coastal road trip in maine

Lobster rolls and lighthouses: The perfect Maine road trip

Maine's breathtaking coastline is unlike any other. It's only about 280 miles from the New Hampshire border to the New Brunswick, Canada, border if you follow the region's principal road, U.S. Route 1 (along with state Route 189 for the final stretch).

However, this jagged shoreline is anything but a straight shot. And if you measure the tide coastline — which includes every peninsula, inlet, island and tidal basin — the Maine coast actually measures 3,478 miles, making it the fourth-longest in the country (it slightly exceeds California's).

You could drive it sticking closely to U.S. 1 in about seven or eight hours, but you wouldn't actually see much of the ocean. For views of Maine's azure waters — its rocky headlands dotted with imposing historic lighthouses, its sheltered harbors aglow with sleek sailboats and colorful lobster buoys — you'll want to detour frequently from the main route. To fully experience this breathtaking maritime landscape immortalized in the paintings of Winslow Homer, Marsden Hartley, Andrew Wyeth and countless other luminaries, spend at least a few days (or ideally a couple of weeks) tracing the coast's many contours.

As you traverse the coast in a northeasterly direction, heading "down east" as it's known in Maine vernacular, you'll encounter far fewer people and much less commercial development. The relatively direct stretch from the New Hampshire border to the state's largest city, Portland, abounds with sophisticated sea-to-table restaurants and posh country inns as well as charming lobster shacks, enticing ice cream stands and nostalgic minigolf centers. Once you get past Freeport, with its iconic L.L. Bean flagship store, you start to encounter the wilder and more rugged Maine coast, with its long and narrow peninsulas.

Along this part of the coast, you'll still find pockets of upscale vacationers in affluent summer colonies like Boothbay Harbor, Camden and Bar Harbor, but the pace slows. The final stretch of coast beyond Mount Desert Island to the Canadian border feels completely rural. You'll encounter few fellow travelers in this sparsely populated but verdant area that depends economically more on commercial fishing and blueberry farming than tourism.

But by exploring the full length of Maine's gorgeous coast, you'll find much to appreciate. You can feast on incredible seafood (not just lobster but rock and Jonah crab, oysters, mussels, and myriad fish) and a dizzying variety of craft beers. You'll discover superb art museums and galleries, and diverse flora and fauna to view on coastal hikes, wildlife-watching cruises and kayaking and biking tours. And, of course, there's the stunning natural scenery of Acadia National Park.

Here's your guide to planning the perfect coastal Maine road trip and everything you should see and do along the way.

Maine road trip planning

GPS devices tend to be at cross purposes with actually enjoying a drive up the Maine coast, as they constantly attempt to shunt you onto U.S. Route 1 or, worse, Interstate Highway 95, instead of the happily meandering and circuitous roads that run closer to the shoreline. Unless you're pressed for time, feel free to ignore the entreaties of your GPS and take the scenic route whenever possible. Detour down to the tips of Maine's finger-shaped peninsulas, and if there's an island you can reach by bridge or even by ferry, go for it, at least once. Bailey Island, Deer Isle and Vinalhaven (which entails a ferry ride) are all good bets.

Note that many municipal beaches have steep parking fees for nonresidents, sometimes $25 or more. Day-use fees at state beaches are per person rather than per vehicle and typically cost around $7 or $8 per person. In Portland and some of the more popular small towns along the coast — Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, Ogunquit — street parking can be hard to come by, especially during the summer high season, so prepare to use a pay lot that may also be expensive.

Gas stations are present all along U.S. Route 1 and in most towns, but they can be harder to find, or a lot more expensive, on the more rural peninsulas and islands. It's best to top off your tank before venturing anywhere remote.

Set aside enough time

If you're driving this full itinerary from Kittery to the Canadian border, give yourself a minimum of five days and four nights to be able to experience the key sights along the way. This allows you to set aside a full day each for exploring Portland and Acadia National Park, and enough time to drive through all of the towns described in this article. To appreciate this trip at a more leisurely pace, budget a week to 10 days and try to spend two nights in some of the more prominent areas, such as Kittery-Portsmouth, Portland, Rockland-Camden, and Bar Harbor-Acadia National Park. If you have two weeks or even longer, you won't run out of engaging things to see and do.

Getting to the Maine coast

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) has by far the greatest number of direct flights in New England, and it's just a 75-minute drive from the Maine border. Another option is to fly into Maine's small, user-friendly Portland International Jetport (PWM), which is a 45-minute drive from Kittery. A lesser-known option that's just a 50-minute drive from Kittery is Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) in New Hampshire. It's served by several of the major airlines. Although Logan Airport is likely the easiest to reach from much of the country and many international destinations, it is a busy hub in a city with notorious traffic, and rental car rates tend to be steeper than at the airports in Portland and Manchester, which are also smaller and more pleasant to navigate.

From Boston, Amtrak serves Portland and several smaller towns along the lower Maine coast. And there's frequent daily bus service on multiple carriers from Logan Airport and downtown Boston to both Portsmouth and Portland.

Best starting and end points on the Maine coast

This itinerary follows Maine's coast in a northeasterly direction, beginning at the town of Kittery, which is just across the Piscataqua River from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This corner of the state is easy to get to, as it's just a 75-minute drive up the coast from Boston via I-95, and there are plenty of hotels in the area, both on the New Hampshire and Maine sides of the border. This trip ends at the Canadian border, where you have the option of extending your adventure by continuing into New Brunswick and potentially beyond. Although it can take several days to travel along the coast's meandering roads, exploring its peninsulas and inlets, the drive back from Lubec to Kittery-Portsmouth takes just under five hours if you take the most direct interior route (state Route 189, U.S. Route 1, state Route 192 and state Route 9 to Bangor, and then I-95 the rest of the way).

The best time to visit the Maine coast

For the best balance of weather and scenery without excessive crowds or super-steep hotel rates, make this trip during the spring and fall shoulder seasons, between May and mid-June or mid-September and mid-November. The exception to this rule is fall's peak foliage season, which along the Maine coast is generally from around mid-September through the first week of November. Although the coast attracts fewer leaf-peepers than interior New England, crowds do pick up around this time and hotel rates can also spike a bit.

July and August are peak high-season, as are holiday weekends in spring and fall. This is the best time to laze on Maine's beaches and even swim in the ocean (which is still pretty chilly, with highs averaging around 70 degrees in summer). It's also when seasonal businesses like lobster shacks, ice cream stands and scenic tour boats have their longest hours. But you'll pay a premium at coastal hotels during this time (note that the starting rates for hotels recommended in this article are for the summer high season).

Conversely, winter on the Maine coast can be a bargain as long as you don't mind bundling up, and you'll sometimes have beaches all to yourself. But many businesses, including lodgings and restaurants, shut down in winter — and in some cases all the way from mid-October through early May, especially the farther up the coast you go.

Kittery to the Kennebunks

More than any other section of Maine's coast, this relatively short (30-mile) stretch in the state's southwestern corner is easiest to access from coastal roads, which more or less parallel the shore's contours, even beyond Kennebunkport and up through Cape Elizabeth and South Portland.

The region is characterized by broad, crescent-shaped, golden beaches and is home to the greatest concentration of tourism-related businesses. You'll find no shortage of accommodations, from swanky seaside inns to low-frills, family-friendly motels to vacation rentals of every configuration and price range. Although the population swells in summer and traffic can slow to a crawl on weekends, don't give in to the temptation to skip this region in favor of the quieter areas beyond Portland. It's a beautiful part of the state with a number of appealing attractions. What you might consider doing, however, is timing your trip so that you're in this area midweek rather than during the busier weekend.

Kittery and the Yorks

Start your journey by taking U.S. Route 1 over the Memorial Bridge, which crosses the Piscataqua River from historic downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Kittery, Maine's oldest town. If you want to fuel up early, stop on Badger's Island, which is right in the middle of the river, for a hearty meal at Ore Nell's Barbecue or in the historic downtown at Lil's Cafe , an artisan bakery with great coffee drinks.

Continue east on state Route 103 along the curving riverfront rather than following U.S. Route 1 into the tangle of outlet shops for which Kittery is most famous. Stop to walk around colonial-era Fort McClary State Historic Site , with its formidable granite walls and views of pretty Portsmouth Harbor. The road curves past characteristic colonial homes before joining with U.S. Route 1A, a scenic coastal road that passes through the classic seaside vacation villages of York Harbor, York Beach and Cape Neddick. These towns have a nostalgic family vacation vibe and there are plenty of places to hop out for a stroll along the sand or a bite to eat overlooking the sea.

Just north of York Beach — a stretch of beach cottages and hotels that looks like a postcard from the 1940s — turn right (follow the signs) to the parking area for what's quite possibly the most photographed building in Maine: Nubble Lighthouse, an elegantly simple white tower beside a red-roofed Victorian keeper's house set on a small rocky island just offshore. You can't actually visit the island, but the view from across the water is splendid, and next to the parking lot, Fox's Lobster House is a good spot to indulge in your first bowl of chowder or lobster roll.

Optional side trip to Portsmouth, New Hampshire

The largest community on New Hampshire's 18-mile shoreline, this upbeat historic city with a population of around 23,000 is both an excellent base for exploring the adjacent southwestern corner of Maine and a delightful destination in its own right.

A compact seaport, Portsmouth is known for its carefully preserved colonial buildings, many of them open to the public. A highlight is Strawbery Banke Museum , a 10-acre living history village of more than three dozen restored structures. Sometimes described as a miniature Portland, this city of narrow tree-shaded lanes and well-tended gardens has a growing restaurant scene and plenty of galleries, crafts shops, bookstores and clothiers to keep you busy.

Just north of Cape Neddick, where U.S. Route 1A cuts west to join U.S. Route 1, turn right onto Shore Road and follow this narrow, curvy route into charming Ogunquit, which developed into an artists colony and a summer resort in the late 19th century and has in more recent decades become a popular LGBTQIA+ destination. Testament to this cheerful beach town's creative legacy are the small but excellent Ogunquit Museum of American Art and the acclaimed Ogunquit Playhouse summer theater. Be sure to check out the shops and seafood eateries (such as Footbridge Lobster and Barnacle Billy's ) of Perkins Cove, where there's also a photogenic footbridge across the town's boat basin. From here, walk the stunning 1.3-mile Marginal Way footpath along a series of sea cliffs into the cute downtown, where you'll discover a number of hip bars and restaurants.

Kennebunkport

As you head north on U.S. Route 1 from Ogunquit, turn right onto the state Route 9 shore route into the old-money enclave of Kennebunkport, with its appealing village center bisected by the scenic Kennebunk River. Stroll among Dock Square's many shops and restaurants, where you can also book a sightseeing cruise on The Pineapple Ketch , a historic 38-foot ship that provides a glimpse of the many imposing summer cottages (mansions, really) that dot the town's shoreline, including Walker's Point, aka the Bush compound, which served as the "Summer White House" for President George H.W. Bush. Off Dyke Road a few miles northeast of town, Goose Rocks Beach is one of the area's gems, offering great opportunities for tidepooling and soaking up rays.

Where to stay

With days of driving ahead, you might consider treating yourself to a night or two in a fabulous spa resort, like Cape Neddick's sumptuous Cliff House Maine (rates start at $699 per night), which is perched on a dramatic rocky ledge a few miles south of the Ogunquit border. In addition to having a 9,000-square-foot spa overlooking the sea, this contemporary 226-room hotel boasts a championship golf course, several restaurants and myriad recreational activities. From the enchanting Trellis House (rates start at $309 per night), an eight-room bed-and-breakfast surrounded by lush gardens and greenery, you're steps from Ogunquit's Marginal Way coastal path and within walking or trolleying distance of the beach and local dining.

The contemporary-chic AWOL Kennebunkport (rates start at $327 per night) offers a distinct contrast to the area's many old-fashioned inns. A short walk from lively Dock Square in Kennebunkport, it's made up of 17 airy cabins with low-slung, tasteful furnishings and private patios and balconies. Most rooms have fireplaces, and rates include a breakfast featuring a toast bar with bagels, muffins, breads and gourmet toppings. AWOL is part of the renowned boutique hotel brand Lark Hotels, which has four other Maine properties, including the stunning Kennebunkport Captains Collection (rates start at $471 per night), which is just around the corner and consists of four smartly updated historic homes with plush rooms and suites outfitted with soaking tubs, working fireplaces and plenty of other perks.

Just across the state line in Portsmouth, you'll find a great selection of both modern full-service hotels and distinctive urban inns. A couple of notables include the Hotel Thaxter (rates start at $369), a new 15-room boutique inn within the heart of the city's historic downtown, and Wentworth by the Sea (rates start at $389 per night), which is a 10-minute drive outside of town on the beautiful New Castle island. This legendary grande dame was built in 1874 and overlooks a scenic harbor where the Piscataqua River meets the ocean. It offers a spa, two pools, tennis courts and a Scottish-style links golf course.

Greater Portland

Maine's largest city has just under 70,000 residents and is 50 miles up the coast from the New Hampshire border. In addition to being a picturesque port city with an incredible food scene, it's an excellent place to anchor yourself if you're planning a longer stay and appreciate having proximity to both the sea and a vibrant arts and cultural scene. From Kennebunkport, state Route 9 leads into the towns that form the metro area's southern edge, including Biddeford and South Portland.

Biddeford and Cape Elizabeth

From Kennebunkport, follow Route 9 as it curves back inland along the Saco River into Biddeford, a once-thriving textile mill town that underwent a severe downturn during the second half of the 20th century as industry moved elsewhere. By the early 2000s, the city center's handsome, though largely empty, redbrick mill buildings and storefronts began to attract chefs, brewers, makers, artists and other entrepreneurs, and today Biddeford buzzes with activity.

Stop for breakfast or lunch at acclaimed spots like Catface Cafe and the Palace Diner , or a memorable dinner at Elda . Sample fine spirits, including aromatic small-batch gins, at cozy Round Turn Distilling , and house-roasted coffees and local beer at the inviting bookstore-cum-cafe Elements .

Once you've filled up on excellent food and drink, follow U.S. Route 1 over the river into another small industrial city, Saco. Here, you have a decision to make about which route to follow. If you have a soft spot for the thrum of boardwalk amusement parks, fried-dough and saltwater taffy vendors, T-shirt shops and souvenir stands, and other retro-kitschy fun, head east a few miles to Old Orchard Beach, a spirited if at times raucous honky-tonk vacation town with a long pier, a beach that's jammed on weekends with towels and umbrellas, and fireworks shows on Thursday nights from late July through early September.

If this isn't your bag, continue up U.S. Route 1 to the bedroom community of Scarborough, and take state routes 207 and 77 through the upscale seaside town of Cape Elizabeth. On this scenic route, you can detour south to Prouts Neck to visit the Winslow Homer Studio ( tours are offered only by advance reservation through the Portland Museum of Art), where the artist painted many of his legendary Maine seascapes from the 1880s until his death in 1910. And you can visit the Portland Head Light , which has served as a beacon to ship captains since 1791 and inspired countless paintings, including Edward Hopper's memorable 1927 work, "Portland Head." You can walk around this graceful stone tower and tour the museum inside the quaint keeper's house — walking paths lead along the rock bluffs and throughout surrounding Fort Williams Park. Route 77 continues north across Casco Bay Bridge and into the heart of Portland.

With its walkable streets lined with stellar restaurants, cocktail lounges, fine galleries and fashionable boutiques, Portland is the perfect city to ditch your car for an afternoon, or even a few days, and explore on foot. The exercise will come in handy given how much eating and drinking you'll be tempted to indulge in. Moreover, there's a clutch of first-rate hotels downtown.

Great views can be had from the grassy lawns of the Western Promenade and Eastern Promenade, two hilltop parks that bracket the city. The Portland Museum of Art features extensive holdings of painters who have immortalized the region's natural scenery, including Homer and Hopper but also John Marin, George Bellows and Andrew Wyeth. There's also an outstanding contemporary collection and terrific rotating exhibits. A few blocks away you can visit the childhood home of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which now contains the Maine Historical Society . Nearby, the Old Port district exudes old-world charm with its bustling wharves, seafood markets and narrow lanes.

Where to eat and imbibe? Longtime favorites include Fore Street for locally sourced seafood and meats and Duckfat for Belgian-style frites and luscious milkshakes. Along the same block, head to Eventide Oyster Co. for fresh-shucked bivalves and its sister establishment, The Honey Paw , for boldly flavored pan-Asian cooking. Newer chef-driven spots such as locavore-minded Twelve and warmly convivial Thistle & Grouse are turning heads with their inventive, artfully prepared cuisine. And James Beard Award-nominated chefs are well represented in town; consider Krista Cole of Sur Lie (she also runs Gather , just up the road in Yarmouth), Courtney Loreg of Woodford Food & Beverage , Isaul Perez of Isa Bistro and Jake Stevens of Leeward , to name just a few. Allagash , Bissell Brothers and Austin Street are among the more than two dozen craft breweries making waves in and around Portland, while purveyors of everything from artisan baked goods (the Holy Donut , Forage , Norimoto ) to locally roasted coffee ( Tandem , Bard , Speckled Ax ) appear in seemingly every direction. Prepare to be blown away.

The islands of Casco Bay

If you have an extra day, consider taking a cruise among the nearly 150 islands of Casco Bay; six can be reached by scheduled ferry service with Casco Bay Lines from downtown Portland. You can rent a bike near the terminals of most of the islands if you're up for a two-wheel adventure, or just go for a cruise. The sunrise and sunset runs are especially scenic, while the mailboat run lets passengers soak up the scenery as workers deliver mail to several of the islands. For a longer visit, consider booking one of the many vacation rentals on the islands, or staying at one of the few full-service hotels, such as the Inn at Diamond Cove on Great Diamond Island.

As you continue up the coast from Portland, you'll encounter the one span of this itinerary that's best undertaken via a dull but efficient freeway. Hop onto Interstate Highway 295 for the nearly 20-mile drive to Freeport, an attractive and historic town that's both a suburb and a retail hub, thanks to the presence in the heart of downtown of the renowned gear and sportswear store L.L. Bean . Established here in 1912, this massive flagship store is open 24/7 and is a must for stocking up on everything from boating and skiing equipment to tasteful housewares and practical yet attractive fleeces, sweaters, boots and more. A crop of other name-brand retailers have outlet shops within walking distance of L.L. Bean.

Set in an imaginatively transformed 1850s mill building in downtown Biddeford, the artful Lincoln Hotel (rates start at $334 per night) contains 33 spacious, industrial-chic rooms with brick walls, gas fireplaces, soaring ceilings and huge windows. It's an excellent choice for taking advantage of Biddeford's increasingly acclaimed culinary scene. Close to Portland Head Light and convenient to downtown Portland but with a peaceful setting on Cape Elizabeth's idyllic Crescent Beach, the pet-welcoming Inn by the Sea (rates start at $495 per night) has 62 individually designed rooms with casually opulent decor; suites have full kitchens.

The seven-story Press Hotel (rates start at $432 or 67,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night) occupies a 1920s Old Port building that once housed the city's newspaper and has been given new life as a hip 110-room hotel with old-fashioned writing desks, local art, a rooftop deck, lots of comfy common spaces and a scene-y (for Portland) farm-to-table restaurant. Located in Portland's historic West End, The Francis (rates start at $395 per night) is set in an imposing redbrick mansion that had fallen into a state of disrepair before its new owners completed an ambitious two-year restoration. This dashing 15-room boutique inn has light-filled, uncluttered rooms with a modern vibe, and guests can book spa treatments in the hotel's sister property, The Longfellow, just across the street.

On Great Diamond Island, just a 25-minute ferry ride from Old Port, the distinctive Inn at Diamond Cove (rates start at $249 per night) has been created out of late-19th-century army barracks and has spacious, stylish suites, some with kitchens, that feature porches or balconies, and a large pool and acclaimed waterfront restaurant.

Brunswick to Camden 

From Freeport, U.S. Route 1 continues to the dapper college town of Brunswick (home to Bowdoin College and arguably the state's most famous artisan ice cream purveyor, The Gelato Fiasco ), before becoming a less-trafficked and generally quite scenic two-lane road as it meanders in an east-by-northeast direction through Maine's storied Mid-Coast region. It's about a 60-mile drive from Brunswick to Camden, much of it through lively village centers lined with colonial and Victorian houses and storefronts.

You won't see the actual coastline along this section of road, but numerous state roads run south from U.S. Route 1 down to the picturesque tips of several craggy peninsulas, leading to fabled sites of natural beauty like the Giant's Stairs on Bailey Island, Popham Beach in Phippsburg and Pemaquid Point in Bristol. Detouring down these winding, slow-going roads can easily take an hour or more round-trip, without stops, so unless you have lots of time on your hands, don't attempt to explore every one. But do try to set aside time for at least one of these rewarding side excursions, as it's when you get off the beaten path and experience this region's windswept beaches and dramatic rock formations that you gain a true sense of coastal Maine's sheer beauty.

Bath and Boothbay Harbor

Continue on U.S. Route 1 from Brunswick to the bustling small city of Bath, whose location along a deep stretch of the Kennebec River has made it a hub of shipbuilding since the mid-18th century. Thousands of vessels, including striking wooden clipper ships, were built in the shipyards that formerly lined the riverfront, and the grand Federal and Victorian homes that you see throughout town are a testament to the wealth derived from this important industry. On the south side of downtown, Bath Iron Works opened in 1884 and has built countless warships for the U.S. Navy. It continues to function in this capacity as a division of General Dynamics Corp.

You can learn about the town's, and the state's, rich shipbuilding legacy at the outstanding Maine Maritime Museum , which opened in 1971 on the site of the historic Percy & Small Shipyard. This rambling 20-acre campus contains dozens of carefully preserved buildings along with a terrific museum with an impressive permanent collection of nautical art, ship models and memorabilia, as well as excellent rotating exhibits. On your visit, set aside time to take one of the nature and lighthouse cruises that the museum conducts along the Kennebec River.

From Bath, shortly after passing through historic Wiscasset (home to the famous lobster shack Red's Eats ), turn right onto state Route 27 and continue south to Boothbay Harbor, an idyllic yachting enclave that's home to several stunning lodgings as well as a handful of colorful boutiques and convivial seafood restaurants. Boothbay Harbor's greatest draw is the expansive Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens . Peaceful trails lace the more than 300 acres of formal plantings, a delightful children's garden, shady riverside woodlands and art installations, including five whimsical, larger-than-life troll sculptures that Danish artist Thomas Dambo fashioned out of recycled wood.

Back on U.S. Route 1, you'll continue through several attractive small towns, including Damariscotta, known for its oyster farms and beautiful Victorian buildings. River House and King Eider's Pub are a couple of excellent spots in town to enjoy the local seafood.

You'll find some of Mid-Coast Maine's most bewitching scenery along the shore of West Penobscot Bay, starting with Rockland. Once a rough-and-tumble hub of commercial fishing and lime quarrying, and later a supply center serving the needs of the region's swankier resort communities, this town of about 7,100 has enjoyed a recent renaissance thanks in part to the opening of the renowned Farnsworth Art Museum , known for its remarkable collection of works by Andrew Wyeth (as well as his father, N.C., and son Jamie). The museum also features the works of many other notables of American painting and sculpture, including Louise Nevelson and Marsden Hartley. The Farnsworth is the centerpiece of Main Street, whose striking redbrick Italianate buildings house one-of-a-kind shops and eateries.

A block away, the strikingly sleek Center for Maine Contemporary Art , which acclaimed architect Toshiko Mori designed in 2016, is another cornerstone of the town's remarkable creative scene. Rockland supports an increasingly robust dining scene, with Primo and the ethereal Mediterranean cuisine of James Beard Award-winning chef Melissa Kelly leading the way.

Before heading north toward Rockport, make the easy 15-minute detour southeast to Owls Head Lighthouse , a stout white lighthouse that's notable for its dramatic setting atop an 80-foot bluff that guards the entrance to Rockland's busy harbor. Climb to the top of this 1852 structure for a rewarding view of Penobscot Bay and the nearby island of Vinalhaven, to which ferry service is available from downtown Rockland; there's a small, informative museum at the base. Home to more than 150 meticulously maintained antique cars, motorcycles and planes, the Owls Head Transportation Museum makes for a fun stop on your way back to Rockland.

Rockport and Camden

U.S. Route 1 continues north along Penobscot Bay through quaint Rockport, a venerable artists colony set around a glorious little harbor and home to destination-worthy restaurants like 18 Central Oyster Bar and, turning out seasonally sourced Maine-meets-Mediterranean fare, Nina June . Turn right onto U.S. Route 1A and follow this narrow, twisting road through the village and around to Camden City Park, a slice of greenery set on a bluff with commanding views of the antique wooden-masted sailboats and schooners in Camden Harbor. It has access to a wonderful little beach, too.

In Camden, an affluent summer getaway that's famous for its fleet of historic Windjammer ships, several outfitters in town offer sails on the bay. Stroll around downtown, relax in the Olmsted Brothers-designed Harbor Park or make the short but rather steep 1.1-mile round-trip hike up to the top of Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park . From the historic observation tower at the top, to which you can also drive, the bay views are stupendous. Back in town, alluring restaurants await, such as Long Grain , for some of the tastiest Thai food in the Northeast, and 40 Paper , with its oft-changing menu of flatbreads, pastas and charcuterie focused on locally sourced ingredients.

A stately 1860s captain's house with additional rooms in adjacent buildings, the Topside Inn (rates start at $369 per night) sits on a hilltop with a gracious lawn and sweeping views of Boothbay Harbor. It's a short stroll from local shops and restaurants and a great base for visiting Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and the Maine Maritime Museum.

Overlooking the harbor in the heart of downtown Rockland, the stylishly modern 250 Main Hotel (rates start at $358 per night) has 26 spacious, high-ceilinged rooms on five floors, along with a rooftop deck with fantastic views of the water and downtown. The thoughtful staff tends to guests' every need, and amenities include a light complimentary breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese.

One of Mid-Coast Maine's most luxurious hideaways, the Camden Harbour Inn (rates start at $555 per night) is part of Relais & Chateaux and enjoys a spectacular setting on a hill with expansive views of the town harbor. This 20-room property features an inn and the critically acclaimed restaurant Natalie's; it's also a short walk from downtown dining and shopping. A half-mile up U.S. Route 1 from downtown Camden, Whitehall (rates start at $231 per night) occupies a 19th-century sea captain's mansion that's been given a clever, boldly colored 21st-century makeover. The 36 rooms and suites are set among a few buildings and range from plush and expansive to simple and economical (with bathrooms down the hall).

Camden to Bar Harbor

There are essentially two ways to get from Camden to Bar Harbor, which is just 40 miles east as the crow flies: the long way, following U.S. Route 1 up around Penobscot and directly across to Ellsworth, and the really long way, which entails detouring extensively down through the beautiful Blue Hill Peninsula and onto pastoral Deer Isle before cutting back up to Ellsworth.

The first option takes a little under two hours without stops, while the second option can take as long as four hours depending on how many of the Blue Hill Peninsula's nooks and crannies you decide to explore. This side excursion is well worth the time if you're not in a rush. Either way, from Ellsworth, it's an easy drive down state Route 3 onto the eastern shore of Mount Desert Island to get to Bar Harbor.

As you drive northeast along U.S. Route 1, skirting the western shore of Penobscot Bay, you'll pass through the small beach town of Lincolnville, which is where you can pick up the ferry to the attractive summer vacation island of Islesboro, before entering one of the coast's most alluring small towns, Belfast. With a downtown abundant with grand centuries-old homes and shopfronts with ornate brick facades, the governmental seat of Waldo County is a pleasure to explore on foot. You'll find a smattering of generally casual bars and eateries in town, plus some intriguing antiques and housewares shops.

Searsport and Bucksport

As you continue up U.S. Route 1, more antiquing awaits in the friendly village of Searsport, which is also worth a visit for its superb Penobscot Marine Museum . About 10 miles north, right before the road crosses the Penobscot River, make a left turn and follow the signs to Fort Knox Historic Site and the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory . Built in 2007, the soaring cable-stayed Penobscot Narrows Bridge is home to the world's tallest bridge observatory; take the elevator to the top of the 420-foot-high West Tower to enjoy the 360-degree views. Then return to earth and stroll the grounds of the adjacent Fort Knox, a formidable granite fortress constructed in the mid-19th century.

After driving across the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, you'll come to the small riverfront town of Bucksport, a former mill town that's reinvented itself as a burgeoning center of tourism. The walking path along the riverfront makes for a pleasant stroll.

Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle

Bordered by Penobscot Bay to the west and Jericho Bay, Blue Hill Bay and Mount Desert Narrows to the south and east, the mostly rural and incredibly peaceful Blue Hill Peninsula is about 25 miles long and contains just a handful of unpretentious yet dignified villages and a cluster of atmospheric country inns and reliable restaurants. As you drive along its curving country roads and alongside its pebbly beaches and graceful bays, it's easy to imagine you're seeing a slice of coastal Maine much as it probably looked a century ago. Home to several conservation areas and nature preserves, the peninsula is popular for hiking, with 934-foot-tall Blue Hill Mountain among the best destinations for a not-too-strenuous 2-mile round-trip scramble, and the views from the top are impressive.

To get here, turn right onto state Route 166 from Bucksport and follow it south along the eastern shore of Penobscot Bay to Castine, a once-bustling colonial seaport that transitioned gradually into a summer colony of understatedly wealthy industrialists in the 19th century. You'll find a handful of endearing shops and eateries in the village center overlooking the harbor.

From here, backtrack up and around Northern Bay and then follow state Route 175 south to a bridge and then a causeway leading to 30-square-mile Deer Isle, with a pair of winsome villages, Deer Isle proper and Stonington, with still more appealing boutiques, galleries and eateries. Home to one of the state's most famous farm-to-table restaurants, Aragosta , Deer Isle attracts more than its share of foodies. Return to the main route by crossing back onto the peninsula and taking state Route 175 or 172 northeast to the peninsula's largest town, Blue Hill, which is still pretty tiny (the population is slightly fewer than 1,000 souls).

Follow U.S. Route 1 and then state Route 3 onto Mount Desert Island, home to the postcard-worthy resort town of Bar Harbor as well as most of Acadia National Park . Bar Harbor was established as a fishing and shipbuilding town in the 1760s, but by the middle of the next century, prestigious American landscape painters, including Thomas Cole and Frederic Church, were drawn here by the captivating harbor, towering granite cliffs and mountains, and sheltered beaches. The town soon attracted wealthy visitors, many of whom, including Rockefellers, Astors and Vanderbilts, erected massive summer homes. The downtown is one of the prettiest, albeit busiest during the summer high season, in the state.

From May through October, cruise ships tie up in the harbor and ferry passengers into town, resulting in sometimes excessive crowds. That being said, the lovely Main Street is lined with appealing shops and eateries, and both the Village Green and waterfront Agamont Park are enchanting spots to relax, perhaps with a slab of fudge or a dish of ice cream from one of the countless sweets shops. Pro tip: Mount Desert Island Ice Cream , which now has locations as far away as Japan, serves the best frozen desserts in town, with unique flavors like coriander-lemon curd and hojicha (roasted green tea). Make sure to visit the two excellent history museums in town, the Abbe Museum , a Smithsonian-affiliated property devoted to interpreting Maine Indigenous culture and natural history, and La Rochelle Mansion , the Gilded Age "summer cottage" of George Bowdoin that opened as a museum in 2020.

Acadia National Park

Home to the highest peak on the Eastern Seaboard (Cadillac Mountain, elevation 1,530 feet) and remarkably diverse landscapes of rugged and rocky coastal headlands and pristine forests and beaches, Acadia National Park is one of the great natural treasures of New England. About 77 square miles, the park covers around half of Mount Desert Island, mostly on the eastern of the island's two lobes; the rest of Acadia is on Isle au Haut (reachable by ferry from Deer Isle), a number of small and mostly uninhabited islands in the vicinity, and the southern end of the Schoodic Peninsula. Most visitors focus their efforts on the portion of the park adjacent to Bar Harbor, which is indeed an excellent place to start, although this section of Acadia also receives the greatest number of visitors and can feel a bit overwhelming in summer, especially on weekends.

After stopping by the park's Hulls Cove Visitor Center, drive the breathtaking 27-mile Park Loop Road, absorbing the views from the many rocky ledges. Enjoy lunch at the historic Jordan Pond House restaurant. It's famous for its fluffy fresh-baked popovers with butter and strawberry jam.

Although you can drive to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, parking is limited and reservations are required between mid-May and mid-October to drive to the summit. If you love getting outside and you're ready for a break from driving, consider hiking to the top instead. Several trails, ranging in length from around 2 to 7 miles round-trip, lead to the summit. Other appealing treks in the park include neighboring and less crowded Dorr Mountain and climbing the ladders and rungs of the short but quite vertical Beehive Loop, which overlooks one of the park's loveliest stretches of shoreline, Sand Beach. If you have an extra day or want to get away from the crowds, set aside a few hours to explore the park's quieter western side, checking out the trails around Beech Mountain and Echo Lake.

A luxurious base that's close to both Camden and Belfast yet not far from the Blue Hill Peninsula, the exquisitely restored Homeport Inn and Tavern (rates start at $179 per night) is a short walk from Searsport's town park and fishing pier. This 1860s sea captain's house has a warmly lit British-style pub serving elevated comfort fare, and many rooms have terraces overlooking the verdant gardens.

Famous for having one of the state's most celebrated restaurants, Aragosta at Goose Cove (rates start at $360 per night) offers overnight stays in nine dog-friendly cottages with kitchenettes and three suites, all of them steps from the sea (and some of them with direct water views). It's in the quiet village of Deer Isle, far from crowds, even in the middle of summer. The Blue Hill Inn (rates start at $237 per night) is one of the true gems of the Blue Hill Peninsula. This 1830s mansion decorated in the Federal period style has 11 upscale rooms, and there are two more contemporary suites in an adjacent Cape House cottage. Rates include a lavish multicourse breakfast, and the inn is within walking distance of the harbor and several popular restaurants.

With one of the most desirable locations of any hotel on Mount Desert Island, the refined Bar Harbor Inn & Spa (rates start at $469 per night) sits on a promontory with stupendous views of Frenchman Bay and a wealth of amenities, including an infinity pool, a full-service spa and three waterfront restaurants; many rooms have balconies with water views. The inn accesses the town's famous coastal Shore Path and is an easy stroll from numerous restaurants, shops and the sightseeing cruises that depart from the town pier. The owners run a few other first-rate properties in town, including the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel (rates start at $409 per night), a contemporary reconstruction of a baronial 19th-century inn that was lost in a fire.

The stylishly updated Salt Cottages (rates start at $505 per night) date to the 1940s and are a 10-minute drive from downtown Bar Harbor, across the road from Hulls Cove Beach and right by the Hulls Cove Entrance to Acadia National Park. Popular with families, this welcoming beachy-chic resort offers a host of amenities, from a pool and hot tub to lawn games and a fire pit with s'mores. For a quieter stay away from the bustle of Bar Harbor, book a room at the beautifully renovated Claremont Hotel (rates start at $529 per night), overlooking Somes Sound in Southwest Harbor, on the more tranquil western half of Mount Desert Island. It's a great base for exploring the trails in Acadia National Park's west side, and this 6-acre property features a large pool, three excellent restaurants and a wide range of accommodations options, from classic hotel rooms to houses with multiple bedrooms.

Bar Harbor to Lubec

After returning to U.S. Route 1 from Mount Desert Island, it's about a 90-minute journey — the final 15 minutes on state Route 189 bring you to the town of Lubec, which is the easternmost point in the contiguous United States. This is the most sparsely populated stretch of Maine's coast. It's punctuated by a few hardscrabble fishing, farming and timber towns, and the natural scenery along the smaller roads leading out to the coast is beautiful, but there aren't a lot of dedicated attractions in this region. One notable exception to keep an eye out for as you zoom along U.S. Route 1 is the Wild Blueberry Heritage Center in tiny Columbia Falls, which occupies a distinctive pale-blue geodesic dome building meant to resemble a bulbous blueberry. It's one of those goofy roadside stops that's fun for a photo op. Inside the building, a small nonprofit museum has exhibits about the state's most famous crop and a gift shop selling all things blueberry-themed.

For the most part, car traffic dwindles to a trickle, even in summer, once you drive east of Ellsworth. At the end of the road, however, Lubec and neighboring (across Johnson Bay) Eastport are inviting villages free from excessive development. For fans of seaside solitude, it's worth tacking on an extra day or two to complete the drive to the Canadian border.

Even if you're not planning to go all the way to Lubec, consider driving at least as far as the small, laid-back village of Winter Harbor on the Schoodic Peninsula, which dips down into the Gulf of Maine just 5 miles across the water from Bar Harbor. In summer, you can take a passenger ferry between the two towns; otherwise, it's an hour's drive up and around Frenchman Bay. At the southern tip of the peninsula, off state Route 186, you can enter the nearly 4,000-acre Schoodic District of Acadia National Park, with its largely untrampled conifer forests and bike-friendly scenic park loop road and gravel paths. Only a tiny fraction of visitors ever make it to this pristine and highly underrated section of the park that's anchored by the Schoodic Institute , a 1930s mansion that once held offices and living quarters for the U.S. Navy base that occupied the land before it was transferred to the park in 2002. The building now houses a visitor center and a small museum with exhibits on natural history and the peninsula's interesting military history.

A mellow fishing village surrounded on three sides by water, scenic Lubec has just under 300 residents and an unpretentious downtown with a handful of casual lodging and dining options. After spending the night in town, you can rise early and drive to nearby Quoddy Head State Park to watch the sunrise from the nation's easternmost point. Set aside an hour or two to walk around the 49-foot-tall candy-striped West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and explore the park's peaceful, windswept nature trails.

Campobello Island

Another enjoyable activity in this part of the world is driving over the only bridge onto Canada's Campobello Island (from the Canadian mainland, you can get to this wooded island of about 950 residents by ferry only). The main event here is visiting Roosevelt Campobello International Park , the 2,800-acre summer hideaway of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. You can tour the 1897 shingle-style house and learn more about the couple in the excellent visitor center. Don't forget to bring your passport!

Tantalizingly within view of both downtown Lubec and Roosevelt Campobello International Park, this historic village on the southeastern tip of Moose Island is only reachable (by car, at least) by driving about 45 minutes around Cobscook Bay. (In summer, there is a passengers-only water taxi that runs between Lubec and Eastport.) Despite feeling even more remote than Lubec, Eastport's downtown actually has more in the way of infrastructure, with a waterfront historic district that comprises a few blocks of handsome Victorian buildings containing a smattering of galleries and cafes. Horn Run Brewing occupies one of the prettiest buildings in town and serves well-crafted brews and tasty pub fare, with a tree-shaded patio looking across the Passamaquoddy Bay toward Canada's Deer and Campobello islands. Stop by the Tides Institute & Museum of Art , which is set inside a vintage bank building and contains rotating exhibits.

Optional side trip to St. Andrews, New Brunswick

You could easily continue your coastal explorations by crossing onto the Canadian mainland and driving farther into the Maritime Provinces. From the border crossing between Calais, Maine (which is a half-hour drive up the St. Croix River from Eastport), and St. Stephen, New Brunswick, it's just an hour or so to the province's largest, and Canada's oldest, incorporated city, St. John. From there, plenty of travelers continue on to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

But even if your goal is to return to your starting point in southwestern Maine, you might consider making a quick side excursion to St. Andrews, which is just a half-hour southeast of the Calais-St. Stephen border crossing. This colorful maritime village perched at the tip of a peninsula that juts into Passamaquoddy Bay is known for its quaint downtown art galleries, seafood eateries and colonial houses. It's also home to several upscale inns and hotels, including the gracious, Tudor Revival-style Algonquin Resort.

En route from Bar Harbor to the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park, the enchanting Crocker House Country Inn (rates start at $210 per night) sits near the tip of a secluded peninsula, Hancock Point, an easy stroll from the Frenchman Bay waterfront. The 11 rooms in this 1884 inn received a dapper renovation in 2022, and the inn's restaurant serves exceptionally tasty contemporary American and Asian specialties.

At the Inn on the Wharf (rates start at $130 per night) in tiny Lubec, you can stay in the easternmost town in the United States while enjoying a view from your room of the sun setting to the west over the water. The inn operates out of a former sardine factory but also has rooms in several contemporary cottages on a hill overlooking the bay. A casual restaurant serves simple, fresh seafood, and whale-watching excursions are offered on the inn's 26-passenger boat. In Eastport's downtown historic district, the Kilby House Inn (rates start at $150 per night) is set in a pretty Queen Anne house with four period-furnished rooms with antique beds and country quilts; a full breakfast is served in the dining room each morning.

If you decide to hop across the border for a night or two, consider staying at the elegantly restored Algonquin Resort St. Andrews by-the-Sea (rates start at $218 or 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night), which is in the quaint seaside village of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. A member of Marriott's Autograph Collection, this red-roofed late-Victorian hotel has 233 stylishly appointed rooms, five restaurants and bars, a luxurious spa, and an award-winning 18-hole golf course.

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The Perfect Coastal Maine Road Trip

Laura Itzkowitz is a freelance writer and editor based in Rome. She has been contributing to Travel + Leisure since 2014, when she started as a fact checker before becoming a contributing digital editor in 2015 and going freelance in 2016. She has also held positions as a contributing editor at The Points Guy and the NYC cities editor at DuJour Magazine. In addition to Travel + Leisure , her writing has appeared in Architectural Digest , Surface Magazine , Brooklyn Magazine , T Magazine , The Wall Street Journal , Vogue, GQ, Departures, Afar, Fodor's, Town & Country , Condé Nast Traveler , Robb Report , Hemispheres, and others. When she's not jetsetting around Italy and beyond, she can be found in Rome, enjoying some cacio e pepe or relaxing at home with her husband and two dogs. Originally from the Boston area, Laura moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue a master's degree in creative writing and translation at Columbia University. She also holds a bachelor's degree in French from Smith College. * 10+ years of experience writing and editing * Co-wrote "New York: Hidden Bars & Restaurants," an award-winning guide to New York City's speakeasy scene published by Jonglez Editions in 2015 * Contributed to "Fodor's Brooklyn," published by Penguin Random House in 2015, which won silver in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition * Contributed an essay to "Epic Hikes of Europe," published by Lonely Planet in 2021 * Updated the 2022 edition of "Fodor's Essential Italy"

Lobster shacks , waves crashing against rocky outcroppings, pine trees, and rugged bluffs— Maine is New England’s crowning gem. And with winding roads overlooking the Atlantic, secluded lighthouses, and charming cities up and down the coast, it's a gem best experienced by car.Here now, the best places to eat, drink, shop, and sightsee between Portland and Bar Harbor.

2 p.m.: Shopping in Portland’s Old Port District

At just over an hour-long flight from New York City or a two-hour drive from Boston, Maine ’s largest metropolis is a great place to start. Take a leisurely walk around the harbor and Old Port, where historic brick buildings house restaurants, bars, and shops. Start by the harbor on Commercial Street and work your way up Exchange Street, which is lined with boutiques selling everything from clothes and jewelry to locally crafted pottery and fudge.

