Bangor, The City of Kings

When I first started writing this blog, I knew I wanted to go to Bangor. Celebrated horror writer, Stephen King, famously lives in Bangor and one of Maine’s two casinos, the Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway, is located in Bangor. After booking my room, I began the two hour drive to Bangor.

The Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway is situated on prime real estate.  Located right off the highway on Main Street, the facility catches your eye almost immediately.  There is a parking garage attached to the casino and hotel, so parking is plentiful.  Access to the casino and the lobby can be found on the first floor of the parking complex, which makes checking in and gaming that much easier.  The rooms are spacious and clean, and there are a variety of price points for rooms.  I highly recommend getting a room with a view of the Penobscot River, as it’s truly a sight to behold.

The casino is located right off the lobby. There are slot machines and tables available for those looking for a night of gaming. There is a bar located in the casino, so one can enjoy a drink while gambling. Maine state law dictates that in order to play the games, you have to be twenty-one or older, so make sure you bring a valid ID. While the slots are fun, I tend to stick to the table games. I particularly enjoy Black Jack, as that is the game I’m most familiar with. Regardless if you win or lose, you’re bound to have fun!

There are two places to eat at the hotel. The first is the Take 2 Snack Bar, where someone can order breakfast items.  Take 2 Snack Bar is typically closed for the winter, so make sure you check to see if the snack bar is open during your stay.  The second eatery is called Hops House 99. It’s a decently sized restaurant with seats at the bar and tables available.  The food is good with plenty of offerings, and an extensive drink menu.  The hotel offers a five dollar credit for each night that you stay. You can use the credit at Take 2 Snack Bar, Hops House 99, and the little continence store located by receptions.

As mentioned before, Stephen King resides in Bangor. Furthermore, the town of Derry, a location mentioned frequently in King’s books, is based on Bangor. Because of this, there is a company that does a Stephen King tour of the city of Bangor, and the surrounding area. The tour includes locations from King’s books, and a visit to all of King’s philanthropic endeavors. The tour company picks guests up at a variety of locations, including a number of hotels. The tour lasts three hours, so there is a bathroom break about halfway through the tour.

My travels also took me to the Mount Hope Cemetery. As the second oldest garden cemetery in the country, there is a ton of history here. Al Brady, who was a gangster in the 1930’s is buried here. Local legend states that if you don’t leave a penny on his tombstone, his vengeful spirit will haunt you. Furthermore, a U.S. Vice President, ten Congressmen, two U.S. Ambassadors, four Governors of Maine, and many more are buried here. Additionally, Stephen King found inspiration for two of his characters names here at Mount Hope Cemetery. Those names are Georgie, from the novel It, and Carrie, from the book Carrie.

When I first told a coworker that I was heading to Bangor, she got very excited. She told me I had to see the Duck of Justice. After some probing, I found that the Duck of Justice was a stuffed duck, and it was effectively Bangor PD’s mascot. While the police department’s door is locked, they do have an intercom system. If you let them know that you’re there to see the Duck, they will let you in and show you to the Duck.

Finally, I highly recommend visiting the Paul Bunyan statue. Bangor is the supposed birthplace of Bunyan, and the statue was erected in 1959. Fans of the movie IT:Chapter 2 might recognize the statue as the one that attacks Richie in the park.

I finished up my trip with a visit to The Oriental Jade. If this restaurant sounds familiar, it’s because King based The Jade of the Orient, an eatery in the book It, on The Oriental Jade. There is a massive drink menu, including soft drinks, craft beer, and cocktails. Patrons can eat sushi and typical Chinese fare. Seating is plentiful, with seats at the bar, booths, and tables. There is beautiful décor, with statues and vases scattered throughout the restaurant. I had the Calamari Sesame Chicken with Pork Fried Rice and Crab Rangoon.

Bangor has so much to offer, that I barely scratched the surface. If you want to learn more about the casino and hotel, click here. If you want to book a Stephen King tour, click here. If you want to visit the Mount Hope Cemetery, click here. Finally, if you want to eat at the Oriental Jade, click here. As this post comes to a conclusion, I have to ask, where should I go to next?

Oxford University? Nope, Oxford Casino and Hotel!

While I’m not much of a gambler, visiting a casino always makes for a good time.  While I knew Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the country, it wasn’t until I moved to Maine that I discovered two major casinos within state lines.  One is located in Bangor, while the other resides in Oxford.  I chose to head to the Oxford Casino and Hotel, which was less than an hour away from Portland.

 

The Oxford Casino and Hotel is located at 777 Casino Way, and I was blown away by the amount of parking available for guests.  A van patrolled the lot in order to pick patrons up, and transport them to the entrance. The hotel and casino’s design was well done, as there was something intimate and exciting about the lodge like setting and the cacophony of bells and whistles of the games.  I arrived quite early for check in, and was informed that there was a thirty-dollar early check in fee.  However, the staff informed me that they could store my bags in a secure area, and that my room will be ready within an hour and a half, and I will not be charged the fee.  I was back at the front desk about an hour later, and I was able to check in without the added charge.

 

The room was spacious and comfortable.  A desk and chair were provided, along with a lamp.  While I didn’t use it, a Keurig machine can be found on the desk as well. If you’re looking for a night in, or to rest from a evening of gambling, there is a flat screen TV mounted on the wall, positioned just opposite the bed.  As I was in a king sized room, a bedside table was placed on either side of the bed, along with a lamp.  The room also came with a chair with a lamp placed overhead, perfect for those who brought a book with them.

