Five Things to Love About Maine

Coastal Maine is considered a vacation paradise -- and for good reason. It offers spectacular oceanfront views, outlet shopping aplenty and the prospect of $6-a-pound lobster.

But what if you want to experience something off the beaten track?

Not to worry: If you're looking for a slightly different vacation experience, it's there to be had. Here are my five suggestions for how to enjoy another side of coastal Maine.

Ride the Rails
The last place you might expect to find a vintage New York subway car is the picturesque seaside village of Kennebunkport, better known as the summer home of former President George Bush. But there it is, at the Seashore Trolley Museum.

That's just the start: The 69-year-old museum is more an open field filled with dozens of streetcars (and the occasional bus or train) from everywhere from Sioux City, Iowa, to Sydney, Australia. Some of the streetcars are in the process of being restored (you can see crews doing just that in a huge shop area), others are ready to be taken for a ride (admission includes a 25-minute trip aboard one).

There's also some indoor exhibit space in which you can learn about the history and development of the streetcar in the early 20th century and its renewed popularity today, especially as mass transit becomes embraced in a less car-dependent world.

Even the gift shop is a blast, filled with books and DVDs about streetcar and subway systems, past and present, and vintage maps and schedules, all for sale.

It's at 195 Log Cabin Rd., Kennebunkport; 207-967-2800; admission $8 for adults, $5.50 for children ages 6-16.