7 p.m.: Dinner at Eventide Oyster Co., Portland

Come for bivalves on the half shell, and stay for Korean-style fried oyster buns. These guys take their shellfish seriously, but not too seriously to play with the conventions of Maine’s regional cuisine. Last year we named Eventide one of America’s best oyster bars and it’s still worth a visit.

9 p.m.: Check in to the Press Hotel, Portland

Spend the night at the quirky new Press Hotel , an Autograph Collection Hotel, which opened in May in the Old Port. Design firm Stonehill & Taylor took inspiration from the building’s heritage as the former home of the Portland Press Herald . You’ll find playful journalism motifs peppered throughout, from the lobby installation made of antique typewriters to the custom wallpaper printed with headlines chosen by the newspaper’s editors. Each of the 110 rooms channels a 1920s writer’s office. Sitting at the vintage-inspired desk, you might feel compelled to send a postcard home.

9 a.m.: Breakfast at the Standard Baking Company, Portland

In the morning, head toward the harbor for pastries at Portland’s must-visit artisanal bakery , which has been using locally grown, organic ingredients in their excellent baked goods for the past twenty years. The croissants, brioche, and morning buns are equally delicious. Grab some sweets to save for later—their financiers and chocolate chip cookies are the best around.

10 a.m.: Portland Head Lighthouse, Cape Elizabeth

Take a slight detour to see the historic lighthouse on Cape Elizabeth, about 20 minutes south of downtown Portland. Abutting flowering fields above a rocky coastline, this classic landmark is Maine’s oldest lighthouse. George Washington commissioned it and the Marquis de Lafayette dedicated it in 1791. The Victorian Keeper’s house now serves as a museum displaying lenses and interactive exhibits.

12:30 p.m.: Archer’s on the Pier, Rockland

Depart Portland and start making your way north to Rockland. After the two-hour drive, you’ll probably be hungry. Snag a waterfront table at Archer’s on the Pier , where you can watch the boats sail by. You can’t go wrong with a classic lobster roll served with hand-cut fries and coleslaw, though chef and owner Lynn Archer is best known for her King of Clubs sandwich made with lobster, bacon, lettuce, and tomato, which won the prize in Bobby Flay’s Throwdown.

2 p.m.: Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland

Dedicated to showcasing Maine’s role in American art, the must-see Farnsworth Art Museum comprises a modern building, the Wyeth Center, the historic Farnsworth Homestead, the Olson House, and a gallery for young artists. The main building features paintings by Andrew Wyeth, George Bellows, Milton Avery, and Alex Katz, as well as sculptures by Robert Indiana. A whole room of canvases depicting ships at sea and other coastal imagery pays homage to the region and the ways it has inspired artists for centuries. Peruse the galleries in the former church up the street to see works by three generations of Wyeth painters. If you have time, take a tour of the Farnsworth Homestead, which sheds light on its 19th-century inhabitant, Lucy Farnsworth, the museum’s original benefactor.

6 p.m.: Downeast Windjammer Sunset Cruise, Bar Harbor

Drive along scenic route 1 overlooking Penobscot Bay as you continue north toward Bar Harbor. You might be tempted to stop in the boutiques that line the main streets of this seaside city, but make sure to arrive at the pier in time to board the Downeast windjammer ’s sunset cruise. You might be asked to help raise the sails on the four-mast vessel, then enjoy a relaxing ride around picturesque Frenchman’s Bay, which is dotted by forested islands. Bring your own wine or beer and a warm jacket—even in summer, it gets chilly on the water.

8:00 p.m.: Jordan Pond House, Mount Desert Island

Once you’re back on dry land, head into Acadia National Park for dinner at the Jordan Pond House. The only restaurant within the park, this place is renowned for its popovers, which go very well with the lobster stew. Dinner is served inside, but if you’d like to dine outside on the lawn with a view of Jordan Pond and its distinctively sloped hills, come back for lunch or afternoon tea.

9:30 p.m.: Mount Desert Island Ice Cream, Bar Harbor

If you have room for desert—and you definitely should—head back into Bar Harbor for a cone at this creative creamery. Blueberry ice cream may be common in these parts, but Mount Desert Island Ice Cream churns one-of-a-kind flavors you won’t find anywhere else. For something subtle and refreshing, try the basil ice cream, which pairs well with a scoop of fig.

10 p.m.: Asticou Inn, Northeast Harbor

Spend the night at the cozy Asticou Inn on Mount Desert Island. This historic property dates back to 1883 and served as a home away from home for the early 20th-century affluent set that summered in Bar Harbor. The inn’s 48 rooms feature classic décor like floral wallpaper and dainty white curtains and come equipped with free WiFi. In the morning, you can go for a swim in the heated pool or play tennis and enjoy a leisurely brunch of lobster eggs benedict on the terrace.

10 a.m.: Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island

You could spend days exploring Maine’s only national park , which comprises 35,000 acres of trails, pine-studded mountains with scenic overlooks, and beaches on Mount Desert Island. As soon as you enter this vast, gorgeous landscape, you’ll understand why prominent Americans like John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Brooke Astor vacationed here throughout the 20th century. (Rockefeller built the carriage roads that traverse the park.) Climb (or drive) to the summit of Cadillac Mountain for panoramic views of Frenchman’s Bay. Hike around Jordan Pond and the Bubbles, where the trail leads you along a wooded path and rocky outcroppings on the pond’s perimeter. Don’t miss Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, where waves crash violently against the rocks, and of course, the Bass Harbor Head lighthouse.

4 p.m.: Atlantic Brewing Co., Bar Harbor

Make your way to the northern point of Mount Desert Island for a free tour and tasting at the Atlantic Brewing Company . Set on a ten-acre farm, this excellent craft brewery focuses exclusively on ales. Learn about the brewing process as you stand among the vats of beer, then taste a flight of their classic and seasonal brews, which run the gamut from light and crisp to rich and dark. The blueberry ale has subtle notes of the ubiquitous berry, but the true standouts are the Bar Harbor Real Ale and the Cole Porter.

6 p.m.: Union River Lobster Pot, Ellsworth

Keep heading north for dinner at this no-frills seafood restaurant in nearby Ellsworth. Don’t expect anything fancy, just classic Maine dishes prepared exactly right. Lobsters are boiled in saltwater and served with drawn butter, French fries, coleslaw, and homemade bread. The fisherman’s platter arrives with a generous portion of fried scallops, clams, shrimp, and fish. Wash it down with Atlantic Brewing Company ale and finish with a slice of blueberry pie.

Related Articles

7 Day Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary: Where to Go and What to Do

Seven days for a Maine coast road trip is the perfect amount of time to see some great cities and immerse yourself in the wonderful local culture of coastal Maine.

From charming small towns that are not-to-miss (and for reasons we explain, below) to bigger cities that will round out the trip, you're sure to have fun in this stunning New England state.

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post, which means we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase, at no cost to you . We truly only recommend hotels, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. We were hosted by Visit Maine. All opinions are our own.

Maine Coast Road Trip Overview

We flew into Maine's airport in Portland from RDU airport in Raleigh to start our trip. Another easy airport to get to is Boston Logan International Airport, which is just a two-hour drive from Portland.

We rented a car to road trip north from that point. You can begin in Portland and do the reverse of our trip. It depends on your preference. However, we chose to go to the furthest point north of our trip and then drive back south so when we ended and needed to fly home, we were just minutes from the airport.

• Days 1 to 3: Bar Harbor
• 3 to 5: Boothbay Harbor
• 5 to 7: Portland

If you want to extend your time in Maine, we recommend a Maine Windjammer cruise . This will give you a completely unique view of the coast. We had a fantastic experience sailing Maine's coast this way for four days as an add-on to our road trip.

Days 1 to 3: Bar Harbor, in Northern Maine

Bar Harbor was so beautiful. If you like a bustling and walkable small town on the water, you'll love it here. Especially because you can do excursions like a lobster boat tour and go whale watching.

We stayed at the most amazing modern bed and breakfast called The Atlantean . The owners blew us away with their hospitality and cooking. (The breakfasts there were the best meals we had of our entire road trip along with Maine foods like lobster and blueberry donuts!)

One of the best things to do here was to simply take walks and stop for ice cream or coffee, and sit in the park to enjoy the view of the water. Another absolutely fantastic view was from the top of Cadillac mountain. It was special to see the water and its many islands like birds in the sky from that vantage point.

Acadia National Park is one of the main reasons many people add Bar Harbor to a Maine coast road trip itinerary. Truthfully though, the town alone is worth the visit.

That being said, Acadia National Park is refreshing and attractive. We enjoyed an easy hike there one afternoon around Jordan Pond and drove the loop road the next day to see some more of Maine's coast. (Jordan Pond is on the list of things to do in the park on the super helpful National Park Planner. If you plan on going to even two National Parks in the near future, you need this !)

If you're going to Acadia National Park during summer , we highly recommend getting a Bug Bite Thing to combat bug bites while you're there. We took a very leisurely short walk in the park at some pretty gardens they have and man oh man….I got eaten alive by the bugs! We are so grateful for this device that eliminates the itch in seconds.

Must-have item for your Tropical vacation:

The only thing we have tried that gets rid of bug bites from your skin is The Bug Bite Thing . This item is a MUST pack when we travel. We always pack one in our backpack/day bag and another in our luggage. Don't travel without it! And yes, it really works !

Days 3 to 5: Boothbay Harbor

One of the nice things about Boothbay Harbor was how it felt less busy than other areas we visited, and there were a bunch of charming hotel options. There was less to do there than in Bar Harbor and Portland. This meant we could relax a little more and sleep a little later when we were there during our vacation.

It was worth a stop for its Botanical Gardens alone. Secondly, we loved that there was a little local brewery and, thirdly, how walkable the town was. A simple pleasure in life is walking around a town during a Maine coast road trip on a beautiful New England summer day.

Days 5 to 7: Portland

Portland impressed us with its mix of old and new. It's very much a functioning port city – as it has been for well over a century – and the tourist scene was thriving.

This size city really speaks to the energized explorer in us that gravitates toward liking urban environments that aren't too big and aren't too small. (It's one of the reasons we chose Raleigh, NC , as our home city.)

There were great restaurant options where we could have local seafood, tours that helped us get familiarized with the city streets, a posh Marriott hotel we enjoyed, and boat tours where we could navigate the water on with an expert guide.

There were colorful murals, lighthouses, and waterfront views…what more could you ask for?

Sea Bags flagship store is also there and it was fun to learn about the bags made from recycled sails .

5 Day itinerary for Maine's Coast

If you only have 5 days, we would recommend the following abridged version of what we did:

• Days 3 to 5: Portland

If you have to skip a city, skip Boothbay Harbor. You can even stop at the Botanical Garden in Boothbay Harbor on your way to Portland from Bar Harbor, but simply continue your drive after you visit the gardens instead of staying overnight.

Extending Your Vacation for a Maine Windjammer Cruise

We feel so fortunate to have experienced Maine's beautiful coast by sea and by land. Taking a schooner boat, an overnight Maine sailing trip with Maine Windjammer Association aboard American Eagle, was really outstanding.

It's unlike any “typical” cruise you may think of. If you're used to sailing or have gone on a sailboat you can stay on overnight, it's very much like that.

Our seven-day Maine coast road trip started after the sailing and it was the perfect complement to the sea portion of our summer Maine vacation.

Read this next:

• Planning your Trip to Maine in the Summer: 20 Things to Know
• Food Maine is Known For (Lobster and Beyond)
• Best Bed and Breakfast in Bar Harbor: Atlantean Cottage (Our Favorite Accommodations in Maine)

I want to go to Maine after I have retired. My favorite food is seafood – shrimp, crab legs, and lobster. I would like to do a lobster bake in Maine! Thank you for this information.

Need a lot of advice from Kentucky to there. Thank you

Hi Bonnie – it would be best if you flew from Kentucky to Maine, then rented a car to do a road trip of the coast. Follow our road trip plan for the perfect 7 days!

So glad this inspired you, Bonnie!

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Charming 3 Day Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary (Updated 2024)

By: Author Vagrants of the World Travel Writer

Posted on Last updated: January 16, 2024

Home >> Destinations >> Charming 3 Day Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary (Updated 2024)

Maine is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and scenic states in the US. It is also one of the top destinations on any East Coast fall foliage itinerary . Rocky coasts, lighthouses, lobster, quaint boutiques, sandy beaches, and plenty of ocean views. One of the best outdoor destinations in the US , this 3 day Maine coast road trip is the perfect road trip destination for nature and adventure.

Whether it’s your first time visiting Maine or your hundredth, the beauty of Maine will always leave an impression.

Table of Contents

3 Day Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary

This 3-day Maine Coast Itinerary will take you from the lush wilderness and rocky coastlines of Acadia National Park to Kennebunkport’s charming, seaside fishing village. Along the way, you will be treated to some of the most charming, small towns with that New England feel. 

Day 1: Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park 

Begin your 3 day Maine coast road trip in Maine’s Bar Harbor area. Bar Harbor is the picturesque seaside town on Mount Desert Island bordering Acadia National Park. It’s considered one of the best national parks in the United States . Home to some of the best lobster and seafood restaurants in the state, Bar Harbor is full of quaint shops and easy access to the waters of Frenchman Bay. 

A day well spent in this area will include some time strolling the streets of Bar Harbor after exploring the wilderness and coastal edges of Acadia National Park.

Drive Park Loop Drive 

Take a drive along the Park Loop Drive in Acadia National Park. The 27-mile loop road through the park takes you past many of the park’s highlights, including many observation points.

The Park Loop Drive is a great introduction to the park and can help you decide how to spend the rest of your time here. One great option is to go to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the East Coast,. You can also relax at Jordan Pond and grab a bite to eat at the Jordon Pond House. Another great idea is to go for a swim at Sand Beach.

Go for a Hike

Acadia National Park is one of the top hiking destinations in the US . There are loads of hiking trails to choose from to suit all hiking abilities and itineraries. For those looking for beginning level hikes, Bubble Rock, the Ocean Path, the Wonderland Trail, or the Great Head Trail are great options. 

For experienced hikers, options include the Precipice Trail, the Beehive Trail, the Dorr Mountain Trail, or a hike to the Cadillac Mountain summit.

Grab Dinner and Explore Downtown Bar Harbor

After exploring Acadia National Park, you’ll surely be ready for some of Maine’s famous local seafood. Visit the heart of Bar Harbor for plenty of dining options. One must-visit is the brand-new Brasserie Le Brun , a new French restaurant with a modern twist. You can also try out the Chart Room for delicious seafood or Havana Parilla for delicious Latin cuisine. 

After dinner, enjoy a stroll along the waterfront or relax in the village green. Find yourself some unique, handcrafted souvenirs along Main Street, or visit the Bar Harbor Cellars Winery for a post-dinner wine tasting. 

You Might Also Like : If you have an extra day or two, consider exploring some of beautiful New Hampshire , less than an hour south of Portland.

Day 2: Portland

One of Maine’s biggest cities, Portland has lots to offer visitors. From strolling the Old Port, finding unique gifts and treasures at local boutiques, and visiting some of Maine’s most scenic lighthouses .

The drive from Bar Harbor to Portland is 3 hours, so drive early to make the most of your time.

Old Port 

Step from the modern-day city to the historic, cobblestone streets of Old Port as you spend your morning sightseeing, shopping, and enjoying the history and culture of Portland. You will find a combination of local and brand-name shops along the old streets. You can find clothing shops, galleries, gourmet food stores, pottery, jewelry, and more. 

Old Port is also blessed with many popular and quality restaurants, from quick service to fine dining style restaurants. One of the top new coffee shops that we recommend is Double Great Coffee , serving delicious coffee and desserts. For Latin food lovers, check out Papi , serving delicious coctails and Puerto Rican eats. The Continental is an amazing new spot in Portland serving authentic pub food and drinks.

If you want to get out on the water, join a 2-hour sail with the Portland Schooner Co. on an early 1900’s Windjammer for a sightseeing cruise taking in the famous local lighthouses and wildlife.  See here for cruise details .

Recommended Tours in Portland Old Town

• Old Port Culinary Walking Tour – 3-hour tour learning about Maine’s famous culinary scene. Includes guide, food samples from locale restaurants and eateries, and beer tasting. See here for full tour details .
• History Walking Tour with Sweet Treat – 2 hour tour exploring the key landmarks of Portland and its 200-year history. A great way to get your bearings in Portland. Includes local guide and typical Portland sweet treat at the end. See here for full details .

Cape Elizabeth

Home of the Portland Head lighthouse inside Fort Williams Park, Cape Elizabeth is one of the most well-known lighthouses in the US.

You can’t go inside the lighthouse, but there are plenty of areas for stunning views, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

If visiting on a hot summer day, you can also hit the beach area for a swim with views of the Ram Island Ledge Light (Beware, though, even in summer, the water will be cold).

Brewery Tour 

With over 70 breweries within the city limits, a brewery tour should be on your 3 day Maine coast road trip. There are plenty of unique tour options, from a Haunted Pub Crawl, pedal bike tours, party bikes, bus, and private tour options. Alternatively, you can research Portland’s many breweries and take a self-guided brewery tour. 

Recommended Beer & Brewery Tours

• Bike and Brew Tour – 1.5-2.5 hour options. Discover Portland and the local brew scene by bike. Choose between a morning coffee tour, an afternoon brewery tour, or an early evening beer, wine, and spirits tour. Includes all cycling gear, a local guide, and a selection of craft beverage samples. See here for full tour details .
• Sea Harbor Brews Cruise – 1.5 or 2 hours. Enjoy beers and boats on the waters of beautiful Portland Harbor and Casco Bay on a brews cruise. Sip local craft beers onboard the beautiful Elizabeth Grace for a 1.5-hour harbor tour or 2-hour sunset cruise. Includes cruise, guide, and 2 local craft beers. See here for full details .
• Tasting Tour to Local Breweries – 3 hours. Sip and taste your way through historic Portland on this walking brewery tour. Visit the city’s well-known breweries and enjoy samples at each stop along the way while learning about Portland’s beer history. Tour includes local guide, stops at three local breweries with three samples at each brewery and a light snack. See here for full tour details .

Alternate Portland Itinerary: Casco Islands

If you want to get out of the city and explore the surrounding waters, spend the day island-hopping the Casco Bay Islands. While there are over 700 islands in Casco Bay, there are six easily accessible islands via ferry.  

You can enjoy various activities on the islands, including kayaking, museums, art galleries, shopping, hiking trails, sandy beaches, delicious restaurants, biking, historic forts/structures, fishing, and motorboating. Whichever island/s you choose, you notice the pace is a lot slower on the Casco Islands, and relaxation is a priority.

Day 3: Kennebunkport 

For the final day, continue Southward along the coast to the seaside town of Kennebunkport. Kennebunkport is home to a quaint shopping district, gorgeous beaches, and a working fishing harbor.

Relax at the Beach

Kennebunkport Beach is a great swimming beach with options for getting out on the water in a kayak. If you are looking for a more relaxed beach, you will find calmer waves at Goose Rocks Beach with a very well-maintained shoreline. Hit the beach for a quick swim before heading out to see all that Kennebunkport has to offer, or choose to spend a few hours relaxing before moving on.

Cape Porpoise

Cape Porpoise is a working fishing harbor just five minutes outside of Dock Square. You can watch the fishing fleets cruising in and out of the harbor, observing the different traps and bait barrels used. Like many other destinations along the coast of Maine, Cape Porpoise is a great stop for fresh seafood dining – the Cape Porpoise Chowder House is one of the best options. 

If you have the time, a boat tour out to Goat Island to see the Goat Island Lighthouse is a worthwhile trip, The tour includes a narrated history tour and, afterward, takes you past Bumpkin Island, where you can spot seals sunbathing on the shores. 

Catch a Show at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre

Finish up your day in Kennebunkport at the Vinegar Hill Music Theatre to catch some live entertainment. The theater is set in a renovated barn that currently offers live shows and a variety of concerts, from jazz, blues, rock, pop, and funk. The Theatre also has a bar where you can enjoy cocktails to start the night. 

About The Author

Melissa Luther

Melissa is the writer and photographer behind Navigation Junkie , a family-focused travel blog. She writes about her travel experiences with her 6-year-old daughter and provides tips and tricks learned during those travels to help improve the experience of families from around the world hoping to create memories through travel. 

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5 Beautiful Stops On The Perfect Coastal Maine Road Trip

• Destinations
• United States

“Vacationland” is the name given to the state of Maine. Most vacationers to the Northeastern state gravitate to its beautiful, rocky coast when they plan their visit, stringing together several small towns to create the perfect road trip.

But it wasn’t just as a vacation destination that Maine garnered its fame. The Maine coast mesmerized painters like Andrew Wyeth, Winslow Homer, and Edward Hopper. Their paintings depict a mix of a steadfast, bucolic lifestyle with the harshness of seafaring.

Of the many beautiful spots along Maine’s coast, I’ve selected ones starting from the north along popular Route 1 and heading south to portray the breadth of the state’s natural and historical attractions.

1. Monhegan Island 

Mystical Monhegan Island has been the vacation home of the Wyeth family since the late 1950s. Reachable only by boat, and for most visitors only by mailboat , Monhegan has no paved roads and no cars. In the evening, there are no lights. Covering less than 1 square mile in area, Monhegan is a special place where artists, fishermen, and visitors have come for what we now call social distancing.

You can’t get seafood any fresher than what you’ll find on the island. Lobster and clams are brought to your picnic table on the sand, just steps from the ocean where they were plucked. You’d best “capture the Maine spirit,” as they say, and order an ice-cold Moxie to wash it all down. An acquired taste, Moxie is the local soft drink favorite likened by many to a mix of Dr. Pepper and cough syrup. I love it.

Monhegan Island accommodations are about as quaint as they come. There’s an inn with rocking chairs on the porch, a couple of rooming houses, and not much more. Island artists live in weathered shingle dwellings scattered on the island. 

If you’re looking for air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and turndown service, you’ve come to the wrong place. You could visit Monhegan as a day trip only, but, for the full experience, disconnecting and booking a room to listen to the sounds of silence in the evening is better than any kind of meditation I’ve tried.

Pro Tips: The hills and hiking trails along the coast can be quite taxing. If you’re up for it, the reward is Maine’s famed coastal views and a lighthouse and museum with maritime art. For a less challenging walk, you can sit on the sloping lawn in front of The Island Inn and take in the harbor with its lobster boats, bobbing buoys, and maybe even some jumping fish. To reach the island, park your car in Port Clyde, a short drive off Route 1 or Route 295 (use your GPS), and check in at the souvenir shop for your “ferry” ticket.

2. MidCoast: Camden, Rockland, And Owl’s Head 

The area known as the MidCoast offers a taste of easygoing coastal Maine along Penobscot Bay. Art galleries and shops, bed and breakfasts, and waterside charm appeal to visitors looking to enjoy harbor views and a lobster “in the rough.” Both Rockport and Camden have working harbors — guaranteeing fresh seafood daily — and make for some stunning photos.

Plan to spend a day of varied activities in this area. Hike in Camden Hills State Park or get a dose of indoor culture at three notable museums. The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland showcases the work of the Wyeth family. Steps away, the Center for Maine Contemporary Art is a striking building filled with current-day oeuvres by Maine residents. Owl’s Head has a museum with a different type of appeal, the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum . The museum’s bi-planes can sometimes be seen flying over the harbor. 

Overnight on a Maine windjammer to explore the bay and the local islands, or stay in a charming bed and breakfast on the shore. Whatever you do, make sure you have a lobster: many consider this to be “lobster central.”

Pro Tip: On this 200 th anniversary of the birth of acclaimed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (of Central Park fame), note the small town park in Camden, another of his firm’s design gems. 

3. Portland And Cape Elizabeth

I’d be remiss if I didn’t encourage you to spend some time in Portland. Portland is a beautiful, historic Maine city with a lively small-town vibe. Architecture ranges from Federal-style buildings to Victorian mansions, with restaurants and bars housed in traditional buildings or on the docks. 

Since parking is extremely difficult in the city, you might have to resolve yourself to a drive-through to see the Old Port, cruise the shopping area with its cobblestones and brick sidewalks, and gaze at the tonier side of the city along the Casco Bay-facing Eastern Promenade and the Western Promenade where Victorian residences stand in multi-color glory. 

If you can park, head to Congress Square to the Portland Museum of Art , a repository of paintings by international and Maine-connected artists including Wyeth, Hopper, and Homer. For dinner, choose from one of this foodie city’s many lauded restaurants like Street and Co. , Scales , or Fore Street , touted as among the best U.S. eateries by Food and Wine .

Across the bridge, Cape Elizabeth seems worlds apart from busy Portland. There are only a few restaurants and shops, but your main reason to stay here is for an essentially self-contained Maine holiday experience and access to the headlands and water views from Two Lights State Park and the adjacent Lobster Shack . 

Check in to the Inn by the Sea , one of Maine’s premier resorts, and sign out one of their bikes to see the iconic lighthouses. Revive after your exertion (the roads are hilly) with a swim at the inn’s beach or with an outdoor spa treatment before enjoying a cocktail and s’mores around the fire pit.

Pro Tips: Don’t be dismayed when you see the line at the Lobster Shack — it moves quicker than you might think. Order a lobster roll, fried clams, and onion rings — all Maine favorites — and finish with another New England treat, a Whoopie pie, a chocolate cake-like concoction with a cream center. If you’re a pet lover, the Inn by the Sea has an endearing pet adoption program: you can test out a pup for an afternoon walk. If you fall in love, you have a new friend to take home.

4. The Kennebunks: Kennebunkport And Kennebunk 

The two towns comprising the Kennebunks are all about the Maine seafaring lifestyle. Side-by-side along the shores of several rivers, the towns overlap in some ways but have distinct personalities in others. You can easily combine both in a day or even a few hours of exploring.

The home base for shipbuilding and seafaring, Kennebunk boasts a main street lined with stately homes originally built for sea captains. There you’ll find Federal-style buildings along with frilly and even gothic-looking Victorian homes, many converted into inns for today’s visitors. There’s a patrician feel to the town which blurs with Kennebunkport’s combination seaside and souvenir-shop vibe.

The Clam Shack , a takeout landmark on the bridge separating Kennebunk’s Lower Village and Kennebunkport’s Dock Square, repeatedly wins the award for having Maine’s best lobster roll. Unadulterated lobster, with no unseemly add-ins like tarragon or Old Bay Seasoning, that’s what the Clam Shack’s lobster roll is all about. You decide whether you want it with butter, or with mayonnaise — or go for it and have both. Different from other lobster rolls you might have had even in Maine, the mayo is not already mixed in and celery is nowhere in sight. The flavor is pure, the lobster is warm, and the briny-sweet flavor is at its best. If you prefer a sit-down experience, Nunan’s Lobster Hut in nearby Cape Porpoise offers indoor and outdoor table service with a lobster bake experience of lobster in the shell, steamers, and corn on the cob.

The Kennebunks invite you to dip your toes into Maine’s notoriously chilly water. Beautiful Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport, uncrowded due to limited sidewalk parking, is a lovely spot for exploring Maine’s fascinating tidal pools. If you’re as enchanted as I was here, you’ll want to stay at the Tides Beach Club , an atmospheric inn set directly across the street. Sit on the inn’s front porch and rock for a while as you sip a cosmopolitan and watch the sun go down.

Pro Tip: For a glimpse of American history, follow the road out to Ocean Avenue towards Walker’s Point, the site of the “compound” where former President George H.W. Bush summered with his family. Drive by and take a photo — the Secret Service will probably not let you get very close.

5. Ogunquit, Perkins Cove, And The Marginal Way  

South of the Kennebunks lies traffic-snarled Ogunquit, a magnet for art lovers and beach fans thanks to its many lodgings and cultural opportunities. There are plenty of shops to keep you busy, or you might want to see a show at one of the country’s last summer stock theaters, the Ogunquit Playhouse . The line-up features original and touring musicals for both adults and children and runs through December. The stunning Ogunquit Museum of American Art is a small art museum with a sculpture park with 18 gardens.

If parking in Ogunquit proper is an impossibility, drive south to one of Maine’s coastal gems, Perkins Cove. Fortunately, there are parking lots here to help ease the pain. And that’s good for you, too, for herein lies a quintessential Maine eatery, Barnacle Billy’s , your go-to for a lobster and Maine’s state dessert, blueberry pie made with Maine’s tiny wild berries. This is also where you can sample Maine ice cream in typical New England flavors like butter pecan, rum raisin, peppermint stick, and black raspberry. Use the local vernacular and ask for “jimmies” on top.

Walk down the cove, stopping to admire jewelry made from sea glass, t-shirts with witty sayings, and some serious art. Then turn north to enter the Marginal Way, a 1.25-mile paved cliff walk above the rocky Maine coast. The flower-adorned path has some gently sloping areas as it winds its way towards the heart of Ogunquit, with beautiful homes on the left and crashing waves to the right. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, you can do a bit of rock scrambling, taking note of slippery areas from the salt water. For a rest, there are 39 thoughtfully placed benches along the route.

Pro Tip: Allow enough time to do the return trip to retrieve your parked car. You’ll get a different perspective as your head south this time.

For more ideas and inspiration on Maine , explore these articles:

• 12 Amazing Maine Vacation Rentals On The Water
• The Kennebunkport Resort The Whole Family Will Love
• How To Spend A Perfect Day In Coastal Belfast, Maine

A Board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association, Meryl shares her finds in a myriad of travel publications. She is the author of Fodor’s Family: New York City with Kids , a restaurant reviewer for Gayot.com, and a yogini and classical pianist. Follow Meryl's journeys via Instagram and across social media.

The Perfect 10 Days In Coastal Maine

Thinking of unplugging on a rusticator vacation in Maine? Or need a dose of vintage seaside charm?

If so, I have the perfect 10 day road trip itinerary for coastal Maine, often dubbed the “Lighthouse State.”

The coast of Maine is abundantly beautiful, with secluded destinations, spectacular unspoiled scenery, and crisp bluebird days.

As the border sign into Maine reads, “Maine: the way life should be.”

In Maine, ocean waves crash against a craggy shores. You’ll be dazzled by pristine beaches, boat filled harbors, classic New England townscapes, and rocky shorelines dotted with lighthouses. Lobster shacks and wild blueberries abound.

Maine is heavily forested, with a green canopy that’s set ablaze with fall foliage. If you’re looking to escape the crowds and fall back into nature and history, coastal Maine is the perfect destination.

Maine is really best enjoyed by car. A 10 day road trip is the perfect way to visit, experience, and fall in love with Maine.

On a scenic drive, you can pick your own favorite ocean vista. Coastal Maine is one of the United States’ most classic road trips and should definitely be on your US bucket list .

Here’s my 10 day itinerary for exploring Maine. This Maine road trip itinerary takes you down winding coastal roads from southern to northern Maine.

I point out all the must see attractions and must visit towns on the coast of Maine. I also give you tips for visiting Maine — what to do and see, where to hike, where to stay, and where to eat.

In truth, you could spend weeks exploring Maine. You could easily turn this 10 day Maine itinerary into a 2-3 week itinerary, simply by staying longer at each destination and exploring at a slower pace.

I’ve also added some bonus destinations at the end, in case you want to extend your coastal Maine road trip even further and explore other places in Maine.

10 Day Road Trip Itinerary For Coastal Maine

This 10 days in Maine road trip itinerary takes you from Portland in southern Maine to Bangor in northern Maine. To begin your trip to Maine, fly into in Portland International Jetport (only one hour from NYC). Downtown Portland is just a 20 minute drive from the airport.

You can also fly into Boston’s Logan International Airport, which is a major hub. Portland is only two hours from Boston, an easy drive up Interstate 95. Or simply drive to Portland from your own home to begin your Maine road trip.

Here are the best places to leaf peep, shop, sightsee, eat, and stay between Portland and Bangor. The lobsters and blueberry muffins will be worth the entire trip, I promise.

Day 1-2: Portland

Portland is the perfect place to start your 10 days in Maine road trip. Located on a peninsula jutting into Casco Bay, Portland is a rare metropolis in a state filled with small hamlets.

Portland has myriad cultural offerings and is a bastion of historical preservation. The restored Old Port is a warren of cobbled streets, filled with vibrant Victorian buildings, buzzing farm to table eateries, and cute boutiques. You may want to book a guided walking tour of this historic area.

Do some shopping on Exchange Street, were you can nab anything from fudge to fine crafts.

Downtown, there’s a thriving art school, infusing the city streets with creative types. There are 24 commercial art galleries.

Restaurants and coffee bars are filled with visual art. In June, the revived downtown hosts the Old Port Festival, described as “part freak show, part art festival, part fashion parade.”

Opened in 1983, Portland’s crown jewel and premiere art destination is the Portland Museum of Art , an architectural masterpiece designed by I.M. Pei of Louvre fame. Its innovative architecture allowed curators to redefine the art viewing experience.

The museum has an impressive collection of late 19th and early 20th century art, including works by Andrew Wyeth, John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, and Marsden Hartley. It also hosts traveling international exhibits.

Merrill Auditorium is the site of Portland’s performing arts scene. It’s an elegant restored concert hall, which houses the world famous Kotzschmar Memorial Organ.

The venue hosts concerts by the Portland Symphony Orchestra, touring national theater companies, dance companies, and music acts. The Portland Opera Repertory also uses Merrill for full scale productions.

Portland also has plenty of outdoor hiking trails. An hour from Portland is the Burnt Meadow Mountain Trail, which is a 3.6 mile trail strewn with wildflowers.

To land on a beach, hike the meandering 3.8 trail from Morse Mountain to Seawall Beach. Just 30 minutes from Portland is Bradbury Mountain State Park, with an easy 1.9 mile trek on the Tote Road Loop.

Where To Stay In Portland

Portland is filled with fantastic hotels. Here are the top four choices, to my mind.

The  Blind Tiger  is a cool boutique hotel in a 19th century mansion in the Old Port. It’s a luxurious place with bright colors and a private rooftop deck.

The  Press Hotel  is a cool hotel where the rooms look like writers’ desks. There are typewriters in the lobby and old new copy blown up on the wall. 

The  Best Bower  is a tiny boutique hotel in the city’s restaurant-friendly East End. It’s housed in a beautifully restored craftsman building.

The Francis  is Portland’s newest boutique hotel. It’s housed in a restored 19th century building. There’s custom furniture and art in the rooms.

Where To Eat in Portland

Portland is loaded with great restaurants including the Honey Paw, Union at the Press Hotel, Solo Italiano, Woodford Food and Beverage, Eventide Oyster Co.

As an alternative to a specific place for lunch, you may want to take a  2-3 hour food tour in the old Port  or a  2.5 hour seafood tour .

Day 3: Freeport | Brunswick | Boothbay Harbor

On day 3 of your 10 days in Maine itinerary, start your day with breakfast at Standard Baking Company in Portland. It has delicious artisanal baked goods.

20 minutes from Portland, take a slight detour to see the historic lighthouse on Cape Elizabeth. Commissioned by George Washington and set amid flowering fields, this classic landmark is Maine’s oldest lighthouse.

Then, amble on to Brunswick on US 1. On your way, check out the retail outlets of Freeport Maine, the home of LL Bean’s flagship store . Almost 3 million people visit this famous store every year.

10 miles north of Freeport is Brunswick. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin University and the fabulous Bowdoin College Museum of Art . In the museum, you’ll find works by famed 19th century artist Winslow Homer.

Bowdoin College also owns the Harriet Beecher Stowe House , a National Historic Landmark and the former home of the antislavery novelist.

To get outdoors in Brunswick, you can hike the 6 mile Town Commons Trail, which starts near Bowdoin. Or just walk around the beautiful college campus and admire the historic architecture.

Beach lovers can head to Thomas Point Beach, which has nice picnic areas.

Another 45 minutes down the road is the mid-coast seaside gem of Boothbay Harbor. Boothbay Harbor is one of New England’s most adorable small towns, known as the “boating capital” of Maine.

Ferry over to Brunt Island, where you can hike and admire the lighthouse. Or reconnect with nature at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Boothbay Harbor’s quaint downtown is filled with shops and cafes, including Maine’s oldest bookstore, Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop. If it’s time for a lobster roll, pop into the Lobster Dock or Shannon’s Unshelled.

Overnight in either Brunswick or Boothbay Harbor. Brunswick is closer to your next destination, Bath, just 10 minutes away.

Where to Stay And Eat In Brunswick And Boothbay

Where to stay in Brunswick : OneSixtyFive , The Federal , or The Brunswick Hotel

Where to eat in Brunswick : Enoteca Athena, El Camino Cantina, Tao Yuan, The Great Impasta, Frontier

Where to stay in Boothbay Harbor : Linekin Bay Resort , Spruce Point Inn and Spa , or The Thistle Inn

Where to eat in Boothbay Harbor : Ports of Italy, Boathouse Bistro, The Thistle Inn

Day 4: Bath

Bath is Maine’s shipbuilding capital, boasting a beautiful waterfront. Bath is full of grand 19th century homes — a mix of Federal, Greek Revival, Victorian, and Italianate styles.

Bath’s historic district boasts one of America’s great streets, Front Street. It’s chock full of tony boutiques and antique shops. One Sunday a month is the Bath Antique Show.

No trip to Bath is complete without visiting the Maine Maritime Museum . It’s a cluster of buildings that were once a historic shipyard.

Inside, you’ll learn about the world of shipbuilding through exhibits, models, paintings, and artifacts. In the summer, museum boat tours cruise the Kennebec River.

Just 15 minutes away from downtown Bath is Reid State Park . This is where you’ll find Maine’s best sandy beaches (a rarity in Maine) lining Sheepscot Bay — Mile Beach and Half Mile Beach.

It’s a great stretch of sandy beach with a pounding surf. If some beach time is on your Maine agenda, this is where you should indulge.

For a truly spectacular vista, make your way to Griffith Head, a rocky headland overlooking the park. Or boat out to Seguin Island to see Maine’s tallest lighthouse.

Where to stay in Bath : Kennebec Inn , Pryor House B&B , or Benjamin F. Packard House Bed and Breakfast

Where to eat in Bath : Mae’s Cafe & Bakery, Osprey Restaurant, Starlight Cafe, J.R. Maxwell and Co.

Day 5: Wiscasset | Damariscotta | Rockland

Continue your 10 day Maine road trip by driving north to get back one Route 1. You’ll meander through the pretty towns of Wiscasset and Damariscotta. This is where you can soak up Maine’s quaint village vibe.

Wiscasset styles itself Maine’s prettiest village. The town boasts some of Maine’s most important architectural landmarks and an utterly charming main street. And it’s home to Red’s Eats , one of Maine’s famous lobster shacks. (There will be lines in summer.)

Damariscotta is also lovely, surrounded by salt marshes, tide pools, oyster beds, and the Damariscotta River. The tiny hamlet overlooks the snug harbor and is filled with historic brick architecture.

For a real Maine country feel, stop in for lunch at S. Fernald’s Country Store for an “eggs in a frame” sandwhich. Or fill up on oysters and mussels in the local restaurants.

One hour further down the road is the arty town of Rockland, where you’ll spend your fifth night on your Maine road trip.

Where to stay in Rockland : 250 Main Hotel , Rockland Harbor Hotel , or Strawberry Hill Seaside Inn

Where to eat in Rockland : Archer’s on the Pier, Cafe Miranda, Primo Restaurant, Rustica

Day 6: Rockland

Fuel up in the morning with breakfast at Home Kitchen Cafe in Rockland. You’ve got a busy day ahead.

Rockland is a historic waterfront town on the shores of Penobscot Bay. The entire bay area is loaded with artists, galleries, and community theaters. The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse is a highlight of the town. In the first week of August, Rockland hosts the popular Maine Lobster Festival.

If you’re an art lover, budget time for Rockland’s must see cultural gems: Farnsworth Art Museum , the Wyeth Center , the Center for Maine Contemporary Art , and the Lincoln Street Center . There’s even a 400 seat Rockland Opera House with year round performing arts programs.

The main building of the Farnsworth Art Museum houses art works by Andrew Wyeth, George Bellows, Milton Avery, and Robert Indiana. An entire room of canvases depicts ships at sea and coastal imagery, paying homage to the region.

Bunk overnight in Rockland again.

Day 7: Camden

On day 7, drive 15-20 minutes north to Camden. Camden is a seaside jewel on the coast of Maine. The town is a mecca for sailing. And Camden offers a beguiling nexus of art, dining, and outdoor play. It fulfills Maine’s slogan of “the way life should be.”

Camden has a charming historic district. It’s set on a rising hill and lined with historic 19th century architecture.

You’ll find shops, boutiques and cafes housed in wooden historic buildings. Stop by the Smiling Cow, the Cashmere Goat, the Owl & Turtle Bookshop, and the Leather Bench for some unique gift ideas.

At the end of the strip is the pretty brick Camden Public Library, which has a lawn with benches set above the harbor. You can admire a fantastic collection of photogenic schooners, sailboats, and yachts.

No visit to Camden is complete without taking in the view from Mount Battie. Take the 1.4 mile trail and road. At the top, you have a hawk’s eye view of Camden and the islands of Penobscot Bay.

If you want to hit the beach, try Barret’s Cove, a fresh water beach on Megunticook Lake. It’s even quiet in the summer months.

Where to stay in Camden : Relais Chateaux Camden Harbour Inn , Hartstone Inn & Hideaway , or 16 Bay View

Where to eat in Camden : Fresh and Go, Oliver’s Bistro, Long Grain, Primo

Day 8: Bar Harbor

On day 8 of your 10 days in Maine itinerary, drive 1:45 from Camden to the beautiful resort town of Bar Harbor, where cool breezes blow away the summer heat. Perched on Frenchman Bay, Bar Harbor is a charming seaside town in New England.

Bar Harbor is adjacent to magnificent Acadia National Park, and makes a good base. The town’s name derives from the twice daily tide drop, when a gravelly sand bar appears creating a natural harbor.

Take a stroll down West Street, a designated historic district. You’ll see some fine old shingle-style mansions that survived the fire of 1947. The Village Green hosts concerts and art shows. The Abbe Museum is devoted to Maine’s Native American heritage.

Bar Harbor is the perfect place to go kayaking or take a 2 hour boat cruise . You can hike Great Meadow Loop, which starts at the Village Green.

Or stroll the shore path along Frenchman’s Bay, which includes a self-guided tour marked with signs telling the history of Bar Harbor. And don’t forget to have some lobster or go whale watching.

End your day in Bar Harbor with a sunset cruise of Frenchman’s Bay. Hop on the Downeast Windjammer , which leaves from the pier.