 

There are three eating options available at the Oxford Casino and Hotel, and I was lucky enough to sample two of them.  The Ox Pub is a great place to eat lunch or dinner.  The typical pub fare is served here, as well an assortment of beers, cocktails, and a sizable bourbon menu.  Seating is plentiful, with high tops, tables, booths, and seats at the bars available for guests.  Whisky barrels adorned the wall, along with a wood paneled American Flag.  TVs were scattered around the bar, so patrons can watch sports at their leisure.  The Ox Pub is located right by one of the casino entrances, so if you’re eager to get back to gambling, you don’t have to travel far.

 

The Oxford Express was my second stop for food, and it’s here where people in a rush can eat. Whether you really want to get back to gambling, or get on the road, Oxford Express is the place to be.  There are plenty of take out options available, including sandwiches and salads, as well as a menus that includes burgers, fries, and other food.  There’s even a breakfast menu, so you don’t have to skip the most important meal of the day.

 

The casino is has a wide assortment of games.  Different types of slot machines took up most of the floor, but the card games definitely took center stage.  Poker, Black Jack, and Roulette were all featured.  While I spent most of my time at the Black Jack table, I did learn how to play Mississippi Stud, which was a ton of fun.  The dealers and staff were knowledgeable about the games, and great conversationalists.  There was even a table where guests can learn to play certain games.  A nice touch was the bar located right in the casino, so players didn’t have to go far for drinks.  For those of you who also enjoy high stakes gambling, there’s an area devoted to such a pursuit.  The casino is open twenty-four hours a day, so guests can gamble whenever the mood strikes.

 

The Oxford Casino and Hotel is definitely a great destination for amateur and professional gamblers alike.  I know that I would love to visit again, especially since there was still plenty to do. If you want to learn more about Oxford Casino and Hotel, you can click here. You can find more information on the Ox Pub here, and the Oxford Express here.  Now that this trip is done, I’m ready for my next adventure, the question is, where should I go next?

From Preble Street to High Street

I recently had an interesting question posed to me by a tourist from the New York area.  He was in town for a family obligation, and wanted to know about the Portland nightlife.  I provided him with the information that he was looking for, and as he left, I found myself inspired.

As I started to plan my next excursion out, I decided that a “double feature” of sorts was in order. Therefore, I settled on Arcadia National Bar and Top of the East.  Both are located in Downtown Portland, and both are very much worth a visit. Arcadia (not to be confused with Acadia National Park) is great experience, whether you just turned twenty-one or forty-one.  Arcadia sets itself apart for having an impressive collection of games.  Arcade cabinets are scattered around the bar for those who want to relive their arcade days.  Classic games like Tetris can be found, along with modern classics like The Simpson’s game and Tekken.  If pinball is more your speed, don’t despair, as pinball machines can be found as well. There are even a couple of skee ball machines at the back of the bar!  While the arcade games and the pinball machines are not free to play, Arcadia provides an ATM, a change machine, and Tupperware’s so patrons can carry their quarters around with them.

Arcadia even has a number of different consoles available.  These gaming systems are free to play, and are quite popular. Customers can find a Super Nintendo, a Nintendo 64, a Wii U, an X-Box One, and a PlayStation 4.  Most of the games available are multiplayer games, so friends don’t have to be left out.  Arcadia also offers a selection of board games, like Settlers of Catan and Battleships. While playing these games at the bar can pose a problem, there are tables where patrons can eat, drink, and play their chosen board games.  Arcadia even provides a couple of picnic tables for larger groups of people.

Arcadia National Bar has a wide selection of craft beers available on draft, in a can, as well as in bottles.  It’s quite an impressive selection, and I quickly discovered, to my delight, that there were quite a few beers that were brewed in Maine.  Cocktails are made here as well, and their names reference different characters from “nerd-culture,” such names as Falcon Punch, Doctor Manhattan, and Pickle Rick.  If you’re craving a late night snack, Arcadia has you covered.  The kitchen closes at 12:30 am, which provides ample time for patrons to get their fill of food.

With my trip to Arcadia concluded, my excursion to the Top of the East started.  The Top of the East sits atop of The Westin and provides a great view of the city of Portland.  I entered the lounge around 6 pm, and since it was mid-October, the sun was setting, lighting the sky up in beautiful colors.  From my table, I saw the city of Portland sprawl out before me, while airplanes came into to the nearby airport.  The ocean was also visible from my table, which added to an already beautiful sight.

There were plenty of seating options when entering the Top of the East.  There are tables in the middle of the restaurant, while other tables line the perimeter.  Patrons can also sit at the bar if they prefer, and depending on where you sit, you can still catch a glimpse of the city of Portland.  For a much more intimate setting, couches are provided along one of the walls.  The Top of the East even provides a TV, and a small party was gathered around watching the football game.

When my Caser Salad arrived, I dug in and was extremely happy with what I was eating.  Mixed greens sat on top of my salad, and it definitely added to the already flavorful meal.  The cocktails were masterfully made, and quite delicious.  I even ordered a cheesecake, which was made in a mason jar.

All in all, both experiences are fine examples of the nightlife in this extraordinary state. While each experience was vastly different, there is still a lot of fun and good times to be had regardless of where you go.  If you’re looking for more information on Arcadia you can find it here, and for information on the Top of the East, you can find it here.  Now that these two adventures are over, I ask myself the ever-present question in my life, where do I go next?