This story was originally published in September 2019.
Maine summers are full of tourists looking to live the postcard-perfect fairytale of Vacationland, but they aren’t always satisfied. Below, we have gathered the one-star TripAdvisor reviews from people who were unhappy with their experience.
As Mainers know, tourists are going to complain about anything. And complain. And complain. Here are a few examples.
Unhappy with the natural occurrence of fog
“We stayed on Mt. Desert Island July 21 to 26 and the fog blocked the views of all the sites until it burned off around 3 or 4 pm. The locals all knew about it and said you don’t want to visit here after July 4th because of the fog. Otherwise it’s a beautiful park and we plan to return.” — August 2018
Too much flannel at LL Bean
“If you want winter gear or checked shirts fine! Not my idea of sophisticated shopping. More climbing boots and walking jackets. Not for me.” — January 2016
Wanting free admission to FunTown Splashtown USA
“We called ahead of time to see if my wife could get in for free to just walk around, and they said to show up and go to guest services to see what they could do. We called ahead so we didn’t have to drive a hour (sic) to get here and when we got here they told us she had to pay full price to get in.” — May 2019
Confusion about the definition of ‘desert’ at the Desert of Maine
“Not sure what the fuss is about. It’s a pile of sand combined with a tourist trap. It’s overpriced and crowded. Not spectacular or worth it. If you are on the coast, I recommend checking out more beautiful scenery and making the drive to Boothbay Harbor or Five Island Lobster Co.” — August 2019
Seaweed ruins the day at Old Orchard Beach
“The beach was so busy, the water was full of floating seaweed, huge drop off in the water so not good for small children. Wouldn’t recommend this beach for a family outing.” — July 2018
An underwhelmed dog parent at Baxter State Park
“They hate dogs and trail runners and thru hikers. It could be a great part of Maine, but current management is an embarrassment to the state. I wish I could move my state tax money to other parks.”— May 2016
(Note: Baxter State Park is not part of the Maine State Park system and is independently funded.)
Someone who doesn’t understand what ‘one star’ means at Mount Desert Island
“What a gorgeous place! The island hosts some of the best scenery and views and of course there’s Acadia National Park. The food at area restaurants was fresh and delicious. We can’t wait to go back.” — July 2013
Having to walk to the boat for a puffin cruise
“The cruise was great. The crew and narrators were very good. I give it a one star rating because you have to WALK almost a 1/4 mile from the car parking lot to the boat dock on a road without side walks. There are no shuttles provided.” — June 2017
This customer at Red’s Eats who doesn’t understand what a Maine lobster roll is
“I don’t like a giant pile of cold lobster in my lobster roll. I wish I would have known it was going to be cold. I wish the tiny piece of bread under the mountain of cold lobster was larger. I’m not sure what the hype is all about. I prefer quality over quantity.” — October 2018
A non-art lover goes to Portland Museum of Art
“I am not a big fan of museums too quiet and I feel like taking a nap every time I enter one. Maybe you would like it.” — March 2018
