Fall foliage-- in Maine

October in Maine is best described as the foliage capital of the USA. In fact, smartertravel.com ranks Maine as the #1 must visit state when it comes to leaf-peeping. Late September thru October is considered peak season for color change in the state of Maine. The beauty of fall foliage is it’s everywhere you look. Long drives and endless traffic aren’t necessary to enjoy this activity.

And if the foliage alone isn’t enough to excite you, throw in some lighthouses and scenic oceanside landscapes and you have a picturesque setting matched by no other, truly a dreamy backdrop for many well-known, world renowned artists’.

The month of October is also a very popular time of year for Maine festivals. Two of the most prominent festivals in the seacoast region: York’s Harvest Fest (October 19&20) and OgunquitFest (October 26&27) fall in the month of October. Food vendors, crafts, carriage rides and live bands are only a few of the many activities to be held at these wonderful festivals.

The Mariner Resort is conveniently located in the heart of the foliage, as well as the festivals. Be sure to come stay with us and enjoy all of the colors, crafts, music and festivals that are happening this time of year.

Monday September 2nd marks a pretty significant date on many Americans calendars. For some, it marks the end of summer--for others, it marks the beginning of fall. Call it what you want, but unless you call it Labor Day, than you are politically incorrect! Labor day is a celebration of quite simply: The working man or woman.

Founded in 1882 and written into law by president Grover Cleveland in 1894, Labor day began as a quiet holiday that was only celebrated by 30 states in the USA. Known as it is today, Labor Day carries with it about 10,000 different meanings to 20,000 different people. For some it is the beginning of the NFL and NCAA college football seasons. For retailers, it's one last chance at huge earnings from large crowds of shoppers as children and families prepare to head back to school.

No matter how you choose to celebrate Labor Day, you can never go wrong with a visit to the Mariner Resort. Temperatures are still warm during the days, and a cooling breeze can make for a comfortable nights sleep. It's truly a great time to stay at the Mariner Resort!

Piping Plovers: What are they?

While the Piping Plover is labeled as an endangered species in the state of Maine and many other parts of the US, Ogunquit and its surrounding beaches offer an extraordinary chance at taking in the sight of the endangered bird. Marked-off sections of the local beaches protect nesting sites from human foot traffic.
 The birds are recognizable by their round bodies and short thick neck, with a rather stubby bill. Adult plovers have orange legs, with sand colored bodies and a ring around the neck. Also a distinguishing band across the forehead from eye to eye is a tell-tale feature of the plover.
The Piping Plover joined the endangered species list in 1985. Along with the increased development of shore front property, demand for plover feathers for luxury hats has landed the plover on the not so popular list of endangered species.
The overall population of the plovers remains low, but the town of Ogunquit and its neighboring beaches still hold a large population of the birds. During your next visit to the Mariner Resort be sure to pay extra close attention to the birds on the beaches as you pass by. You never know what tiny rare bird you might see at your feet!

Fourth of July in Ogunquit Maine

There's no tradition quite like a Fourth of July fireworks display. Lawnchairs and blankets line the grassy viewing area as spectators wait for spellbinding colors, thrilling explosions and intriguing shapes to paint the sky. The event may be magical—especially for the kids—but of course, its all the product of meticulous chemistry and clever ballistics.  

Modern technology has made it possible to utilize the dark night  sky for multishot displays and captivating grand finales. Over 46,000 fireworks are set off within a 30 minute set, and this is for the average firework display. It has been said that a minutes worth of firework blasts takes up to 2 hours of preparation and organization to make it look as brilliant as it often does.

This sounds like a lot of work, but luckily for us-- all we have to do is sit back and enjoy it. The town of Ogunquit does a great job every year putting on a wonderful display of fireworks. Be sure to plan a stay at the Mariner Resort during the 4th of July festivities. It is just one of the many great celebrations the Town of Ogunquit has to offer.

Fathers Day: Fun facts to know and share!

The month of June can mean many different things to many different people. But for fathers, this is a special month. A month in which one whole day is set aside to honor and recognize everything it is that a father does. Believe it or not--there was a day in time when fathers weren't recognized with their very own day in the month of June.

Prior to 1910, only mothers were fortunate enough to have their own day of recognition. It wasn't until June 19th, 1910 at a Spokane, Washington YMCA that a fathers day celebration had commenced. Sonora Dodd is the woman who is credited with the founding of what we now know as father's day.

The idea of a "fathers day" as it stands today has proven to be a truly great one, but it wasn't until 1940-- almost 30 years after its inaugural celebration that fathers day really gained popularity. The idea alone was not enough to convince congress that fathers day in fact, should be a national holiday. Sonora Dodd used the help of Tobacco companies, as well as numerous men's clothing companies to help push the idea, and eventually making it into the holiday that it is today.

What better way to celebrate father's day than a trip to the Mariner Resort. We offer great mid-week specials, and there is always plenty of fun things to do with dad in Ogunquit. We hope to see you around!

Fish are tourists too!

It's no coincidence that shortly after we open our doors for the season at The Mariner Resort, the striped bass migration makes its way into our local tidal rivers. After all, is there any other reason to be in Ogunquit if The Mariner isn't open? ;).....okay, maybe there's a few.

If you were to ask a local fisherman, "What brings the stripers to Ogunquit this time of year--every year?" They might respond with some fisherman type jargon--such as "The presence of bait fish", or "Rising water temperatures", but we at the Mariner Resort figured out the "real" reason why stripers are here.

After countless hours of research, sleepless nights, and more pie charts than one man handle the-- staff at The Mariner Resort developed the formula to prove once and for all, Why striped bass come to Ogunquit around this very same time each year...... Our great mid-week specials!! Duh!

With such great prices this time of year, not even the stripers can resist a trip to beautiful Ogunquit. So don't let those fisherman fool you. The real reason why the stripers are here is because the Mariner Resort is open for the season, and we offer such irresistible mid-week specials this time of year. Be sure to set the hook on great deal before they are gone!

Why do we celebrate Independence Day with fireworks?

       Every summer we know that we will see the beautiful of fireworks displayed in the dark sky. July 4 or the weekend before, is always the most popular time to witness fireworks. The fireworks represent the 13 gunshots that rang out to celebrate the 13 colonies and their Independence from England. No matter what the holiday or reason behind it, everyone loves to Oooo and Awww at the impressive sites. Make sure you join us at The Mariner Resort next time and view the Fireworks from beautiful Ogunquit, ME.