darthmacho
08-22-2008, 12:56 PM
Day five started out pleasantly sunny, but the forecast was looking iffy for the late afternoon. Nonetheless, this being our last full day in Maine, we decided to go back and visit the place that we came to see, Old Orchard Beach. We didn't intend to put any time in on the beach, but instead wanted to shop, eat, and ride away the day.
It was crowded on the beach, but we wanted to do some browsing and shopping, so we walked up one side of the street and visited some shops. By lunchtime, I was craving lobster, so we head for the Pier, along the way picking up lunch for DW and the kids.
Now, for all the lobster rolls that I've consumed in Maine in the past two years, I have yet to have one anywhere that is better than Grumpy White's, a restaurant in my own town. However, to the left of the Pier is a little shack claiming to have the best lobster roll in OOB, so I took them up on their challenge. They weren't wrong, it was the best one I've had. On a nice sized toasted roll was a generous helping of all lobster "tail" meat and he topped it with butter. If there was mayonaise, lettuce, or any other dressings, I couldn't tell you, because all I recall is the taste of delicious lobster chunks!
After lunch we went up on the Pier and found the penny press machine working (it was broken on Sunday,) and we managed to get two pressed pennies before it started malfunctioning again. Too bad they don't replace it because it has become a collection for us wherever we go.
We though about getting the girls' hair braided while we were there, but they already had braids in their hair and we decided on tattoos (stick on) instead. We shopped in the souvenier store, and I got an OOB mug, several t-shirts, and a key chain, all traditional purchases for me, as are books.
That afternoon we spent on rides in Palace Playland, and then went back to shopping, making many more purchases. We got some nice puzzles books and games at Board Silly, and the girls got some sweatshirts.
We wanted to have dinner, so we went to this place off to the left of the Peir that looked like a shack, but it was nautically themed inside, the bar being the hull of a ship, and windows and a deck with spectacular views of the ocean, pier, and amusements. Now I had already had one lobster roll (the good one) for lunch, and a "large" lobster roll for a snack (not as good but large,) so to try something different, I had fried clams, which were also quite delicious! Joan had the lazy man's lobster, a plate of lobster meat without the shell.
After dinner we hung around the beach, actually stepping out onto the sand for the first time. it was a real treat for the kids to wade in the ocean a bit. We walked under the Pier to get a different view of it, and the sun was setting and Palace Playland was turning on their lights.
Now every Thursday night, there are fireworks over the Pier around 9:30, so we lingered, hoping to hold out and see them. Palace Playland was crowded now with people coming off the beach, and those waiting for the fireworks, but as we were waiting to get on the (thankfully covered) carousel, the skies simply opened up and the rain came down not so much in buckets, as barrels. We tried to wait it out, but it never stopped or even slowed, so we headed for the car and got soaked. Strangely, back at the hotel, it looked as though they got little to no rain at all.
We were disappointed that the rain cut out another key part of the itinerary, but we couldn't let it get to us, seeing how we had a pretty good week anyway, and still had our scenic route home to which to look forward. Indeed it was a pleasant day, and week, at Old Orchard Beach.
Stay tuned for Day 6, The Scenic Route Home
It was crowded on the beach, but we wanted to do some browsing and shopping, so we walked up one side of the street and visited some shops. By lunchtime, I was craving lobster, so we head for the Pier, along the way picking up lunch for DW and the kids.
Now, for all the lobster rolls that I've consumed in Maine in the past two years, I have yet to have one anywhere that is better than Grumpy White's, a restaurant in my own town. However, to the left of the Pier is a little shack claiming to have the best lobster roll in OOB, so I took them up on their challenge. They weren't wrong, it was the best one I've had. On a nice sized toasted roll was a generous helping of all lobster "tail" meat and he topped it with butter. If there was mayonaise, lettuce, or any other dressings, I couldn't tell you, because all I recall is the taste of delicious lobster chunks!
After lunch we went up on the Pier and found the penny press machine working (it was broken on Sunday,) and we managed to get two pressed pennies before it started malfunctioning again. Too bad they don't replace it because it has become a collection for us wherever we go.
We though about getting the girls' hair braided while we were there, but they already had braids in their hair and we decided on tattoos (stick on) instead. We shopped in the souvenier store, and I got an OOB mug, several t-shirts, and a key chain, all traditional purchases for me, as are books.
That afternoon we spent on rides in Palace Playland, and then went back to shopping, making many more purchases. We got some nice puzzles books and games at Board Silly, and the girls got some sweatshirts.
We wanted to have dinner, so we went to this place off to the left of the Peir that looked like a shack, but it was nautically themed inside, the bar being the hull of a ship, and windows and a deck with spectacular views of the ocean, pier, and amusements. Now I had already had one lobster roll (the good one) for lunch, and a "large" lobster roll for a snack (not as good but large,) so to try something different, I had fried clams, which were also quite delicious! Joan had the lazy man's lobster, a plate of lobster meat without the shell.
After dinner we hung around the beach, actually stepping out onto the sand for the first time. it was a real treat for the kids to wade in the ocean a bit. We walked under the Pier to get a different view of it, and the sun was setting and Palace Playland was turning on their lights.
Now every Thursday night, there are fireworks over the Pier around 9:30, so we lingered, hoping to hold out and see them. Palace Playland was crowded now with people coming off the beach, and those waiting for the fireworks, but as we were waiting to get on the (thankfully covered) carousel, the skies simply opened up and the rain came down not so much in buckets, as barrels. We tried to wait it out, but it never stopped or even slowed, so we headed for the car and got soaked. Strangely, back at the hotel, it looked as though they got little to no rain at all.
We were disappointed that the rain cut out another key part of the itinerary, but we couldn't let it get to us, seeing how we had a pretty good week anyway, and still had our scenic route home to which to look forward. Indeed it was a pleasant day, and week, at Old Orchard Beach.
Stay tuned for Day 6, The Scenic Route Home