Maine
From the 50 State Visitor Guide :
M.R.S. 2019
Offenses
committed before Jan. 1, 2013:
M.R.S. 34A §§ 11201 through 11256
Offenses
committed on or after Jan. 1, 2013: M.R.S. 34A §§ 11271 through 11304
Registration Triggers and Deadlines:
Convictions
before Jan. 1, 2013: Registrants have 5 days to register with the
state Bureau of Identification (generally in writing) and 24 hours to register
with local law enforcement using a form provided by the Bureau. §§11222-11223.
Employees and students (and
probably visitors) in the state must register with the bureau w/in 5 days and
with local law enforcement w/in 24 hours of working for either (1) more than 14
consecutive days in the state, or (2) for an aggregate period exceeding 30 days
in a calendar year. §11224.
Convictions on or
after Jan. 1, 2013:
Registrants have 3 days to register with the state Bureau of Identification
(generally in writing) and 24 hours to register with local law enforcement upon
establishing a residence, using a form provided by the Bureau. §§11282-11284. “Residence” means 14 consecutive days in the
state, or 30 days in one year.
§11273(12).
Procedure available
for removal from registry after departure.
Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:
Restriction on
Contact with Minors: For registrants convicted after June 30, 1992
of an offense against a person younger than 14, Maine prohibits the knowing
initiation of contact with a person younger than 14 in a “sex offender
restricted zone,” unless the parent consents or the contact is for employment
purposes. “Sex offender restricted
zones” include schools other than high schools, day cares, parks, playgrounds,
and other places “where children are the primary users.” M.R.S. § 17-A:261.
Duration & updates:
10 years to life. Duration of reg. requirement and frequency of updates are determined by date convicted and tier. §§11222, 11285.
Most recent visit: May 2023
As for presence restrictions, if your offense was against a person younger than 14 (and I would always assume that includes a pornography offense), Maine prohibits the knowing initiation of contact with a person younger than 14 in a “sex offender restricted zone,” unless the parent consents or the contact is for employment purposes. “Sex offender restricted zones” are the usual places. Stupid rule, but simple to follow.
As I read over these restrictions before entering Maine in July 2026, my reaction was, no problem. I planned to be in Maine for five days (including partial days) with the intention for the first time to travel all the way up the rugged Maine seacoast to the last US town at the end – Eastport, ME.
It so happens that on my first trip to Maine in 2021 I had snagged a seat on a whale watching tour boat in Boothbay Harbor, which isn’t so far east of Portland, only to see no whales. The silver lining was that the tour boat company issued “standby tickets” to all passengers, good through the end of the following season.
For most tourists this standby ticket would’ve been a pretty hollow promise because in the real world they’re never coming back. But I go to New England every year to visit relatives, so I kept going back and back – but never saw a whale! As a result I was returning to Maine every year and never seeing much of Maine!
This time would be different. After a quick stop to take the required photo of Portland Head Light (see above) and my first night at nearby Bradbury Mountain St. Pk. (my favorite ME base of operations), on Day 2 I skipped over all of SW Maine, taking I-95 to Bangor, then Alt. US 1 to my first real destination:
Few people have heard of Acadia National Park, but many people have heard of Bahh Hahhbahh, the town next door to it. The “maine” attraction at Acadia is its rugged seacoast. See photos. There are also trails, botanical gardens, a nature center and a scenic loop road.
Down East Maine & the Bay of Fundi
From Bahh Hahhbahh I continued east on US 1 along Maine’s unbelievably scenic seacoast and small towns. I had a reserved cabin that night at a small roadside motel.
Day 3 was to be my big day. I had a reservation on a whale watching tour that would take me into Canadian waters (which I will report about separately), and I explored the farthest end of the US mainland.
I have been surprised to find how few people have heard of the Bay of Fundi. Located between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, its claim to fame is that it has the most extreme tides in the world! I always thought you could only see this effect from the Canadian side, but it turns out that far eastern Maine has tides every bit as extreme!
It so happened that on my way to whale watch that morning was near low tide, and I got some pictures of how that looks. Then on my way back to my campground that afternoon (Cobscook Bay St. Pk.) it was near high tide, and I was able to get some comparison pics so you can see the difference.
Reversing Falls isn’t a real waterfall. It’s a place where, at low tide, the outgoing water has to go over some rapids – see photo. Then just after the tide turns, the incoming water goes over those same rapids in the opposite direction.
Returning to civilization I decided on the inland State Road 9 to Bangor. Be advised – it’s remote but not scenic. It’s a trucking highway.
Small Town Notes
Machias – Not quaint. The so-named “Bad Little Falls” are a totally squandered opportunity right in the middle of town. They could be the centerpiece of a fabulous central park and town square, but no – the town turns its back on them.
Lubec – It’s quaint all right, see photo, but not prosperous.
Eastport – Home of my whale watch tour. Quaint and more prosperous.
Calais – Tadahhh !! If you want to see quaintness
in a town that’s also big enough to have interesting stuff to see, try
Calais. Note: Wabanaki Cultural
Center. I assume St. Stephen, NB is just
as good, but we can’t go there. Oh well!
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