Where to stay in Bar Harbor : Sand Bar Cottage Inn , Bar Harbor Inn and Spa , Bluenose Inn , or the Holiday Inn Bar Harbor Regency Hotel

Where to eat in Bar Harbor : Burning Tree, Havana, , Mache Bistro, Side Street Cafe, Thurston’s Lobster Pound, Beale’s, Mount Desert Island Ice Cream

Day 9: Day Trip To Acadia National Park

It’s just a quick job from Bar Harbor to Acadia. Maine’s 35,000 acre Acadia National Park is dubbed the “Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast.” The splendid park definitely lives up to its moniker.

You can do a self drive tour , take a guided tour from Bar Harbor , or book a private tour to see it all.

The park is a vast pine-studded landscape. The average park visit is 3-4 days. But you can absolutely enjoy the park on a well-planned day trip from Bar Harbor.

Acadia is located just southwest of Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island. Fuel up at Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast in Bar Harbor before venturing out.

As soon as you arrive, you’ll understand why the likes of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Brooke Astor vacationed here in the 20th century.

If you’re pressed for time, make sure you see one thing at Acadia National Park — Cadillac Mountain . You can access it by foot, car (a winding 3.5 miles), or bike via Summit Road.

This incredible mountain is actually the highest point along the Atlantic Seaboard of the United States.

Another can’t miss spot on your Acadia National Park itinerary is Thunder Hole . If you experience it during high tide, you can see crashing waves funneling up through the center of the rocks.

The three best hikes in Acadia are Jordan Pond Shore Trail (3.3 miles), Ocean Path (2 miles), and Bubble Rock (1.5 miles). Cap off your Acadia trip by visiting Sand Beach. The water is always frigid cold. But you can walk the beach and enjoy the views.

Head back to Bar Harbor to bunk down for the night. If you want to whet your whistle before leaving Acadia, make your way to the northern point of the island. Stop in at Atlantic Brewing Company . Set on a ten acre farm, this excellent craft brewery focuses exclusively on ales.

Where to eat in Acadia National Park : Jordan Pond House, Helen’s, The Blue Bird Ranch Restaurant

Pro Tip : There aren’t many dining options in the park. It’s really better to head back to Bar Harbor for dinner.

Day 10: Bangor

End your trip in Bangor, the second largest city in Maine and unofficial capital of the north. Underrated Bangor has seen a resurgence in tourism as of late, especially with its thriving restaurant scene.

Because Bangor has an international airport, it’s also a good place to fly out of if you’re heading back home after your 10 day Maine road trip.

Bangor has a revitalized waterfront. From July to October, you can take in a concert at the outdoor amphitheater, Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion.

Bangor’s American Folk Festival draws crowds in late August. And you can check out the massive Paul Bunyan statue, reminding you that lumber was once the state’s main export.

For an eerie experience, wander by Stephen King’s eccentric house. The famed horror novelist has lived in Bangor for many years.

The red and white house is front and center, with a macabre wrought iron fence featuring spiders, bars, and a three headed reptile. You can take a private tour of Bangor’s Stephen King sites with SK Tours of Maine .

If you need a dose of culture, Bangor delivers. You can visit the Maine Discovery Museum , with many interactive exhibits. Or head to the Zillman Art Museum (formerly the University of Maine Museum of Art), which features modern and contemporary art and is free to the public.

Where to stay in Bangor : Hilton Garden Inn or The Charles Inn

Where to eat in Bangor : Thistles Restaurant, Novio’s, The Lobstah Buoy, The Fiddlehead Restaurant, Massino’s Cucina Italiana

Extra Time On Your Maine Road Trip?

If you have extra time beyond 10 days in Maine, I have some bonus destinations in Maine that are completely worth a visit.

First, if you have more vacation days, spend another day or two in Acadia National Park. There’s so many things to do there, you could keep busy for days.

Alternatively, from Bangor, head to either the town of Eastport (for culture) or to Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec (for the great outdoors).

The scenic village of Eastport is surely one of New England’s most picturesque towns, like a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. Situated on a peninsula on pristine Moose Island, Eastport is a world apart. Eastport has historic architecture, a vibrant local art scene, and lobster galore.

While there, you can visit Shackford Head State Park, with miles of hiking trails. Or you can go on a whale watching tour in Passamaquoddy Bay. In the summer, the sea breezes bring flocks of sea birds, so bird watching is a good option too.

In the easternmost tip of Maine, you’ll find the West Quoddy Head Light, one of 60 lighthouses dotting Maine’s coastline.

The Quoddy park has a cliff walk, a bog walk, rare plants, and spectacular views. If you’re lucky, you may spot a whale. Quoddy is remote and utterly quiet, perfect for frazzled urbanites.

If skiing is on your Maine to do list, head to Sugarloaf Mountain. Open from 8 am until sunset, this natural landmark features striking landscape views. After taking lifts to the top of Sugarloaf and exploring the park, you can check out the nearby small towns. 

When Is The Best Time To Visit Maine?

The fall foliage in New England is spectacular. When the leaves change, Maine is aglow with fiery orange, yellow and red hues from its maples, oaks, elms and birch trees. This makes September and October an ideal time to visit. But fall always arrives at different times. Click here for a New England fall foliage tracker.

Myself, I also love the languid late summer for a visit to Maine, and had many as a child. Summer starts later in Maine, really kicking off on July 4th. Be forewarned, traffic on Route 1 can get congested in the summer-fall seasons.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my 10 days in Maine itinerary. You may enjoy these other New England travel guides and resources:

• Prettiest Towns in New England
• 1 Week Road Trip in Southern New England
• Best Places To Visit in Massachusetts
• What To Do On a Berkshires Road Trip
• Fall Foliage Road Trip in New England
• 1 Week Road Trip in Vermont
• 3 Day Itinerary for Boston
• 30+ Landmarks in Boston
• 21 Less Touristy Towns on the East Coast

If you’d like to take a 10 day road trip in coastal Maine, pin it for later.

2 thoughts on “The Perfect 10 Days In Coastal Maine”

My wife and I visited Maine in early October. We found Bar Harbor way too touristy ( think Gatlinburg) but we did enjoy hiking over to Bar Island,

Bar Harbor can definitely be touristy. I like Boothbay better myself.

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Last Updated on July 28, 2023 by Leslie Livingston

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The Ultimate Maine Road Trip Itinerary

June 26, 2020 //  by  Follow Me Away //   3 Comments

Trying to plan the perfect Maine road trip? Look no further! We’re here to help make the process a little less stressful!

It is one of the best road trips in the USA and should totally be on your bucket list!

Maine has so much to offer: from scenic roads to iconic lighthouses, famous lobster shacks, breathtaking trees alongside winding drives, fun cities, and some national parks, you won’t be disappointed with any stop you add to your Maine road trip itinerary. 

We are listing some of our favorite and “must-see” stops for a Maine road trip below. Victoria actually grew up exploring Maine and New England by RV, so we hope that you enjoy this itinerary!

Keep your personal timeline in mind as you get the car ready to go! You’re in for an amazing adventure.

The Ultimate Maine Road trip Itinerary

Getting to maine .

When starting your Maine road trip, we recommend flying into the Boston Logan International Airport. This airport is large and therefore a huge hub for many Airlines such as Delta, Cape Air, Southwest, American, United, and more. 

Because this airport is a hub, it also has a variety of cities to depart from, including, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta Fort Lauderdale, Vegas, and more! So no matter where you are coming from, you will find a well-priced flight here at Boston Logan International Airport. 

If you want to fly into somewhere else, however, you can also consider flying into Portland (Portland, Maine, of course!), through their Portland International Jetport! We just suggest Boston Logan International because it is close to the border of the state and easier to rent cars from for Maine road trip! 

Getting Around During Your Maine Road Trip 

To begin your Maine road trip, you’ll need a car! So make sure to stop by the Rental Car Center serving Boston Logan after you land. Airport terminals run every 5-6 minutes and will take you straight to the RCC where you can rent out a vehicle.

Here you can rent from Enterprise, Budget, Hertz, Alamo, BOS, Thrifty, and Advantage! Just make sure to get a car that has some room and good gas mileage so you are comfortable and prepared for all your adventures of a road trip to Maine. 

Don’t forget to check out our Detailed Road Trip Packing List so you don’t forget any essentials for your trip!

When to See Fall Foliage in Maine 

We know that the fall foliage in New England is spectacular: people come from all over to see the leaves change, and Maine has some of the bright orange, yellow and red hues across their Maples, Oaks, Elms and Birch trees. 

Many people travel to Maine during late September to see the fall foliage. The September to October weather also is perfect timing for touring the coast and witnessing these hues act as a stake contrast of the blue waters of the nearby oceans, lakes, and rivers! So make sure to keep this in mind when you’re planning a date for your Maine road trip!

Stop 1: Rest and Relax at Ogunquit Beach

Ogunquit, Maine is a must stop for your Maine road trip because it truly is a beautiful place by the sea! With miles of sandy beaches, a scenic coast, art galleries, fun shopping, and dining adventures, this place ranks as one of the best vacation spots! 

Perkins Cove is a small fishing village that is great for shopping and restaurants! There are also a variety of tours from boat harbors that you can visit here! Marginal Way is a 1.25-mile coastal walking path that connects Perkins Village to Ogunquit, so this is a great science route to walk. 

There is also some great theater here, so you can check out the Ogunquit Playhouse or the Museum of American Art if you’re interested! Or if you want to do something beyond the beach and small towns, make sure to check our some events: local food and wine tastings are popular and fall-themed events are dependent on the time of year you visit! 

Where to Stay in Ogunquit Beach

Mid-Range: Ogunquit River Inn. Check Rates: Booking.com 

Mid-Range: Ogunquit Tides . Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 2: Continue to Relax in Kennebunkport 

Kennebunkport is a coastal town in southern Maine that is famous for it’s long, sandy beaches. You must check this location out during your Maine road trip if you’re interested in stopping by Goose Rocks Beach as well as Arundel Beach.  This is truly one of the best things to do in Maine!

The Seashore Trolley Museum is also a neat and niche place that displays a huge collection of streetcars, and many people like checking out St. Ann’e Episcopal Church since it dates back to 1887 and its rustic stone architecture contrasted with its grass fields are breathtaking. 

Cape Porpoise is also a nearby lobster-fishing village that sits in a harbor and is well known for its local seafood. From most restaurants and galleries here, you can also view the 1833 Goat Island Lighthouse! 

Where to Stay in Kennebunkport

Mid-Range: Lodge at Kennebunk.  Check Rates: Booking.com

High Range-Range: The Boathouse. Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 3: Make sure to Visit Cape Elizabeth for Iconic Lighthouses

A Genteel town, Cape Elizabeth is another stop you have to spend some time during your Maine road trip This place of history and coastlines and parks hugs the Casco Bay , making ripe for adventure! 

Many tourists love to explore this area by bike and cross the Casco Bay Bridge to get to the Cape Elizabeth’s coast. But the hardest decision to make when visiting here comes down to visiting lighthouses: there are so many! Portland Headlight, Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse, and Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse  are active and great views. 

Williams Par k has great trails to explore old batteries, but more importantly, Two Lights State Park is set on a rocky shoreline where you can view twin lighthouses that are close by. This place is perfect for lunch alongside the crashing waves, but you can also check out Crescent Bech State Park!

Where to Stay Near Cape Elizabeth 

Mid-Range: The Francis Check Rates: Booking.com

High-Range: Inn by the Sea . Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 4: Spend some time in Portland, Maine (not Oregon!) 

Set on the peninsula extending into Casco Bay , Portland is a great city to stop in during your Maine road trip, and it’s close to Cape Elizabeth!  The Old Port features fishing wharves, warehouses, restaurants, and unique Indie shops that are great for exploring. 

Fort Willams Park is fantastic for visiting a rocky coast, as the seaside park is coastal and has an old fort and views of lighthouses! The Portland Head Lighthouse is also super cool to check out. 

If you’re looking for something more “indoors” to do, you can check out the Portland Museum of Art, but we highly recommend visiting Peaks Island , where there are more beaches and a really cool Fifth Maine Regiment Museum ! 

Where to stay near Portland 

Mid-Range: Hampton Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront Check Rates: Booking.com

High-Range: Portland Harbor Hotel. Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 5: Enjoy the Water in Waldoboro 

Waldoboro is a cute, quaint town in Maine that is perfect for any Maine road trip itinerary. Well known for its lakes, this place thrives off of its agricultural and fishing legacy. 

We recommend checking out all the lake and pond wonders Waldoboro has! From Damariscotta Lake to Pemaquid Pond and Duckpuddle Pond , these bodies of waters are perfect for evenings that you want to fish, relax, boat, and watch sunsets! 

We also think the Waldoboro Historical Society is a cute museum to check out! And the Goose River Peace Corps Preserve and Pond are just fantastic for exploring trails and greenery! Make sure to take in the scenery at Waldoboro! 

Where to Stay Near Waldoboro

Mid-Range: Claddagh Motel and Suites. Check Rates: Booking.com 

Mid-Range: Ledges by the Bay . Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 6: Check out Rockland and it’s cute Bay and Harbor

Rockland , Maine is a popular tourist spot, so you must add it to your Maine road trip itinerary. Rockland is known as mid-coast Maine and is beautifully famous because the mountains and sea converge here right on Rockland Harbor and Penobscot Bay . 

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse is a highlight of the town, and there are plenty of tours you can take that lets you travel around Penobscot Bay. 

There are also amazing restaurants and shops to check out here, such as Rustica — a great Italian place– and Jess’ Market . Many tourists love renting bikes to explore the small-time and highly recommend looking at great festivals that might be going on when you visit: Rockland is famous for its Summer Solstice Festival! 

Where to Stay Near Rockland

Mid-Range: Glen Cove Inn & Suites. Check Rates: Booking.com

Mid-Range : Strawberry Hill Seaside Inn. Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 7: You Must See the East Coast’s Acadia National Park 

Would you really be on a Maine road trip without stopping by and witnessing Acadia National Park in all of its glory? Acadia National Park is a 47,000-acre recreation area on Maine’s Mount Desert. 

Known for its foods, rocky beaches, and breathtaking granite, there are some must-sees here. Cadillac Mountain is the tallest point on the East coast for example. It’s known for its sweeping panoramic views. 

But also make sure to check out Sand Beach , where the quiet cove is super relaxing, or even Jordan Pond where there are some beautiful trails with nearby mountains and lakes! We recommend ensuring that you check out the Bubble Mountain hike though, and Mount Desert Island! 

Where to stay near Acadia

Low-Range: Acadia Pines Motel. Check Rates: Booking.com 

Mid-Range: Anchorage Motel. Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 8: Spend some Time In Bar Harbor 

This bayside town is close to Acadia and is a popular getaway or stops for tourists which is why we’re listing it on your Maine road trip itinerary! You can view this town from the top of Cadillac Mountain.

Many people stop by here because it is so close to Acadia, but while here make sure to check out the Ocean Trail, Schoodic Peninsula, and Frenchman Bay . 

The Criterion Theatre is also a cool place for an evening in, or exploring Village Green , a small historical town with lots to explore! The College of the Atlantic Gardens is also quaint and quiet if you’re looking for something a bit different to explore!

Where to stay in Bar Harbor

Mid-Range: Moseley Cottage Inn. Check Rates: Booking.com

High-Range: Bar Harbor Grand Hotel. Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 9: Take a trip on a ferry to Nova Scotia 

Although Nova Scotia is technically a province in eastern Canada and not a part of Maine, you have to add it to your Maine road trip! Thankfully you can take the CAT ferry from Bar Harbor for a day trip to Nova! 

Some of the top sights you’ll want to visit in Nova during your trip include the Cape Breton Highlands National Park where you can take trails through mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and coastlines. The Kejimkujik National Park is similar to Cape Breton as well! 

Or you can explore the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, the Halifax Public Gardens of the Halifax Citadel National Site. And if you’re feeling REALLY adventurous, off the coast of Sable Island there are tons of shipwrecks to explore if you want to go diving or snorkeling! Just watch for the high tides Nova is famous for! 

Where to Stay in Nova Scotia

Low-Range: Hillside Landing B&B. Check Rates: Booking.com

Mid-Range: Residence Inn. Check Rates: Booking.com

We are so excited you’ve chosen o embark on a Maine road trip, as it is truly a gorgeous state with unforgettable coastlines. After your day trip to Nova, you can head back to Boston or Portland to go ahead and fly home! But as we’ve mentioned, this guide only touches the surface of what Maine has to offer. If you want to know more or have more time to explore, check out some other stops as well. Either way, we know you’ll have fun!

With More Time: 

There is truly so much to do in Maine, so if you are traveling with a bit more time, or for a longer period of time, we are adding a few more stops you might want to stop and explore during your Maine road trip! These stops are super popular as well but are a bit further out of the “loop” during your traveling adventures. They will take more time to get to, but definitely check them out if you have that extra time!

Visit Chimney Pond Via Mount Katahdin

To climb Mount Katahdin during your extended Maine road trip, we suggest taking the Chimney Pond Trail. This trail is 6.3 miles and is considered a “moderate” hike, but is well known for the lake and views it offers.

The Chimney Pond Campgrounds are also part of the “backcountry” near Baxter State Park . Here you can rest and realz while having the closest access to other trails such as Hamlin Ridge and Saddle .  

Visit Oh My Gosh Corner/Carrabassett

Carrabassett Valley is located between the Bigelow Mountains and is known for its scenic routes of birches and rivers. Many people love to come here for skiing in the winter, as there is a bend in the Route known as “Oh My Gosh Corner.”  

From this corner, you can see Sugarloaf Mountain, is 163 trails trifling down its surface. The bend in this road is breathtaking: its north-facing mountain towers around the corner at a 4,237 summit along Carrabassett River . You don’t want to miss it during your Maine road trip.

Visit Moosehead Lake 

Moosehead Lake is the largest lake in Maine, which means you have to stop and see it with your Maine itinerary! Situated in the Longfellow Mountains , this lake is surrounded by the Kennebec River.

Near Beaver Cove , the terrain slopes gently toward the water making it a perfect place to swim. The water clarity is great, temperatures fairly warm, and Mount Kineo is also close: here you can explore the 700-foot scenic cliffs in-between your lake day! 

Visit Rangeley Lake 

Fed by a variety of streams, Rangeley Lake is situated close to Rangeley , which was named one of the best winter towns inNew England. Its lake is over 6,000 arches and is super deep (149 feet!). But no matter what time of year you are taking your Maine road trip, you’ve got to stop here! 

Many people love to fish here, as the lake is known for its brook trout and salmon. Beyond the lake though, there is Rangeley Village with hotels, restaurants and shops, and the Rangeley Lakes Region Historical Society is a cute museum that exhibits the town’s history! 

Visit Sugarloaf Mountain 

Sugarloaf Mountain is a lovely mountain in Maine. Open from 8 a.m. until sunset, this natural landmark has geographical beauty and striking landscape views. After taking lifts to the top of Sugarloaf and exploring the park, you can check out the nearby towns. 

Visit Baxter State Park 

Our last suggestion for your Maine road trip itinerary includes Baxter State Park . This is a large wilderness area that has been permanently preserved and features a variety of trails (we highly recommend checking out the Knife Edge trail !), sights, and mountains. 

Mount Katahdin is Maine’s tallest peak and is located here. It is also a favorite hike amongst tourists! And Baxter Peak is also popular, although its trial is more difficult. If you’re feeling more “woodsy” too, you can explore the monuments and breathtaking sights of Katahdin Woods and Waters! 

And there you have it! A great Maine road trip itinerary that will take you around the state to experience national parks, iconic lighthouses, potent landscapes, and more. Make sure to drive safe and have TONS of fun during your Maine road trip– we promise it will be unforgettable! 

Reader Interactions

July 12, 2020 at 12:14 pm

What a wonderful trip through Maine. I have done some of it but would love to return to see the rest. It is a beautiful state with so many places to visit…One day…

October 14, 2022 at 8:39 pm

thanks for the good read. i am going solo as i promised to see Maine before i am 60 ill let you know how much i love it

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Best Maine Road Trip Itinerary – One Week In Maine

Planning a Maine road trip sounds like an adventure! Here’s a detailed Maine itinerary 7 days covering some of Maine’s best spots.

👉🏼New England Road Trip Itinerary 10 Days (Best of New England)

Maine Road Trip Itinerary – 7 Days In Maine

A seven-day Maine road trip perfectly blends coastal charm, breathtaking scenery, and cultural experiences. This Maine itinerary 7 days allows ample time to explore iconic destinations like Acadia National Park and historic towns like Portland and Bar Harbor, indulge in fresh local food, and savor Maine’s unique character.

Google Map – Maine Itinerary 7 Days 

Day 1: Portland

Start your journey in Portland, known for its charming waterfront, vibrant arts scene, and delicious food. Starting from Portland for a Maine road trip itinerary ensures a vibrant introduction to the state’s rich culture, culinary delights, and historical landmarks, serving as the gateway to scenic coastal drives, iconic lighthouses, and charming seaside towns, setting the perfect tone for an unforgettable journey.

👉🏼15 Cutest & Best Small Towns In New England – Quaint New England Villages

• Distance from the previous location:  It depends on your starting point, but assuming you start from Boston, it’s about 100 miles (approx. 2 hours’ drive).
• Scenic route:  Take Route 1 along the coast for breathtaking views.

Mid-budget hotel : Consider staying at the Residence Inn Portland Downtown/Waterfront or the Portland Regency Hotel & Spa .

Things to do:

• Explore the  Old Port  district.
• Visit the  Portland Head Light .
• Take a food tour to sample local cuisine.
• Visit the  Portland Museum of Art .

Tours to book: Consider booking a lobster boat tour to learn about Maine’s lobster industry.

Unique feature:  Portland is known for its thriving craft beer scene, so visit some local breweries.

Useful tip : Parking in downtown Portland can be challenging, so consider using public transportation or parking in a garage.

Portland is a must-visit on your Maine road trip for its bustling waterfront, thriving arts scene, and delectable culinary offerings, providing a vibrant introduction to the state’s diverse attractions.

Day 2: Acadia National Park

Drive to Acadia National Park , one of the country’s most beautiful national parks, known for its rugged coastline and stunning views. Acadia National Park is an essential stop on your Maine road trip for its unparalleled coastal beauty, rugged landscapes, and diverse outdoor adventures.

• Distance from previous location : Approximately 160 miles (approx. 3.5 hours drive).
• Scenic route:  Take Route 1 along the coast until you reach Ellsworth, then head east on Route 3 to Bar Harbor.

Mid-budget hotel:  Consider staying at the Bar Harbor Grand Hotel or the Acadia Inn .

Things to do :

• Hike along the park’s scenic trails.
• Drive the  Park Loop Road .
• Visit  Thunder Hole.
• Watch the sunrise from  Cadillac Mountain .

Tours to book : Consider booking a guided tour of Acadia to learn about its history and ecology.

Unique feature:  Acadia’s dark skies offer some of the best stargazing opportunities on the East Coast.

Useful tip:  Be sure to pack layers, as the weather in Acadia can be unpredictable, especially near the coast.

Acadia National Park offers a breathtaking glimpse into the natural wonders of the Northeast that shouldn’t be missed.

Day 3: Bar Harbor

Spend the day exploring Bar Harbor, a charming coastal town near Acadia National Park.

Bar Harbor is an essential destination on your Maine road trip because of its proximity to Acadia National Park. It offers easy access to stunning coastal vistas and outdoor activities while charming visitors with its picturesque harbor, vibrant downtown scene, and delectable food options. This ensures a memorable coastal experience both in and out of the park.

• Take a  whale-watching tour .
• Explore the shops and galleries downtown.
• Visit the  Abbe Museum  to learn about  Native American culture .
• Enjoy fresh food at a local restaurant.

Mid-budget hotel:  You can extend your stay at the same hotel from the previous night or consider options like the  Bar Harbor Villager Motel  or the   Acadia Hotel.

Tours to book : Consider booking a kayaking tour to explore the coastline and see wildlife up close.

Unique feature : Bar Harbor is known for its stunning sunsets, so be sure to find a good spot to watch the sun go down.

Useful tip:  Bar Harbor can get crowded during the summer, so visit famous attractions early in the day to avoid crowds.

Day 4: Camden

Drive to Camden, a picturesque coastal town known for its scenic harbor and historic downtown.

Camden is a must-visit on your Maine road trip for its postcard-perfect harbor, scenic mountain views, and charming downtown area. It provides a quintessential New England experience that captures the essence of coastal Maine’s beauty and charm in a single destination.

• Distance from previous location : Approximately 70 miles (approx. 1.5 hours drive).
• Scenic route:  Take Route 1 along the coast for beautiful ocean views and coastal towns.
• Take a sailing cruise on  Penobscot Bay .
• Hike to the  top of Mount Battie  for panoramic views.
• Explore the shops and art galleries downtown.
• Visit the  Camden Public Library .

Mid-budget hotel:  Consider staying at the  Lord Camden Inn  or the  Camden Riverhouse Hotel .

Tours to book:  Consider booking a schooner cruise to explore the coastline and islands of Penobscot Bay.

Unique feature:  Camden is home to the Camden International Film Festival, which showcases documentary films from around the world.

Useful tip:  Parking in downtown Camden can be limited, so consider staying within walking distance of the main attractions.

Day 5: Boothbay Harbor

Drive to Boothbay Harbor, a charming coastal town known for its scenic harbor, quaint shops, and botanical gardens.

Boothbay Harbor is a must-visit on your Maine road trip for its idyllic coastal charm, botanical gardens, and bustling harbor. It offers a serene retreat with opportunities for whale watching, exploring picturesque landscapes, and indulging in fresh local food, making it an essential stop for a quintessential Maine experience.

Distance from previous location: Approximately 50 miles (approx. 1 hour drive).

• Visit the  Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens .
• Take a  scenic boat tour  of the harbor.

Mid-budget hotel:  Consider staying at the  Tugboat Inn  or the  Boothbay Harbor Inn.

Tours to book:  Consider booking a puffin-watching tour to see these adorable seabirds in their natural habitat.

Unique feature:  Boothbay Harbor is home to the Maine State Aquarium, where you can learn about the marine life native to the Gulf of Maine.

Useful tip:  Boothbay Harbor can get crowded during the summer, so visit famous attractions early in the day to avoid crowds.

Day 6: Kennebunkport

Drive to Kennebunkport, a charming coastal town known for its historic homes, sandy beaches, and vibrant arts scene.

Kennebunkport is a must-visit for its historic charm, scenic coastal beauty, and renowned beaches on your Maine road trip. It offers a perfect blend of relaxation, exploration, and indulgence in New England’s coastal allure, making it an essential stop for a memorable Maine journey.

• Distance from previous location: Approximately 85-90 miles (approx. 1.5 hours drive).
• Visit  Walker’s Point , the summer home of the  Bush family .
• Relax on the  beach at Gooch’s Beach .
• Take a scenic drive along  Ocean Avenue .

Mid-budget hotel:  Consider staying at the  Kennebunkport Inn   or the  Nonantum Resort .

Tours to book : Consider booking a lobster boat tour to learn about Maine’s lobster industry.

Unique feature:  Kennebunkport is known for its historic homes and mansions, many of which are open for tours during the summer months.

Useful tip:  Kennebunkport can get crowded during the summer, so visit famous attractions early in the day to avoid crowds.

Day 7 – End Of Maine Itinerary 7 Days: Portland 

Return to Portland for your departure.

Distance from previous location : Approximately 30-60 miles, depending on your starting point.

Things to do:  Depending on your departure time, you may have free time to explore any attractions you missed on your first day.

Mid-budget hotel:  You can extend your stay at the same hotel from your first night or choose another option in Portland.

Useful tip:  If you have time, consider stopping at some coastal towns for one last taste of Maine’s charm before heading home.

FAQs – One Week In Maine

• When is the best time to visit Maine for a road trip?

The best time for a Maine road trip is typically from late spring to early fall (May to October) when the weather is mild and attractions are open. However, summer can be busy, so consider visiting in the shoulder seasons for fewer crowds.

• What should I pack for a Maine road trip?

Pack layers for varying temperatures, comfortable walking shoes for outdoor activities, sunscreen, bug spray, and rain gear. Remember your camera for capturing scenic views!

• Are there tolls on Maine’s roads?

Yes, Maine has toll roads, primarily along the  Maine Turnpike (Interstate 95).  Make sure to have cash or a compatible electronic tolling device for payment.

• What are some must-see attractions in Maine?

Must-see attractions include Acadia National Park, Portland’s Old Port district, lighthouses along the coast, coastal towns like Bar Harbor and Camden, and scenic drives along Route 1 and Park Loop Road.

• Are there any safety tips for driving in Maine?

Be cautious of wildlife, especially deer, when driving, especially in rural areas. Watch out for cyclists and pedestrians, especially in busy tourist areas. Observe speed limits and be mindful of changing weather conditions, particularly in coastal areas.

• Do I need to make reservations for accommodations in advance?

During peak tourist seasons, booking accommodations in advance is advisable, especially in popular destinations like Bar Harbor and Portland. However, if you’re traveling during the shoulder seasons, you may find more flexibility.

• Are there any unique events or festivals to attend in Maine?

Maine hosts various festivals throughout the year, such as the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland, the Camden International Film Festival, and the Acadia Night Sky Festival in Bar Harbor. Check local event calendars for upcoming events during your visit.

• What are some alternative activities for rainy days in Maine?

Visit museums like the Portland Museum of Art or the Maine Maritime Museum, explore indoor attractions like the Maine State Aquarium, or enjoy a leisurely drive along scenic routes while taking in the misty coastal views.

General Tips – Maine Road Trip

• Book Accommodations in Advance:  It’s advisable to book your accommodations in advance to ensure availability, especially during peak tourist seasons.
• Pack Layers:  Maine weather can be unpredictable, so pack layers to accommodate temperature changes.
• Stay Hydrated:  Stay hydrated, especially when engaging in outdoor activities like hiking.
• Respect Nature:  When visiting national parks and natural areas, follow Leave No Trace principles and respect wildlife.
• Check Park Websites:  Before visiting national parks like Acadia, check their websites for any closures or essential updates.
• Have a Map/GPS:  While Maine is relatively easy to navigate, having a map or GPS can be helpful, especially in rural areas.

This Maine road trip itinerary offers a mix of outdoor adventure, cultural experiences, and coastal charm, showcasing some of Maine’s best. Enjoy your road trip!

With this one week in Maine road trip itinerary, you’ll experience the best of Maine’s coastal beauty, charming towns, and outdoor adventures while staying within a mid-budget range.

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Ultimate 5-Day Coastal Maine Road Trip Itinerary

Looking for a way to see a ton of amazing sites along Maine’s coast but time is short? Look no further – I’ve got a 4- or 5-day itinerary that we loved when we visited in 2022. Below are my favorites and ‘must-see’ stops for a coastal Maine road trip.

In my opinion, the best parts of coastal Maine are the coastline views, lighthouses, and Acadia National Park.

Arriving in Maine

First, you’ll need to get there. Many people fly into Boston Logan International Airport. I prefer to avoid crazy city traffic when possible, so we opted to fly into Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire instead. Then you’ll need to rent a car before hitting the open road.

Don’t forget to check out my Rental Car Tips and Complete Road Trip Guide .

It was only a little over an hour to get to our first stop in Maine. From there, almost the entire trip is along Route 1 making it an easy drive.

Day 1: York to Portland

Nubble Lighthouse

Nubble Light , formally known as the Cape Neddick Light Station, sits on a rock island a hundred feet off the shore of York, Maine. Its nickname comes from the term for a small, off-shore island – nubble.

Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse

Located on the breakwater in South Portland, Spring Point Ledge is a caisson-style light station. You can walk on the 950-foot granite breakwater up the lighthouse. Next to the breakwater, you can explore Fort Preble on the SMCC campus.

Fort Williams Park and Portland Head Light

Fort Williams Park is in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. This 90-acre park has a museum, lighthouse, mansion, batteries, hiking paths, playground, and views of the ocean. The park is free; however, from April to mid-November premium parking lots near the main attractions have parking fees.

Dating to 1791, Portland Head Light is Maine’s oldest, commissioned by George Washington.

There are a handful of battery ruins in the park. Battery Keyes was built in 1906 as one of the last two batteries in the fort. You can walk up and into the battery. From the top you get a great view of the Portland Head Light in the distance.

Where to stay: You can stay in Portland. We stayed overnight in Brunswick, Maine to make our drive on Day 2 shorter.

Day 2: Arrowsic, Boothbay, and New Harbor

Doubling Point Lighthouse

Doubling Point Lighthouse was my favorite lighthouse I saw in Maine! We were able to walk right up to the charming 23-foot light. One of Maine’s river lights, it was built in 1898 on Arrowsic Island in the Kennebec River. It is sometimes called Kennebec River Lighthouse.

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

The 300-acre Costal Maine Botanical Gardens offer beautiful flowers, birds, toads, walking trails, and – best of all – sculptural trolls! There are 5 giant trolls, called the Guardians of the Seeds, throughout the botanical gardens – each with their own name, form, and purpose. These trolls are made of recycled pallets and other salvaged wood.

The central gardens are universally accessible; however, the rest of the trails are sloped forest paths and gravel walkways.

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

The Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Park includes the lighthouse tower, fishermen’s museum, learning center, art gallery, picnic area, and public restrooms. Pemaquid Point allows visitors to climb into the 38-foot tower during the season. Park admission includes access to the tower. I also recommend that you explore the rocky ledges for beautiful coastal views, but be careful as some have steep drop-offs.

Marshall Point Lighthouse

Marshall Point Lighthouse was featured in the film Forrest Gump! It is a beautiful lighthouse accessible by a walkway. The lighthouse overlooks Muscongus Bay and Penobscot Bay at the point of St. George Peninsula.

Where to stay: New Harbor or Camden. We stayed overnight in Lincolnville, Maine near Mount Battie at the Mount Battie Inn.

Day 3: Camden, Rockport, and Rockland

Rockland Breakwater and Lighthouse

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse is at the end of a 7/8-mile breakwater. It is free to visit. I recommend starting your day here when crowds are limited, and you can still find fisherman along the breakwater.

Use caution on the breakwater – it is made of uneven granite blocks with gaps in between. The granite can be slippery when wet. As volunteers are available, the 25-foot tower is open for tours.

Rockport Marine Park

Rockport is on the shore of Penobscot Bay between Rockland and Camden. This marine park offers a walking path along the harbor with multiple benches. The park has several old limekilns on the waterfront. You can also visit the André the Seal statue and spy the Indian Island Lighthouse across the harbor.

Curtis Island Lighthouse Overlook

A break in the trees at the water’s edge gives you stunning views of Camden Harbor and Curtis Island. Curtis Island acts as a breakwater for the harbor from ocean storms.

The 25-foot lighthouse is a cylindrical, white brick tower. This newer tower was built in 1896. Andrew Jackson ordered the original tower in 1835.

Camden Hills State Park

Created in the 1930s, the park is just north of Camden on U.S. Route 1. There is an admission fee in order to hike, bike, horseback ride, camp, snowshoe, picnic, and drive the auto road up to the top of Mount Battie.

I recommend trying to time it so you can watch the sunset from Mount Battie . To reach the summit of Mount Battie, you can hike the Mount Battie Trail or drive up the road like we did.

Where to stay: Lincolnville, Camden or drive up to Bar Harbor.

Day 4: Acadia National Park

We combined Acadia in our day 3 itinerary, but I would recommend dedicating a whole day to the park if you are looking to hike or see specific features like the splash of Thunder Hole.

Maine’s coastal national park, Acadia National Park, protects almost 64 miles of coastline on Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Peninsula, Isle au Haut, and other islands.

Drive the Park Loop Road

The most popular drive, with the main attractions, is the 27-mile Park Loop Road . Most of Park Loop Road is one-way with two lanes. There are many areas where signs indicate visitors can park in the right lane.

From Park Loop Road, visitors can hike, relax, swim, and enjoy mountains, lakes, forests, meadows, ocean coastlines, beaches, plants, and animals.

Go for a Hike

There are hikes for all skill levels with 150 miles of trails. Visitors can enjoy mountain, coastal, lake, and forest paths. Some routes include iron rungs, staircases, exposed cliffs, and steep climbs so do your research before you arrive.

Popular hikes include Beehive Loop, Cadillac North Ridge and South Ridge Trails, Great Head Trail, Hemlock Path Loop, Jordan Cliffs Loop, Ocean Path Trail, Ship Harbor Trail, and Wonderland Trail.

Note: If you want to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, a separate fee and reservation are required to drive up Cadillac Summit Road.

Where to stay: Bar Harbor or drive back to Camden

Optional Day 5

Book a whale watch tour.

There are different tours and companies all along the coast. We had one booked from Portland with Odyssey Whale Watch but it was cancelled due to a hurricane coming in from the south.

Explore Camden

• Take a cruise in Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay.
• Walk around downtown Camden and the High Street Historic District to check out the antique stores, shops, and cafes.
• Have a picnic on the waterfront.
• Enjoy nature at the Merryspring Nature Center or nearby Murray and McLellan-Poor Preserves .
• Catch a performance at the Camden Opera House.

If You Have More Time

There are of course more lighthouses and coastline farther north. If you have the time, don’t miss out on West Quoddy Head Lighthouse which is the easternmost point in the continental United States! Consider hiking Mount Katahdin or visiting Moosehead Lake.

Looking for a quaint seaside town along the route? Try Kennebunkport for shopping, beaches, and the harbor.

If you’re really looking for an adventure, take a ferry to Nova Scotia for a day trip.

We were visiting multiple states, so we continued inland toward New Hampshire, stopping at Moxie Falls and Rumford Falls along the way.

What to Eat

When in Maine make sure to indulge in their seafood – Lobster, lobster rolls, haddock, flounder, mussels, and clam chowder. While in Acadia National Park, try the popovers at Jordan Pond House – but be prepared for a long wait at this popular spot.

Fall Foliage

The best time to see fall foliage is between late September and mid-October. In 2022, we hit it right at the start in mid-September. That way we got a hint of color without all the crowds.

This is only the tip of the iceberg of things to do and see but it’s a perfect start to get a feel for all Maine has to offer. I know you’ll have an amazing time!

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I loved visiting without the peak of crowds and still seeing color! I guess it’s what you want in your travel. Me? Well that would be nature.

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18 questions with my travel pals – maine, new hampshire, vermont, and massachusetts.

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Road Trip: 4 Days on the Maine Coast

By Brad Rickman

Maine's coast hardly needs a sales pitch. That juxtaposition of quaint and cozy against the ruggedly elemental has been the region's primary draw for nearly two centuries. But the trio of cities here—Portland, Camden, and Bar Harbor—form what I think of as the heart of the state's allure, those top three tracks on the greatest hits compilation you can't stop humming. These days, they go way beyond conventional Downeast charm. You'll find some of the most creative and delicious food in the country right now in Portland , and that restless urge for invention has begun working its way up the coast. It's all a reflection of the quiet artistic spirit and fierce independence that define Mainers: tough but beautiful, like their coast.

June through September are when the weather's best, and when the flora are at their most enthusiastic. Summers get hot, but stay close to the water and you'll find the heat and humidity eased by offshore breezes. Nights are almost invariably cool. You can certainly do this trip in October—the leaves are likely to have peaked by then, but they'll still be spectacular. Just dress warmly.

What to drive

You'll be spending some time on scenic coastal roads, but this isn't northern California; Maine's not an ideal testing testing ground for performance-driver chops—no cliff-hugging curves here—so save the Porsche 911 splurge for another trip. If you do feel like indulging, and you're going in the height of summer, a convertible will pay off nicely, especially on the mid-coast and in Acadia National Park. Just remember to put the top up when you park: Summer thunderstorms aren't unheard of.

The game is small plates, heavy on seafood and veg, at Central Provisions on Wharf Street in Portland.

Day 1: Portland

Even though it still makes me smile a little each time I say it, the single-terminal, 11-gate Portland International Jetport is Maine's biggest airport. It provides access from most major regions of the country, making Portland the perfect in and out. And there's no better tone-setter for this trip.

Park yourself at the Press Hotel , a boutique spot that opened in 2015 in the building that used to be home to the Press Herald. It's cleverly styled with typewriter and printing-press motifs, and well appointed with locally crafted leathers and textiles—best of all, it’s close to everything you'll want to see. Grab your breakfast at the Standard Baking Company on Commercial Street, where the smells alone will warm your spirits. Go for a pain au chocolat, but the brioche and croissant are great too, and if it's Thursday or Saturday you'll find rugalach—all baked fresh, of course. Then head up Congress Street to the Portland Museum of Art . The building alone's worth the visit, with its soaring modern atrium, minimalist lines, and surprise spatial cutouts; but the small, intense collection is what truly impresses, running the gamut from early moderns like Renoir, Cassat, and homeboy Winslow Homer (whose studio at Prout's Neck is actually part of the museum) to a charmingly idiosyncratic midcentury selection including Hopper and Alex Katz, plus a strong selection of contemporary work.

For lunch, hit perennial favorite Eventide Oyster Co . It'll be crowded (for good reason), so put your name in and use the time to pre-tour the Old Port. Once you're in you'll want a sampling of oysters, of course—as many as your party can manage, and stay local; it's why you're here. Other must-gets include the fluke ceviche, the lobster roll, and the peekytoe crab roll, when it's in season. Afterward, finish your waterfront walk with an ice cream in hand. I like Mount Desert Island Ice Cream Company on Exchange Street, where the flavors are original and everything's handmade. If you need an afternoon pick-me-up, stop by Bard Coffee on Middle Street—they roast in house, and the digs are airy and welcoming.

Your pre-dinner cocktail should come from the Portland Hunt and Alpine Club just across from cute Post Office Park. The decor's Scandinavian and the seasonal drinks are wide-ranging, creative, and refreshing, like the Lavender Collins, made with grenadine and aquavit instead of gin. They don't lean too hard on trends, which is my way of praising the fact that you'll actually find a handful that don't involve amari.

Dinner's at Central Provisions , just off cinematically bricked-and-cobblestoned Wharf Street. The game is small plates, heavy on seafood and veg; and while the front of house is relaxed, the kitchen's serious in its imagination and technique—and its flavor. Be sure to treat yourself to the burrata starter (exact composition will vary by season and chef’s whim), one or more of the crudo small plates, the Korean-inflected house frites, and rhubarb cake if it’s in season.

Mid-coast views in Camden.

Day 2: Camden

The trick is to get out early: Grab your coffee at the Inkwell in the Press Hotel's lobby and get moving up the coast before it cools. It's less than two hours' drive if you plow straight through, but of course that's not what you're about. So head on 295 North out of the city but jam over to Route 1 around Brunswick. This is the coast road. Follow it to Thomaston, where you'll detour to 131 on the far side of town. Here things get a bit tricky: From 131 you'll grab 73 at St. George, and you'll follow it to Spruce Head Island, where you'll track down McLoon's Lobster Shack right on the water, south shore. That's lunch. Order a lobster roll and a crab roll, even if you're all by your lonesome, and know that what you're eating got caught that morning in the waters you're looking at.

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After lunch, make your way back to 73 toward Rockland—but tack east on North Shore Drive before you arrive, to get out to Owls Head State Park . This is woodsy Maine coast at its best; park in the lot and get your phone’s camera ready for the brief but lovely hike to Owls Head Light, a functioning 19th-century lighthouse that's as severely gorgeous as the landscape over which it presides.

