Station/Boat Location~
Group Portland
Date there~
2000-04
Weather~
Typical New England!! LLBean boots in the winter and Birks in the summer. You need a coat/jacket for practically every season!
Cold in the winter with significant snow falls. About 20-32 degrees in winter. Some wind chill days and nights to 0.
Spring is late and doesn't last very long. Don't plant annuals until after Memorial Day.
Summers are about 70-75 degrees depending on how close you are to the coast.
Fall is absolutely FABULOUS!! Nice Indian Summer days followed by crisp cool autumn days of picture perfect color!
Military facilities~
Naval Air Station Brunswick
Medical~
Martins Point Health Care is an excellent choice! This is Tricare Prime! They are very good about issuing referrals, have an excellent pharmacy and mail order pharmacy as well as decent patient repoire'. Maine Medical Center (Martin's Point uses this one) and Mercy Hospital are local hospitals.
United Concordia has a few issues here with participating dentists dropping them. You may have to look around for a dentist that accepts them.
Housing~
There are very few leases and usually are a first come first serve basis as well as financial need. Most members are on BAH. Housing is quite expensive up here and BAH covers about 80% depending on where you choose to live. Expensive areas are in Cumberland County. An average 3 bedroom home rents about $1200 month. If you choose to buy, be prepared to pay exhorborant amounts of property tax. Do consider winter weather elements when choosing where you will live. Apartments in Yarmouth at Yarmouth Woods are very nice and affordable. Places to avoid are Monjoy Hill in Portland.Shopping~
Naval Air Station Brunswick has a commissary in Topsham which is about 40 minutes from Portland. Take 95 North and Exit 24 (it's next to Mount Ararat High School).
Naval Air Station Brunswick (Exit 22) also has a Navy Exchange on the base itself. Prices are fairly competitive but selection is limited.
Coast Guard Exchange is located in Portland/Scarborough on Broadway Street. Prices are competitive and selection is limited. Strong points: Liquor, Beer and Cigarettes. Weak Points: Don't carry all uniform items. Rely onthe UDC for uniforms.
Maine Mall is located in Portland at 95/295 split. There is an ACMoore, Michaels and Craft Mania for craft stores. Christmas Tree Shops is located near the mall as well. Everything is centrally located by the Maine Mall.
Most small towns have quaint little shopping villages.
LLBean located in Freeport, Maine is open everyday 24/7 with the exception of Christmas.
For big purchase items, I recommend making the hour drive down to tax-free New Hampshire
Child Care/Schools~
For educationally fluent families, my recommendations are Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, North Yarmouth, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Kennebunk and Scarborough. Schools are facing overcrowding in various communities. Most of these schools have excellent average SAT results as well as MEA's (Maine Educational Assessment Test).
There are an array of private schools such as Chevrus, North Yarmouth Academy, Hebron Academy and Thornton Academy but are very pricy.
There are quite a few organized child care facilities. Sorry, I do not have small children so I'm unable to give statistics on child care costs.
Adult Schools~
Southern Maine Community College located in South Portland
University of Southern Maine in Gorham with satellite campus' around
Andover College in Deering, ME
St. Josephs in Windham (Private Teacher's College)
Bowdoin College
Bates College
Fun Activities~
If you like the outdoors, you have arrived in heaven! We call it God's Country! Hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, hiking, camping, etc. It's all within reach! Portland and outlying areas offer the ocean, rivers, streams and small lakes.
In the winter, alpine and cross country skiing are quite popular. Many ski resorts are within a 1-4 hour drive from Portland. Cross country skiing could be as simple as your back door depending on what community you choose.
Homeport ME
Group Portland
Date there~
2000-04
Weather~
Typical New England!! LLBean boots in the winter and Birks in the summer. You need a coat/jacket for practically every season!
Cold in the winter with significant snow falls. About 20-32 degrees in winter. Some wind chill days and nights to 0.
Spring is late and doesn't last very long. Don't plant annuals until after Memorial Day.
Summers are about 70-75 degrees depending on how close you are to the coast.
Fall is absolutely FABULOUS!! Nice Indian Summer days followed by crisp cool autumn days of picture perfect color!
Military facilities~
Naval Air Station Brunswick
Medical~
Martins Point Health Care is an excellent choice! This is Tricare Prime! They are very good about issuing referrals, have an excellent pharmacy and mail order pharmacy as well as decent patient repoire'. Maine Medical Center (Martin's Point uses this one) and Mercy Hospital are local hospitals.
United Concordia has a few issues here with participating dentists dropping them. You may have to look around for a dentist that accepts them.
Housing~
There are very few leases and usually are a first come first serve basis as well as financial need. Most members are on BAH. Housing is quite expensive up here and BAH covers about 80% depending on where you choose to live. Expensive areas are in Cumberland County. An average 3 bedroom home rents about $1200 month. If you choose to buy, be prepared to pay exhorborant amounts of property tax. Do consider winter weather elements when choosing where you will live. Apartments in Yarmouth at Yarmouth Woods are very nice and affordable. Places to avoid are Monjoy Hill in Portland.Shopping~
Naval Air Station Brunswick has a commissary in Topsham which is about 40 minutes from Portland. Take 95 North and Exit 24 (it's next to Mount Ararat High School).
Naval Air Station Brunswick (Exit 22) also has a Navy Exchange on the base itself. Prices are fairly competitive but selection is limited.
Coast Guard Exchange is located in Portland/Scarborough on Broadway Street. Prices are competitive and selection is limited. Strong points: Liquor, Beer and Cigarettes. Weak Points: Don't carry all uniform items. Rely onthe UDC for uniforms.
Maine Mall is located in Portland at 95/295 split. There is an ACMoore, Michaels and Craft Mania for craft stores. Christmas Tree Shops is located near the mall as well. Everything is centrally located by the Maine Mall.
Most small towns have quaint little shopping villages.
LLBean located in Freeport, Maine is open everyday 24/7 with the exception of Christmas.
For big purchase items, I recommend making the hour drive down to tax-free New Hampshire
Child Care/Schools~
For educationally fluent families, my recommendations are Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, North Yarmouth, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Kennebunk and Scarborough. Schools are facing overcrowding in various communities. Most of these schools have excellent average SAT results as well as MEA's (Maine Educational Assessment Test).
There are an array of private schools such as Chevrus, North Yarmouth Academy, Hebron Academy and Thornton Academy but are very pricy.
There are quite a few organized child care facilities. Sorry, I do not have small children so I'm unable to give statistics on child care costs.
Adult Schools~
Southern Maine Community College located in South Portland
University of Southern Maine in Gorham with satellite campus' around
Andover College in Deering, ME
St. Josephs in Windham (Private Teacher's College)
Bowdoin College
Bates College
Fun Activities~
If you like the outdoors, you have arrived in heaven! We call it God's Country! Hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, hiking, camping, etc. It's all within reach! Portland and outlying areas offer the ocean, rivers, streams and small lakes.
In the winter, alpine and cross country skiing are quite popular. Many ski resorts are within a 1-4 hour drive from Portland. Cross country skiing could be as simple as your back door depending on what community you choose.
Homeport ME
