocky seashores, lighthouses, etc. So, depending on how much time you have, you could do a "coastal" trip or a "mountain" trip, or do a loop that includes both.

A few high points, IMO:
Along the Coast (North to South--or "downeast"):

• Acadia National Park---should have ok foliage in October. You'll rarely get great foliage close to the ocean, temperatures are too moderated. But the park is extremely scenic. Bar Harbor is a great resort town.
• Boothbay harbor---great seafaring/tourist town. Lighthouses, rocky coast, very scenic.
• Monhegan Island---on my list to go do. It has been highly recommended to me by a couple of people.
• Portland--Largest city, great character/restuarants/bars...great lighthouses and islands nearby
• Ogunquit/Perkins cove---touristy area, nice seashore hike...good restuarants
• York/Wells beaches. I hear the beaches are nice and there are some lighthouses I want to shoot.

In the Mountains:

• White Mountains (near bethel)---mostly in New Hampshire, but extended into Maine. Good waterfalls, nice hikes, scenic.
• Rangely/Umbagog Lakes---beautifully large lakes nestled into the northern hills (almost mountains)
• Moose/Sebago/Long lakes...very similar, just further south
• Baxter State Park...northern terminal of the Appalachian trail, great for hiking. Not all that scenic until you get on the mountains.
• Northern Woods---great for kayaking/canoeing/hunting
• Rafting the Penobscot or Kennebuc Rivers---again, on my list, haven't done it.

Of course, New Hampshire is right next door :)

Brant

You can visit this map for the most accurate foliage report in Maine: http://www.maine.gov/doc/foliage/report/index.shtml

As for where to go, it depends on what you want to see. Kayaker has some good suggestions. One place that we visit every year (we live in Maine) is Gulf Hagas, it's essentially the Grand Canyon of Maine. It's 4 miles (8 round trip) of waterfalls and gorges.

Acadia National Park is great if you don't get stuck in the tourist traps. Go off the beaten path such as the Carriage trails. If you're looking for quiet places to kayak, Maine's a great place for that, just look at a map and have a vehicle that can traverse logging roads and get there. This is a good book for nice kayak locations: http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Water-Ma.../dp/1929173652.

Thanks for the full response Brant. I can only imagine what some of those scenes look like from the seat of your kayak (because I'll never have the gall to have my gear in one!).

The details of the trip are uncertain for now. It will be mid October. I know it will be a short trip, so a loop of the state is out, we'll fly into Portland, and likely drive up the coast somewhere to stay. The best source for foliage season dates I've found is here. Based on that info, we'll be late in the season, and will want to stay closer to the coast, or at least in the southern part of the state. We know that we want to spend some of it (probably a day or so) dedicated to shooting, and the rest of the time will be spent doing whatever we feel like. I'm doing my homework on all the advertised attractions. There's plenty of travel sites on the web to burn through, but I wanted to ask for some perspective from my photogs. So, of all the places you've listed, where was your camera happiest? ;)


James, Gulf Hagas sounds like something we would love to explore, but I fear its trees would be bare during our visit. Can you recommend any inland spots in the southern part of the state?

(I'll also throw this link in for future references' sake.)

Bob,

The camera would be happiest in Acadia NP. Bryan seems to like Acadia as well. A couple of options for you:

• If you fly into Portland, quickest route (~3 hrs) is to drive I-95 up to Bangor and then down to the coast. While somewhat scenic, it would be much nicer, but longer, driving up the coast on Rt 1 (~4+ hrs). Day 1 you could head to Boothbay or maybe even Monhegan Island. Some would even consider the LL Bean outlet in Freeport a destination. Depends on how many days you have.
• If you are only going to go to Acadia, and there is plenty to do in Acadia for a few days, then don't fly into Portland. Fly into Bangor which is 1 hr 15 min from Acadia.

It all depends on how much time you have. I do want to note, most of Maine is pretty scenic, especially the mountains or the coast. As you mentioned the coast, you could have two different "trips." Portland south to the New Hampshire border is more developed, more comfortable, but still scenic with beaches, lighthouses, Ogunquit, etc (it is good enough for the Bush family-Kennebunkport). Portland north to Bar Harbor is less developed with spots that are still very comfortable/touristy (Boothbay/Bar Harbor), but overall less developed than south of Portland. Then, of course, it is easy to spend a good amount of time in Acadia. Last time I was there for 4-5 days and still had things I wanted to see.

Good luck!
Brant

I'm planning on cashing in miles with Southwest Airlines, and they only fly to Portland. Also, whether we go north or south, we're definitely driving on Route 1. Personally, I'd rather stay in the mountains and forests, seeing places like Gulf Hagas that James recommended. However, my wife loves a good seaside anything, and it sounds like anywhere too far north will have bare trees by mid-October.

Right now, I'm leaning toward finding a place to stay somewhere on the Mid-Coast for two or three nights. I think we could spend a day in Acadia, and then depending on the foliage we see, decide if we want to go leaf peeping somewhere else on the second day, go back to Acadia, or do something unrelated.

Enough about the travel though. It sounds like there's more than enough to see in Acadia for the time we'll have to spend there. That's what I wanted to know. Thanks Brant and James. If anyone else has shooting suggestions, please let me know.