Stay just north of Camden at the Lincolnville Motel , exactly the brand of hipster retro you'd expect to find in Maine: laid back, warm, and friendly in an quiet way. The cabins are small (it really is a refurbed motel), but they're loaded with charm and whimsy, from the comic poolside blow-up floats to the Crosley turntables—and actual vinyl collections!—in the rooms, which are resolutely devoid of television and Wi-Fi. Owner Alice Amory is generous with local recs; you're likely to find her in one of the book-laden common spaces (where you'll also, yes, find Wi-Fi if you really need it).

In Camden, you owe yourself a walking tour. (It won't take long.) Stroll Main Street, aka Route 1, for the shops and scenery, and be sure to stop at Sea Bags to pick up one of their funky-chic tote bags made from recycled sails (the combo of design charm, water resistance, and ruggedness makes them the best all-purpose personal-item carry-ons I've ever found). Get off the streets for a walk through well-manicured Harbor Park, which gracefully notches the top of postcard-pretty Camden Harbor, on your way to grab a drink with a water view at the Rhumb Line (bar seats are best), then do dinner at Long Grain , a no-frills-in-the-dining-room, high-class-in-the-kitchen Thai joint on Elm Street. Yep, that's right: Skip the lobster (this time), and order their Pad Seuw, whose noodles are hand-made daily, and the Maine crab fried rice. They may seem like dishes you know, but they’re done here with a level of care and imagination that’ll render them fresh again.

A bit of France in Bar Harbor.

Day 3: Bar Harbor

Camden to Bar Harbor takes roughly two hours, and while it's a decidedly scenic route—you'll be curling up Route 1 right along the coast—there's so much jaw-dropping scenery where you're headed that you'll be forgiven for keeping it brisk. (Though if you do have the time, by all means make your pace leisurely.) Both Bar Harbor and Acadia are on Mount Desert Island, a big volcano- and glacier-carved bulb dangling into Penobscot Bay that's nearly sliced up its center by Somes Sound , Maine's only true fjord.

If location's your priority, the Bar Harbor Inn 's tough to beat, slung as it is along the waterfront's ridge just below the town's center. The sweeping slope of lawn runged with adirondack chairs lends it the genteel grandeur of an era bygone, and there's no better place than the Terrace Grille to grab a leisurely drink with an absolutely killer view of the harbor. (Go early. Seats are deservedly in demand.) But I like the quaint intimacy of the Balance Rock Inn , just down the coast a few hundred yards. The views are only slightly less epic, but you get a sweeping lawn, a small but lounge-ready pool, and the dormers and eaves of small(er) scale New England architecture.

Once you're checked in, cross that lawn to the Shore Path . It's a small but perfect work of Bar Harbor genius: about 1.5 miles of well-manicured walkway tracing the coastline from the Town Pier to Wayman Lane. Do the whole thing—it's flat and graveled, suitable for a leisurely stroll or, come the following morning, a jog. You'll get great views of the rock formations along the shoreline, and of course the sweeping harbor, the islands, the ships tacking in and out. If you finish on the south end, the path drops you right onto Wayman Lane, which in turn connects to Main Street; just turn left to head to the center. If you finish on the north end, you're already there, with the Terrace Grille's yellow umbrellas and the fountains of Agamont Park at your left and the town landing on your right. (If you're feeling landlocked, book a sunset sail on the schooner Margaret Todd or Bailey Louise Todd, both from Downeast Windjammer Cruises, on the pier just in front of the Bar Harbor Inn.)

For lunch, head to Side Street Cafe in the center of town. A lobster roll's the order here; it's generous and well regarded with plenty of tender claw and body meat dressed simply in butter. There's a strong list of beers, including several local options like Atlantic Real Ale on draft, and cocktails. There'll be a line, but look for a table on the streetside balcony—the seating there's self-service, and often overlooked.

Afterward, do some exploring. Take Main Street as your artery. If you're visiting in summer, there'll be crowds drawn by nearby Acadia; but as a rule they're genial, and nothing compared to what you'll find in park towns out West. The Village Green has a charm worthy of its name, and is worth a (brief) pause. Other stops should be Fair Trade Winds for handmade crafts; and Cool As A Moose for amusingly kitschy (and sure, sometimes serious) Maine and Acadia gear. Hit up CJ's Big Dipper for an ice cream. Every flavor has its fans, but I'm partial to the blueberry soft serve, because there's nothing quite so summer and there's nothing quite so Maine. It's made on premises. Don't be surprised if you find a line.

For dinner, head to Havana —also on Main Street, but away from the center of town. Get a mojito to start. (The joint's name should give you confidence, but don't be fooled: The menu's more pan-Caribbean than strictly Cuban.) Then try the seafood paella and the lobster curry; they're both loaded with flavor, and loaded with lobster, which lets you get a dose without resorting to yet another lobster roll. Eat quickly: These dishes run hot, and if you're neglectful the lobster can keep cooking till it's tough.

Sand Beach, living up to its name in Acadia National Park.

Day 4: Acadia National Park

Next day, you’re off on your grand one-day tour of Acadia . The truly ambitious will get up before sunrise to watch dawn roll in from the peak of Cadillac Mountain. But I’ll assume that, like me, you’re only of modest ambition; and so I'll suggest that, like me, you do Cadillac at the end of the day rather than the beginning. Still, there’s no great case for delay. The park’s quite close to the center of town: Just follow Paradise Hill Road to the Hulls Cove entrance. (Grab a map at the Visitors' Center.) Drive the Park Loop Road, which is as direct and efficient as its name suggests, roughly tracing the park's circumference to give access to all major attractions. First stop is Sand Beach. Bring a towel, or even a chair, because it's exactly what the name implies: a wide expanse of yellow sand with crystal-clear water that, depending on the time of year, just might be warm enough (low 60s on a good day) for the brave to swim in. When you're tired of sunbathing, give your inner amateur climber a workout on the south-side rocks. (Shoes recommended.)

Other Loop features include Thunder Hole , a rock crevice that booms spectacularly when the tides rush in (it would be worth visiting for the surrounding geoformations alone); the precipitous Otter Cliff ; and pristine Echo Lake . Save some time (and energy), though, for that trip up Cadillac Mountain . It’s the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard and, with its sweeping views of the harbor, one of the park’s most impressive features. There are hikes long and short around the summit. Do one or two of the half-milers that lead you through stunning summit views, and then, if you’re still feeling it, take the South Ridge trail (7.1 miles round trip) down from the summit across shifting landscapes—pine forest, bald volcanic rock, scrub meadow—to the Blackwoods campground and back. Finishing the hike around sundown puts you at the summit at magic hour. You'll believe the hype.

Finish your long weekend off with an evening snack at Jordan Pond House . Reservations are a good idea unless you plan to show up after 4 p.m. The restaurant is spacious; it sits above a wide meadow with access to the pond—and if you have time, by all means make the short hike to check it out. Specialties of the house are tea and popovers, which are like the delicious mutant love-children of muffins and croissants, and which can be added onto nearly any dish on the menu. As for tea, the reputation's rock solid. But if the day's been hot and you've done the South Ridge Trail and you're feeling both tired and righteous at once, consider yourself in possession of permission to order a beer. They've got a fine selection, including some locals, on tap. Some days—some trips —just need to end that way.

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Built on George Washington's orders, the 1971 Portland Head Light flashes from Cape Elizabeth.

Plan the Perfect Coastal Maine Road Trip

This route delivers a hefty dose of vintage oceanside charm.

Rugged shores, classic coastal towns, and lobster rolls washed down with hoppy local beer. This is Maine ’s late-summer perfection—the microseason when the Pine Tree State shines. It’s when the water is warmest, and the wild blueberries are ripest for the picking.

Last August, the Maine Sea Grant , along with the state’s tourism bureau and aquaculture industry, launched the Oyster Trail of Maine to promote the burgeoning bivalve scene, which stars the Crassostrea virginica variety. But even if the idea of slurping down an oyster makes you squeamish, following the trail of Maine’s mighty mollusk leads to plenty of memorable spots.

Unlike the remote northwestern parts of the state, where unmarked logging roads and vast swaths of impenetrable backcountry reign supreme, in coastal Maine the world actually is your oyster. Motoring along Route 1 from the southern beaches to the mid-coast delivers a hefty dose of vintage oceanside charm.

Along the way, smaller roads that beg for a detour dip to the sea. Here old salts haul traps on working waterfronts, and roadside sandwich boards hawk just-caught lobsters. Along with these colorful nautical traditions, you’ll find a forward-thinking spirit. So go ahead, catch the spirit and hit the road.

Try Mabel's Lobster Claw Restaurant in Kennebunkport, open since the 1950s.

Stop 1: Get Campy

Famous as a favorite seaside retreat for the well-heeled—and the summer playground of former president George H.W. Bush and family— Kennebunkport epitomizes New England nautical charm. Roll up to the Sandy Pines Campground , where 16 safari tents, each decked out in lavish style by a local interior designer, offer a plush but nostalgic outdoor experience. On-site amenities include a classic general store and the “Icicle Tricycle” delivering old-fashioned ice cream bars.

Nonesuch Oysters offers a tour of its nursery on the Scarborough River.

Stop 2: Accidental Farmer

Ten years ago Abigail Carroll was living in Paris, trading stocks, and dating a French count. Now she spends her days on the Scarborough River, where she runs Nonesuch Oysters . Climb aboard the farm’s skiff for a breezy jaunt to the oyster beds, keeping an eye out for puppy-faced harbor seals along the way. Then peek at baby bivalves in the oyster nursery before tossing back a few Abigail Pearls or Nonesuch Emeralds.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

Stop 3: Coastal Digs

Though rocky shores dominate Maine’s coastline, a mile-long swath of sand frames the Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth. Follow the boardwalk through a sanctuary planted with native vegetation to lovely Crescent Beach. The six-acre oasis is part of an initiative to create a safe haven for vulnerable New England cottontail rabbits. The inn also works with the Animal Refuge League of Portland to support dog adoption. Be prepared—there’s almost always a cutie curled up behind the front desk.

Stop 4: City of Suds

The Portland area abounds with breweries, some 28 of them according to the Maine Brewers’ Guild . In the city’s hip East Bayside neighborhood, five joints churn out everything from beer to cider, mead, spirits, kombucha, and, in the case of Urban Farm Fermentory , even gruit, an old-style beer brewed with backyard botanicals. Pop into the Shop , a seafood-centric eatery for Maine oysters (and, of course, beer). [ Read about the top things to do for a great time in Portland. ]

Wild blueberries grow naturally in fields and barrens that stretch along the southwest coast.

Stop 5: Boot Up

In 1911, motivated by his distaste for cold, wet feet, outdoorsman Leon Leonwood Bean created the Maine Hunting Shoe. Today a 16-foot replica of the iconic “duck boot” presides over L.L. Bean’s flagship store in Freeport and serves as the perfect prop for a road trip photo. Forgot to bring a sleeping bag? A lobster pot? A leash for Fido? You’ll find all three among the wares spread throughout the seven-acre retail campus. Christen your togs with a hike in nearby Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park .

Stop 6: Milling Around

Indie films, live music, and rotating exhibitions all have a home at Brunswick’s Fort Andross Mill , a cotton mill turned community hub on the banks of the Androscoggin River. The mill also houses the Brunswick Flea Market on Saturdays. Grab a latte from the coffee bar and head out for a stroll. Back in the day, mill workers from neighboring Topsham crossed the river using the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge, which now connects to the scenic Androscoggin Riverwalk. Worked up an appetite? Head to Asian-accented Tao Yuan , whose chef-owner Cara Stadler has been a semifinalist for James Beard’s Rising Star Chef of the Year award five times.

Stop 7: Ship Shape

When that first Maine winter proved too cold for comfort, settlers of the 1607 Popham colony built a boat to take them back across the pond. That vessel, Virginia of Sagadahoc, earned nearby Bath the right to call itself “the birthplace of American shipbuilding.” Visit the Virginia’s in-progress replica at the Bath Freight Shed , where shipbuilders work Wednesday through Saturday. In the town’s manufacturing heyday, 22 shipyards lined the Kennebec River, including the Bath Iron Works, which still makes vessels for the U.S. Navy. Get the full backstory (and board a river cruise) at the Maine Maritime Museum .

The seafood is fresh off the boat at Portland's Harbor Fish Market.

Stop 8: On the Half Shell

As with wine, an oyster’s flavor profile reflects the characteristics of its growing environment. The protected waters of the Damariscotta River help make it the Napa Valley of oysters, and many of Maine’s best loved farms sit along the shore. For a glimpse into Damariscotta’s thriving community, take an oyster ecology tour with Midcoast Kayak . Across the river, Shuck Station serves a selection of local oysters nestled on a bed of ice.

Stop 9: Art Crawl

The giant “EAT” sign on Rockland ’s Main Street may signal food, but the exhibits beneath it in the Farnsworth Art Museum deliver nourishment of another variety. Created by Robert Indiana—best known for his “LOVE” sculptures—this sign makes an appropriate icon for a town with more than 20 galleries and museums. Art buffs will also appreciate 250 Main, a boutique hotel with rotating displays of creations by local artists.

Stop 10: Come About

Mid-coast Maine’s sparkling Penobscot Bay is often studded with sailing vessels, many based in Camden’s harbor. Snap up a carryall made from recycled Maine sailcloth at the Sea Bags shop, then cast off on a sunset cruise complete with live music and sweet treats aboard the 100-year-old Schooner Surprise . If you have four or five extra days, set sail on a Maine Windjammer Association historic schooner, which stops at a deserted island for a classic lobster bake.

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The Ultimate Maine Road Trip Itinerary Guide

Maine is one of our favorite states in the United States and without a doubt one of the best road trips in the USA. With so many beautiful landscapes and unique views, it’s hard not too. That is why we want to help you plan the most epic Maine road trip with the “must-see” stops. We try to visit Maine every year as it has many beautiful landscapes and unique views in every season. The best weather to visit Maine is during late Spring, Summer and early Fall.

Maine will steal your heart with its beautiful scenic roads, stunning lighthouses, delicious lobster rolls, and breathtaking national park, Acadia. We have added the best stops you must include into your Maine road trip itinerary from where to eat to where to stay. While we recommend the hotels we have experienced, Maine also so many cute and romantic Airbnbs that it is worth comparing prices.

Maine has a spectacular combination of welcoming people, delicious food and multi-generational activities. No matter your age, race or gender Maine has something fun to offer to every visitor.

When visiting the midcoast of Maine you will quickly come to enjoy the slow pace and relaxed atmosphere of the region take over your vacation. We visited on the shoulder season at the beginning of May and the weather was fantastic, the prices were lower and the places were less crowded.

In this guide we have split the coast of Maine in three regions: The Maine Beaches, the Midcoast of Maine and DownEast Acadia.

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the Maine Coast

My favorite things to enjoy in the midcoast of Maine are visiting the many charming small towns, taking a stroll through each downtown and visiting many of the arts venues and quaint shops. When in Maine you need to photograph and visit as many of the state’s 65 lighthouses. Maine is one of those states that keep pulling you back to visit again.

Getting to Maine

The best way to explore the coast of Maine and start your Maine road trip is doing it by car, so you can stop at any historic town or beautiful viewpoint you come across. Mazda provided us with the Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD which is perfect for road trips with a cool HUD (heads up display) too keep our eyes on the road, integrated navigation and up to 27 MPG.

One of the main and closest airport to Maine is Boston Logan International Airport. As one of the largest airports in the region it is a hub for many Airlines and it has a big range of flights from different cities around the country and even the world. This makes it very convenient for your road trip to Maine.

We recommend either taking the bus/train from Boston or rent a car at any of the rental companies, such as Enterprise, Budget, Hertz, Alamo, BOS, Thrifty, and Advantage and start your Maine road trip right then!

Main cities to visit: Kennebunkport, Portland, Wiscasset, Camden and Bar Harbor.

The Ultimate Maine Road trip Itinerary – T he Maine Beaches

Maine is well known for having the best lobsters and the iconic Acadia National Parks. Yet, it also has endless sandy beaches and relaxing oceanside towns that will make your vacation hard to forget.

The Maine Beaches is a short drive from most of New England, only 70 miles from Boston and a 5 hour drive from NYC or Montreal. The beaches of Maine is where you want to be in the Summer. The warm sun and cool breeze make for enjoyable days at the water. If driving is not an option you can always take the Amtrak Downeaster Train , the bus or catch a flight to Portland.

Day 1: Drive to Ogunquit Beach

We started our drive from Boston towards the Maine Beaches. We left earlier to take full advantage of the day. To reach the Maine beaches region you can either take the quicker I-95 or more scenic US Route 1.

Cape Neddick Lighthouse

The Cape Neddick Lighthouse, also known as Nubble Light is a small but beautiful lighthouse in York and it is a must stop for your Maine road trip. It is perched on its own little island that can only be enjoyed across the water from Sohier Park.

Have lunch at Fox’s Lobster House

After photographing one of the most iconic lighthouses of Maine, make sure to stop at the Fox’s Lobster House in York to try the famous lobster roll or in our case we opted for the fresh fish and chips.

Marginal Way to Ogunquit Beach

Ogunquit Beach is a the perfect place to enjoy and afternoon at its sandy beaches or walking down the art galleries, doing some shopping or even enjoying a delicious meal.

If you like beautiful coastal landscapes, then make sure to walk along the rocky seashore on the paved Marginal Way path . Enjoy this 1.25 miles long path from Perkins Cove all the way to the sandy shores of Ogunquit Beach.

This beach is one of the best vacation spots in Maine and it is definitely worth visiting on your Maine road trip.

Along the walk you are met with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and several smaller and more rocky beaches to dip your toes into the water. Ogunquit Beach itself is rated one of the best in New England, which comes as no surprise with its warm sands and calm waves.

End the evening off with a hair raising performance at the Ogunquit Playhouse . They run some of the best Broadway musicals and soon to be Broadway hits from the late spring through the early fall in a theatre built in 1937 exclusively as a seasonal theatre. Grab a drink at the bar before enjoy a musical delight with your loved one.

During our visit, we saw the lively Smokey Joe’s Cafe on its way to New York. The theatre has a different musical each month, so make sure to check the calendar on what is playing when you visit.

Where to sleep in Kennebunk?

The Port Inn is the perfect Inn to rest after a day full of beautiful landscapes and long walks. Melt into the comfortable king size beds  in your spacious hotel room. With a delicious continental breakfast included and a relaxing pool on site, it is the perfect spot to rejuvenate or spend a lazy afternoon.

Day 2: Enjoy the Maine Beaches in Kennebunk

For a our second day in our Maine road trip itinerary we will be heading to Kennebunk.  This beautiful coastal town in southern Maine is famous for its long sandy beaches. Other beaches you can visit in Maine are Goose Rocks Beach and Arundel Beach, which are located in Kennebunkport.

Kennebunkport is a historical shipbuilding and fishing village and one of Maine’s most popular seaside towns. It is famous for its picturesque harbor, colonial architecture, quaint shops and the Bush family’s summer compound.

Gooch’s Beach

Gooch’s Beach is the largest section of public beach in Kennebunk. Its clean white sands and proximity to downtown makes it a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.

Our second day at the Maine Beaches is full of fun in the sun and new adventures.

Parson’s Beach and shore walk

Parson’s Beach is a privately owned beach, which is open to the public. During low tide, you will find many locals fishing on the edge of the vast beach. Behind the sand dunes of the beach there is also a short walk among the salt marshes where you can spot local wildlife.

Morning scenic flight

Start the morning off right with a bit of excitement on a scenic flight. We were met at the Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport by Andrew Button the Chief Flight Instructor of Southern Maine Aviation . We hopped into a Cessna 172 Skyhawk for a fun flight, with enough room for our dog, Gordo!

During the one hour scenic flight we made it all the way down to Portsmouth, NH before making our way along the coast to Portland and then headed back to the airport. Along the flight we had amazing views of the rocky seashore, long sandy beaches, several towns and of course many iconic lighthouses.

The hour long scenic flight is $260 per hour and holds up to 3 passengers, or two passengers and one calm dog.

Lunch at Fisherman’s Catch

After an exciting morning exploring Maine by air, head off the beaten path to enjoy lunch at  Fisherman’s Catch in Wells, ME. We highly recommend sitting outside in the sun or at the cute boat turned into a bar. We got the Fish and Chips and the daily special, a salmon fillet sandwich. Lucky for us, the large portions meant we were left with an afternoon snack to go.

Hop aboard a train at the Seashore Trolley Museum

Take a ride on a historic streetcar at the  Seashore Trolley Museum . Here you will find a collection of public transportation from across the country and throughout history. Enjoy the many restored trolley cars and related pieces. Our favorite part of the museum is riding on a restored streetcar, driven by volunteers, some of which come all the way from Boston for the day.

Other places you can visit near Kennebunkport are the beautiful St. Ann’s Episcopal Church and the lovely lobster-fishing village of Cape Porpoise and the Goat Island Lighthouse. Try some of New England’s freshest lobster rolls at Clam Shack.

Day 3: Spend the day at Old Orchard

Down Old Orchard St to Palace Playland

Spend the morning walking in the small bustling downtown of Old Orchard Beach . Starting at the top of Old Orchard Street work your way through the many shops on your way down towards the water. Make sure not to miss the local collections of souvenirs from Beachology  or your childhood dream of endless candies, popcorn and fudge at  Dickinson’s Candy .

Getting closer to the water are two staples of Old Orchard Beach;  Palace Playland  and  The Pier . Palace Playland is a little amusement park right in the center of town with rides for all ages, including a massive arcade. The area is open for all to enjoy as you pay per ride, with the option for an all-day pass for the rides.

The Pier is the ultimate food and entertainment destination out over the water. The Pier features several restaurants, bars and even a few souvenir shops upon its wooden planks.

Rooftop lunch at Joseph’s by the Sea

Just a five minute walk down the beach from the center of Old Orchard Beach is the spectacular  Joseph’s by the Sea . If you have the opportunity, enjoy your meal and drinks from the rooftop for unfettered views of the ocean.

Halfway through our stay we needed a break from the seafood capital of the world with some juicy hamburgers and well-crafted cocktails. Even if you are not looking for a full meal, head on over for a tasty drink in the sun with the best view in town.

Where to sleep near Portland?

Along the shores of Cape Elizabeth, just a 10 minute drive south of Portland, you will find the ultimate eco-friendly beach resort.  The Inn by the Sea  is perched on the hillside above the expansive Crescent Beach State Park.

Make your way to this elegant example of luxurious hospitality perfect for any romantic or family getaway to Maine.

The Ultimate Maine Road trip Itinerary – Midcoast of Maine 

Cape Elizabeth is one of the most beautiful stop and lighthouse in all of Maine. You must include Cape Elizabeth on your Maine road trip. Other lighthouses you must visit in this region that are active and with incredible views are Portland Headlight, Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse,  and  Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse.

Day 4: Explore Portland and surrounding areas

Explore Fort Williams Park and Portland Head Light

This stunning lighthouse is located inside of  Fort Williams Park . Here you can enjoy the beautiful Head Light, the powerful rocky Maine coast and explore some military ruins and old batteries.

➳ Read More: A Complete Guide from Portland Maine to Bar Harbor

Waterfront along Commercial St.

Portland, Maine is a fantastic stop during your Maine road trip. Go for a stroll along the historic cobblestone roads of Commercial St along the waterfront. Along the road you can enjoy rows of beautiful brick architecture with plenty of interesting stores to take a peek into. Walking along the waterfront there are a handful of working piers that you can go down. Make sure to make a quick stop along The Old Port , where you will find fishing wharves, warehouses, and delicious restaurants.

Portland Observatory

Climb to the top of America’s last standing maritime signal tower. The Portland Observatory was built in 1807 to help manage Portland’s significant maritime movements. You can now climb to the top of this wooden tower for breathtaking panoramic views over the city of Portland and surrounding waters. Making your way through the interior of the tower you learn the history of the port city along with ideation and construction of the tower.

Lucky Catch Lobster Cruises

No trip to Portland or Maine is complete without the chance to catch some live lobsters. With Lucky Catch Cruises the tour is not just about picking up the lobster traps. You can also refill the fish bait bags, learn the history and laws regarding lobstering of Maine and about the life of a lobster/fisherman.

Did you know that to keep a lobster caught in Maine there are strict size requirements and cannot be too big or too small?

The lobster cruises enjoy a scenic ride along the way, with  route options  including White Head Passage, a chance to spot seals, and even a glimpse of Portland Headlight.

Tickets for the 90 minute lobster tour are $50 per adult with the opportunity for you to purchase some fresh caught lobster at the end of the tour.

Where to sleep in Portland?

If you are looking to stay at the center of the action in downtown Portland with your pup, look no further than the  Hilton Garden Inn . Enjoy views out into Casco Bay and down the bustling waterfront. Besides the spacious rooms and comfortable beds.

Day 5: Explore the Harpswell and Boothbay Peninsulas

The Harpswell and Boothbay Peninsulas offer sweeping views over northern Casco Bay. The handling on the Mazda CX-5 is great for an afternoon drive along the winding roads across the remote landscape. Several historic and charming towns offer a handful of places to stop and enjoy some fresh seafood.

➳ Read More: The best Coastal Maine Road Trip Itinerary

Visit the Giant’s Stairs in the Harpswell Peninsula

We made a quick stop at the Giant’s Stairs to witness the ruggedness of Casco Bay. It is powerful as you watch the waves forcefully crash into the rocks below.

Enjoy a Lobster Roll at Red’s Eats in Wiscasset

As you might know, we do not eat shellfish but we have heard from locals and other tourists that you must stop at Red’s Eats to try the lobster roll dipped in butter.

During summer plan accordingly as a highlight of the region the lines are super long and it can take you 20 to 40 minutes to eat.

End your day at the Boothbay Peninsula 

During the summer, Boothbay Harbor is one of the coolest towns in midcoast Maine. It is full of music, good vibes, exciting art galleries, restaurants and museums.

Throughout the Summer make sure to visit this spectacular peninsula. On the first Friday of each month to enjoy a First Friday Art Tour, where art galleries open their doors for everyone to enjoy the exhibitions.

On Sundays from June through Labor Day there is an epic and unique live music reggae cruise that you simply cannot miss.

Visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden

While you are on the Boothbay Peninsula you must visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden . Covering over 300 acres, this beautiful landscape will take your breath away. The Botanical Garden has many woody trails, fountains, ponds, sculpture and a butterfly house.

Take a Red Cloak Haunted History Tour with Sally

If you are into historical tours, ghost tours or historical mysteries make sure to sign up for a Red Cloak Haunted History Tour . Sally, the founder, has the best stories and I can assure you will have an amazing time.

Where to sleep the second night:

We were really luck to experience the Midcoast of Maine with a twist of luxury. Staying at the Topside Inn made our whole experience a more memorable and cherish one. The hotel and the people who worked there made our trip more enjoyable.

Topside Inn in Boothbay Peninsula : The Topside Inn is owned by Brian Makarewicz and Mark Osborn, a lovely couple that make sure every detail is perfect. They offer a delicious gourmet breakfast every morning included with your stay. The Inn, overlooking the main street and waterfront, won first place for Inns in Maine and ranked #5 most romantic inn in the United States.

Day 6: Explore the Pemaquid Peninsula and the Penobscot Bay

The rugged and rocky Pemaquid Peninsula offers a less touristy experience of the powerful coast Maine is famous for. Jutting out into the Gulf of Maine it is the perfect spot for a relax enjoyment of the natural surroundings. Other places to visit to complete your perfect Maine road trip itinerary are the quaint town of Waldoboro, the Damariscotta   Lake, the  Pemaquid Pond  and  Duckpuddle Pond.

Pemaquid Point Light

Pemaquid Point Light is one of my favorite lighthouses in Maine, not only for the lighthouse but for the stunning rock formations and the crashing waves surrounding the building.

Pemaquid Point is at the tip of the peninsula, which you might recognize from the back of the Maine State Quarter. Nearby you will also find Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site with a reconstruction of Fort William Henry.

The Good Supply

One of my favorite shops in the Pemaquid Peninsula is the The Good Supply. The store is meant to help local artists and the community by selling the arts at this epic barn. The products at The Good Supply are inspired by Maine’s history, people, nature and culture.

Walk around Camden’s downtown

Camden is one of the most beautiful and most charming coastal towns of Maine. It is the perfect destination for ocean lovers, people who enjoy unique stores and anyone that loves the outdoors.

Camden receives most of its visitor over the summer making the town more vibrant and exciting. Camden has many different activities to offer to its visitor. You can take a boat tour, walk the historic downtown, visit the lighthouse, swim at its beaches and explore the Camden Hills State Park.

Take a cooking class at the Salt Water Farm

Make sure to take a cooking class at the renowned Salt Water Farm cooking school . Learn how to create Maine’s iconic flavors using fresh and local ingredients.

Where to sleep the third night:

16 Bay View is a luxurious boutique hotel built in a renovated historical 20th century industrial brick building at the heart of downtown Camden. The vintage inspired interior is mixed with state of the art amenities making for an amazing stay.

Before leaving the mid-coast Maine region make sure to take a quick stop at Rockland. You must add Rockland Harbor, Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse  and  Penobscot Bay  to your Maine road trip itinerary as it has beautiful landscapes of the mountains and the sea.

The Ultimate Maine Road trip Itinerary – DownEast Acadia

DownEast Acadia not only has one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States but also boasts 2,330 miles of coastline. In this trip we visited the Blue Hill Peninsula, Bar Harbor and of course Acadia National Park.

Day 7: Explore Bucksport and surrounding areas

Take a tour at fort knox.

Walk around the Fort and enjoy a panoramic view from the Penobscot Narrows Observatory. Take a stroll around the Bucksport riverwalk and have a delicious meal at the Friar’s Brewpub. 

Visit Castine’s downtown

Take a guided tour of Castine to visit the city’s main highlights and learn its history. Walk along the water of Penobscot Bay or rent a kayak for the chance to witness the fluorescent bacteria over the summer, which makes the beach glow.

Where to sleep the first night:

The historic bed and breakfast of Pentagöet Inn in downtown Castine dates back to 1894. Enjoy a sunny afternoon on the pristine porch before heading to the vintage rustic inspired rooms.

Day 8: Explore Deer Isle

Start your day off in Harborside, a small unincorporated village on the coast of Penobscot Bay. Right next to Harborside is the Holbrook Island Sanctuary with over seven miles of walking paths to witness wildlife from a range of environments including shoreline, forests, ponds, and marshland.

Bucks Harbor Market is the perfect stop for lunch in Brooksville. With a well stocked deli, there are many cold sandwich options to go, but make sure to head there early as they often sell out.

Experience the Good Life Center to learn about the lives of Helen and Scott Nearing, and their sustainable and pacifist philosophies an a historic Forest Farm homestead.

For dinner, check out the fresh wood-fired pizza from Tinder Hearth . They offer pizza Tuesday through Saturday evening throughout the summer, and on Tuesday and Saturday the rest of the year. Follow them on Instagram to see what local ingredient pizza pies are on the menu each day.

Where to sleep in Deer Isle:

Step back in time at the Pilgrim’s Inn and its romantic bed and breakfast atmosphere. The building dates back to 1793 and has been excellently restored and maintained for all those who stay.

Day 9: Explore Deer Isle

Explore the coastal downtown Stonington by foot and enjoy the enriched arts scene, thanks in part to the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts on Deer Isle.

Kayaking along The Maine Island Trail, a 375-mile water trail for recreational boaters, spanning Maine’s entire coast. On this trip you will have hundreds of islands and inlets to explore at your fingertips.

Go for a moderate 1.8 mile hike into the old Settlement Quarry Preserve. Along trail in the granite quarry there is informative signage to learn about the history of the site.

Head on over to Nervous Nellie’s Jams & Jellies to taste the handmade goodness of these Maine inspired preserves and enjoy the sculptures of artist Peter Beerits.

Take a lighthouse boat tour to get up close and personal with eight of the lighthouses located on the shores of Deer Isle, including the Pumpkin Island Lighthouse and Goose Rocks Light.

Day 10: Explore Isle au Haut

Isle au Haut is a small island, which is part of Acadia National Park. To reach the island take the passenger ferry from Stonington to the Isle au Haut Town Landing. The ferry runs from mid-June through late September.

You can bike or hike to explore the island, but we highly recommend to bring a bike as the distances are quite long to just hike. The best trail is the Cliff side trail, as it offers amazing views of the open ocean. 

Day 11: Visit Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor

Take a stroll around downtown Bar Harbor and make sure to stop and photograph the Bass Harbor lighthouse. While the city is beautiful and offers plenty of good food options, plan enough time to explore Acadia National Park.

Your Maine road trip will not be completed without stopping by Acadia National Park. This 47,000-acre recreation area is located on Maine’s Mount Desert.

Places to visit in Acadia and Bar Harbor are Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach , Jordan Pond , Bubble Mountain, Mount Desert Island, Ocean Trail, Schoodic Peninsula, and Frenchman Bay.

Acadia National Park covers 47,000-acre along the coast of Maine and is home to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the East Coast. While you can visit the park year round, the best time to visit is in the warmer months to take advantage of the over 120 miles of hiking trails.

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Coastal Maine 7-day road trip itinerary

Maine is an incredible place to start off a great road trip to see the fall foliage or chase beaches in the summertime. This is why I’ve planned out this coastal Maine 7-day road trip itinerary just for you. This way, you can see the best and enjoy this beautiful state any time of the year.

Coastal Maine is a great place to visit year-round. From beautiful beaches to just enjoying the countryside, you’re sure to find something you like and even enjoy the peacefulness of smaller cities.

I think Maine is an underrated destination as it has so much to offer. You can enjoy just about anything from sports, adventures, cozy stays, and beach days.

So without further ado, get everything you need to know to start planning this Maine road trip you’ve been waiting for!

When is the best time to visit Maine

The best time to visit Maine will vary depending on what activities you are planning to do while you are visiting.

Every season has something different to offer but also activities that can be done year-round.

If you are looking for a maple syrup experience or great fishing, spring will be the best time to visit. Spring season can bring all kinds of weather. From beautiful sunny days to rainy ones and sometimes even snow! You’ll have to make sure to bring clothing for every type of weather so you can enjoy your time there.

If you’re more into summer sports such as biking, ATVing, water sports, beach days, hiking, camping and so much more, you’ll definitely want to go during the summer season. If you’re not into all of that, Maine has lots of sightseeing to be done. The weather will be a lot more enjoyable. Sunny and warm days are more likely.

Planning to visit in the fall, you’ll be able to enjoy the magnificent fall foliage. Many of the summer activities will still be going on. Hiking, biking, and walking on the beach are still very accessible during this time of year. You can go apple picking, or just walk around to look at all the colors in the trees.

Maine in the winter is also very beautiful. Whether you want to hit the slope or just enjoy a nice fireplace in a cabin, you’ll definitely find what you are looking for. You can enjoy snowmobiling, dog sledding, and wildlife watching as well.

The best time to visit will entirely be up to you depending on your plans. Maine can be enjoyed any time of the year!

What is the weather like

With Maine being geographically located in the north, it is exposed to moderate and moist weather influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and is also exposed to both cold and hot air coming from the continent.

Weather will average between -14 Celsius and 26 Celsius. Depending on which season you are traveling to Maine, you’ll have to dress accordingly. Maine is also partly-cloudy pretty much year-round.

The months of December, January, and February tend to be the coldest. The overall colder season lasts from the end of November to mid-March. The warmer season is between the end of May to about mid-September. The warmer month to visit would be July.

Day 1: Acadia National Park

If you love the great outdoors, Acadia National Park is definitely a place to add to your coastal Maine road trip itinerary.

You don’t have to stay overnight but you might need more than one day to fully enjoy the entirety of the park.

Acadia National Park is one of the top 10 most visited parks in the United States. When visiting the park, you can enjoy miles of historic roads to take the views in, and many, many hiking trails.

Acadia National Park has the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline.

In order to access the park, you will need to buy a park pass. This pass is only valid for Acadia National Park. Most visitors will buy a Vehicle pass, which will cover all passengers on board for a 7-day period.

If you already have the Federal lands pass, you will not need to purchase the Acadia National Park one.

Purchase your Acadia National park pass here!

If you wish to drive to the highest peak in the park, you will need to buy an additional pass for the Cadillac Summit Road. You will need this pass if you are planning to do this drive from June through October. Keep in mind that these could change depending on the weather conditions.

If you wish to purchase the Cadillac Summit road pass in advance, reservations will begin by the end of May 2023. Know that only 30% of passes are offered 90 days prior and that the other 70% is released two days prior. So you’ll have to quickly reserve them in advance or wait two days before your visit.

Purchase your Cadillac Summit road pass here!

If you’re planning the drive, know that it is a narrow two-lane road that brings you to the top. You will find a gift shop, restrooms, and a parking area at the top. Recreational vehicles and trailers are prohibited in this part of the park.

Planning to stay overnight in the park? Acadia National Park offers plenty of campground areas. There are two campgrounds located on Mount Desert Island, one on Schoodic Peninsula, and five lean-to shelters on Isle au Haut.

You must make camping reservations in advance. Winter camping and overnight parking aren’t allowed either.

Spend the night either in the park or in Bar Harbor and enjoy fine dining.

Day 2: Bar Harbor, Blue Hill

Bar Harbor is pretty much the gateway to Acadia National Park. The city is located in a beautiful bay called Frenchmen’s Bay.

If you’re looking to experience the United States’ first sunrise, this is the place to be. The city of Bar Harbor is known for its award-winning dining experiences, accommodations, and of course the outdoor activities located so close by.

It is a popular summer destination so keep that in mind if you visit during summertime. It will be a little bit more crowded.

You can also spend your day wandering on Main Street where you will find shops, boutiques, and plenty of restaurants.

Bar Harbor is great to experience a little bit of everything. From endless outdoor activities to cozy cabin stays. You’ll find something for everyone to enjoy!

After enjoying Bar Harbor, head over to Blue Hill. This small magical town is worth a stop. Let the photographer in you set free! The views are quite impressive and worth capturing!

Spend the night in Blue Hill so you can take advantage of the evening to explore the city.

Day 3: Deer Isle, Stonington

From Blue Hill, drive along the coast and cross the bridge to spend some time on Deer Isle and Stonington.

Not only is the bridge picturesque, but the island is a paradise for bird watchers, kayakers, artists, and anyone who loves to spend some time outdoors.

Deer Isle is worth a visit because it is less crowded than Bar Harbor but as charming.

The island has many art galleries, antiques, and gift shops. The island has plenty of accommodations to offer if you want to spend the night. From motels, inns, and campgrounds you are most likely to find something to your liking.

Day 4: Camden, Rockland, Monhegan Island

Next, head over to Camden. You will be charmed by its 19th-century homes. You can spend some time outdoors enjoying the trails of Camden Hill State Park or look at the beautiful Camden Bay.

Then, head to Rockland. The vibrant city has much to offer foodies. The city is famous for its mountainous and rocky shores. You’ll see many marinas and inlets. If you want to sail, Rockland has great cruising waters.

If you wish to experience Monhegan Island, you’ll have to head over by boat. It is a popular tourist destination to witness the magnificent cliffs and experience the beauty of unpaved roads leading to the village.

You could even spend the night here before returning to the coast to continue your road trip.

Day 5: Boothbay Harbor, Bath

Boothbay Harbor is a great place to get away from your busy schedule. This coastal town is home to a rich history, quaint local shops and boutiques, great restaurants, and world-class boat excursions.

Boothbay Harbor has many activities you can enjoy out there! If you’re looking for beautiful coastal scenery, you’re sure to find what you are looking for.

From its quiet coves, rocky shores, and beautiful lighthouses, the scenery is quite impressive.

Among the things to do, you can take a scenic drive to ocean point. This is the best to see the sunrise and sunset. Have yourself a picnic at Ocean Point Loop and enjoy the magnificent view.

If you prefer to do some outdoor activities, Boothbay Harbor is home to plenty of hiking trails and gardens to explore. There are many great boat excursions you can take as well to visit the islands nearby.

Once you’ve explored Boothbay Harbor, head over to Bath. You’ll have plenty to do! From fine dining to shopping to visiting the Maritime Museum to the Marina, one day probably won’t be enough!

There is plenty of outdoor experiences too. You can use the skatepark if that is something you’re into, there are beautiful beaches, historic walking tours, hiking, and biking trails, and the Kennebec River.

Day 6: Brunswick, Freeport, Portland

Once you’ve finished exploring Bath and Boothbay Harbor, head over to Brunswick to start off your next day. Brunswick has about 61 miles of coastline for you to enjoy some time at the beach or spend time along the Androscoggin River.

If the weather isn’t too great or you don’t feel like spending some time near the water, there is plenty of museums to visit. There are art museums, historical museums, and more.

From there, head to Freeport. Freeport is famous for its shopping outlets, restaurants, amazing fairs, and festivals, and great oceanfront campgrounds.

You’ll have plenty to do in this bustling coastal town.

Finish off your day in Portland to spend the night. Go explore the city at night or just go out for dinner. This is a packed day and you might need more than one day if you want to explore and take in the sights without feeling rushed.

Day 7: Portland, Scarborough

Portland and Scarborough are great cities to finish off your coastal Maine 7-day road trip. Portland is a mix of artists, foodies, beachcombers, and winter lovers.

It’s a great place for nightlife, shopping, and many great attractions nearby. The city has beautiful waterfront paths you can enjoy the view. If you’re looking for charming scenery, head to the Portland headlight.

Spend the rest of the day in Scarborough. Scarborough is known to be the best of both worlds. You’ll have all the best amenities and beautiful landscapes on top of that.

You’ll have beaches, cliffs, a historic harbor, family-friendly attractions, a great town center, and many types of accommodations.

Where to stay in Portland

• The Press Hotel, Marriott Autograph Collection
• Portland Harbor Hotel
• Cambria Hotel Portland Downtown-Old Port
• The Westin Portland Harborview
• Hampton Inn Portland Downtown – Waterfront
• Aloft Portland ME
• Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks
• Hyatt Place Portland-Old Port
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Portland

Where to eat in Portland

• Eventide Oyster Co.
• The Highroller Lobster Co.
• Solo Italiano

Got more than 7-days on your coastal Maine road trip?

If you’ve got more than 7 days to go on your Maine road trip, then you can add a couple more destinations to discover.

Spend some time exploring more stunning coastal towns, laying on the beach, and enjoying the sights around you.

Day 8: Cape Porpoise, Kennebunkport

If you’ve got more time on your hands, you need to head over to Cape Porpoise and Kennebunkport. Cape Porpoise is considered the quiet side of Kennebunkport. You’ll want to visit Cape Porpoise as it is a quiet town with beautiful scenery right next to Kennebunkport.

You can stroll historic streets and see the beautiful scenery the city has to offer. There are several galleries and delicious restaurants. Cape Porpoise doesn’t really have beaches to hang out but it is a great place to go kayaking or biking.

Next, head to Kennebunkport. Kennebunkport is known for its beaches, local seafood, and beautiful scenic lighthouses. You can spend the day at either Goose Rocks Beach or Arundel Beach.

Kennebunkport is a touristy destination so you’ll have to expect a bit more crowds. There’s plenty of arts and culture you can enjoy while spending some time there. There’s also shopping. You’ll find unique shops all over the place.

You can also spend some time in all the different museums and historic houses. You can visit the Wedding Cake House or the Trolley Museum.

Day 9: Ogunquit

On your next day, head over to Ogunquit. Spend your day at the beach. The water is cold in Maine. Keep that in mind when you go for a swim! Ogunquit has long beaches on sandy peninsulas with grassy dunes in some places.

Ogunquit is said to have the most beautiful beaches in all of Maine!

You can also hike Marginal Way. Marginal Way is a cliff walk where you’ll enjoy beautiful coastal views and a lighthouse.

In the summertime, you can enjoy musicals at the Summer theatre. Ogunquit has a vibrant art scene as well. You’ll find many attractions to do.

You might just need more than one day!

Day 10: York

York is known for being a summer resort town. It has great golf courses, beautiful sandy beaches, and Mount Agamenticus.

This coastal vacation town is one of the oldest towns in the United States!

York has plenty to do! Spend some time at Sohier Park, head to the Nubble lighthouse, and visit the Museum of Old York, splurge yourself at the Goldenrod candy store, or try some spirits at the Wiggly Bridge Distillery.

As you can see, there’s no shortage of activities to do in York. You’ll definitely find something to do to explore the beautiful area.

Day 11: Kittery Outlets

To finish off your Coastal Maine 7 (or more) day road trip itinerary, do a bit of shopping at the Kittery Outlets. The outlets are located closer to the New Hampshire and Maine border.

There are more than 75 outlet stores to choose from. If you need specific items at discounted prices, it’s a great place to find what you’re searching for.

You’ll find outlets such as Adidas, Champion, Calvin Klein, Columbia, Levi’s, Lululemon, Nike, and Under Harmour to only name a few.

I’ve shopped at these outlets before going to Scotland and I found more than what I was looking for!

Maine might not be on your radar but it is definitely a place you’ll want to road trip once in your lifetime. With all the beautiful coastal and fishing villages and historical landmarks, you’re going to find something for you.

There is plenty of outdoor activities you can enjoy as well.

I hope this coastal Maine 7-day road trip itinerary helps you plan your own Maine road trip!

If you’re looking for some more trip inspiration, keep on reading!

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How to find showers on the road

Hey, I'm Payte, a British-Columbia native, now living in the French part of Canada, Quebec City. I am a former flight attendant, mother of 2 kids, and an adventure seeker.  Even though I don't travel full-time, travelling is part of who I am and every chance I get, I spend it traveling! Giving you all the best advice is a great way to share my passion with you!

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A Beautiful Coastal Maine Road Trip: 12+ Best Stops

If you want a relaxing weekend with some amazingly beautiful ocean scenery, a road trip up coastal Maine is absolutely perfect. Not only will it be quieter and more peaceful than many of our other suggested cities. It’s largely rural and not touristy, the cost of food, lodging, and activities is much lower than in most cities. Be sure to stock up on Healthy Road Trip Snacks .

Starting in Stop 1: Portland, Maine

We’ll start our Road Trip in Portland, Maine. Mainly because there are really only two commercial airports in Maine; Portland [PWM] & Bangor [BGR]. One is located near the bottom of the state and one near the middle. Bangor is not near the top, despite what some people will tell you. I used to live in the top of Maine, it’s several hours north of Bangor.

There are of course some smaller commercial airports throughout; Presque Isle (Now that’s the top), Ellsworth, Owls Head, etc. But. generally, they have very limited flights, and most don’t have flights outside of the state.

If you head south towards Boston, here is a list of destinations worth visiting in our post about Boston Road Trips .

Obtain a car (likely rent one if you didn’t drive yourself there), but you will need a car. You won’t see a subway/metro at any point on this journey. Once you leave downtown Portland, you likely won’t see any real form of local public transportation. You really cannot get around Maine without a car. There are also so many great day trips from Portland that are only possible by car.

Want to try a unique tour of Portland? Try this tour on the back of a vintage fire truck .

Fill up with gas, maybe grab some snacks and let’s go! Jump on I-295 North and we’ll be on our way. Note that Portland sits between I-95 and I-295, so make sure you’re getting on the right one. There are actually places where they connect and you’ll see signs for both in Portland, including near the airport. But for our trip, we’ll need to be on I-295, so make sure you get on the right one.

If you’re interested in some of the towns near Portland heading south, check out York, Maine .

#2 Freeport, Maine

We’ll head north for 18 miles and take Exit 22 in Freeport . Freeport is the home to the L.L. Bean World Headquarters as well as all of its flagship stores. All of the L.L. Bean stores are open 24/7/365. In June 2020, due to the pandemic, for the first time ever, L.L. Bean installed locks on the doors of their flagship store. Prior to that, the last time they officially closed was back in 2015 so employees could attend the funeral of the company founder.

L.L. Bean has a campus of five stores in Freeport. You can buy everything from bed sheets to tents to a canoe or mountain bike. Of course, no trip to the L.L. Bean store is complete without a picture next to the huge bean boot outside of their flagship store.

While in Freeport, there are lots of amazing stores to see. A McDonalds was built inside a Victorian house. There is also a WhoopiePie Store, Mangy Moose Gifts, and lots of Outlet Stores. All are within walking distance, so plan on spending some time there. You can easily spend a day without seeing everything you wanted to see. But, we’ve got to get going. Back onto I-295.

#3 Yarmouth, Maine

Barely a couple of miles up from Freeport, keep an eye out on your right-hand side for “Eartha.” Eartha is the world’s largest rotating globe at the Garmin Headquarters (Previously DeLorme). You’ll see it just past Exit 17. (If you want a close-up view, feel free to take Exit 17, it’s just barely off the exit.) Otherwise, continue north on I-295, and take Exit 28. Wave goodbye to the Interstate because that’s the last you’ll see of it during this road trip. It’s all scenic back roads from here on out.

#4 Brunswick, Maine

Just a little way up Route 1 is historic Bowdoin College , which was chartered in 1794. At the time, Maine was still a part of Massachusetts. On campus is the Bowdoin College Museum of Art (which has free admission for all). They have a pretty impressive collection of art.

#5 Topsham & Bath, Maine

From here on out, we’ll be sticking to Route 1, which goes from the top of Maine to the bottom of Florida. In Maine, it snakes along the coastline. We’ll be sticking close to it for the rest of the trip for lots of great ocean views. It’s not an efficient way to get from the bottom of Maine to the top, but it’s definitely the most beautiful.

So, hopping on Route 1 North in Brunswick, we’ll head up through Topsham, and Bath (The City of Ships). On your right, as you approach the bridge from the elevated highway, you’ll see Bath Iron Works. Bath Iron Works (BIW) is the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world and the builder of the Zumwalt Series of Navy Vessels. Most of the time, you’ll see their current project docked out in the river.

Next up is Wiscasset, where you should prepare for a traffic jam. Downtown Wiscasset historically backs up traffic in both directions for miles. Sadly there is no real way around it as there is only one bridge across the water in the area.

PRO-TIP: Do not go to the roadside stand that is Red’s Eats. It’s absolutely a tourist trap. The lines are always very long, the food is overly expensive, and the product isn’t worth the price. It’s also a big contributor to the massive traffic backup.

#6 Waldoboro, Maine

Continue up Route 1, enjoying the small coastal towns along the way. A stop at Moody’s Diner just north of downtown Waldoboro for a late breakfast or lunch is highly recommended. Great food and even better prices. They are famous for their pies, so make sure you save some room for that. They also serve Ice Cream and for some reason, they also have a motel, cabins, and a gift shop. After getting some food, jump back on Route 1 North and we’re going to head up to Thomaston.

#7 Thomaston & Rockland, Maine

Once you hit Thomaston, I suggest checking out the Maine State Prison Showroom . It’s all products made by prisoners who are working on rebuilding their lives by learning a skill. There are some pretty incredible things in that store that shows off their skills. Next, we’ll come to Rockland, and let’s get a good look at that ocean view. Stop by the Harbor Park ( Address :  1 Pleasant St, Rockland, ME 04841) and take in the view.

Depending on when you stop by, there are commonly fairs and festivals going on at the park. Most notably the Maine Lobster Festival . If you really want to get up close to the water, take a walk down the Rockland Breakwater . The breakwater is a 4,364-foot rock bridge directly into the ocean with a lighthouse at the end. But, before that, take some time to really peruse downtown Rockland. Beautiful coastal town, and very walkable, so park the car and go look around.

PRO-TIP: The Rockland Breakwater is an incredible experience to really feel like you’re in the ocean and the views are amazing. But, plan your trip carefully. It is a reasonably narrow (about 43 feet wide) uneven rock ledge and at high tide, water does splash onto the rocks making them slippery. You’ll want to be careful heading out there.

#8 Camden, Maine

Continuing up Route 1, we’ll stop in Camden , another cute little walkable town along the water. Another place that you’ll want to stop and check out is the little shops and galleries. Continuing up the road, we’ll pass through a few more little towns and villages along the coast. Keep an eye out of your right-side windows for beautiful views of the ocean. Pass through the city of Belfast and across the bridge with views of the marina, and through Searsport . Bear right towards Ellsworth instead of turning onto Route 1A towards Bangor.

Happen to visit in the Winter? Camden Snow Bowl is on our list of the best Ski Resorts in New England

Keep an eye out for the scenic lookout that looks out over the Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory. This bridge is the tallest public bridge observatory in the world. At night it’s lit up in multi-colored floodlights. If you’ve got the time, going up to the top of the observatory will give you 360-degree views of the river and the bay, and central Maine. You can also tour historic Fort Knox which serves as the parking and entry for the observatory. It’s covered in the cost of the observatory ticket. After crossing over the bridge, drive just one mile on Verona Island before crossing back over another bridge into Ellsworth.

If you miss the turn towards Ellsworth, you’ll end up in Bangor, Maine. But, that’s not so bad a destination either.

#9 Ellsworth, Maine

Ellsworth is home to the Great Maine Lumberjack Show with regular shows that include “12 exciting events packed into an hour and 15-minute show.” It includes Axe throwing, Log Rolling, Underhand Chopping, Power Hot Sawing, Obstacle Pole Relay, Crosscut Sawing, Pole Climbing… And More!”

This is also a good city to stop in if you need any supplies as it’s one of the bigger cities along this trip. It includes some of the more common large department stores. If you’re looking for a classic Maine Restaurant, I would suggest Govenor’s Restaurant . Make sure you take a look at their always-changing dessert case. If you’re feeling very adventurous (or with a big group), take a look at the Federal Deficient.

#10 Mount Desert Island, Maine

If you happen to have lots of free time left on your road trip, just south of Ellsworth is Mount Desert Island. Otherwise, known as MDI, it’s home to Acadia National Park. Acadia includes lots of beaches and lighthouses. Definitely a beautiful area to check out if you have the time. Try this self-guided driving audio tour, or a narrated bus tour if you want to take a break from driving for a few hours.

Otherwise, let’s continue following Route 1 North up through the little towns of Gouldsboro , Milbridge , Cherryfield , and into Columbia. Columbia is home to the Wreaths Across America Program , and the hundreds of thousands of wreaths shipped to Washington DC are produced here in Washington County and start their journey from this location.

Where to stay near Acadia National Park

➡️ The Inn on Mount Desert ➡️ Atlantic Eyrie Lodge

#11 Machias, Maine

You have to stop at Wild Blueberry Land , if nothing else for some pictures. You won’t be able to miss it. If they are open, they also have a blueberry store and museum inside. As you can likely tell now, you can get a sense of what rural Maine really looks like out here. Continue up to Machias and be sure to stop at Helen’s Restaurant. Established in 1950, this place has flooded once, burned down once, and moved locations once, and still is one of the mainstays of Machias. They have award-winning pies , so at least stop for one of those if not dinner.

#12 Final Stop: Calais, Maine

Continue up Route 1 towards Calais , the last stop on our Coastal Maine Road Trip. While driving, keep an eye out for the beautiful ocean and island views on your right side. This is what rural Maine is all about. If you want proof of just how far north you are, stop by the 45th Parallel Marker , indicating halfway between the equator and the north pole. Once you pass that point, everything you see across the water from you on the right side is actually Canada. The last stop is Calais. The reason that this is the last stop on a Coastal Road Trip is that beyond this point, you’re either in Canada or heading back inland. Calais is the biggest city in Washington County with just over 3,000 people in total.

Coastal Maine Road Trip: In Conclusion

So, there we end. You started in the largest city in Maine (Portland, ME) and passed through some of the smallest villages in Maine with a total population of fewer than 500 people each. You saw a lot of our beautiful coastal towns, each with its own unique personality. Because of a previous job covering coastal Maine, I’ve made this drive dozens of times. I’ve never stopped being amazed by the beauty and the amazing people and places that I’ve seen on my journeys.

I would highly recommend blocking out at least a full weekend or more to make this drive. If you really want to experience Coastal Maine, you could spend weeks here.

15 Stops on a Boston to Bar Harbor Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary

Lobsters and lighthouses. Charming towns and rocky coasts. The best way to discover the beauty and uniqueness of Vacationland is with a Boston to Bar Harbor road trip along the Maine Coast. I’ve driven this way many times and each time I discover something new. After so many trips to Maine, I put together this one to two-week Maine coast road trip itinerary from Beantown all the way up to Acadia.

If you are traveling from Boston to Bar Harbor, you will want to take at least a week to explore the Maine coast. Of course, you can drive straight through in under five hours, but there is so much to see on the Maine coast.

This Maine coast road trip includes some of my favorite places to go in Maine in the summer , with stops in:

• The Maine beaches region
• Maine’s midcoast including Boothbay Harbor, Rockland, and Camden
• Acadia National Park

After spending a few days around Bar Harbor, you can then take a fast way back home or continue Downeast off the beaten path to the New Brunswick border.

Where to Stop on Coastal Maine Road Trip

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. All opinions are my own.

Day 1-2: Maine Beaches

The first region you will encounter on your Maine coast road trip will be the Maine Beaches. Of course, if you have even more time, you can always add in stops in Salem , Gloucester , Newburyport, or Portsmouth on your way up to Maine.

With a one-week itinerary, plan on spending at least two nights exploring this region. You can always break up two to three nights between two destinations to really get a sense of the differences between the various towns.

Your first stop in Maine is just across the border in Kittery. Kittery is known for its extensive shopping outlets, some of which you may not find in every outlet mall. But I don’t come to Maine to shop, at least not at brand-name outlets.

My first stop is usually at Bob’s Clam Hut , just north of the Kittery outlets on Route 1. While Bob’s is a popular tourist stop, they actually have some of the best lobster rolls and fried clams around. The lines are long for a reason. And yes, the lines are loonnngg. Don’t be surprised to find the parking lot full and the wait for food an hour long in high season.

On my recent trip, I decided to skip Bob’s and try something new so I went where the locals hang out and tried the quieter Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier. You can watch the lobster boats coming in while eating fresh seafood right on Chauncey Creek. But I’ll be honest with you, I still prefer Bob’s.

For a scenic stop, you can also check out Fort McClary, a historic fort in Kittery Point where you can walk along the battlements and get a view of two lighthouses in the distance. There are picnic grounds here for a scenic lunch.

Fort Foster is another great spot for spending a day outdoors, with excellent views of the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor and Whaleback Light, Portsmouth Harbor Light, and Fort Constitution. But you do need to a pay $20 per car parking fee.

Your next stop in the Maine Beaches, about 15 minutes up the coast, should be York Harbor and the York Beaches. Foodies will want to make a pitstop at the Stonewall Kitchen factory store on Route 1 in York. Here you will find all the delicious Stonewall Kitchen sauces, dressings, and other food products, as well as cooking classes and the culinary school, and a cafe.

York Harbor is a quaint oceanfront area with a few rocky beaches that are connected by the York Cliff Walk. If you are looking to stay overnight in this area, the York Harbor Inn is perfectly located right across from the town park and the entrance to the Cliff Walk . The Stage Neck Inn is another great choice.

The York Beaches, both Long Sands and Short Sands Beach are great for surfing, but the accommodations around the beaches are primarily seaside motels. This is also where you will find a majority of the gift shops, restaurants, and souvenir shops. Nearby you have family attractions like York’s Wild Kingdom, mini golf, and more. If you are looking for a quaint downtown and nice sand beaches, head a little further north to Ogunquit.

Cape Neddick

Before you get to Ogunquit, be sure to stop in Cape Neddick, just five minutes further, at the Nubble Lighthouse . Located on an island just off the coast, this is one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine. If you are hungry, you can get some fresh lobster at Fox’s Lobster House right next door (bring cash!) or Dunne’s Ice Cream down the street.

From here, follow Shore Road 15 minutes north into Ogunquit. If you are looking to stay in this area and are ready for a splurge, overnight at the luxurious Cliff House Maine .

Ogunquit is very popular with travelers and many of the hotels and motels are not located right on the beach. So if the beach is your priority and you want to stay overnight, be sure to check and see if your accommodations are truly beachfront. The town itself is quaint and upscale, but also touristy. You will find a mix of fine dining options along with your typical tourist clam shacks and seafood restaurants. Ogunquit makes a nice place for a day trip.

We like to stop into Perkins Cove , the small shopping and dining area on the harbor. I’ve eaten at Barnacle Billy’s in Perkins Cove and it was fine, but there are probably better options in the area. In Perkins Cove, you can take in the view of the incoming fishing boats from the Footbridge, or take a 1.25-mile stroll along Marginal Way, past stately inns and rocky beaches.

Kennebunkport

If you haven’t stopped yet, you will want to bed down for your first night in the popular town of Kennebunkport , just another 25 minutes further north. There are many options near downtown Dock Square, but I would recommend a stay at The Inn at English Meadows . This lovely mid-18000’s Greek Revival-style inn is located in Kennebunk’s Lower Village, just a half-mile walk to downtown Dock Square. Perfect for romantic getaways , this bed and breakfast has been tastefully renovated to offer historic charm with modern luxuries such as Frette fine linens, toiletries by Malin+Goetz, and comfortable Vera Wang beds.

There are some accommodations that can fit a family, but families may prefer a resort such as Nonantum Resort , just south of town and on the water, even if not on the beach.

In town, you can enjoy shopping and dining at the many restaurants such as Federal Jack’s, Allison’s, Mabel’s, or the famous Clam Shack. We also like to head out of town to Cape Porpoise Chowder House , which is popular with locals and tourists alike. Just be warned that parking is hard to find so you may need to walk a bit. I’d highly recommend a scenic drive around Cape Arundel, although it will cause some serious house envy!

If you are looking for beach time, Gooch’s Beach is wide and long and great for families, but street parking is limited so get there early. You can also try nearby Goose Rocks Beach or Colony Beach.

Old Orchard Beach

Thirty minutes north of Kennebunkport is another popular beach town. Families love Old Orchard Beach not only because it has a gorgeous, flat, wide beach, but kids also love the rides at Palace Playland and the arcade games at the pier. This section of the Maine beaches feels almost out of place given the rest of the Maine coast, almost as if someone plucked it off the Jersey shore and plopped it in Maine.

My daughter also loves going to Funtown Splashtown , an amusement park/water park, nearby. But if the boardwalk vibe isn’t your jam, you might want to skip over Old Orchard Beach and try Scarborough Beach State Park instead.

Day 3-4: Portland

I would recommend spending one to two nights in the Portland and Casco Bay region, 25 minutes north of Old Orchard Beach. On your way into town, be sure to stop at Portlandhead Light in Cape Elizabeth. It is a great place to scramble on the rocks, walk along the coast, and enjoy those lighthouse views.

We love staying in the Old Port area at the Press Hotel , AC Hotel Portland , Courtyard Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn, or Cambria Old Port. Downtown Portland is a foodie city, with many great restaurants to try. You can also take a tour on the Beer Bus or stop at one of the many breweries nearby. My favorite one to tour and visit is Allagash Brewing Company. For some great lobster with a view, go to Luke’s Lobster on the wharf.

You can hop on a ferry boat and explore some of the islands in Casco Bay, or sign up for a lobster boat tour, where you can learn all about lobstering and help pull up the traps. Best of all, you can eat what you catch! If you don’t want to stay in town, you can also enjoy a car-free couple of nights at the Inn at Diamond Cove on Great Diamond Island.

Read more: weekend in Portland Maine

Freeport (day trip from Portland)

From Portland, you can also take a day trip to Freeport, about 20 minutes north of Portland. Famous for being the headquarters of L.L. Bean , it has become a shopping mecca. In addition to the large company store and L.L. Bean outlet, many other designer outlets and outdoor outfitters have set up shop in town.

You can also stop in for a tasting at Maine Beer Company and sample some of their IPAs. If you are looking for a great lobster roll nearby, head down to the water at Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster Company .

Day 5-6: Maine’s Mid Coast

After your time in Portland, it is time to move on to Maine’s midcoast. This area has miles of coastline, hundreds of islands, and countless charming coves to explore. Picture an open hand pointed down with outstretched fingers and you can imagine the many peninsulas that jut out into Casco Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

It is good to base yourself in this region for at least two to three nights, broken up between two or more destinations. Although many vacationers might decide to spend a week on Orrs Island and be quite content.

Your mid-coast exploration can start off in the town of Brunswick, a 30-minute drive from Portland, with a walk across the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge . This pedestrian bridge connects Topsham and Brunswick, offering beautiful views of the Androscoggin River. After, take a stroll through downtown Brunswick, home to Bowdoin College.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and member of the Underground Railroad, lived and worked in town and her house is now a designated National Historic Landmark. If you need a good lobster roll in this area, head to Cameron’s Lobster House.

From Brunswick, head south on Route 123 to the tip of the peninsula for lunch at Erica’s Seafood . This little hidden gem offers seafood fresh off the boat that you can enjoy at picnic tables overlooking the harbor. From there, turn towards Route 24, which leads down through Sebascodegan Island to the town of Harpswell, Orr’s Island, and Bailey’s Island.

You will get to the end of the line when the road reaches the ocean at Land’s End gift shop. Backtrack a little to the Giant’s Stairs Trail . You can park at the All Saints by-the-Sea Episcopal Chapel and walk along the path that runs parallel to the rocks that make up the Giant’s Stairs. When I went, I was hoping for something more like Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. The rock formations aren’t that unique but it is still a cool view and fun place to explore.

If you have more time in the area, you can spend a day at Reid State Park or Popham Beach, or visit the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. You may also want to line up for a lobster roll at Red’s Eats in Wiscassett, just don’t make my mistake, be sure to get there before they close! Give yourself about an hour to get from Giant’s Stairs to Boothbay Harbor.

Boothbay Harbor

Boothbay Harbor was one of the first places I visited in Maine, over twenty years ago! I was happy to see that it has only gotten better since my last visit, although the good old Tugboat Inn is still there! This time I stayed at the lovely Harborage Inn , which was located right on the water and just a short walk into the center of town.

In town, there are so many cute shops, from Maine Sea Bags to Sherman’s Books, along with other gift shops, galleries, and boutiques. You will also have your choice of restaurants including Mine Oyster, Kaler’s Lobster, Boathouse Bistro, Ports of Italy, and Shannon’s Unshelled.

For lunch, I would recommend eating fresh seafood outside at Boothbay Lobster Wharf . It is across the bay from town but you can easily walk across the pedestrian bridge connecting the two sides of town.

A very popular thing to do in Boothbay Harbor is to take a whale-watching tour. However, since I’ve been whale watching many times, on this trip I opted for a puffin cruise with Cap’n Fish out to a wildlife preserve on Eastern Egg Rock instead. This 2.5-hour cruise passes by lighthouses on the way, with opportunities to see dolphins or even whales.

The boat is large so it can only get so close to the island, however, the puffins often raft up in the water along the shore so you are bound to see plenty of puffins. Just bring along some good binoculars or a super zoom lens because puffins are small and you won’t get to see their cute, colorful beaks without a little assistance.

Read more: things to do in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Damariscotta

From Boothbay Harbor, it is only 15 minutes over to Glidden Point Oyster Farm on the Damariscotta River. I was hoping to take a oysters and wine-tasting cruise with Damariscotta River Cruises , but unfortunately, they weren’t running on the day I was in town. So an oyster farm tour seemed like the next best thing!

Eighty percent of Maine’s oysters are farmed in the Damariscotta River! My tour at Glidden Point Oyster Farm explained why the river was the perfect spot for oysters and its history that goes back thousands of years to pre-Colonial times. After learning about the farming process, I stepped up to the window to order some oysters to taste on their outdoor patio. I even learned to shuck an oyster! And I was thrilled to learn that Glidden Point ships nationwide.

If you have more time to stay in the area or prefer a quieter town versus Boothbay Harbor, Damariscotta has a very cute but small downtown. Stop into the Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop and Sheepscot River Pottery. You can also visit the Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site.

You can stay at the Newcastle Inn and have dinner at King Eider’s Pub or Newcastle Publick House. Locals love Shuck Station Raw Bar and if you want to head a little out of town for some beer tasting, stop into Oxbow Brewing Company at their rural farmhouse brewery.

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

From Damariscotta, it is a 20-minute drive down to the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse , which can be a great spot for sunset. Of course, when I went it clouded up so I didn’t stick around that long, but that’s ok because I was able to get to my next stop in Rockland a little early.

From Bristol, it is an hour’s drive to Rockland. I took Route 32 through Bremen and it worked out perfectly when I came across a park with fields of beautiful purple and pink lupines stretching down to the water. If you have time, also stop at the Marshall Point Lighthouse (you may have seen this in Forest Gump.)

Rockland is the Art Capital of Maine, a bustling town with art museums, galleries, shops, and restaurants on a working waterfront. It is also a port for Maine Windjammer ships and even small-ship cruises, so it attracts its share of day trippers as well.

It is certainly a larger and more touristy town than many of the others along the Maine coast, but I loved it and returned recently to spend some time before my Maine Windjammer Cruise on the Schooner Heritage.

Make time to visit either the Farnsworth Art Museum , which celebrates Maine’s role in American art, or the Contemporary Arts Museum downtown. If it is open, you can also stop into the Project Puffin Visitor Center to learn about all things puffin. It is a fun town to explore, check out the many murals and public art, and shop at the many boutiques (my favorite was Barefoot in Denim !)

There are so many great spots to eat in town. I had an amazing dinner at Primo, a farm-to-table Italian restaurant just a short drive from downtown. I’d also recommend Rock City Coffee and Rock Harbor Brewing.

If you have time, just south of town follow signs for the breakwater. It is about a mile walk out along the breakwater to the lighthouse at the end, but it is a fun outing on a nice day. Another day trip option is to take a ferry to Vinalhaven, which is known for its beautiful scenery, rocky coast, and granite quarries.

The best place to stay in Rockland is 250 Main Hotel . This modern, art-forward hotel has a rooftop deck overlooking the waterfront and spacious rooms.

Read more: things to do in Rockland , Maine

A 15-minute drive from Rockland, Camden is another popular town on Maine’s midcoast. There are excellent views of the Camden harbor front from the Camden Public Library, and the lawn is a great spot to enjoy a picnic or relax and soak up the view.

Downtown there are many shops and restaurants, such as The Waterfront Restaurant, Peter Otts, and Fresh and Go. If you would rather stay in Camden instead of Rockland, the Lord Camden Inn is right in the center of everything, while the Camden Maine Stay Inn will be a bit quieter and laid back.

Outside of downtown, you can enjoy scenic views from the top of Mt. Battie in Camden Hills State Park. Also, try hiking along Maiden’s Cliff or the Megunticook Ocean Lookout Trail. Unfortunately, during my visit the fog rolled in and I could barely see to drive through that area, let alone take in a scenic view.

Before you get to Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, you may also want to stop at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory or visit Fort Knox State Park. That was my plan too but with the fog, it wasn’t worth it.

Day 7-8: Bar Harbor

Camden to Bar Harbor is about an hour and forty-minute drive, although you may want to stop in Ellsworth before arriving on Mount Desert Island, for a beer tasting at Fogtown Brewing Company. Instead of staying in the town of Bar Harbor, I chose to stay at Terramor Outdoor Resort about 15 minutes from Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.

If glamping isn’t your thing, you may want to opt for the luxurious Claremont Hotel in Southwest Harbor or the charming Salt Cottages overlooking Hulls Cove. Of course if you are going all the way to Bar Harbor, you will want to spend some time downtown and walking along the Shore Path along Frenchman’s Bay. From town you can also take a whale watching cruise. Bar Harbor is also a fun town for shopping and restaurants.

If you are visiting Acadia National Park in the summer, be prepared for crowds and make reservations if you want to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain for sunrise. (You could try this Acadia National Park sunrise hike instead!) To avoid crowds, also check out these things to do near Acadia .

A Maine coast road trip should be on everyone’s bucket list. It is hard to get tired of seeing fishing boats bobbing in a harbor, lighthouses standing tall over rocky coasts, and eating endless amounts of lobster and seafood. Hopefully, this itinerary makes it easier to plan your trip!

Read More Maine Articles

• Best places to go in Maine in the summer
• Things to do in Portland in the winter
• 7 Must-Try Outdoor Adventures in the Maine Highlands
• Maine Highlands Road Trip
• Maine Road Trip Itinerary

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Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.

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Publish Date: March 23, 2024

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The ULTIMATE Route 1 Maine Road Trip Itinerary | Attractions, Restaurants, & Travel Tips

United States Route 1 is a massive north-south roadway that stretches over 2,300 miles, connecting Fort Kent Maine to Key West Florida. Over 520 miles of the road runs along the stunning Atlantic coastline of Maine and the Canadian border, making it a popular destination for road-trippers.

However, planning a Route 1 Maine road trip can be overwhelming because of the vast distance and numerous small towns and attractions along the way.

That’s why we’ve created a comprehensive itinerary to guide you from south to north, starting in Kittery and ending in Fort Kent (with some detours). But, feel free to follow it in reverse if you prefer.

Either way, get ready for a breathtaking and picturesque drive along Vacationland’s stunning coastline, with plenty of incredible stops along the way.

About Traveling U.S. 1 in Maine

While there’s some discrepancy regarding the exact length of U.S. 1, the last official log reported it as 2,593 miles long. However, various sources online list it as either 2,370 or 2,390 miles long.

Regardless, it’s worth noting that this highway passes through an impressive 15 states, more than any other highway in the country.

Although U.S. 1 doesn’t have an official beginning or end point, the town of Fort Kent claims to be the northern terminus since the route was originally signed in 1927 when the American Association of State Highway Officials adopted the U.S. numbered highway system.

If you’re following our itinerary from south to north, expect a thrilling adventure filled with stunning scenery, charming towns, and unforgettable experiences. Here’s a quick look at the route:

• Starting from Kittery, U.S. 1 runs northeast and parallel to I-95.
• From Portland, it merges and runs parallel to I-295.
• After Brunswick, U.S. 1 turns in an easterly direction.
• As it approaches Rockland, U.S. 1 turns more northward.
• After Bucksport, U.S. 1 heads east again.
• From Whiting, it veers northward and gets closer to the Canadian border.
• At Maro Hill, U.S. 1 briefly curves away from the border before meeting it again.
• From Van Buren, it follows a northwest path along the border.
• Finally, from Madawaska, U.S. 1 runs westward and slightly southward to reach Fort Kent.

Route 1 Road Trip Traffic

Driving straight through the Maine portion of U.S. Route 1 would take approximately 11.5 hours, but that would mean missing out on the countless charming coastal towns and attractions along the way.

Additionally, most of those “ from away ” come to Vacationland during the summer and fall. Because of that, traffic on U.S. 1 can get pretty crowded. If you don’t want to get caught up in the peak of traffic, you could plan your trip for between Labor Day and mid-October. We also recommend traveling in winter or spring — before May.

Driving Through the Regions

Sometimes, the boundaries of Maine’s regions are a topic of debate among locals. According to the Maine Office of Tourism, though, here are the coastal boundaries of the towns you’ll be visiting during your Route 1 Maine road trip:

• The Southern Maine Coast begins in Kittery and stretches to Old Orchard Beach.
• Greater Portland & Casco Bay spans from Scarborough to Brunswick and includes the islands in Casco Bay .
• Mid Coast Maine covers the coastline from Bath to Winterport.
• Downeast Maine starts at Verona Island and Bucksport and runs northeast to Lubec and Eastport and then north to Danforth next to the Canadian border.
• Aroostook County extends along the Canadian border from Weston to Fort Kent and then northwest to the Village of Estcourt.

So, without further delay, here’s a comprehensive list of the best places to stop during your Route 1 Maine road trip. Buckle up and get ready for an epic journey!

Best Route 1 Stops on the Southern Maine Coast

As you cross the New Hampshire border and enter the Southern Maine Coast, the first town you’ll encounter is Kittery . This town has a rich history dating back to 1623 when it was a fishery, and you can see this history reflected in its buildings, especially the forts.

One such fort is the Fort McClary State Historic Site , which is nearly 300 years old and offers a range of activities, including hiking, fishing, camping, and enjoying the history and surrounding nature.

Another option is Fort Foster Park on Gerrish Island, which is easily accessible by car and boasts three small beaches and a trail system for biking and walking through the military fort remnants.

If shopping is more your style, then the famous Kittery Premium Outlets are a must-visit destination. Here, you’ll find a blend of locally sourced products alongside high-end and national chains, offering a unique shopping experience for everyone.

Kittery Restaurants

You’ll find numerous restaurants in Kittery to keep you fueled up, but here are a few that we recommend:

• Beach Pea Baking Co.
• The Black Birch
• Rose’s Spring Rolls

RELATED: The Best Kittery Maine Hotels and Lodging

York Maine is a charming and noncommercial town that offers a fantastic opportunity to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. Start your visit at Sohier Park in Cape Neddick, where you can stretch your legs and take in the stunning Nubble Lighthouse , one of the most photographed landmarks in the country. While here, enjoy a picnic lunch, go scuba diving, and spot a variety of wildlife.

For a dose of history, head to the Museums of Old York , a complex of several historic buildings that house a collection of York-related artistic and historical objects.

Afterward, satisfy your sweet tooth with a visit to The Goldenrod , where you can watch old-fashioned saltwater taffy being made before indulging in a variety of candies, ice cream sodas, and hot fudge sundaes.

If you have some extra time, take an easy 30-minute hike to the peak of Mount Agamenticus , which offers breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, Boston Massachusetts, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire from its 692-foot summit. Alternatively, hop on a horse or ATV to reach the top for a unique and exciting experience.

York Restaurants

Lots of restaurants in York will energize your road trip, but here are some top-rated options:

• The Central Restaurant & Bar
• Foster’s Clambakes & Catering
• Green Leaves Chinese-Japanese Restaurant & Lounge

RELATED: The Best Hotels and Lodging in York, York Harbor, and York Beach

As Maine’s third oldest town, Wells has a rich history. But, its natural beauty and antique shops are what make this town a vacation paradise. Wells Beach is a sandy stretch of land with seagrass, sand dunes, and more than 1.5 miles of shoreline.

At the end of Mile Road on the south side of Wells Beach, you’ll find free parking, a few restaurants, a snack bar, an arcade, and more. On the north side at the end of Atlantic Avenue, you’ll find paid parking, a boat launch into Wells Harbor, and the Wells Beach Jetty — a popular walkway among fishermen.

TIP: Other beaches to visit in Wells include Crescent Beach, Drakes Island Beach, and Moody Beach.

If you’re craving more nature than the beach, head to the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farms . This National Estuarine Research Reserve features 7 miles of walking trails, bird sanctuaries, and saltwater marshlands. Or, visit the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge — a preserve of about 50 miles of shoreline, beaches, meadows, and tidal marshes.

And before you leave Wells, peruse the variety of antique shops. With more than a dozen antique shops, the town is considered the Antique Capital of Maine and is a haven for antique furniture, books, and fun tchotchkes. A few of the most well-known stores include Anytime Antiques , R. Jorgensen Antiques , and Bo-Mar Hall Antiques & Collectibles .

Wells Restaurants

From fresh seafood to tasty ice cream, Wells restaurants have a little bit of everything. Here are a few places that we recommend during your Route 1 road trip:

• Fisherman’s Catch Restaurant
• The Steakhouse
• Big Daddy’s
• Congdon’s Doughnuts

RELATED: Best Wells Maine Hotels, Motels, Cottages and Resorts

Ogunquit Maine is a charming town that offers a wealth of enchanting experiences. Begin your adventure by hopping on an Ogunquit Trolley to tour the museums, beaches, shops, and local hot spots.

The trolley even stops at Marginal Way , a 1.25-mile cliff walk that runs along the shore from downtown Ogunquit to Perkins Cove. Along the way, you’ll come across benches, 3 miles of dunes, and numerous photo opportunities.

At Perkins Cove, you’ll enter a turn-of-the-century fishing village featuring a manual footbridge, seaside restaurants, boutique shops, fishing and sailing excursions, and stunning ocean views.

In the evening, catch an authentic, off-Broadway performance at the Ogunquit Playhouse . The general season runs from May through October and features top-notch local and regional performers showcasing their talents in a 1933 barn.

Ogunquit Restaurants

When it’s time for dining in Oqunquit , check out some of these restaurant favorites:

• Beachfire Bar and Grille
• Five-O Shore Road
• Lobster Shack
• That Place in Ogunquit

RELATED: Best Ogunquit Maine Hotels, Resorts, and Bed and Breakfasts

Old Orchard Beach

Old Orchard Beach is a must-visit destination on your Route 1 Maine road trip thanks to its 7 miles of pristine sandy beaches. Here, you can take a refreshing dip in the ocean, sunbathe, build sandcastles, and enjoy a range of water sports.

The beach is also home to The Pier , a lively spot that extends 500 feet into the Atlantic Ocean and features several seafood dives and gift shops. At night, The Pier comes alive with entertainment and nightlife, including DJs, karaoke, and comedy acts.

Across from The Pier, you’ll find Palace Playland , an amusement park that has been entertaining visitors since 1902. This unique attraction is the only amusement park of its kind on a New England beach and boasts over 25 rides and attractions, including an old-fashioned carousel, the famous Electra Wheel (a Ferris wheel), and the thrilling 70-foot Sea Viper coaster. It’s the perfect place to let your inner child run wild.

Old Orchard Beach Restaurants

No matter the time of day, the restaurants in Old Orchard Beach will have whatever your appetite craves:

• Elevate Cafe
• Hoss and Mary’s
• Johnny Shucks Maine Lobster
• Paloma’s Restaurant
• Red Door Market and Deli
• Tostones on the Beach

RELATED: Old Orchard Beach Hotels, Motels, Cottages, and Condos

Greater Portland Stops on Route 1

Portland , the largest city and biggest port in Maine, has a rich history that spans hundreds of years, and the city is proud to share it with visitors. Train enthusiasts, for example, can learn about the city and state’s railroad history at the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum and even go for a ride.

RELATED: EXCITING Railroad Museums & Train Rides in Maine

Built in 1807, The Portland Observatory on Munjoy Hill is the only wooden signal tower still standing in North America, having survived Portland’s Great Fire of 1866. From the top of the observatory, you get breathtaking views of the city and surrounding landmarks.

If you’re interested in cryptids and legendary creatures, stop by the International Cryptozoology Museum , which features fascinating exhibits about the Abominable Snowman, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and more. Discover historical accounts, artifacts, fossils, photos, and other intriguing items.

For those seeking some time in nature, the Portland Trails Network offers 80 miles of trails to explore, some of which run through the Old Port district and along Casco Bay. It’s a great way to experience the natural beauty of the area while getting some exercise.

Portland Restaurants

From lobster rolls to breweries , you’ll find tons of fresh, delicious food in Portland . Check out some of the popular spots during your visit:

• Izakaya Minato

RELATED: Portland Maine Hotels, Motels, and Lodging

Freeport Maine is a charming town located along Casco Bay and is known as a shopping paradise. One of its most famous shops is the L.L. Bean flagship store , which has been in operation since 1912 and remains open 24 hours a day.

But, Freeport offers more than just shopping. The town is also home to beautiful scenery, such as Wolfe’s Neck State Park , which is located close to downtown and offers salt marsh walks, forested trails, and adventures along the rocky coastline across more than 230 acres.

TIP: Wolfe’s Neck State Park is especially stunning during the peak fall foliage season .

For a unique nature experience, head to the Desert of Maine , which spans 20 acres of sand dunes. Self-guided and guided tours are available, teaching you about how the dunes formed during the Ice Age. After walking the nature trails, grab a snack at the Oasis Cafe and a souvenir at the gift shop. It’s a must-visit destination for nature lovers.

Freeport Restaurants

At the many restaurants in Freeport , find everything from savory entrees to indulgent desserts:

• Isabella’s Cafe & Bakery
• Mainely Custard
• Wicked Whoopies
• Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro

RELATED: Freeport Maine Hotels, Motels, and Lodging

Before embarking on your U.S. Route 1 road trip into Mid-Coast Maine, take some time to discover Brunswick . The Town Mall (not a conventional shopping mall) is a point of pride for the town and is split into the Lower Mall and Upper Mall . It has a walking path, monuments, gardens, picnic areas, farmers’ markets, and an event space.

Not far from downtown or Route 1, the Androscoggin Swinging Bridge is another must-see attraction. Built in 1892 and destroyed in a massive flood in 1936, the bridge was only renovated, restored, and reopened in 2006. Spanning 300 feet, the bridge has a slight give to it, adding to the excitement of crossing it.

While in Brunswick, check out Crystal Spring Farm , which hosts a Saturday Farmers’ Market and offers trails, the Tom Settlemire Community Garden, and the Labyrinth in the Woods. It’s a great place to connect with nature and enjoy some fresh local produce.

Brunswick Restaurants

Serving a range of international cuisines, Brunswick’s restaurants can satisfy every appetite:

• Fielders Choice Homemade Ice Cream
• Taverna Khione
• Bombay Mahal
• Richard’s Restaurant

RELATED: Bath and Brunswick Maine Hotels, Motels, and Lodging

Best U.S. 1 Destinations in Mid Coast Maine

Located on the Kennebec River, Bath Maine is a quaint town with locally owned eateries and shops. The city has a rich shipbuilding history and is known as the City of Ships.

Then, learn about Bath’s seafaring heritage and that of the state at the Maine Maritime Museum , which boasts over 20,000 artifacts, an 1851 American clipper ship on display, and a lobstering building and blacksmith shop.

Additionally, get an up-close look at Maine’s First Ship , a replica of the pinnace Virginia that was built in 1607 and was the first ship to sail to England. Volunteers at the Bath Freight Shed love to share its history.

Bath also offers tours of the town and its waters. Embark Maine Tours provides historic tours, while River Run Tours offers maritime history, evening/sunset, and island cruises. It’s a great way to explore the area and learn about its fascinating history.

Bath Restaurants

When you’re ready to stop for a bite to eat, we suggest eating at one of these Bath restaurants :

• Byrnes Irish Pub
• Southgate Family Restaurant
• Winnegance Restaurant & Bakery
• Witch Spring Hill Ice Cream

Five Islands Detour

If you have some extra time, it’s worth taking a detour south of Route 1 to visit Georgetown’s Five Islands. This charming neighborhood is widely considered to be the Prettiest Harbor in Maine , and for good reason.

One of the most popular activities is sailing Sheepscot Bay to see the five islands up close. It’s a great way to experience the natural beauty of the area while enjoying a relaxing boat ride.

And, no visit to Five Islands would be complete without grabbing a delicious lobster roll at the Five Islands Lobster Company . It’s a local favorite and a must-try for seafood lovers. Another awesome place to dine is BLUE Restaurant at Grey Havens Inn , which serves New England cuisine — think fresh-caught fish and the finest ingredients.

Damariscotta

Damariscotta Maine has been a beloved stop along U.S. Route 1 for decades, thanks to its charming atmosphere and fresh Pemaquid oysters. Discover the Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site , which features a massive pile of oyster shells shaped like a whale. Some of the shells date back to when the Abenaki people lived in the area.

For even more oyster-themed fun, book a themed ride with Damariscotta River Cruises , such as the Oyster & Wine Tasting or the Oyster Farms & Seal Watching cruises. Each tour includes a narration of the history of oysters and dining from a raw oyster bar. It’s a unique and delicious way to experience the area’s rich oyster culture.

TIP: If you’re planning a Route 1 Maine road trip in October, plan to attend the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta . This popular festival features giant pumpkins, pumpkin-themed activities, food stands, and street performers. It’s a fun and festive way to celebrate the fall season and experience the local culture.

Damariscotta Restaurants

If you don’t book a Damariscotta River Cruises tasting, you can still get local oysters at River House Maine . If you’re in the mood for something else, here are a few other places to stop:

• Ann’s Book Bistro
• Metcalf’s Submarine Sandwiches
• Waltz Soda Fountain

RELATED: Damariscotta, New Harbor, and Pemaquid Point Maine Hotels, Inns, Motels, Resorts, and Lodging

Monhegan Island Detour

For a fun detour from U.S. 1 and Damariscotta in Mid-Coast Maine, consider taking a boat ride to Monhegan Island . Head south to New Harbor to catch a ride with Hardy Boat Cruises , or follow Route 1 to Thomaston before heading south to Port Clyde for a ride with the Monhegan Boat Line .

Once on Monhegan Island, explore Main Street art galleries and shops, the iconic Monhegan Lighthouse, 12 miles of dirt trails , beaches, and Monhegan Harbor in a kayak. It’s a great way to experience the natural beauty of the area while enjoying some outdoor activities and local culture.

There are some delicious eats while you’re on the island too, such as Monhegan Brewing Company , The Barnacle , and The Fish House . And if you decide to stay overnight, there are a few lodging options on Monhegan Island to choose from.

Rockland, Rockport, & Camden

As you continue north on U.S. 1 in Maine, you’ll come across the City of Rockland , the Town of Rockport , and the Town of Camden , each offering a variety of activities to keep you entertained.

In Rockland, check out the Maine Lighthouse Museum , walk the Rockland Harbor Trail , and snap a photo of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse . And don’t miss the Maine Lobster Festival , a five-day event held every summer from late July to early August to celebrate the area’s most famous seafood.

RELATED: Annual Festivals & Events in Maine You Should Explore This Year

Next up is Rockport where you can visit Marine Park’s Andre the Seal statue and the Rockport Lime Kilns . Adjacent to the park is the small, sandy Goodie’s Beach . The town is also home to Aldemere Farm , a cattle farm featuring Belted Galloway cows with their signature Oreo appearance.

In Camden, trek 20 multi-use trails at Camden Hills State Park , some of which lead to the peaks of Mount Battie and Mount Megunticook. For those who want to get out on the water, several Camden Maine cruises and schooner boat tours are available. It’s a great way to experience the stunning coastline and natural beauty of the area.

Area Restaurants

Across these two towns and one city, you have a wide selection of dining options. In Rockland, consider eating at the Home Kitchen Cafe , Liberator Brewing Company , or Primo Restaurant , as well as grabbing dessert at Bixby Chocolates or Dorman’s Dairy Dream .

Among the Rockport restaurants , 18 Central Oyster Bar & Grill is a top-rated locale. And for dining in Camden , head to any of these: Franny’s Bistro , Owl & Turtle Bookshop Cafe , and River Ducks Ice Cream .

RELATED: Rockland Maine Hotels , Rockport Maine Hotels , & Camden Maine Hotels

Vinalhaven Detour

If you find yourself in the Rockland-Rockport-Camden area, consider taking a detour to the charming island town of Vinalhaven.

As the biggest offshore island in Maine, Vinalhaven offers plenty of activities to enjoy, including hiking, boat tours, swimming, and lighthouse photo ops. Plus, you’ll find a variety of shops and restaurants, such as Greet’s Eats , Pizza Pit , and Good Things Coffee House .

To get to Vinalhaven, take the Maine State Ferry Service from the terminal in Rockland. It’s a great way to experience the unique island culture and natural beauty of the area.

The next stop on this Route 1 Maine road trip is Belfast , a city that offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. Two connecting trails allow you to walk through the city along the Passagassawakeag River.

The nearly 1-mile Belfast Harbor Walk starts at Belfast Park , a popular gathering place for special events, picnics, and low-tide walks. The cement path leads northwest along the wharf, passes shops and restaurants, and goes through the Front Street Shipyard. It ends at the Armistice Bridge, a footbridge that crosses the river and offers beautiful views of the harbor.

From there, continue walking north along the approximately 2-mile Belfast Rail Trail . The crushed-stone path leads to City Point, providing excellent views of the river along the way. In the winter, it’s an ideal trail for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

For an indoor activity in Belfast, consider taking a class at the Belfast Curling Club . It’s a fun way to try out this Olympic sport and enjoy some friendly competition.

Belfast Restaurants

From comfort food to exotic dishes, the restaurants in Belfast have everything that you’re looking for:

• Laan Xang Cafe
• Satori Belfast
• The Only Doughnut
• Wild Cow Creamery

RELATED: Belfast and Searsport Maine Hotels, Inns, Cottages and Lodging

Stockton Springs & Prospect

After exploring Belfast, the next stops on your Route 1 Maine road trip are Stockton Springs and Prospect before crossing the Penobscot River to Verona Island.

Just before you cross, be sure to visit the Fort Knox State Historic Site , one of the best-preserved examples of a mid-19th-century military fortification. This impressive fort is the largest in Maine, measuring 146 feet by 252 feet, and was built between 1844 and 1869.

After your fort tour, don’t miss the chance to ride to the top of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory . This 2,100-foot cable-stayed bridge boasts a 42-story public observatory, the tallest of its kind in the world.

From the top, you’ll enjoy stunning 360-degree views of the fort below, Penobscot Bay , and beyond. It’s a unique and unforgettable experience that shouldn’t be missed.

There aren’t too many restaurants in the area, but The Club Marina and Bar and Just Barb’s are two places that have some great food.

Downeast Stops on a Route 1 Maine Road Trip

Stonington & Deer Isle Detour

As you continue westward on Route 1, we highly recommend taking a detour south of the highway to visit Deer Isle and Stonington. These charming island towns are the perfect first stops on your Downeast Maine road trip and offer plenty of activities to enjoy:

• Hiking at Island Heritage Trust preserves
• Visiting the Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society exhibits
• Hiking the Deer Isle Lighthouse Trail
• Kayaking with Osprey’s Echo Sea Kayaking or Sea Kayak Stonington
• Touring the exhibits at the Deer Isle Granite Museum
• Getting interactive at the Discovery Wharf at the Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries

And when you get hungry, 44 North Coffee , Aragosta at Goose Cove , Burnt Cove Boil , Stonington Seafood , and Stonington Ice Cream Company are all top-notch dining options.

Back on U.S. 1, you’ll reach Ellsworth Maine , a town that boasts some unique attractions. For example, The Telephone Museum is dedicated to showcasing the history of communication technology, offering the chance to see how telephones have evolved over time.

Another must-visit spot in Ellsworth is the Big Chicken Barn where you can peruse three floors of wares from over 50 vendors. With thousands of antiques, over 150,000 books, and more than 50,000 magazines sprawled across 21,600 square feet, there’s something for everyone to discover.

For those who want to get creative, Atlantic Art Glass is an open studio where you can create your own glass artwork. Even if you have no experience, a professional instructor will guide you through the process. It’s a fun and unique way to discover your artistic side.

Ellsworth Restaurants

No matter your diet or palate, these restaurants in Ellsworth will fill your belly:

• Flexit Cafe & Bakery
• Provender Kitchen & Bar
• Union River Lobster Pot

RELATED: Ellsworth Maine Bed & Breakfasts, Inns, and Hotels

Mount Desert Island Detour

Before continuing your journey on Route 1, take a detour south to Mount Desert Island for a plethora of outdoor adventures.

On the island’s west side, you get to enjoy spectacular views of the Bass Harbor Head Light Station at the entrance of Bass Harbor in the Town of Tremont. Additionally, the Seal Cove Auto Museum boasts a collection of cars made between 1895 and 1917 and is located near the Seal Cove Picnic Area.

In the middle of Mount Desert Island, learn about the island’s rich history at the Mount Desert Island Historical Society Museum . In Acadia National Park , drive the scenic Park Loop Road , hike Cadillac Mountain , listen to the waves at Thunder Hole , and take in stunning views at Otter Point Overlook.

On the east side of the island in Bar Harbor , tour the Abbe Museum to learn about the natives who once lived in the area and the Dorr Museum of Natural History to learn about Acadia’s founder.

Island Restaurants

With so many outdoor adventures and cultural experiences, Mount Desert Island is a must-visit destination on your Maine road trip. There are even several places to eat on the island — like Rose Eden Lobster , The Travelin’ Lobster , and Stadium Bar Harbor in Bar Harbor and the Harbor Table , Next Level Sports Lounge , and Salt Shop in Southwest Harbor .

RELATED: Bar Harbor Maine Hotels & Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor Hotels

Located about a one-hour drive east, Machias is a true hidden gem and one of the most charming towns in Downeast Maine. Thanks to its location, it offers a wide variety of activities and attractions to enjoy.

One of the top activities in Machias is kayaking the nearly 6-mile Orange River Water Trail where you can spot a range of wildlife, including beavers, birds, deer, and trout. The calm waters provide a serene and peaceful environment to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.

For those who love shopping, The French Cellar is a must-visit for fresh cheese, craft beer, and hundreds of wines. Additionally, the Crows Nest Shops offer a shopping center with baked goods, local arts and crafts, and unique gifts and souvenirs.

TIP: If you happen to visit Machias in August, attend the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival , a community celebration of Maine’s wild blueberries. This festival offers a chance to enjoy blueberry-themed food and entertainment , as well as browse the wares of over 200 craft merchants and artisans. It’s a fun and unique way to experience the local culture and celebrate one of Maine’s most famous crops.

Machias Restaurants

Since Machias is such a small town, there aren’t too many restaurants to choose from, but Pat’s Pizza offers dine-in seating and Riverside Take-Out offers amazing roadside seafood for picnics.

Lubec & Eastport Detour

Although Route 1 doesn’t quite reach the easternmost point of Maine, you can take a detour to Lubec and Eastport to experience this unique area. While Lubec is the easternmost town in the state , Eastport is the easternmost city .

Both Lubec and Eastport offer fantastic opportunities for whale-watching tours. Additionally, explore several hiking trails in Lubec, including Quoddy Head State Park , Huckins Beach & Trail , Klondike Mountain , and Boot Head Trail .

In Eastport, follow a historic walking tour and traverse Shackford Head State Park . One of the highlights of the area is witnessing the Western Hemisphere’s biggest tidal whirlpool, the Old Sow Whirlpool .

RELATED: Best Maine State Parks (Our Favorite State Parks in Maine)

With so much natural beauty and unique attractions, Lubec and Eastport are must-visit destinations on your Maine road trip. And, here are a few dining options during your visit — Lubec Brewing Company and Tavern Restaurant at the Water Street Inn & B&B in Lubec and The Phoenix on Water Street in Eastport.

Calais (“CAL-iss”), the first railroad town in Maine, is a city located next to the Canadian border and is full of history and culture.

Discover the Saint Croix Island International Historic Site , which commemorates the area where the first French colonists attempted to settle in 1604. Here, you can witness the extraordinary tides and observe the area’s birds, frogs, and seals.

The St. Croix Historical Society celebrates the history of the city and the St. Croix Valley, maintaining the Whitlock’s Mill Lighthouse and the Dr. Job Holmes Cottage & Museum.

For those who love walking, the Calais Waterfront Walkway is a 1.5-mile path along the St. Croix River, offering outstanding vistas of Canada on the opposite shore. It’s a great way to enjoy the area’s natural beauty and learn more about its rich history.

Calais Restaurants

When it’s time for a snack or a meal, Calais has several restaurants to whet your appetite. Here are a few recommendations:

• Jo’s Diner & Pizzeria
• Karen’s Diner and Korner Pub
• Riverview Restaurant & Lounge
• Sandwich Man

Best Route 1 Stops Throughout Aroostook County

Houlton Maine , located farther north, marks the intersection of U.S. 1 with the northernmost end of I-95 and serves as the first stop in Aroostook County on this road trip itinerary. The Meduxnekeag River flows through the heart of the town, offering a picturesque scene at Houlton Riverfront Park, where the Gateway Crossing Bridge crosses the river.

Market Square serves as the downtown hub, spanning more than just one street. Explore monuments, go shopping, and dine until your heart’s content in this historic district. For a unique experience, catch a film at Temple Theater , which has been open since 1919.

To immerse yourself in nature, the Southern Bangor & Aroostook Trail offers a 40-mile hiking trail that connects Houlton to Presque Isle (the next stop on the itinerary). The trail is also open for biking, ATV riding, and snowmobiling, making it a versatile option for outdoor enthusiasts.

Houlton Restaurants

Check out these dining spots as you’re passing through Houlton:

• ShireWood SmokeHouse Southern BBQ
• Houlton Dairy Bar
• The Vault Restaurant

Presque Isle & Caribou

Presque Isle and Caribou Maine are the two largest cities in Aroostook County, offering a variety of historic attractions and recreational activities.

In Presque Isle, witness the beginning of the Maine Solar System , an incredible 3D scale model that spans nearly 100 miles along Route 1. It’s the second-largest model of its kind in the world. You’ll find the sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and the dwarf planet Ceres in Presque Isle.

The Presque Isle Air Museum commemorates the personnel who served at the Presque Isle Army Airfield and Air Force Base with a collection of artifacts, photographs, uniforms, and other memorabilia. Also, wander the nearly 800 acres of land with well-maintained trails for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing at Aroostook State Park .

In Caribou, learn about the legends of the city at the Caribou Historical Center & Whittier Museum , featuring the former potato farmer who eventually went to California and developed Beverly Hills. For outdoor enthusiasts, the Caribou Country Club Trails and the ski paths at the Caribou High School Ski Center offer fantastic opportunities to see the area’s natural beauty.

While you’re visiting Presque Isle, some good dining options include Ferris BBQ , Riverside Inn Restaurant , and Teresa’s Corner Cafe & Bakery . Meanwhile, The Par & Grill , Rendezvous Restaurant , and Ruska Coffee are ideal dining options in Caribou.

Continuing north on U.S. Route 1, the next stop on this Maine road trip is Van Buren, located on the Canadian border.

The main attraction in Van Buren is the Acadian Village , a collection of 17 relocated and recreated buildings on the St. John River that preserves the lives of Acadians who were banished from Canada and sought refuge here in the early 19th century.

While in Van Buren, enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback riding or ATV riding on the Bangor & Aroostook Trail .

This remote, 61-mile path connects Van Buren to Stockholm, Caribou, Washburn, and Mapleton, taking you through deep woods and fields and along several streams. It’s a great way to experience the natural beauty of the area and get some exercise at the same time.

Van Buren Restaurants

There aren’t too many options for dining in Van Buren, but you can’t go wrong at either Big Daddy’s Pizza or Tasty Food . They both have delicious menus.

Madawaska Maine, the northernmost town on U.S. 1, is a Canadian border town with Acadian roots where you can experience the town’s unique culture and history.

At the Acadian Landing & Tante Blanche Museum , see the large cross erected where the first Acadians settled on the St. John River. The museum features historic artifacts and buildings, providing a glimpse into the area’s rich history.

For entertainment, catch a film at the Skylite Drive-In , which celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2023. The drive-in offers amazing views while waiting for the sunset and the film to start, and the snack bar has all the movie treats you need, including popcorn, fried dough with powdered sugar, and fried clams.

Motorcycle enthusiasts will love Madawaska Four Corners Park , a long-distance motorcycle park that has been operating since 2008 and is one of four in the country. Complete the Titanium Butt Challenge by riding all of the Maine Four Corners Experience Tours. It’s a unique and exciting way to discover the area’s natural beauty and history.

TIP: To fully experience Acadian culture, plan your visit for August to attend the Madawaska Acadian Festival . This festival is a celebration of the area’s unique culture and offers the chance to enjoy delicious food, lively music, and traditional dancing. It’s an excellent opportunity to immerse oneself in the local culture and experience the vibrant spirit of the community.

Madawaska Restaurants

From Acadian dishes to classic American cuisine, check out these restaurants in Madawaska during your road trip visit:

• Jeff’s Pizza & Subs
• Madawaska Tastee Freez

Fort Kent marks the end of this Route 1 Maine road trip itinerary, so make sure to walk America’s first mile at the historical marker for the beginning of U.S. Route 1, which has been standing since 1926. Close to the river is a civic monument dedicated to the spot, adding to the area’s rich history.

Also, trek the 4 miles of the Fort Kent Riverside Trail System , which runs along the St. John River and includes playgrounds, parks, murals, and more.

To learn about the Bloodless War, head to the Fort Kent Blockhouse during the summer. Although the fort was never actually used for battle, it’s a fascinating piece of history. The Fort Kent Historical Society maintains several buildings, including an original Acadian log house from the 1830s, providing a glimpse into the area’s rich history.

During winter, enjoy Alpine skiing, snowshoeing, and snowboarding at Lonesome Pine Trails . Alternatively, plan your visit for the annual Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races to witness the beginning of the 250-mile race through Northern Maine from Fort Kent’s Main Street.

Fort Kent Restaurants

Make your last stop on this U.S. 1 road trip memorable by stopping at some of the best restaurants in Fort Kent:

• Rock’s Family Diner
• Sami’s Cuisine & Cocktails

Plan Your Itinerary Along a Route 1 Maine Road Trip

A Route 1 Maine road trip is a unique and exciting way to experience the natural beauty, rich history, and unique culture of Maine. From the southernmost town of Kittery to the northernmost town of Fort Kent, you get to explore charming towns, historic landmarks, and breathtaking scenery.

Along the way, enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing, as well as cultural events like the Madawaska Acadian Festival. Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover, or foodie, a Route 1 Maine road trip has something for everyone.

So, pack your bags, hit the road, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure through one of America’s most beautiful regions!

Tiffany Betts is a staff writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and playing board and video games — often combining the two.

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Travel+Discover Maine – The unofficial guide to exploring the great state of Maine. Not affiliated with any official tourism entities.

Copyright Travel+Discover Maine 2024 Images Courtesy Greg and Heather Burke unless otherwise noted.

Ultimate Maine Road Trip Itinerary

With stunning scenery, miles of beautiful coast and impressive wildlife, Maine is the perfect place to head if you want to connect with the natural world. Whether you're in search of peace and quiet or looking to hop between the state's quaint towns and coastline, a road trip around Maine certainly won't disappoint.

It takes 5 days to drive the ultimate 860-mile road trip loop around Maine, visiting beautiful Portland, Augusta, Belfast and Bar Harbor, Greenville as well as Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, Mt Katahdin and the stunning, rugged Maine Coastline.

Located on the northeast corner of the United States, visit Maine to enjoy its stunning views, winter sports and wonderful historic towns, many of which are perched on the North Atlantic coast. Keep on reading to find out how to make the most out of a 5-day road trip around the state.

The ultimate road trip itinerary in Maine

What is the ultimate maine road trip itinerary.

Famous for its lush green forests and rugged coastline, New England's largest state is actually one of the smaller states compared with other parts of the USA. That means it's the perfect place to enjoy a scenic road trip, without having to spend too much of your trip on the road.

It's possible to comfortably travel an 860-mile road trip around Maine in 5 days, with stops in Augusta, Bar Harbor, Greenville, Carrabassett Valley and Portland.

You'll spend an average of 4 hours per day on the road, though be prepared for a longer stretch on day 3 as you travel from Bar Harbor up towards Greenville.

If you have a little more time for exploring, you could easily add on extra nights at Bar Harbor (to visit Acadia National Park), Moosehead Lake or the Kennebec Valley, or alternatively spend an extra night in York as you travel back towards Portland.

Day 1: Driving from York to Augusta

Starting out in York, the first day of your Maine road trip follows the coast as far as Bath, from where you can visit Popham Beach and Reid State Park, before heading inland towards Augusta.

You should expect a manageable 3 hours 50 minutes of driving on day 1, as some of the 170 miles you'll cover takes you off the interstate and out along the stunning coastal roads.

Road trip route from York to Augusta

From your starting point in York, pick up US-1 to visit Bald Head and Ogunquit before switching onto I-95 to pick up the pace as you head northeast.

If you have a little extra time, you could also consider sticking with the highway a little then turning onto ME-9 which winds through Kennebunkport and Cape Porpoise before joining up with the interstate a little further on near Biddeford.

From the interstate, follow the road into Portland then make your way out of town on I-295 to continue your journey. You'll be skirting Casco Bay, which is full of islands and scenic views so make sure to stop and snap a picture or two.

Approaching Brunswick the highway and the interstate separate. Take Route 1 towards Bath then turn off south through Phippsburg to reach Popham Beach. Returning to Bath you can cross the wide Kennebec River and take Arrowsic Road all the way down to Reid State Park.

Retracing your route back up to Woolwich, stick on US-1 then turn onto ME-127 as far as Dresden. From here, Route 27 runs close to the banks of the Kennebec River before merging onto ME-9 and following it all the way to Augusta.

Things to explore on the way to Augusta

You cannot visit Southern Maine and not visit one of its gorgeous beaches. Old Orchard Beach is a great starting point, located between Ogunquit and Portland.

Located on a beautiful stretch of the Atlantic Ocean, you will find a gorgeous pier, plenty of entertainment, souvenir shops, restaurants and even a carousel here.

And of course, make sure to enjoy a delicious lobster roll on the beach before you set off on the next leg of your ultimate Maine adventure!

Sticking to the coast, you'll arrive at Reid State Park, which is known for its sandy beaches, ledges to climb (if you are feeling adventurous!) and hiking trails. There is even a lagoon, perfect if you are traveling with family, meaning that this park has both saltwater and freshwater beaches.

Where to stay in Augusta: enjoy a cozy retreat

Known as a historic hub that played an important role in Maine's history, Augusta is arguably most famous for Fort Western, a National Historic Landmark. This former British colonial outpost is the oldest wooden fort in United States.

The architecture of the gorgeous Maple Hill Farm Inn is a perfect example of Maine's historic facades. You will have access to the sauna on the property to let off some steam (pun intended) and an outdoor hot rub. There is a fantastic bar on site and the hotel serves made-to-order breakfast so that you can start your day right.

For the ultimate romantic Maine experience, you will find a fireplace in select rooms. This property is located near Maine State House and Maine State Museum.

Click here to skip back to the top.

Day 2: Driving from Augusta to Bar Harbor

You'll have a shorter but no less scenic drive on day 2, as you travel 130 miles on quiet roads through Maine's leafy interior before following Penobscot Bay.

Along your 3-hour drive you'll pass Rockland, Belfast and Ellsworth, with the stunning Acadia National Park a real highlight of the day.

Road trip route from Augusta to Bar Harbor

Follow the Memorial Bridge across the Kennebec River then leave Augusta on S Belfast Avenue. You'll get picture postcard views as you cross Togus Pond, then continue on past Windsor and Somerville.

At the crossroads turn left towards Rockland, where you'll meet the ocean once again and start to follow Route 1 - the Atlantic Highway - north along Penobscot Bay. Look out for beautiful glimpses of the water through the trees.

Stick on US-1 through Belfast and across the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, following it as far as Ellsworth where you join ME-3 to head south on to Mt Desert Island, where most of Acadia National Park is located. The same road will take you all the way to Bar Harbor to complete your drive for the day.

Things to explore on the way to Bar Harbor

Rockland is a stunning Maine town that boasts gorgeous coastal scenery and a majestic rocky shoreline. Make sure to check out the boat tours on the famous Windjammer while in Rockland for a unique experience!

With many historic homes and shops in Rockland too, you can visit The Farnsworth Art Museum and Wyeth Center to learn more about and admire Maine art, including works by the famous Wyeth family.

You can also make a stop here and enjoy a meal at the many restaurants. In fact, Rockland is the capital of the lobster industry in Maine, so it isn't surprising that it was named one of the “Top 9 Small Foodie Towns” in Maine.

You can't visit Maine without spending some time in Acadia National Park. It's an absolutely stunning national park, where you can fish and ski (depending on the time of year) as well as hike gorgeous trails.

Inside the national park, climb Cadillac Mountain to see the sun rise before anyone else in the country. Thunder Hole is also an impressive place to visit, as the breaking waves create their own natural spectacle.

Where to stay in Bar Harbor: watch the sunrise in style

Seeing as Acadia National Park is one of the must-see stops along this route, we'd definitely recommend spending a night or two in nearby Bar Harbor so that you have plenty of time to enjoy the national park, and to relax over a delicious meal after a busy day exploring.

There's also plenty to do in Bar Harbor itself. Pause a while to enjoy the unforgettable ocean views and if you're lucky you might even see whales out in the bay.

For a really characterful stay, book into the beautifully designed Queen Anne's Revenge , where you'll receive a warm welcome.

The hotel also has a beautiful garden to relax in as well as a terrace. There is a daily breakfast with buffet and continental options. The property is a short distance from Agamont Park and The Abbe Museum and West Street Historic District.

Day 3: Driving from Bar Harbor to Greenville

The 220-mile route you'll follow on day 3 takes you inland to visit the stunning Baxter State Park before ending the day at beautiful Moose Head Lake.

It's the longest day of driving on your ultimate Maine road trip, coming in at around 5 hours 50 minutes on the road, so make sure to stop for snacks and fuel before setting out.

Road trip route from Bar Harbor to Greenville

Leaving Bar Harbor, work your way back along ME-3 towards Ellsworth on the mainland, where you'll join US-1A heading north across more of the beautiful Maine countryside. Watch out for lakes and rivers tucked away behind the trees.

From Bangor you'll pick up the interstate, which runs parallel to the Penobscot River for a while. After crossing the river at Medway, follow Main St through Millinocket then turn right onto Huber Road once you've crossed the scenic Dolby Pond.

From here you can make a detour to Roberts Road to reach the scenic Katahdin Loop Road and Scenic Overlook. Explore the area's stunning trails if you have time, especially around Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument.

When you're ready to continue, head back south towards Huber Road and follow it west until you meet up with Millinocket Road. After passing Millinocket Lake, you can choose to drive on the Golden Road, which will take you around the southern side of Mount Katahdin - Maine's highest mountain - following the river towards Ripogenus Lake and then Caribou Lake.

The road isn't fully paved along this part of the drive, so consider the impact that weather conditions will have on the road unless you're traveling in a 4WD vehicle.

Otherwise follow ME-11 past Schodic Lake and switch to ME-6 in Milo, which will take you directly to Greenville.

Things to explore on the way to Greenville

Did you know that Bangor, one of the larger towns you'll pass on day 3, is home to a few celebrities? You could run into Stephen King as you are strolling down Bangor's streets as he owns a house (more like a Victorian mansion!) in the city.

You can also take a Stephen King tour around the city, which will take you to the famous Paul Bunyan statue, featured in the author's beloved scary novel “It”, among other interesting sites.

There is so much to do and explore in this small city, starting with the Cole Land Transportation Museum, which has an extensive collection of cars and trains on display.

Further north you'll reach Baxter State Park. This Maine wilderness haven was created by Percival P. Baxter, who described it as his “magnificent obsession”.

You can take gorgeously scenic hikes, camp in one of the many campsites, spot some adorable wildlife or simply have a relaxing picnic here.

We highly recommend visiting during fall to admire the foliage in the park change into golden and auburn colors.

Where to stay in Greenville: explore the Maine Highlands

Moosehead Lake, where you'll end the third day of your Maine road trip, is the ideal place to spend a couple of nights if you're wanting to head out into the Maine Highlands or even just explore the incredibly scenic area around the lake itself.

An absolutely fabulous place to stay if you're looking for a bit of luxury in your scenic getaway is the Lodge at Moosehead Lake . There isn't much here that can't be described as stunning, from the lake views to the hotel's service, restaurant and gorgeous design.

Another great option which is also more budget-friendly is Leisure Life, Greenville , which also offers superb views and a great location. You can park up here for free and relax at the hotel bar - you'll most likely have earned some downtime after the day's driving and hiking.

Day 4: Driving from Greenville to Carrabassett Valley

After the long and adventurous driving on day 3 you'll probably welcome the much shorter stretch that lies ahead on day 4. It's just 90 miles from Greenville to Carrabassett Valley, which will only take a couple of hours to drive, leaving you plenty of time to stop and explore along the way.

Road trip route from Greenville to Carrabassett Valley

Turning away from the lake, follow ME-6 south past Monson on the way to Abbot. There are rafting companies based along this road if you fancy making an active stop just outside Greenville.

At Abbot turn right onto West Road which leads you to Kingsbury Plantation and Lake. A little further along the road you'll reach Bingham, which sits on the shore of Wyman Lake.

From here, River Road follows the Kennebec River south - with another opportunity for rafting - until you reach Solon. Here, cross the river and take Cross Town Road to join up with ME-16 to Kingfield.

The Carrabassett Valley runs north from Kingfield, offering river views and trailheads.

Things to explore on the way to Carrabassett Valley

Located in Western Maine, Bigelow Preserve and Flagstaff Lake make a stark contrast to the state's coastal towns. You will find alpine landscapes and the pretty Flagstaff Lake views here.

Plus, if you're traveling with your kayak or canoe, Flagstaff Lake is the perfect place to put them to use.

Both are just a short drive further on from Carrabassett Valley, and once you're there you can enjoy hiking trails for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts, including an easy one that is perfect for the whole family.

Of course, this ultimate Maine road trip itinerary isn't only for sun worshippers, beach lovers or foodies. If you are a fan of winter sports, you will find world-class facilities at the Sugarloaf Ski Resort, which is also just a short distance out of Carrabassett Valley. You will get to admire stunning views as you ski or snowboard.

Sugarloaf Mountain is also one of the most popular rock climbing spots in the country with around 270 different routes to explore.

Where to stay in Carrabassett Valley: hit the slopes and trails

As we've mentioned, Carrabassett Valley is known for being home to the majestic Sugarloaf Mountain Ski Resort, which is the largest skiing area in Maine.

There is plenty to do in Carrabassett in other seasons as well, such as hiking, biking, boating, fishing and golfing. You can also take foliage walks, something this area is so famous for.

With direct access to skiing areas and an 18-hole golf course, Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel has something for every traveler. In warmer seasons, you can enjoy hiking and cycling in the area.

After your adventures outdoors, you will be happy to learn that there is also a fabulous outdoor hot tub to soak and relax in at the property. You'll find restaurant options a short drive from the hotel too.

If you aren't traveling with your skiing equipment, you can hire them from the property. There's also ski storage if you have brought your own.

Day 5: Driving from Carrabassett Valley to Portland and York

You'll complete your road trip with another 4-hour drive, taking you the 170-miles from Carrabassett Valley to Portland and York.

Traveling through more of Maine's beautiful green landscapes and passing rivers and lakes before you meet the coast again at Portland, it's the perfect way to end your ultimate Maine adventure.

Road trip route from Carrabassett Valley to Portland and York

The final day of your trip starts out on some of Maine's small, scenic roads, first traveling along ME-27 to Eustis then down ME-16 to Rangeley. Once you've made your way around Rangeley Lake, ME-17 takes you through picturesque forests, rivers and hills to Byron and Roxbury until you reach Chisholm Park.

Here, join US-2 which follows the Androscoggin River through Hanover and Newry. Then, once you reach Bethel, take ME-35 past Waterford and Harrison then along Long Lake as far as Naples.

Crossing the Naples Causeway you'll join Sebago Road, which offers picturesque views and lakeside attractions once it hits the shore of the popular Sebago Lake.

From Standish, simply follow ME-114 all the way to Portland, then pick up the interstate for the final few miles of your trip, heading back south to York.

Things to explore on the way to Portland and York

Located in close vicinity of the scenic Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic Lakes, Rangeley is a charming town with a laidback character. You will find fantastic golf courses here, as well as the scenic Rangeley Lake State Park.

Wilhelm Reich Museum and Height of Land (a popular scenic overlook) are both a short distance from the town too.

Keeping with the scenic lakes theme of this leg of the itinerary, Sebago Lake is a fantastic place to take a break en route.

This beautiful, clear lake is the second largest in Maine after Moosehead Lake, and is especially popular in summer. You will be able to enjoy watersports, golfing and fishing, sunny beaches and even a float-plane excursion here!

Where to stay in Portland: take a trip back in time

Portland is a beautifully scenic town, full of cobblestone streets and historic houses. You can also indulge your creative side, as the city has a buzzing arts scene.

After the lovely drive from Carrabassett Valley, you'll have plenty of time to end the afternoon sitting back to relax beside Portland's waterfront.

You can also stay nearby at Portland Harbor Hotel , which is in walking distance of the waterfront as well as Wadsworth Longfellow House, Victoria Mansion and Portland Downtown Historic District on foot.

Its central location and beautiful design, which channels a contemporary coastal vibe, means that you have a fantastic choice of restaurants, bars and cafes nearby. Or, if you don't feel like venturing out there's also a restaurant on-site.

Things to see on the ultimate road trip in Maine

By now you'll probably already have several stops in mind for when you make your fabulous Maine road trip, but there's even more to discover if you have the time.

• York - With views across stunning sandy beaches, the Yorks are the perfect place to come for some good old-fashioned seaside entertainment. Head to the Fun-O-Rama arcade and enjoy live music and saltwater taffy as you explore York Beach.
• Ogunquit - The stunning waterside gardens around Ogunquit Museum of American Art make this a must-see stop if you're visiting the town. There's also a lovely stretch of coastline here - said to be one of the country's best beaches.
• Broad Cove Reserve - Trails here take you to more amazing ocean views, starting from a sandy beach.
• Popham Beach State Park - At the mouth of the Kennebec River you'll find this swimming and surfing spot. You can also walk to Fox Island across the beach, but pay attention to the rising tide which cuts off the path at certain times of day.
• Bath - Known as the ‘city of ships', it's no surprise that Maine Maritime Museum is located here. It's also a great place to indulge in some of the state's famous and delicious seafood.
• Reid State Park - This is a bird watcher's paradise, with seabirds nesting in the stunning coastal landscape. You can also follow trails along the headland which will reward you with amazing coastal views.
• Augusta - The state capital has a number of excellent museums, including Maine State Museum and the Old Fort Living History Museum.
• Kennebec Valley - If you can add an extra day to your trip, consider following the beautiful Kennebec Valley from Augusta to Skowhegan.
• St George Peninsula - There's more of the fabulous Maine coastline to explore along this beautiful peninsula, but for a bit of variety this is also a great place to sample Maine wines. The Owls Head Transportation Museum is worth a visit too.
• Rockland - Home to the popular Maine Lobster Festival, Rockland also has a thriving arts scene which you can get to know at Center for Maine Contemporary Art or with a visit to the North Atlantic Blues Festival.
• Belfast - Another artistic stopover, many visitors like to drop in to Belfast's small galleries or enjoy live music and summer Arts Walks.
• Penobscot Narrows - Take a tour up the huge observation tower to admire the ocean from a new perspective.
• Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park - This popular national park is famous for its rugged coastal views and excellent wildlife spotting opportunities
• Bangor - As well as taking a tour of locations that inspired legendary author Stephen King, we'd also recommend checking out Maine Forest and Logging Museum and the Cole Land Transportation Museum.
• Baxter State Park - North Penobscot and Mount Katahdin are both super-scenic areas within this stunning state park, where you can kayak and climb as well as hiking and fishing.
• Greenville - Take a break from the road with a cruise on beautiful Moosehead Lake.
• Bingham - Consider a detour to see more of the Kennebec Valley, which you can explore via US-201. Following this road, you can read The Forks and Moxie Falls, as well as taking an exhilarating white water rafting trip.
• Bigelow Preserve - Pick up the northern end of the Appalachian Trail in this beautiful natural area, which was almost turned into a ski resort back in the 70s.
• Sebago Lake - Cool off at this popular lake a short drive out of Portland. You can take a boat or kayak here too.

Best time to go on the ultimate road trip in Maine

It's possible to visit Maine all year round, but depending on when you travel you'll have a very different experience. You'll encounter snowfall and freezing temperatures through the winter compared to temperatures in the 80s in summer!

Traveling in winter

With temperatures often sitting below freezing, and frequent, heavy snowfall, you'll need to wrap up warm if you're visiting Maine in winter. The coast, where temperatures can hit the high 30s Fahrenheit, is warmer than the interior.

That means Maine is a great winter sport destination, and you can find plenty of places to ski, including Nordic skiing. However, driving can be challenging if you're not used to snowy conditions, although roads are kept as clear as possible.

Out of the peak summer season, you might find that cafes, galleries and other visitor attractions in quieter areas may be closed.

Traveling in summer

With its northerly location, Maine doesn't usually get too hot in summer, and temperatures in the high 70s Fahrenheit can make for ideal hiking. You'll have to pack for the seasons though, as there's frequent rain here even in summer, and occasional dramatic thunderstorms.

While we've mentioned the many stunning beaches you'll visit along the way, we should also point out that the water might feel chilly even in summer.

Expect crowds at Acadia National Park and in the coastal towns, as they're popular destinations for a summer vacation. Consider booking accommodation in advance to be sure of your top picks.

Traveling in spring or fall

The Maine winter can feel very long, with March and November feeling more like winter than spring or fall. Spring is a variable time of year, but don't expect significantly warmer temperatures until late April or May.

By May you'll have a good chance of mild and relatively dry weather if you're spending time outdoors, but remember to take bug spray to guard against the harmless but ever-present wildlife that's likely to try and join you on your hike.

Maine is famous for its stunning fall scenery, but it's also a very wet time of year. With temperatures dropping to around 60 degrees by October, you might prefer to visit in September for the ultimate combination of smaller crowds, mild weather and beautiful sea views.

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The top 10 things to do on a Coastal Route road trip along U.S. Route 1 in Maine

By AAA staff

Published February 29, 2020 Last updated: July 03, 2023

Where U.S. Route 1 hugs the Gulf of Maine, road-trippers are treated to one of the great coastal drives in the country.

When they’re not on the road, they’ve got the opportunity to fuel up on New England classics like lobster rolls, fresh blueberries, and maybe a whoopie pie or two. We look at where to drive, what to see, where to stay, and what to eat on a road trip on this classic New England motorway.

Our recommended route

First, the full context: Route 1 is a 3,400-mile highway that kicks off at the southern end in Key West, Florida, and runs north all the way to Fort Kent on the Maine-New Brunswick line. It includes an awful lot of great New England mileage, but it’s hard to top the “Coastal Route”—its roughly 290-mile-long stretch along Maine’s North Atlantic seashore—for scenic punch and cultural charm.

We suggest allowing at least two nights, preferably more, to cover the Coastal Route between Kittery at the New Hampshire border and the town of Perry on Passamaquoddy Bay, where Route 1 swings north along that international waterway and then inland for more than 200 more miles. The first leg of this trip edges the sandy beaches of Southern Maine, but the character of the oceanfront changes around Cape Elizabeth: the start of the magnificently rugged, rocky seacoast that accounts for most of Maine’s North Atlantic margin and stars in so many postcards.

When to drive it

The beauty of Maine’s Coastal Route is thoroughly year-round, but fall’s the most magical time to experience it: The coastal New England foliage is doing its epic autumn show, harvest festivals abound, and lobster season’s at its peak.

Things to see & do

1 .  nubble light.

Just south of Ogunquit, take a gander at one of the best-loved of Maine’s many lighthouses: the Cape Neddick (or Nubble) Light, built in 1879. A small gift shop is open mid-April through mid-October, with sightseeing and recreation available year-round from the scenic headland. 

Perkins Cove.

2 .  Ogunquit

This celebrated Southern Maine resort town comes by its name—which means, in native Abenaki, “the Beautiful Place by the Sea”—honestly. Soak up that beauty on the town’s oceanfront path, the Marginal Way, which runs from the sandy splendor of Ogunquit Beach to picture-perfect Perkins Cove, or while taking a cruise on a lobster boat.

The Portland Head Light.

3. Portland

This iconic Maine city is easy to fall in love with. From historical landmarks such as the Portland Head Light, the Victoria Mansion, and the Wadsworth-Longfellow House to cultural hubs such as the Portland Museum of Art and the Portland Symphony Orchestra—not to mention an awesome concentration of restaurants and breweries—it packs some major appeal.

4. Maine Maritime Museum

Pull off in Bath to soak up the state's rich nautical heritage at this long-standing museum, which includes a preserved boatshop and a shipyard housing a full-size sculpture of the  Wyoming , the grandest wooden schooner in history (and built here in Bath in 1909).

5.   Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site

Tap into the Maine coast’s deep past at this impressive pile of oyster shells along the Damariscotta River, accumulated some 1,000 to 2,200 years ago by native peoples.

An even larger shell midden, the Glidden Midden, can be seen across the Damariscotta River. Visitors can learn how the middens were once much larger, what happened to them, and how preservationists are working to hold on to this part of Maine's history today.

6 .  Farnsworth Art Museum

This outstanding museum in Rockland houses a 15,000-piece strong collection focused on American art from the 1700s to the present, especially works by Maine-associated artists.

Camden as seen from the summit of Mount Battie.

7. Camden Hills State Park

Land some of the best views on the Maine coast from Camden Hills vantages such as Mount Battie, Mount Megunticook, and Bald Rock. Pick one to summit if you're short on time, or string them together to see which view is the best, plus Megunticook Lake on the mountains' other side.

8. Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory

Another unforgettable prospect beckons from the observatory atop the Penobscot Narrows Bridge: one of only four bridge observatories in the world and, at 420 feet up, the tallest of them all. Here at the Penobscot Narrows you can also check out the marvelously well-preserved 19th-century Fort Knox. 

Acadia National Park in fall.

9. Acadia National Park

From gorgeous coves and forested headlands to the famed sunrise vantage of Cadillac Mountain—the loftiest promontory directly on America’ Atlantic coast—Acadia National Park is justly considered one of New England’s crown jewels, and one of the country's loveliest National Parks . 

RELATED ARTICLE:  The top 5 things to do at Acadia National Park

10. Festivals

From Ogunquitfest to the Portland Wine Festival to the Yarmouth Clam Festival, you’ll find no shortage of annual shindigs in the communities along the Coastal Route. If you’re taking our recommendation for a fall road trip, you may be able to hit up Portland’s Harvest on the Harbor, the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta, or Acadia’s Oktoberfest.

Where to stay

• Portland Harbor Hotel  (468 Fore Street, Portland) This AAA Four Diamond waterfront hotel boasts an elegant, maritime ambience and offers free bikes for guests to use.
• Rockland Harbor Hotel  (520 Main Street, Rockland) Some rooms at this AAA Three Diamond hotel offer harbor views, and meanwhile you’ll find yourself just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Farnsworth Art Museum.

Where to eat

• Five-O Shore Road  (50 Shore Rd., Ogunquit) Enjoy seasonal Mediterranean-inspired fare with a farm-to-table approach at this eatery in downtown Ogunquit.
• Delvino's Grill & Pasta House (52 Main Street, Belfast) Delvino’s offers delicious Italian dishes—fresh-made pasta, local seafood, pizzettes, and more—in downtown Belfast. Don’t miss the happy hour!

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The Best 4-Day Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary

Driving from Boston to Acadia National Park along the coast has a lot to see and explore like lighthouses, coastal beaches, lobster shacks, and more. I will admit that I did this trip in 3 days, and I felt very rushed. If I were to do it over again, I would have slowed down the trip and added a day. Therefore, this 4-Day Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary is how I would recommend doing the trip instead of how I actually did it.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links so if you make a purchase or booking through one of our links we might earn a small commission (but don’t worry, it’s no extra cost to you).

Free Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary

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When to Do Your Maine Coast Road Trip

The two best seasons to visit Maine is during the summer and fall. The summer is the most popular time to visit while temperatures are warm but not as hot as some states in other parts of the USA. The beaches are beautiful, and you will see lots of people cooling off in the ocean during this time. The fall months is another popular time to visit because of the leaves turning colors. The fall foliage bring people from all over to this part of the country.

Itinerary Summary

We started our Maine Coast Road Trip in Boston. The night before our itinerary begins, we flew into Logan International Airport. This was the cheapest and most convenient airport for this trip that I found.

Important Tips for the Maine Coast Road Trip

I would have enjoyed my trip more had I had the proper expectations for this Maine Coast Road Trip. Keep these tidbits in mind when planning your trip.

• You will not have views of the coast when driving between coastal towns and lighthouses. In fact, the roads will mostly be lined with trees, and you will not even feel like you are in Maine.
• Bring cash for tolls. You will be driving through 3 states, and all will require payment for toll roads.
• Take your time exploring the coastal towns on your road trip. Do not shortcut the trip by trying to squeeze it all in just 3 days. You will be spending more time driving in your car than exploring the great things Maine has to offer.

Acadia National Park Entrance Fees

In addition to the park passes and parking fees you will need to pay for some of the lighthouses, you will need to purchase a park pass to enter Acadia National Park. The cost is $30 per private vehicle, and the pass is good for 7 consecutive days. If you frequent national parks, you should purchase an  America the Beautiful  park pass, which will allow you into all national parks and NPS lands for a year.  Also, if you have a 4th grader in your household, you can get a family pass to the national parks that is good for a year. Find out more about that benefit  here . 

What to Pack for the Maine Coast Road Trip

• Sunscreen  – Protect your skin from the sun, and do not forget to reapply.
• Hat  – More sun protection to block the sun from your face
• Packing Cubes  – Keep your stuff organized in your luggage with these packing cubes.
• Rain Jacket – Rain can occur at some point while in Maine, so make sure to pack your  men’s  or  women’s  rain jacket.
• Jacket – Even in warmer months, the temps can be cool at night so pack a light  men’s  or  women’s  jacket.
• One-Shoulder Floral Maxi Dress
• V-Neck Romper
• T-Shirt Midi Dress
• One-Shoulder Wide Leg Jumpsuit

Day 1: Boston to Kennebunk

Whaleback light observation point.

Whaleback Light Observation Point can be seen from inside Fort Foster Park , which costs $20 per vehicle for an all-day entry pass. Drive straight to the pier and walk to the pier’s end for the best views of the lighthouse. Fort Foster Park also houses a few old forts that you can climb into and explore. The park also has a beach where you can swim, fish, or look for crabs.

Nubble Lighthouse

Nubble Lighthouse is located in Neddick Bay and was built in 1879. Parking for this beacon is free. While you cannot reach the lighthouse by foot because it is built on an island, you can get spectacular views by wandering the rocks and beach area across the channel.

Kennebunk is a super cute town located just inland from the coast and has many quaint shops where you can spend hours shopping. This town was extremely crowded, and we struggled to find parking. Because of this and because we were on a strict schedule, we were not able to spend as much time in Kennebunk as we would have liked. This town is one of the major reasons why I added a day to the itinerary, and you should definitely plan on spending extra time here.

We arrived just in time for lunch and ordered lobster and lobster rolls from the Clam Shack which was featured on the Food Network.

Walkers Point

Walker’s Point, or also known as the Bush Compound, is the summer retreat of the Bush family and served as the summer White House for George H. W. Bush, America’s 41st president. The property has been owned by the Bush family since the late 1800s.

Goat Island Light

Goat Island Light was built in 1833 to help ships find their way into Cape Porpoise Harbor. President Bush’s secret service also used this spot to watch out for potential threats to the Bush Compound. If you are looking to learn more about this area and to get up-close views of Goat Island and Walker’s Point, you can participate in this 2-hour tour .

Day 2: Kennebunk to Portland

Portland head lighthouse.

Portland Head Lighthouse is located inside Fort Williams Park, and you will need to pay for parking. The beacon is located in Cape Elizabeth and was completed in 1791. When you look northeast into the water, you can see another lighthouse, Ram Island Ledge Light Station.

Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse

Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse is located in a residential area, and accessing the light via its driveway is not allowed. Therefore, you will only be able to see the light from the side of the road. Just a short drive from this lighthouse is Two Lights State Park where you can hike a 1-mile trail that takes you to amazing rock formations along the shoreline. The fee to enter the park is $7 per person for out of state visitors.

Old Port in Portland

In this Maine Coast Road Trip, you will have about half a day to explore Portland’s historic Old Port. However, with its harbor cruises, shopping, 18th century buildings, and nightlife, you could spend a couple days just in Portland. Make sure to research this town to see how you would best like to spend your time. We chose shopping, having dinner, and enjoying drinks in Old Port.

Day 3: Portland to Bar Harbor

Permaquid point lighthouse.

Permaquid Point Lighthouse is located on top of a cliff with great views of the Atlantic Ocean. This beacon was commissioned in 1827 and costs $3 per adult to enter. Make sure to hike down to the beach and explore the rocky shoreline. The keeper’s house has been transformed into a Fisherman’s Museum where you can learn about Maine’s fishing and lobstering community.

Marshall Point Lighthouse

Marshall Point Lighthouse was built in 1832 to help boats enter and exit Port Clyde Harbor and became an automated light in 1971. The keeper’s house is now a small museum and gift shop that you can explore at no cost. A fun fact about this lighthouse is that it made an appearance in the infamous 1994 movie, Forrest Gump.

Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

By the time we entered Rockland, it was lunchtime. We decided to eat on the outside patio of Archer’s on the Pier where we had views of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse on the other side of Rockland Harbor.

Make sure to try the King of Clubs at Archer’s on the Pier which was a Bobby Flay Throwdown winner. This club sandwich is a giant triple decker that has a ton of lobster, bacon, lettuce and tomato.

Owl’s Head Lighthouse

Also protecting Rockport Harbor is Owl’s Head Lighthouse which was built in 1825 and then rebuilt in 1852. At the bottom of the stairs that lead to the beacon is the burial location of Spot, a springer spaniel that reportedly alerted a boat just before running aground in the 1930s by pulling on the fog bell rope and barking.

Your third day of the Maine Coast Road Trip will end in Bar Harbor which is the gateway to Acadia National Park. The town of Bar Harbor is lined with boutiques, souvenir shops, and delicious restaurants. Spend the rest of your evening discovering this charming coastal town before checking into your hotel for the night. If weather permits, you may want to find a good spot to watch the sunset.

Day 4: Acadia National Park

Cadillac mountain.

One of the top things to do in Acadia National Park is watch the sunrise from the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Due to its popularity, the national park service requires a timed entry pass which must be purchased prior to your visit at recreation.gov . These passes sell out quickly so you will need to plan accordingly. The sunrise passes were sold out for our Maine Coast Road Trip, so we got passes for 8:00 AM, which was still really beautiful.

Many people were eating breakfast on Cadillac Mountain while enjoying the views. However, if you want to eat breakfast in Bar Harbor either before or after your Cadillac Mountain visit, many of the restaurants open super early. We ate at Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast, and I recommend The Lumberjack for a hearty meal!

Schooner Head Overlook

After Cadillac Mountain and breakfast are out of the way, you will spend the rest of the day on the Park Loop Road, which is a 27-mile, one-way scenic drive through the park. Be careful not to miss any of your stops, or you will be out of luck since the road is one-way. We did miss the first overlook, Blue Hill Overlook, so we experienced this issue first hand. The next stop is Schooner Head Overlook where you can see Egg Rock Lighthouse across the Mt Desert Narrows.

The next stop is Sand Beach which is also the parking area for a few hiking trails such as the Beehive Loop Trail which is a 1.5-mile trek. Check out pictures of this hike before trying it because a part of it is on the side of a cliff. We opted not to do any hikes this trip, so we spent our time at this stop checking out Sand Beach. This is one of the few sand beaches in this area, and you can take a dip in the ocean to cool off in warmer weather.

Thunder Hole

On a calm day (which is what we experienced), it may be difficult to see why Thunder Hole is so amazing. When the waves are a bit more dramatic, the water rushes into a narrowly carved rock inlet where the water explodes and sounds of thunder erupt. Even without this phenomenon, you can spend a lot of time here rock scrambling along the shoreline. You can also get views of Otter Rock to the right and Sand Beach to the left.

Otter Cliff Overlook

Our last stop on the Park Loop Road is Otter Cliff Overlook, which is another area where you can explore the rocks along the shore. You can choose to continue exploring Acadia National Park with hikes such as Precipice Trail, Ocean Path, Jordan Pond Path, and Dorr Mountain.

However, we decided to head back into Bar Harbor and shop for souvenirs the rest of the day. We also took a short walk along the harbor. If you want to whale watch, consider touring with Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company where you can see more than whales like puffins and close-up views of nearby lighthouses.

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

The last event on your Maine Coast Road Trip is watching the sunset at Bass Harbor Lighthouse. Fog rolled in the night we planned on watching the sunset, so we had to visit at another time. Since you will be in Bar Harbor two nights, I highly recommend coming here the first night if the weather is nice. You never know if the weather will turn bad the second night!

Day 5: Travel Day

The last day of this itinerary is dedicated to traveling home. We drove the long drive back to Boston where we spent a day exploring Salem , Massachusetts before flying out. You can either fly out this last day or extend your trip visiting the Boston area.

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A Road Trip to Maine Itinerary You’ll Want to Steal

By: Author Girl with the Passport

Posted on Last updated: September 18, 2023

Categories North America

Planning a road trip to Maine? If so then THIS is the Maine road trip itinerary for you! After all, I’ve been to Maine countless times and want to share all of my amazing, expert advice with you.

In this way, I hope to make the entire trip planning process a whole hell of a lot easier for you. You know, so that you can actually enjoy your Maine road trip and not stress out about where to go, what to do, and how to get around.

Because believe it or not, Maine is easily one of the most beautiful states I’ve ever been to, which is why I’ve been countless times and definitely plan on returning ASAP – once I have the cash to do so.

So, if you love picturesque lighthouses, fresh steamed lobster, stunning coastal drives, and exquisite national parks, then a road trip to Maine will be the perfect trip for you.

However, enough chitty chat. You’re a busy human with tons of uber-important things to do. So, let’s swan dive into my beyond awesome expert tips that will help you plan just one of the many Maine road trips to come.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more information. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

If you’re booking a trip right now then I IMPLORE you to get travel insurance – even if it’s not from me. 

After all, this past year has been a wild ride and I don’t want you to lose money because government regulations have changed. 

Truth be told though, I’ve never traveled without travel insurance and don’t think you should either – especially since I think we’ve all had plans drastically change because of the pandemic. 

Therefore, find an insurance agency that covers travel changes related to COVID-19, like my two all-time faves World Nomads and Safety Wing . You can also read more about which policy is right for you in my full review here .

🕒 In a hurry and haven’t planned your road trip to Maine yet? Book this self guided driving tour of Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor . It is a fun way to explore the area on your own! ⛰️

How To Get To Maine For Your Road Trip To Maine

Since I live in New York, I normally just drive to Maine. However, if you’re from out of town and want to fly into Maine, then you could always fly into Portland International Jetport.

It’s pretty convenient since it’s only about two miles from downtown Portland and services flights from all over the world. Upon arrival, I’d absolutely rent a car since you obviously can’t do a road trip to Maine without one!

However, if you want to visit Portland for a few days and then rent a car, you could always take the route #5 bus to downtown Portland and then rent a car once you’ve experienced some of the fun things to do in Portland .

Pro Tip: You could also try flying into Boston Logan International Airport. It’s way bigger than Portland and is a major travel hub both internationally and domestically.

Therefore, you could probably find a cheap flight to Boston and then just drive to Maine from there since it’s only about an hour and a half drive from there to the Maine border.

But, if you’re not really interested in flying, you could always try:

Amtrak trains from all over the US travel directly to multiple train stations throughout Maine. So, this is definitely an option if you don’t really feel like flying. Just do your research first since train travel in the US can be really expensive.

I mean, a one-way, coach ticket from Newark to Portland starts at $63 per person and takes 9.5 hours. So, you could definitely end spending more money on a train ticket than on a flight.

Two different bus companies operate throughout Maine and have routes that go into and out of the state. Of the two, Concord Coach Lines is more local with routes from Maine that stop in major cities in New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Tickets start as low as $79.00 one way and $158.00 round trip. In contrast, Greyhound runs buses into and out of Maine from most major cities across the country, with one-way tickets from Boston to Portland starting at as little as $16 per person.

How To Get Around During Your Road Trip To Maine

Since you’re planning a Maine road trip, you’ll obviously need a car while you’re here. Luckily for you, Portland International Jetport is pretty small. Therefore, it will be really easy for you to get to Hertz, Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Enterprise, or Budget Car Rental to actually rent a car before you start your Maine road trip itinerary.

Yeah, they have a fleet of more than 200 cars that are all located inside the consolidated car rental atrium that is protected from the elements (i.e. rain and snow) inside the airport’s new parking garage. It’s also literally steps away from the terminal so you’ll have zero problems finding a car rental.

When choosing a car though, you’ll want to make sure that it gets good gas mileage and that the interior is super roomy. This way, you can relax and be supremely comfy during your road trip to Maine.

Now, in terms of cost, you should on average expect to pay $409 to rent a car for a week and $149 to rent a car for the weekend. Anything significantly more expensive than this is probably not something you need to invest in.

When To See Fall Foliage in Maine

Since my family and I would routinely visit Maine every October throughout my childhood, I know all too well that many people like to road trip to Maine to see fall foliage.

So, if you want to see fall foliage while you’re here, the best time to visit Maine is between late September and mid-October (Columbus Day Weekend is the perfect time to visit and is when my family used to go).

Generally speaking, this is when fall foliage is at its most stunning. Although this time frame can vary by elevation and latitude since some high-elevation, more northern areas across Maine enjoy peak fall foliage in late September.

And if you want even more expert advice on visiting Maine this fall, then check out my ultimate guide to fall in Maine now!

The Ultimate Road Trip to Maine Itinerary

1. ogunquit.

More likely than not, when you start your Maine road trip itinerary, you’ll probably be near the state’s southernmost point. So let’s start our road trip to Maine there!

And what better place to begin the best road trip in Maine than in a place whose name literally means “beautiful place by the sea” in Native American, Abenaki?

Plus, plenty of people seem to agree with this description since Ogunquit is easily one of the most popular summer tourist destinations in all of Maine.

Which makes sense since the beach here is stunning, the sea air is refreshing, the cocktails are delicious … I’m seriously thinking about moving there permanently right now!

That’s why, Ogunquit is definitely one of the best beach towns in Maine , and now you too will get a chance to experience the awesomeness for yourself!

Because while you’re here, you can see a show at Ogunquit Playhouse, walk along the scenic Marginal Way walking path (it’s only around 1,25 miles long), or visit the quaint fishing village of Perkins Cove.

Other Things To Do In Ogunquit

Ogunquit museum of american art.

If local art is what floats your boat (nautical pun intended!) then the Ogunquit Museum of American Art is the place for you! There are over 3000 individual pieces of art on display throughout this museum. And honestly, I’m not all that surprised, seeing as they first opened in 1953!

Paintings, sculptures, and photographs aplenty are all permanently on display in this deliberately American-focused museum.

Before you leave, be sure to explore their 3-acre sculpture park, complete with 18 small gardens that will delight your eyes and help you relax as you take in all the culture and artistry. A walk in the park that makes you feel smart and creative? Sign me up!

Take A Scenic Cruise Along The Coast

The sea looks great, but Ogunquit looks even better from the water!

So, hop onto a boat and treat yourself to a tour of the coast: learn about the history of the town, see the historic lighthouses which make this great American state so famous, and find out something new about the world of lobsters and lobster fishing. It’s a Maine tradition!

Because whether you’re sipping cocktails on a luxury yacht, or enjoying the simpler life by gently sailing by on a rustic wooden sailboat, a scenic cruise will make your visit to Ogunquit and your super awesome Maine road trip complete!

What To Eat In Ogunquit

Barnacle billy’s.

It’s time to grab some of that famous Maine lobster during your road trip to Maine! And Barnacle Billy’s is the place to do that since it’s famed for its luxurious lobster dishes – in addition to plenty of other fresh fish dishes too – that you can order along with a delicious bowl of clam chowder.  

So, whether you decide to dine indoors or out on the sundeck, the stunning ocean views will be the perfect accompaniment to your meal!

Wait, am I eating a ray gun? Nope! This is place serves delicious urban Thai food. So, put some kick into your food by ordering some of their spicy and exotic dishes!  

And although they do have Thai staples like green curry and fried rice, do try some of their house specials, especially the crispy duck with orange sauce. There are also plenty of vegan and gluten-free dishes here too!

Where To Stay In Ogunquit

The grand hotel (ogunquit).

⭐️ Rating: 8.9/10 (581 Reviews) Price: $101 per night 📍Location: 276 Shore Road, Ogunquit, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

If you want to live the high-life for a hot minute then the Grand Hotel will help you to relax in style! Because on top of having a spacious room with a private balcony, you’ll also enjoy access to an indoor heated pool and an outdoor jacuzzi for maximum pampering!

“Location was perfect, room was spacious and clean! One of the nicest rooms I’ve ever stayed in. Entire property was super clean. Price was very reasonable. Small balcony with chairs off the bedroom, wish I would have had more time to enjoy them. Will definitely stay here when I return to Ogunquit! Well done!!” Kim ( read more reviews now! )

There’s also plenty of deck space here for an evening drink outside at this well-located hotel, which sits less than a mile away from the Ogunquit Museum of Modern Art!

Wells Moody Motel (Wells)

⭐️ Rating: 8.6/10 (626 Reviews) Price: $89 per night 📍Location: 119 Post Road, Wells, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

Just up the highway from Ogunquit, the Wells Moody Motel offers guests all the friendly and exceptional service you could hope to receive during a Maine road trip.

“We were greeted in the office very warmly. check in was easy. First impression of the Motel was it was very cute. property was well taken care of. We pulled around to our room there was a cute little porch in front. went into the room and it was very clean! T he bed and pillows very comfortable. The bathroom was very clean. The 2 rooms we were in looked like they had maybe been recently updated. very pleased with our stay.” Michelle ( read more reviews now! )

They offer bright and well-equipped rooms that will make you feel right at home. The beds here are also super comfy, and include access to an on-site, outdoor pool!

2. Kennebunkport

It’s time to head further north to iconic Kennebunkport – at least if you to make this Maine Road Trip truly epic. Because if you want beaches, Kennebunkport has got em’! So, be sure to give both Goose Rocks Beach and Arundel Beach a try!

And you know people love them since this coastal town has been offering visitors professional levels of hospitality since the 1800s. So, they’re obviously pretty dang good at it by now!

Because with stunning sea views, sandy summer beaches, historic churches (St. Anne’s Episcopal Church dates all the way back to 1887 and features stunning architecture), and beautiful fall foliage, Kennebunkport is truly one of the best romantic getaways in Maine .

It’s even magical when it’s covered in snow! That’s why there’s really no time of year when this place doesn’t look like it belongs on a postcard!

Things To Do In Kennebunkport:

Visit the goat island lighthouse.

If you head over to Cape Porpoise, you’ll find this nearly two-hundred-year-old landmark of New England standing proudly by the shore on its own little island.

Legend has it that this ancient watchtower used to be a lookout point for Secret Service agents of George H.W. Bush, WAY back in ye olde 1993. I know, that’s not that long ago. But it’s still history, y’all!

Check Out The Seashore Trolley Museum

This is one of my favorite things to do in Kennebunkport Maine ! There are over 250 antique streetcars, buses, and other vehicles all collected together in one place. And they don’t all just sit there either!

Because every 45 minutes you can board one of these vintage trolleys, take a ride around the museum, and experience what it really felt like to travel in the early 1900s!

What To Eat In Kennebunkport

Alisson’s restaurant.

When planning a road trip to Maine, food is of the utmost importance. And thankfully, you can get almost anything you want, at Alisson’s Restaurant!

There’s a huge amount of generously portioned pub food available, including lobster mac ’n’ cheese, steak and shrimp salad, mussels, clams, tacos, pizzas, sandwiches, and of course, blueberry pie!

And since Alisson’s is also a pub, there’s a large selection of cocktails, wines, tequilas, and whiskeys to help you party the night away!

Rococo Artisan Ice Cream

Time to satisfy that sweet tooth! And in addition to all the crowd-pleasing, traditional flavors, Rococo also specializes in creating unique – yet tasty – varieties of ice cream.

I mean, have you ever had Goat Cheese ice cream? How about Garam Masala? Or Banana Red Hot? Now’s the time to try them out and be adventurous!

Where To Stay In Kennebunkport

The breakwater inn and spa (kennebunkport).

⭐️ Rating: 7.2/10 (21 Reviews) Price: $199 per night 📍Location: 127-133 Ocean Avenue PO Box 560C, Kennebunkport, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

This historic Victorian-era property is a charming Maine guest house. It has all the trappings of a comfortable night’s rest, with the added bonus of a spa, a fitness center, free wi-fi (obvs), continental breakfast, and bike rentals for getting your fitness on while you sight-see!

The in-house restaurant also provides guests with great views of the ocean, which goes well with the Breakwater Inn’s nautical theme!

The Lodge at Turbat’s Creek  (Kennebunkport)

⭐️ Rating: 8.9/10 (176 Reviews) Price: $199 per night 📍Location: 7 Turbat’s Creek Road, Kennebunkport, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

The Lodge at Turbat’s Creek is well situated, friendly, and extremely comfortable. The furnishings are also high quality, the breakfast is very generous, and you can meet other travelers out in the garden, pool, and restaurant areas. Perfect for a well-deserved pit stop during your road trip to Maine!

3. Portland

Portland is easily one of my favorite places to visit in Maine. So much so that I’ve been there at least 15 different times!

Because this hipster paradise has it all: the cobblestone streets of the Old Port area, the historic beauty of Victorian mansions, the amazing art of the Portland Museum of Art, the inventiveness of craft beer breweries, and even its very own observatory for all y’all science geeks!

But, one of the best things about Portland is that while it is a city, it still has tons of green spaces and expansive natural areas that allow you to enjoy all the natural beauty of Maine. Yup, it really is the best of both worlds!

I mean, you can easily go from vibrant nightlife and culture to strolling along the Eastern Promenade, breathing in the sea air. You could also take scenic photos at nearby Bug Light or walk along the breakwater to ever awesome Spring Point Ledge Light (it’s tucked away inside a college campus).

Or, you could head over to Cape Elizabeth and do a bit of lighthouse spotting! Wait, Kelly, is that a sport? Well, it is now since Maine is famous for its lighthouses, with over 150 lining the Northeast, with plenty of them being in Portland.

Pro Tip: While you’re in Portland, definitely do a day trip to Cape Elizabeth. There are a ton of great parks here and this is also where you can see Portland Head Light and Cape Elizabeth Light!

If you want, you can even check out my list of the best lighthouses in Portland Maine if you’re interested!

Things To Do In Portland

Visit the victoria mansion museum.

Fancy a blast from the past? This 1860s Italianate palace is one of the best historic homes to visit in Portland Maine. The elaborate frescoes, the intricately detailed carpets, and the period-piece furniture will have you falling in love with the good ol’ days.

See, you don’t really need a time machine to find out just how lush and OTT they used to have it back in the day – just come and see Victoria Mansion!

Take The Ferry Out To Peaks Island And Rent A bike

If you’re looking for cute streets and lush wilderness in which to ride around and feel the wind in your hair, just hop onto the big yellow Casco Bay Lines ferry and take the 20-minute trip out to Peaks Island. Here you can rent a bike (or a golf cart if you’d prefer not to have to do too much peddling) and take in the many MANY gorgeous views of the ocean!

What To Eat In Portland

Duckfat friteshack.

You heard me! If you want the crispiest, tastiest, LARGEST portion of fries in the state of Maine, make sure you stop by the Duckfat Friteshack.

These hand-cut fries can be a quick snack or their own full meal, depending on your appetite. Each portion comes with your choice of two of the Friteshack’s dips – truffle ketchup is my personal fave!

The Holy Donut

Ok, so following this Maine road trip itinerary may not be the healthiest choice for your figure, but we’re here to have fun, y’all!

And eating at The Holy Donut is one of the best things to do in Portland Maine, period! These donuts are big enough to share (if you’re feeling generous), so tuck into a sea salt and chocolate donut (highly recommended) as fast as you can!

Where To Stay In Portland

Inn at st john portland (in-town, portland).

⭐️ Rating: 8.4/10 (989 Reviews) Price: $149 per night 📍Location: 939 Congress Street, Portland, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

Located right in the heart of Portland and never too far from anything you could want to see, this cozy and colorful inn will leave you feeling fresh and ready for a fun day of sightseeing. The Inn at St John Portland In-Town is also pet-friendly, so feel free to bring your furry friends along for the ride!

Portland Harbor Hotel (Portland)

⭐️ Rating: 8.5/10 (766 Reviews) Price: $179 per night 📍Location: 468 Fore Street, Portland, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

With a restaurant, fitness center, free bike use, flat-screen TVs, and wi-fi all conveniently tucked away inside the Old Port district, this hotel ticks off a lot of boxes! And for those looking for a splash of luxury during their Maine road trip itinerary, this is definitely of the best places to stay in Portland Maine!

4. Waldoboro

Waldoboro is one of those towns that you will definitely drive through during your road trip to Maine. It is known for its three lakes and has a rich and thriving fishing and agricultural history. 

Take your pick of Duckpuddle Pond to Damariscotta Lake or Pemaquid Pond and spend a relaxing summer day swimming, fishing, or watching a gorgeous sunset. 

For more outdoor fun hit the trails at the Goose River Peace Corps Preserve and Pond. Or take refuge from the elements and head over to the Waldoboro Historical Society and learn more about this quaint New England town.

Things to do in Waldoboro

Visit fawcett’s antique toy museum.

This quirky museum is right on Atlantic Highway and it is worth a stop if you are just driving through town. Every surface is covered with memorabilia as far back as the 1920s and 1930s. 

Owl’s Head Transportation Museum

Even though Waldoboro is known for its lakes, this museum isn’t focused on boats but on other types of transportation. On display are antique cars, trains, and motorcycles. 

What To Eat In Waldoboro

Moody’s diner.

You can’t miss Moody’s Diner if you are on Route 1 driving through Waldoboro during your road trip to Maine. It is a family-owned restaurant that has been serving the local community since 1927. Classic diner fare is on the menu but watch out for the blueberry pie or whoopie pies for an extra special Maine treat. 

Odd Alewives Farm and Brewery

Just behind Moody’s is the Odd Alewives Farm and Brewery. Odd Alewives uses ingredients from their own land and other local farms. There is plenty of seating on the premises and they even have a fire pit to roast marshmallows and make smores. Their beer is also great to pair with pizza that they also make on-site in a brick oven.  

Where To Stay In Waldoboro

Friendship harbor historic home (friendship).

⭐️ Rating: 8.3/10 (3 Reviews) Price: $236 per night 📍Location: Waldoboro, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

This Victorian Harbor House is right on the water and has its own dock. Literally, in 15 seconds you’ll be in the water! It may be from the 1800s but it is newly renovated with modern amenities plus it is near enough to town but still quiet.

The owners live nearby and their sons can drop off lobster that they catch themselves. Without a doubt you’ll get the full Maine experience! 

Damariscotta Lakefront Retreat (Newcastle)

⭐️ Rating: 5/5 (18 Reviews) Price: $636 per night 📍Location: Nobleboro, Maine, United States of America Details: Read more on Vrbo!

If you are craving a quiet retreat away while on your road trip in Maine, this cabin is just the ticket. It is steps away from Damariscotta Lake where you can go swimming or you can spend your days relaxing on the deck and doing nothing. Hey, it’s your vacation and you can do you! 

5. Rockland

Just a couple of hours further up the highway from its half-namesake on the mid-coast of Maine, Rockland has all the charm of many other New England coastal towns.

But, it’s much less busy than Portland -and other more southern towns – since it’s a bit further away from Boston. In fact, if you’re planning a road trip to Maine during the off-season, that’ll be the perfect time to visit this jewel of the east coast!

See, Rockland’s local economy moved away from fishing in the 1990s, and began to focus more on catering to the increasing amounts of tourists coming to stay.

As a result, the downtown area is now full of boutiques, cute little restaurants, museums, and other assorted historical buildings. No wonder their nickname is Vacationland!

And some of the best things to do in Rockland include a stop at the Support Puffin Project Outpost in town, a visit to the Maine Center for Contemporary Art, a quiet walk along the Rockland Harbor Trail, a visit to the historic Olson House, and a cruise aboard a vintage Windjammer.

Things To Do In Rockland

Visit the farnsworth art museum.

Good news everyone! Rockland has its very own regional art museum, and it’s pretty dang good!

In total, there are 15,000 different paintings, sculptures, and other works of art collected here, with several exhibitions going on continuously throughout the year, covering everything from local artistic contributors to world-famous American artists.

Come and see what they’ve got for yourself – there’s even a cute little library!

Walk Along The Breakwater to Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

Not only is this activity totally free, but the walk is wonderfully scenic and culminates in a stop at an enchanting lighthouse from 1902. Just be careful since the breakwater is extremely uneven.

However, if you visit during the summer, you’ll be able to explore the interior of the lighthouse after walking 7/8th of a mile out there!

What To Eat In Rockland

Archer’s on the pier.

For the best in locally owned and locally prepared Rockland food, Archer’s on the Pier is your Maine (get it?) port of call! There’s all the usual amazing seafood options – lobster for days, yo! – as well as steaks, burgers, sandwiches, and pasta. Depending on when you dine, you might even get treated to some live local jazz music!

Cafe Miranda

It’s chowdah time people! Fresh, creamy, delicious seafood chowdah, and lots of it! The portion sizes here are also HUGE, so come hungry! Whether you go for the chowder, or would rather have a hotdog, a sammie, or a salad, prepare to feel full when you leave!

Trust me, enjoying a meal at Cafe Miranda with its quirky array of pink flamingos (I’m not even joking) is one of my fave things to do here.

Where To Stay In Rockland

The craignair inn by the sea (spruce head).

⭐️ Rating: 9.4/10 (26 Reviews) Price: $164 per night 📍Location: 5 Third Street, Spruce Head, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

At the end of a long dead-end road lies a beacon of rest and relaxation. Just south of Rockland, the Craignair Inn by the Sea is like something out of a storybook.

Seriously, picturesque doesn’t even cover it! The owners are also super friendly and accommodating, the beds are soft and warm, and the rooms are well equipped and spacious. Get yourself here now!

Trade Winds Inn (Rockland)

⭐️ Rating: 7.7/10 (647 Reviews) Price: $107 per night 📍Location: 2 Park Drive, Rockland, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

To truly get a taste of coastal Maine, make sure you try out this boardwalk-style hotel. It sits right on the banks of Rockland Harbor and has just the right balance of antique and modern facilities. The bar area is casual and comfy while the indoor pool and fitness center are both first class. Need I say more?

Up, up, up the coast we go! Because Camden is our next stop on this Maine road trip itinerary. And residents of Camden love to be “where the mountains meet the sea”, and I am here to tell you that that is accurate!

After all, Camden lies right at the foot of Camden Hills State Park, meaning visitors can enjoy the vibrance of the harbor town community while still being able to escape into the sprawling wilderness of natural New England.

So, whether you want to exercise your body or your mind – or your tastebuds – Camden will have something for you!

Pro Tip : If you’re short on time when planning your road trip to Maine (and who isn’t) you can combine a trip to Camden with a stay in Rockland.

I mean, Camden is only about twenty minutes down the road from Rockland so you could EASILY do a day trip here. I also personally preferred Rockland to Camden but, hey, that’s just me.

Things To Do In Camden

Camden hills state park.

As I said before, Camden is right next door to this State Park. And with 30 miles of hiking, biking – and in the winter months, skiing – trails available, you can lose yourself for hours in this lush oasis of greenery.

And if you’re feeling truly adventurous, you can hike up to the top of the 1,384 foot tall Mount Megunticook, for some of the best views of Penobscot Bay as you conquer one of the best hikes in Maine !

Picnic at Megunticook Lake

Pack up your picnic basket and travel just a few miles north of Camden Harbor to find this highly Instagrammable slice of the quiet life! Because Megunticook Lake has tons of designated picnic areas for you to use that come complete with grills and tables.

Plus, if you fancy a swim, the lake itself has a floating diving platform for you to use, as well as a shallow area for younger swimmers!

What To Eat In Camden

Fresh & Co – This family-owned local business is the place to go for fresh, down-to-earth meals. Fresh & Co primarily focuses on sustainability, with extra care given to the ingredients and the flavors of their dishes. They also showcase local artwork on their walls. It’s truly a deep dive into Camden local life!

40 Paper – French, Spanish, Italian, and Mediterranean influences all come together in this former mill from the civil war! But don’t worry: while the dishes may be very European, the ingredients are all fresh from Maine since 40 Paper works with local farmers and fishermen to bring you the best of the catch!

Where To Stay In Camden

Cedar crest inn (camden).

If you’re looking for great service and great value, Cedar Crest Inn will provide! Located just to the south of downtown Camden, this seasonal motel has an outdoor pool, on-site restaurant, and comfortable rooms.

There’s also an outdoor play area for those traveling with young children!

Elms of Camden (Camden)

⭐️ Rating: 9.3/10 (63 Reviews) Price: $186 per night 📍Location: 84 Elm Street, Camden, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

Elms of Camden features cozy and luxurious rooms that all come with a complimentary, multi-course breakfast that is served to you fresh, every single morning. Why yes, I will take another helping of pancakes, thanks for asking!

“Gary and James are gracious, thoughtful hosts, taking pride in their commitance. they obviously love it and so do their” Nicholla ( read more reviews now! )

The hosts here are also all about hospitality, and will work extra hard to make sure your Maine road trip is the best ever!

7. Acadia National Park

Meet Acadia National Park. It is the only national park in all of New England but comes fully outfitted with 47,000 acres of land. 158 miles of hiking trails. 1,100 different species of plants, and over 400 different species of animals. Oh, and a casual 20 mountains for you to climb.

Like the notorious Cadillac Mountain, which is the perfect place to go to see the very first sunrise in the United States. However, if you don’t feel like climbing all the way to the top, you can always drive up and just do the easy, 0.5-mile loop trail around the summit.

Not surprisingly, Acadia is easily one of the top 10 most visited national parks in the United States and it’s one of the last stops on our road trip to Maine!

And what a stop it is. Once you cross the bridge onto Mount Desert Island, you’ll feel like you’re really getting back to nature as you head towards the forests, lakes and hills of Acadia National Park. So, stretch your legs and enjoy all that this amazing stop on your Maine road trip itinerary has to offer!

Things to do in Acadia National Park

I do believe i mentioned the hiking trails….

As with many State Parks, Acadia National Park has hiking trails for all levels of expertise and challenge. Beginners and casual walkers can enjoy the Jordan Pond Nature Trail, or see panoramic views on the Cadillac Summit path.

For a good afternoon hike though, visitors can try the Ship Harbor Nature Trail, or head over to Bar Island to explore its beautiful forests (though only at low tide – make sure you keep your eye on the time or you’ll be trapped)!

And If you’re feeling more adventurous, the Great Head Trail will take you out to the Sea Cliffs on the east side of Sand Beach. Otherwise, if “hiking” is basically your unofficial middle name, then Precipice Trail awaits you!

It’s one of the best hikes in Acadia National Park and features small obstacles like an almost vertical 1,000-foot climb at one point. Erm, if you need me, I’ll be in the bar ….

Take A Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride

Sure, you could hike. Or would you rather have the gorgeous natural scenery roll gently by you as you pretend to be Queen of All you Survey in your very own horse-drawn carriage? Yeah, I’d opt for the latter too.

So, If you feel like I do, then make your way down to Wildwood Stables on the southeast side of the island and you can do exactly that! Daily carriage tours are provided here from May through October and follow along roads originally constructed by John D. Rockefeller in the early to mid-1900s!

And if you really want to have the Maine road trip of a lifetime and you lead an enviable lifestyle, you can bring your own horses with you and ride with them instead!

What to eat in Acadia National Park

Do you ever wish for the purrr-fect breakfast? Well, that’s what you’ll find at 2 Cats in Bar Harbor! Their creative homemade breakfast combinations feature everything from pancakes and bagels to tofu scramble and granola.

Plus, you’ll get baked biscuits and strawberry butter with pretty much every order! Yup, now that’s what I call a Maine road trip winner.

Jordan Pond House Restaurant

Believe it or not, there’s actually a restaurant INSIDE Acadia National Park. It overlooks Jordan Pond and is great place to go for some pop-overs, chowdah, and a fresh Maine lobstah roll.

Where To Stay In Acadia National Park

Acadia inn (bar harbor).

⭐️ Rating: 8.7/10 (1090 Reviews) Price: $134 per night 📍Location: 98 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

This stylish and well-maintained hotel comes with an outdoor pool – complete with hot tub – a complimentary breakfast buffet, flat-screen TVs, and wi-fi.

“Excellent location about a mile from downtown Bar Harbor. It’s an easy walk to town, so you don’t need to drive and stress about parking. Also very close to Acadia and all the top attractions. Bed was very comfortable and the room was clean, good water pressure in the shower, convenient grab and go breakfast, and a hot tub to top it off. I’d definitely stay here again.” Justin ( read more reviews now! )

But most importantly, it lies connected to a trail that leads directly into Acadia National Park itself! Just grab yourself a good night’s sleep, fill up on their tasty breakfast, step out the door, and start walking. It’s that simple!

Bar Harbor Grand Hotel (Bar Harbor)

⭐️ Rating: 9.1/10 (631 Reviews) Price: $189 per night 📍Location: 269 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

With its location right in the center of downtown Bar Harbor, you’ll be well connected to both Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor’s sprawling coastal beaches.

But, you might be tempted to just stay indoors since the rooms here are super comfortable and well furnished, with modern fixtures amongst period decor.

“Location is great . Furniture and setting is so nice . Parking is comfortable and large of space.” Gerardo ( read more reviews now! )

Heck, there’s even an indoor pool and fitness center just in case you want to get your fitness-related swerve on. It’s honestly one of the more luxurious places to stay during your road trip to Maine!

8. Bar Harbor

This not-so-secret coastal town is a not-so-secret stop on our Maine road trip itinerary. And that’s basically because Bar Harbor is known as the gateway to everybody’s favorite…Acadia National Park.

So, if you’re short on time, You could always do a day trip and experience all that Bar Harbor has to offer as part of your trip to Acadia.

Because honestly, there really is a ton to do in this picturesque coastal town, besides visiting nearby Acadia National Park of course. I mean, if you’re at least a semi-morning person, you could get up before dawn and walk the length of the beautiful Shore Path.

It was originally built in 1880, is about a 1/2 mile long, starts at the town pier and Agamont Park, and offers you stunning views of the surrounding, Porcupine Islands.

Afterward, explore the Wild Gardens of Acadia, which are truly stunning to behold and home to over 200+ incredible plant species. Next, check out the Abbe Museum, which is a full on, Smithsonian institution that educated visitors about Native American history and culture in Maine.

And if that’s still not enough fun stuff for you to do during your road trip to Maine, then you could always visit other local attrations like the George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History, the College of the Atlantic Gardens, and the Mount Desert Oceanarium.

Pro Tip: Wanna get out of the country and explore Canada? If so then hop aboard the high-speed CAT Ferry and take it all the way to Canada! The journey lasts about 3.5 hours and will drop you off in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Once here, you can enjoy the beauty of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and admire the Halifax Public Gardens of the Halifax Citadel National Site,

What to Eat in Bar Harbor

Ben and bill’s chocolate emporium.

Fudge? Check. Ice cream? Check. Candies? Oh yeah! Plus, pretty much everything on offer here is homemade and guaranteed to send your tastebuds spinning. And, FYI, I mean that in the best possible way.  

And with over 70 different flavors of ice cream and gelato available, you’ll feel like a kid in a … well, you know what I mean!

The Barnacle

Stuff your face silly at this amazing Bar Harbor restaurant, which is known for its delicious cocktails. Personally, though, I love their oysters and their next-level awesome pesto pasta.

CIAO Food/Drink

This place is equal parts popular and small. So yeah, you’ll probably have to wait to get inside. But once you’re across the threshold, your patience will be rewarded with delicious French lobster rolls, pork belly tacos, and fried cauliflower.

The portions are also on the small-ish side so definitely order a few things.

Where to Stay in Bar Harbor (see above for more recs)

The inn on mount desert (bar harbor).

⭐️ Rating: 9.3/10 (913 Reviews) Price: $199 per night 📍Location: 68 Mt. Dessert Street, Bar Harbor, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

This charming family-owned inn has a modern but relaxed feel about it that everyone will love. Rooms here are also well-priced at around $150 per night and include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, tea/coffee-making facilities, minifridges, and more.

“Had the feel of a BnB much more than a hotel. Delicious homemade breakfast including omelets to order as well as homemade muffins and bread. EXTREMELY CLEAN. Short drive to Acadia Natl Park!” Macayla ( read more reviews now! )

As a guest, you’ll also enjoy a delicious, daily breakfast as well as access to a private balcony with harbor or garden views.

Full disclosure, this is a supremely quiet, extremely tiny town along the Northern coast of Maine. So yes, this stop on your road trip to Maine will be pretty chill and mainly for people who love the great outdoors.

But it’s a wonderful, sleepy little fishing village that was first founded in 1826 along the Machias.

Today though, you can make your way through one of the area’s many awe-inspiring hiking trails, including Bog Brook Cove, Cutler Bold Coast Trail (it’s an amazing hidden gem that you shouldn’t miss), and the trails within the Western Head Preserve.

However, because you’re so far North, you could easily cross the border into Canada and check out the Bay of Fundy since the border with Canada is only about an hour and fifteen minutes away. If you want to drive all the way to Nova Scotia though, it’ll be about a 6-hour drive, so be prepared.

Things to do in Cutler

Hike or bike on through the cutler coast public reserved land.

This 12,334-acre wilderness area is brimming over with expansive blueberry barrens, pristine woodlands, and peatlands that feature jaw-droppingly beautiful cliffside views of the Bay of Fundy. There are also a ton of remote campsites here where you can really channel your inner Bear Grylls if you so desire.

Little River Lighthouse

Take a scenic walk to this quaint AF lighthouse, do a guided tour of the facility to learn about its fascinating history, and – if you’re lucky – spend the night for a truly memorable stay in Cutler.

Go On A Cruise With The Bold Coast Charter Company

Go on an amazing boat ride to Machias Seal Island. While you’re here, you can marvel at the single biggest puffin colony in all of Maine.

What to Eat/Where to Stay in Cutler (there are a distinct lack of options here)

For food, you can enjoy some delicious local fare at Heen’s Restaurant. Otherwise, you can venture into either Jonesboro and Machias for a wider selection of good eats.

The Bluebird Motel (East Machias)

⭐️ Rating: 8.4/10 (252 Reviews) Price: $99 per night 📍Location: 231 Dublin Street, Machias, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

Yeah, there aren’t a ton of places to spend the night in Cutler. However, the rooms at the Bluebird Motel are well-priced (less than $100 per night) and consistently given great reviews by guests since they have everything you need for a comfy stay.

10. Rangeley Lake (An Inland Stop For Anyone With A Bit Of Extra Time)

If you have an extra day or two to spare, then here’s another great spot to add to your Maine road trip itinerary! It’s located in western Maine, a mere 40 miles from the New Hampshire border.

Because the Rangeley Lakes region is a picturesque, expansive area that is filled with stunning natural beauty. It also includes a grand total of six different lakes, like Rangeley Lake itself.

This idyllic rural destination also has a large number of green spaces and waterways for visitors to enjoy, perfect for spending time getting back into nature, and enjoying all the comforts that a small-town vacation can bring.

And if you’re a fan of seaplanes, then you’re in luck because Rangeley Lake is a designated water landing zone for seaplanes. Therefore, you might find yourself watching one of these bad boys speeding down and coming to a steady stop on the surface of the water!

Things To Do In Rangeley Lake

Rangeley lake state park.

Almost 90 acres of land makes up this state park. It also sits on a section of the Appalachian Trail that runs along Saddleback Mountain and is a popular place to rent a kayak and get yourself out onto that crystal clear water!

However, If you’re more of a landlubber like me, then there are plenty of trails for hiking, camping, and picnicking areas, as well as spots for viewing tons of amazing wildlife. There are also plenty of opportunities for fishing since the waters here are full of trout and salmon.

Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum

If you’re more of a city person, and the idea of actually catching a fish yourself sounds like a total nightmare, then you can always just learn more about such outdoor pursuits right here!

Situated at the most northwestern point of Rangeley Lake, in the village of Oquossoc (yes, you read that right), this museum introduces visitors to the past, present, and, in some cases, future of outdoor sports!

Yup, this small, but delightful, museum is packed full of information that spans thousands of years of sporting history, from the Native American experience all the way to President Eisenhower’s 1955 visit, making this the perfect place to visit during any road trip to Maine.

What To Eat In Rangeley Lake

The red onion.

This place serves all of the home-cooked Italian food you could ask for! So, expect to find pizza, pasta, spaghetti, burgers, wraps, meatloaf, salad, and even steak! Yup, just an all-around cute, family-owned place that was first pulled into position by horses back in the early 1900s.

Since then, they’ve enjoyed a stable little spot in between City Cove and Haley Pond, where they’ve managed to expand and add a few more amenities, including the main dining area and bar!

Classic Provisions

This is another family-owned and operated store that also has a breakfast and lunch menu for anyone who wants to take a load off and enjoy the atmosphere of a cozy restaurant.

Everything here is seasonal, and the owners are proud to provide meals made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. And if you like a dish enough, you can always buy the ingredients off the shelves and make it yourself once you get home!

Where To Stay In Rangeley Lake

Rangeley saddleback inn (rangeley).

Just down the road from the above eateries is the Rangeley Saddleback Inn . This warm and welcoming hotel comes with its own indoor saltwater pool, hot tub, fire pits, and barbecue grill. There are also several pet-friendly rooms for anyone traveling with their best good boys and girls!

Rangeley Town & Lake (Rangeley)

⭐️ Rating: 8.3/10 (460 Reviews) Price: $185 per night 📍Location: 2668 Main Street, Rangeley, ME Details: Read more on booking.com now!

Rangeley Town & Lake motel is perfect for those looking for affordable yet comfortable accommodations during their road trip to Maine. Everything about this place says “feel at home”, from the wood-paneled walls to the cozy furnishings and décor.

“The room over looked the lake. There were chairs to sit and visit neighbors on the open walkway. The open field had ducks running around and going to the lake. The bed was comfortable. The room was equipped to allow a longer stay and next time we will.” Gregory (read more reviews)

The view of the lake is also excellent, and the location is within walking distance of everything you might want to see or need!

Road Trip To Maine FAQ

What is the best month to go to maine.

September is the best time to visit Maine. This is because the crowds have left after the Labor day holidays so the touristy locations are not very crowded. Accommodation is also so much cheaper during this time because the demand has dropped considerably.

The weather on the other hand is still great. It hasn’t got chilly yet and you can see the start of the fall foliage before the next season’s crowds head in. In fact, the weather is still warm enough to even head out for a swim if you are in one of the coastal towns of Maine .

What Is The Best Time To Visit Maine For Lobsters?

Lobsters are available all year round in Maine so you really can’t miss them irrespective when you head to this gorgeous state. The largest catches of lobster however are caught between June and December.

How Many Days Do You Require For A Road Trip To Maine?

Honestly, there is just so much to see in Maine. It is hard to just narrow down on a few spots. A 10 -15 day trip however will strike a great balance between seeing a lot of Maine and getting some relaxation done edgewise.

What Is The Cheapest Month To Travel In Maine?

If you want a budget trip and you want good weather, then I highly recommend heading to Maine in the shoulder season which is between mid September and mid October. This avoids the Labor day crowds.

This is the time you will find the lowest rates on travel, accommodation, rentals and tours. So make the best of it!

Map of the Best Road Road Trip to Maine

Additional Resources You’ll Love

• 13 Best Breweries in Portland Maine
• 10 Amazing Scenic Drives in Maine
• 15 Best Things to do in Bar Harbor Maine
• 15 Best Things to do in Boothbay Harbor
• Best Things to do in Portland Maine
• Best New York to Los Angeles Road Trip

Well, there you have it! That just about wraps up my tips for planning an amazing road trip to Maine!

Tell me, did your fave stop on your maine road trip itinerary make the cut if not then let me know in the comments below so i can check it out., and if you found this post helpful, be sure to join our email list and pin this post now so that you can read it again later.

Privacy Overview

The 5 most beautiful road trips in Maine

Sep 25, 2023 • 7 min read

Road trip in Maine and find your own slice of seclusion © David Lincoln / Getty Images

The road trip is synonymous with American travel culture, and there’s no better place to explore the natural beauty of the United States by car than in the beautiful state of Maine .

The Pine Tree State offers scenic vistas and activities for everyone, from rocky coastlines and sandy beaches to granite mountain peaks and wildlife.

Nestled in the northeast corner of mainland USA, many of the country’s most famed scenic highways originate here. You can easily begin your road trip across Maine from urban  Portland , nearby Boston or even Canada.

Because this largely rural and geographically spread-out state does not offer a robust public transportation system, we recommend a road trip to see all it has to offer. While Subarus and pickup trucks are the unofficial vehicles around here, you don’t need a four-wheel drive to get to most places in Maine unless it’s the middle of the winter and you’re looking for fresh powder to shred in the mountains. 

As Mainers like to joke, “You can’t get here from there,” so be patient and don’t be afraid to get lost on the back roads. You never know when you might come across a moose, the perfect lobster roll or just a natural vista that will take your breath away. 

1. Coastal Route 1 Maine

Best road trip for Maine coastline views Kittery–Calais; 273 miles  

US Route 1 extends down the Eastern Seaboard from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West , Florida, clocking in at 2390 miles in total. The historic route started as the Atlantic Highway, which was established in 1911 and stretched from Calais, Maine, to Miami . 

Today, Route 1 offers one of Maine’s most scenic drives during the summer and fall months. Starting from Kittery, the two-lane highway follows the coastline up to Calais before swinging inland up to the Canadian border in Fort Kent. Most people take Route 1 from Kittery up to Ellsworth and head to Acadia National Park . 

A road trip through  Coastal Maine  can be an ambitious day trip from Portland, and most prefer to take a leisurely weekend to enjoy the area’s many traditional coastal towns, beaches, seafood joints and family attractions.

Spend a night in Maine’s largest city and foodie hotspot, Portland. Drive north through Freeport and the Midcoast, stopping to purchase some flannel and duck boots at LL Bean and visit the Farnsworth Museum of Art in Rockland. Enjoy lunch by the water in Kennebunkport.

Continue your drive north toward Ellsworth, where you can take a detour to breathtaking Acadia National Park for a couple of days. If you venture beyond Acadia, you’ll discover one of the most beautiful parts of the state: the Bold Coast. A drive through Downeast Maine will bring you through what locals may call “real Maine,” with its small towns and working waterfronts. Stop at Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec and then drive to the small inland town of Calais. 

From here, you can continue your drive up to Fort Kent and cross the border to Canada or head back south.

Detour:  If you have more time, spend another day or two exploring the many islands off the coast of Rockland and get a feel for New England's traditional seafaring communities.

2. Maine's Route 302 

Best road trip for fall foliage Portland–Fryeburg; 53 miles   

Perfect for a day trip, the drive from Portland to Fryeburg on Route 302 is especially beautiful during the fall months when the leaves start changing color. 

Start your day with breakfast in Portland. Grab coffee and donuts at HiFi Donuts and walk along Portland’s working waterfront, one of the few left in the country where you can still see catches of lobster and fish being hauled in throughout the day. Portland’s historic Old Port district is full of charming boutique shops, art galleries and restaurants perfect for those who prefer a sit-down breakfast.

After a few hours in Portland, hop in your car and take Route 302 west. You’ll pass through Windham and the Lake Region area, where you’ll begin to find more pine trees and farmland than people. 

If you’re traveling during the hot summer months, you can stop at Sebago Lake State Park or one of the few public beaches along the roadway for a dip in Maine’s deepest and second-largest lake. 

In Naples, you’ll cross the Causeway over Long Lake. If you’re hungry, grab lunch at Rick’s Cafe  (open from late May to early September) or take a tour of Long Lake aboard the Songo River Queen II , a replica Mississippi River Paddle Wheeler. 

Continue north toward Bridgton. During the winter months, Pleasant Mountain  is open for both day and night skiing, and hiking during the summer months is also rewarding. Less than 45 minutes from Bridgton, you’ll enter the pastoral town of Fryeburg.

Planning tip: A short drive from Fryeburg lies the gateway to New Hampshire’s White Mountains, North Conway, if you want to make a weekend of it.

3. Route 2 in Maine

Best road trip for farmland and mountains Bar Harbor–Gilead; 192 miles 

Route 2 is part of a cross-continental highway from Washington to Maine that crosses the border into Canada. Whether you’re completing the full 3600-mile Great Northern Road Trip or just a scenic day trip from the coast, Route 2 provides plenty of great views as you wind through farmland, small towns and mountains. 

Start in Bar Harbor, from where you can easily spend a few days exploring Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island . From the Atlantic Ocean, travel inland to Maine’s third-largest city, Bangor – the hometown of world-famous writer Stephen King. Grab a selfie at  King’s house  and in front of the  Paul Bunyan statue  before continuing east through the small former mill towns and fields. 

Stop in the college town of Farmington for lunch before continuing your journey through the western mountains of Maine . Newry, Bethel and Gilead are all picturesque New England towns with forested granite peaks in the distance. During the summer and fall months, stretch your legs on the many nearby hiking trails in the White Mountains or hit the slopes at Sunday River during the snowy months. 

4. Schoodic National Scenic Byway

Best road trip for uncrowded coastal views Hancock–Birch Harbor; 315 miles 

Most people don’t realize that Acadia National Park is more than just Mount Desert Island. A small portion of the park is located on Schoodic Peninsula, on the mainland. The remote peninsula offers acres of unspoiled and uncrowded nature. If you want to avoid the crowds on Cadillac Mountain or in the village of Bar Harbor, take the Schoodic National Scenic Byway to a remote part of the national park.

The Scenic Byway runs along Route 1 from Hancock to Gouldsboro, where you’ll take a right-hand turn onto Route 186, proceed along Schoodic Peninsula and then through the small fishing villages of Winter Harbor and Birch Harbor. 

The Schoodic District of Acadia National Park contains 7 miles of hiking trails, including the popular Schoodic Head Trail, which summits the highest peak along the peninsula. The peninsula is also home to countless other hiking and walking trails in the Frenchman Bay Conservancy and Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge.

Local tip:  The peninsula and surrounding islands are also an incredible place to explore by kayak or canoe.

5. Maine Island Trail

Best “road” trip ... by boat Kittery–Eastport; 294 miles

The pleasures of road trips in Maine aren’t limited to cars. For an only-in-Maine experience, buy or rent a boat and hit the 375-mile recreational waterway trail that follows the coast of Maine from York County to Washington County.

Founded in 1988, the Maine Island Trail connects more than 200 wild islands with mainland camping sites on both public and private lands. The trail and many of the wild islands are maintained with the help of thousands of volunteers and the Maine Island Trail Association .

In the greater Portland area, many of the islands in Casco Bay can be accessed easily by sea kayak, a perfect weekend getaway. For a longer trip, you’ll want a motorboat or sailboat, as Maine’s open water can be dangerous if you’re not a skilled mariner. Portland Paddle offers guided trips throughout the summer months from Portland.

This article was first published Dec 13, 2021 and updated Sep 25, 2023.

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Unforgettable Boston To Bar Harbor, Maine Road Trip Itinerary

I f you’re here, that means you’re probably planning an epic New England road trip along the coast, and man, I’m SO excited for you! Hi, my name is Sam, and I’ve been exploring this corner of the world for over 10 years now. I’ve taken countless road trips along the coast, and I’ve finally perfected my unforgettable Boston to Bar Harbor, Maine itinerary for those looking to explore the  New England coast .

To date, this is my favorite road trip I’ve done, and I can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself. To help you plan the perfect adventure, I’m going to share all my expertise on this area with you, offer my best tips for planning your trip, and give you my ultimate itinerary that was years in the making.

While following along, I encourage you to tailor this itinerary to your own preferences depending on how much time you have for your trip, but I do make suggestions on how long it takes to make the drive, and see all the best places on the way.

Are you ready to start planning together? Let’s go!

New England Wanderlust contains affiliate links, and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from any purchases you choose to make from our links, at no additional cost to you. For more information, please refer to our  Privacy Policy .

Road Tripping From Boston To Bar Harbor – The Basics

Before we jump into the itinerary, let’s get started with some questions you may have …

How Long Is The Drive From Boston To Bar Harbor?

If you don’t make any stops at all, and take the most direct route, the drive takes between 4 hours and 40 minutes to 5 hours, and spans about 280 miles. It could be longer depending on traffic getting out of Boston. If you happen to leave Boston during rush hour, definitely expect it to take a bit longer.

However, if taking a road trip, you could really make this drive as long as you wanted because there are so many amazing things to see along the way, and some fun detours to take. In just a sec, I’ll give you my suggestions on how long you need to make this trip and see as much of the coast as you can 😉

The auto road to the Cadillac Mountain Summit in Acadia National Park.

Is The Drive Scenic?

I think so, yes! But it kind of depends on your expectations.

While many parts of the actual drive are on highways that are kind of boring, there are  so  many great places to stop along the way that can make the drive very scenic.  Especially  if you take some of my suggested detours and scenic byways! But is every second of the drive stunning? Well, no. So it’s good to set expectations. It’s really more about the stops you make during the trip than the actual drive itself.

There are some portions of the actual drive that are very beautiful, though.

How Many Days Do You Need To Drive From Boston To Bar Harbor?

Since there are just tons of incredible things to see, I’m recommending one week, or 7-8 days, as I know that this is how much most people have to make this drive. If you have longer than a week, then I say it’s worth it to enjoy going at a slower pace. But you can definitely enjoy the top things to see in a week. This will also include two days in  Acadia National Park!  For my itinerary, I’m mapping out 8 incredible days for you, and you can adjust it to fit your schedule 😊

Best Time Of Year To Drive Boston To Bar Harbor

Generally,  June-September  is the best time to drive from Boston to Bar Harbor, as this is when you can expect the  best weather, and longest days .  July and August is considered peak season  along the New England coastline, so this is also when you can anticipate the most crowds and highest hotel prices. But gosh, it’s so worth it!

However, I’ve done this road trip in all seasons – yep, in spring, summer, fall, and even winter! As a second suggestion, I love  May to avoid some of the crowds  and still enjoy mild weather, and also  October to chase all the stunning fall foliage .

I’m going to give you some suggestions later in the post to turn this drive into a fall foliage adventure, so be sure to check that out if you’re planning your trip in the fall season 🍁😉

It’s also good to know that some places along the New England coast are seasonal, especially seafood shacks, boat tours, and ice cream places. If they’re seasonal businesses, it’s likely they won’t open until late May or June and begin to close down around Labor Day or only stay open possibly mid-October. But you’ll always be able to find places that are open year-round, too.

How Many Days Should You Spend In Acadia National Park?

Speaking of Acadia, that’s probably the reason you’re making this drive, right? This park is undoubtedly the top attraction in New England, and rightfully so. I always recommend a minimum of two days to explore, allowing 1 full day in the park, and then at least a half day to see Bar Harbor, which is such a charming town along the coast.

If you have more than a week for this trip, you could definitely add an extra day to Bar Harbor so you have two full days to explore the park.

Is There A Ferry From Boston To Bar Harbor?

No, there is no ferry that goes between Boston and Bar Harbor. The best way to make the trip is to drive.

The only ferry to Bar Harbor is the one from Nova Scotia, which is the CAT Ferry.

Is It Worth Going All The Way To Bar Harbor?

Oh yes! I often get asked this because Bar Harbor is pretty far up the Maine coast, and it’s one of the top attractions most out of the way in New England. But yes, it’s absolutely worth the drive. Because there are so many great things to see along the way, and since Acadia offers some of the best and most iconic coastline views in the Northeast, it’s very much worth the effort.

Overview: Best Stops To Make When Driving Boston To Bar Harbor

These are the top places I recommend stopping in that I think are very much worth your time. Some of them require a bit of a detour, but depending on your preferences, you’ll probably be happy you went out of your way!

→  Massachusetts North Shore : This includes Marblehead, Salem, Gloucester, Rockport, Ipswich, and Newburyport. I suggest you drive the Essex Scenic Coastal Byway on your way to or from Bar Harbor to see some of these towns, depending on which appeals to you the most. I have a slight preference for Salem, Marblehead, and Rockport, which are all small and easy to do in a couple of hours each. I’ll go more into this later in the post 😉

→  Portsmouth, New Hampshire : Pretty much just off I-95 and not out of the way at all, Portsmouth is a charming coastal city that feels more like a quaint town. Great historic New England scenery and shopping! I recommend this stop if you’re looking for more of a town vibe vs. coastline, as the coastal views here aren’t as impressive as the rest of the places on this list.

→  Southern Maine Coast : This includes places like York & Cape Neddick, Kennebunkport, and Ogunquit. I usually suggest stopping at Nubble Lighthouse in York, spending a couple of hours each in Kennebunkport and Ogunquit, and even staying the night in one of these two towns.

→  Portland, Maine : The state’s largest city is filled with lots of maritime charm, amazing dining, lighthouses, and history. If you like cities, this may be worth staying a night, but you can also see the highlights in a few hours if you’re not a city person.

→  Freeport, Maine : Home to the flagship L.L. Bean store! It’s not worth it for everyone to stop, but gosh, it’s a pretty cool place to see if you’re looking to pick-up some New England clothing and accessories.

→  Maine’s Midcoast : Between Freeport and Belfast, just before getting to Bar Harbor, there are lots of great towns along the coast to explore in this region, including Harpswell, Boothbay Harbor, Wiscasset, Rockland, and Camden. I have so many suggestions for hidden gems and places to visit along this portion of the drive, which I’ll go more into during the itinerary portion of the post!

The PERFECT Boston To Bar Harbor, Maine Road Trip Itinerary

Overview of this itinerary:.

Since most people reading this will need to start and end their trip in Boston to catch a flight, that’s how I’m formatting the itinerary. You’ll be making most stops on the way to Bar Harbor, but also saving a few for the drive back so you have something to look forward to 😉

Day 1 : Explore Boston.

Day 2 : Get an early start and drive to either Kennebunkport or Ogunquit. Spend 1 night.

Day 3 : Drive to Portland to explore for a few hours, and then make your way to Camden with a few optional detours for lighthouses and great coastal scenery! End in Camden to spend the night.

Day 4 : Spend the morning in Camden, and then drive to Bar Harbor. Enjoy downtown Bar Harbor and grab dinner. Spend two nights here.

Day 5 : Explore Acadia National Park during the day, and more of Bar Harbor at night.

Day 6 : Drive to Boothbay Harbor to spend 1 night. Take a boat tour.

Day 7 : Drive to Portsmouth and spend a few hours enjoying the shops, and drive the Essex Scenic Byway along the Massachusetts North Shore to make your way toward Boston. Stay the night in this area.

Day 8 : Arrive back in Boston to head home.

Day 1: Explore Boston

Boston is the perfect starting point for most New England itineraries, but it’s also one of the top places to explore in the region, so you should definitely plan at least a full day in the city!

Rooted in history, packed with New England charm, and filled with exciting dining and cool things to do, you can actually cover a lot of ground in just a day in Boston, including the top highlights.

Here are some of the top things I suggest first-timers do :

→ Take a food tour to get a taste of what this region is all about. I have a detailed guide on all the  best Boston food tours  to help you pick the best one! But seafood and Italian cuisine are especially great here.

→  Visit the most charming neighborhoods , which are  Beacon Hill  and the  North End . The North End is also where you’ll find the best Italian restaurants.

→ Stroll through the  Public Gardens  and  Boston Common . The Boston Public Garden was the very first in the U.S., and it’s so beautiful and photogenic 😍 Boston Common isn’t as scenic as the Public Garden, but in the fall during foliage season, it’s on fire with color. Plus, they’re both really close to one another.

→ If you’re looking to do some  shopping , head to  Newbury Street  and  Copley Place .

→ Visit the  New England Aquarium .

→ Explore parts (or all!) of the  Freedom Trail , which is a walking tour that takes you to historically significant places around Boston. You can also take  this awesome Freedom Trail tour .

→ Grab lunch or coffee at the beautiful and Instagram-worthy  Tatte Bakery , which has locations around the city (you’ll see why I recommend it when you walk in 😉).

→ End your day with a nice dinner out. I love  Neptune Oyster , but they don’t take reservations, and it can be a long wait time. If that’s not worth it for you, I also love the  Union Oyster House  for a traditional New England dining experience. But there are so many fantastic places in Boston to choose from.

How To Get Around Boston :

Boston is very walkable, and most of the tourist attractions, which are truly the top things to see in the city, are within walking distance to one another (less than a mile) in the downtown area. If you’re exploring for a day, you likely won’t need to use public transit, but may want to get an Uber or Lyft, which are widely available, just to save time (or if you’re tired!).

Where To Stay In Boston :

All of these suggestions are in great locations, and within walking distance to most everything!

→  Boston Harbor Hotel

→  Revere Hotel Boston Common

→  The Godfrey

Day 2: Drive To Southern Maine

First thing’s first, you’ll want to  pick-up your rental car in Boston  early in the morning. Then, head out to start your drive to southern Maine! During this part of the trip, you’ll pass through Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but don’t worry, we’re going to stop there on the way back 😉 To get to southern Maine, you’ll hop on I-95.

So, Ogunquit or Kennebunkport ?  Well, you can do both if you want! Ogunquit is about 25 minutes south of Kennebunkport, and the biggest difference, as mentioned, is that Ogunquit is more of a beach town, whereas Kennebunkport is more of a coastal town. That said, Kennebunkport also has beaches, and Ogunquit is also just as charming – I honestly love both.

Since you’ll pass by Ogunquit on your way to Kennebunkport, you can stop by for a few hours and see the beach, and the cute little town, and then end in Kennebunkport. You’ll want to decide which town to spend the night in – both have plenty of hotels and dining options.

On your way to Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, I also recommend you stop in York , which is just south of Ogunquit.

Notable stops to make in York if you have time :

• Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick  – the lighthouse itself is not accessible, as it’s on its own little island, but the viewpoint is really great and worth a stop! It only takes a few minutes.
• Stonewall Kitchen Flagship Store & Café  – This New England brand started in Maine, and is now sold in specialty stores all over the country, but the flagship store has everything, and is really fun! The café is also very good, and a lot of people come here for lunch.
• Downtown York  – Waterfront scenery, and some cute shops.
• The York Cliff Walk  – A pedestrian path along the coast with beautiful views.

*If you’re short on time , I would just do Nubble Lighthouse and maybe Stonewall Kitchen, but if you have time, I do recommend the other two stops.

Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine.

Best Things To See In Ogunquit In A Day :

→  The charming downtown  is filled with shops and eateries.

→  Ogunquit Beach , which is one of the best beaches in Maine!

→  Marginal Way , which is a pedestrian walking path along the coastline that connects downtown Ogunquit with the cute Perkins Cove Harbor.  This is my personal favorite thing to do in Ogunquit.  The trail is easily accessible from downtown, and is just over 1 mile long each way.

→  Perkins Cove  – Once you arrive there after walking Marginal Way, there are some really cute shops to explore, and a lovely bridge that makes for fun photos.

Ogunquit Beach Lobster House Restaurant.

Where To Eat In Ogunquit :

• Ogunquit Beach Lobster House
• Footbridge Lobster in Perkins Cove for a lobster roll!
• BeachFire Bar & Grille

Psst!  I have an entire guide on  things to do in Ogunquit , if you’re looking for more ideas!

Kennebunkport, Maine.

Best Things To See In Kennebunkport In A Day :

→  The adorable downtown , which is mainly Dock Square. You’ll find colorful storefronts and great restaurants here.

→  Drive to Cape Porpoise , where you’ll find beautiful coastal New England scenery, and the cute  Farm + Table shop .

→ Enjoy the views of the cove from  Kennebunkport Bridge  (right at Dock Square).

→ Take a coastal walk on  Parsons Way .

→ If you have time, head out on a  lobster tour with Rugosa .

Where To Eat In Kennebunkport :

• Allison’s Restaurant for a great casual meal
• Cape Porpoise Lobster Co. for a lobster roll!
• Old Vines Wine Bar

Day 3: Drive To Portland & Make Your Way To Camden

Portland Head Lighthouse.

This day ends in the beautiful coastal town of Camden, but you’ll be making some fun stops along the way! You can make this day easy by just driving to Portland, and then driving straight to Camden, or you can make it longer and more adventurous by making as many stops you as you feel like. Take a look at all my suggestions, and plan according to your preferences 😊

Option to add a night in Portland : The reason I have you scheduled to only stop in Portland for the day is because it’s  such  a short drive from Kennebunkport and Ogunquit, and personally, I think the scenery around the Camden area is more quintessential Maine. However, if you have extra time, you can definitely stay the night in Portland, and continue on to Camden the next day!

Things To Do In Portland In A Few Hours:

→  Take a food tour!  Portland is a huge foodie destination, and this is a great way to taste your way through the city.  The Old Port Seafood Lovers Tour , and  Old Port Culinary Walking Tour  are both great options.

→  Visit the lighthouses.  If you only have time for one, definitely make it  Portland Head Lighthouse . This is probably the most iconic lighthouse in New England, and it’s absolutely beautiful. Nearby are also  Spring Point Ledge Light , and  Bug Light , which are smaller, but still fun to visit. These are all in South Portland, so you’ll want to see them first before getting to downtown Portland.

Old Port in Portland.

→  Stroll around Old Port . I suggest parking somewhere around Commercial Street, and then walking around from there. This is the most unique and charming part of the city along the waterfront. Exchange Street and the streets nearby are nice shopping areas, too.

Optional Stops That Are Worth Your Time On The Way To Camden :

Some of these will definitely add time to your trip, so map them out carefully based on your plans to ensure you have enough time in your day.

Marshall Point Lighthouse.

→  Freeport  to shop at the L.L. Bean Flagship Campus.

→  Wiscasset  – a charming little town with a famous seafood stand called Reds Eats. Also known as being the prettiest village in Maine. You’ll drive right through it on your way to Camden.

→  Pemaquid Lighthouse  – a beautiful lighthouse surrounded by dramatic coastline and parks. There is a small fee to enter the grounds, and it’s cash only.

→  Moody’s Diner in Waldsboro  is right on your way on the righthand side, making it  a little too easy  to swing in for one of their famous whoopie pies! It even made my list of the  best whoopie pies in Maine .

→  Marshall Point Lighthouse  in Port Clyde. This famous lighthouse was featured in the movie  Forrest Gump , and it’s such a beautiful area to visit. This is the lighthouse in my homepage photo!

→  Owls Head  is a small town that’s not too far of a detour, and is home to Owls Head Lighthouse, and some beautiful coastal scenery. This is one of my top, most favorite lighthouses in New England.

→  Rockland  is a charming little coastal town with a great Main Street for shopping. Also home to Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.

Note s:  You’ll pass by Boothbay Harbor on this portion of the drive, but don’t worry! You’ll be stopping there for a night on the way back  😉  You can also make some of these stops on Day 6 of this itinerary when you drive from Bar Harbor to Boothbay Harbor .

You’ll want to arrive in Camden around dinnertime, so you can get settled into your hotel, and then explore the town a bit before sunset.

Camden, Maine.

Best Things To Do In Camden:

→  Head out on a sunset windjammer tour!

→  Walk around the harbor  to enjoy the idyllic waterfront scenery. Also walk over to the Bay Road Overlook (comes up in Google Maps) for the perfect view of the harbor backdropped by the mountains.

→  Grab dinner at a fabulous restaurant . Some of my favorites are Natalie’s, The Waterfront (yep, that’s the name 😊), and Franny’s Bistro.

→  Get some ice cream for dessert  at River Ducks or Camden Cone.

→  Drive the auto road  in  Camden Hills State Park  to the top of Mt. Battie and enjoy the bird’s-eye views of the harbor. This road is only open seasonally, but usually only closed in the winter.

→  Shop the lovely boutiques  on Main Street and Bay View.

Day 4: Spend The Morning In Camden & Then Drive To Bar Harbor

Refer to the section above for ideas on things to do in Camden the next day. If you weren’t able to take a sailing tour the night before, I do highly suggest booking one for the next day before you leave – this is one of the best places in Maine for a sailing tour!

⛵︎ Here is the Camden sailing tour I recommend:

Windjammer Classic Day Sail

Then, make the drive directly to Bar Harbor. On the way, you’ll cross the  Penobscot Narrows Bridge , which is one of only four bridge observatories in the entire world! If you have time, it’s worth a stop to enjoy the views from the observatory.  Click here for information and fees for exploring the bridge . But it is completely free to drive over if you’re just passing by.

Things To Do Your First Night In Bar Harbor:

→  Walk around the adorable town .

→  Enjoy sunset from Shore Path right in town , with is a coastal walkway.

→  Grab dinner out . I love Geddy’s, Side Street Café, and the Happy Clam Shack for lobster rolls if you’re up for a short drive outside of town.

→ If you have the time, you could also drive up Cadillac Mountain for sunset. While it’s famous for sunrise, I also love sunset on a clear night and it’s usually less crowded.  Note that this requires advanced planning and reservations late May – October.

Sunset on top of Cadillac Mountain.

Day 5: Explore Acadia National Park

Today’s THE day – Acadia National Park! Known as the “Crown Jewel” of New England, the park spans over 70 acres on Mount Desert Island, and offers some of the most iconic and famous scenery in the region.

Best Things To Do In One Day In Acadia :

→  Start with sunrise at the top of Cadillac Mountain . You can also save this for the following morning.Depending on the time of year, you may have to wake up very early for this, so it’s definitely not for everyone. But if it works with your schedule, I do think it’s worth it. It’s one of the most popular activities in the park for a reason!

Note :  Reservations are required late May – October to drive the auto road to the Cadillac Mountain summit . They release 30% of the available reservations 90 days in advance, and 70% of them two days in advance. I recommend setting yourself a reminder to check the weather two days in advance, and if it’s forecasted to be a clear day, making the reservation if this interests you. That way, it’s worth it! If it’s forecasted to be cloudy and foggy, the views won’t be a great.  Click here for reservation info .

→  Drive Park Loop Road , which is one of the most scenic roads in the park that offers so much for little effort. Along this road, you can make stops at Sand Beach, walk the Ocean Path, visit Thunder Hole, and see the Otter Cliffs. Of all these, I recommend parking at Sand Beach and walking Ocean Path to Otter Cliffs and back. It’s flat and easy, and passes by the best views in the park!

→  Lunch at Jordan Pond House . Famous for their popovers and incredible views overlooking Jordan Pond, this is such a fun thing to do in the park. If the weather is forecasted to be nice, I recommend making reservations for outside if you can. They also have a take out café if you want a quicker experience.

This overlook of Monument Beach is along the Ocean Path trail in Acadia.

→  Take a hike, of course!  Some easier to moderate hikes in the park that I love are Great Head, Bubble Rock, and Gorham. If you’re looking for an adventurous hike that’s more challenging, Beehive is the most popular in the park. Great Head is especially nice because you start the trail at Sand Beach, and it offers spectacular views of the coastline. And then you can just leave you car in the parking lot and walk Ocean Path.

→  Head to Bass Harbor Lighthouse for sunset . It’s about 30 minutes from Bar Harbor, but on a nice night, sunset here is really beautiful. You’ll need to climb out onto the coastal rocks to see the lighthouse, and parking fills up fast. But if you come prepared with sturdy footwear and arrive early enough, it’s wonderful!

→ If you don’t feel like driving to Bass Harbor Light, I would head back to Bar Harbor to  relax and enjoy your last night in town  with a dinner out.

→ You can also try to make a reservation for  sunset on top of Cadillac Mountain  in the park if you weren’t able to go for sunrise!

The views at the top of Cadillac Mountain.

Psst!  Do you have longer to explore the park? Want more information on everything mentioned above? You may want to check out my  Perfect Acadia National Park Itinerary .

Day 6: Drive To Boothbay Harbor

You have the option to start your day with a sunrise on Cadillac Mountain if you weren’t able to plan it the day prior! If you do, I suggest having breakfast at  Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast  in Bar Harbor afterward before heading out. They usually open early in-season for everyone getting up to see the sunrise ☀️

The drive to Boothbay Harbor is about 2 hours and 45 minutes without stops, and you also have the option to take the more scenic route and visit some of the suggested stops I detailed in the Day 3 portion of this itinerary. I would go back and reference those if you want to break up the drive.

Why do I recommend the night in Boothbay Harbor?  Well, I just love this little coastal town because of its charm, beautiful scenery, slower pace, and all the amazing boat tour options. From Boothbay Harbor, you can take a boat tour out to a puffin colony, head out on a Schooner, or take a lobster trap haul and lighthouse scenic tour. After exploring Acadia the day prior, it’s nice to stop in a town that forces you to slow down a bit, too.

Boothbay Harbor.

Best Things To Do In Boothbay Harbor:

→  Take a boat tour!  In addition to Camden, this is another one of the best places in Maine for some kind of tour out on the water just because of how many different kinds are offered. Plus, the scenery around this area is absolutely beautiful.

The Lobster Haul, Lighthouses & Seals tour in Boothbay Harbor.

These are the top tours I recommend in Boothbay Harbor:

✓  Schooner Day Sail

✓  Schooner Sunset Sail

✓  Lobster Haul, Lighthouses & Seals Tour

→  Cabbage Island Clambakes!  This is SUCH a cool, unique, and authentic Maine experience for dinner. You’ll take a boat from downtown, and be brought to the family’s private island for a traditional New England style clam bake dinner, which includes their famous blueberry cake and gorgeous waterfront scenery.  Advanced reservations required.

→  Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens . Located just outside of the downtown area, this is such a beautiful place to explore. Don’t forget to snap your photo with the giant wood troll sculptures!

→  Explore the cute and colorful downtown area .

→  Walk the footbridge , which connects both sides of the harbor.

→  Grab ice cream from Downeast Ice Cream , which is one of my favorites in New England.

Downtown Boothbay Harbor.

Where To Eat In Boothbay Harbor :

• Boathouse Bistro
• Boothbay Lobster Wharf
• Shannon’s Unshelled
• Robinson’s Wharf in the neighboring town of Southport is also worth it!

Psst!  I have a post all about  things to do in Boothbay Harbor , if you want some more ideas 😉

Day 7: Drive To Portsmouth & The Essex Coastal Scenic Byway

Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Making your way back to Boston, there are so many wonderful places you can stop on the way! In fact, it’ll be hard to choose because there’s a lot you can pack in on this portion of the drive, especially along the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway in Massachusetts.

Customize this day how you’d like, but if you’re feeling ambitious and you have enough daylight hours in your day, you can see Portsmouth,  and  all the best towns in the along the Scenic Byway.

Things To Do In Portsmouth In A Few Hours :

Portsmouth is very walkable and compact, so you can see the highlights, even with just an hour or two!

→  Market Square , which is the main shopping area downtown. You’ll find lots of great boutiques and eateries in this section of town.

→  Walk down a cute alleyway to Elephantine Bakery  for a coffee and a sweet treat.

→  Walk over to Prescott Park  for lovely waterfront views and a garden.

→  Visit the   Strawbery Banke Museum  to see history come to life (open seasonally). If you don’t go to the museum, definitely walk around this area because you’ll see lots of historic houses nearby.

Once you’re done in Portsmouth, take a 30 minute drive to Newburyport  and explore there for a bit. This is where I recommend starting the Coastal Byway drive. Follow the Byway through Ipswich, Rockport, Glouster, Manchester By The Sea, and Salem (which is just outside of Boston).

These are the best stops to make along the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway:

→  Newburyport : One of my favorite places to visit in New England, it’s home to amazing shops and such a charming downtown area that sits on the waterfront. Allow about an hour to walk around, grab lattes and whoopie pies from Chococoa Café, and explore the shops.

Psst!  I have an entire guide on  things to do in Newburyport, MA & Plum Island  if you need more info!

Newburyport, Massachusetts.

→  Crane Estate & Crane Beach in Ipswich . This historic estate is so stunningly beautiful, and the beach nearby is the best on the North Shore. Each requires separate admission fees, and you’ll want to budget your time wisely.

Crane Beach in Ipswich.

→  Rockport : One of my all-time favorite coastal towns in New England, Rockport is probably the one place I recommend you don’t miss on the drive. It’s very small, but offers an authentic New England fishing village atmosphere with colorful storefronts, lovely art galleries, great dining, and the most painted building in the country – Motif 1 (which was also featured in the movie  The Proposal ).

Psst!  I have an entire guide on  things to do in Rockport, MA  if you need more ideas!

Rockport, MA.

→  Gloucester is the best place to stop if you have your heart set on a whale watch tour  (but you can also take one that departs from Newburyport if that’s more convenient). Whale watch tours in this region are world-class, and head out to the famous Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which is known for its active marine wildlife.

🐋  Click here to check rates & availability for a whale watch tour from Gloucester

Note : While I do love to visit Gloucester, I think with this amount of time, it’s best to focus your itinerary on the other towns along the drive that I’ve recommended, as I think their scenery is more idyllic than Gloucester. Gloucester is also a city, and is bigger and more spread out, so harder to see on limited time. I do recommend it for a whale watch tour, though! If you take the whale watch tour, just know that it will take at least 3 hours, and likely a bit longer.

→  Manchester-By-The-Sea  is a beautiful coastal town that can easily be seen in about an hour or so. very picturesque scenery, and it’s home to a lovely beach called Singing Sands.

→  Salem . I’m sure you know it as a top Halloween destination, but it’s honestly great year-round. Filled with historic New England charm, waterfront areas, and some fun places to eat, it’s also very walkable!

Psst!  I have an entire guide on taking a  Salem, MA day trip  if you want more information for your visit!

Marblehead, Massachusetts.

→  Marblehead  is such a beautiful town along the North Shore just south of Salem that often gets overlooked, but I absolutely love it here. Also filled with historic charm and lovely waterfront scenery, it’s got a quaint Main Street with some cute shops, a beautiful waterfront park, and some nice places to eat.

Psst!  I have an entire guide on  things to do in Marblehead, MA  if you’re looking for more ideas 😉

More Optional Stops : If you’re looking to explore more of Maine’s coast, there are a few more stops you can make on your way from Boothbay Harbor to Boston. I know, I know – I’m probably tempting you to expand your trip even further, but I’m okay with that 😂

→  Georgetown Island to visit Five Island Lobster Company , which is one of the best lobster rolls in Maine you can get. They’re only open seasonally, and the scenery around there it is very quintessential Maine.

Doubling Point Lighthouse.

Squirrel Point Lighthouse.

→  The Arrowsic Lighthouses . There are two in this area that I really love: Doubling Point and Squirrel Point. Doubling Point requires a drive down a very bumpy dirt road, and Squirrel Point requires about a 3/4 mile hike through the woods, but they’re both beautiful, small lighthouses on the Kennebec River.

Note :  Doubling Point is closed until further notice for repairs. I’m monitoring this and will update once renovations are complete!

→  Bailey Island , which is a very small little island that’s accessible by car, and about a 20-minute detour each way. The best thing to see here is the Giant’s Stairs Trail, which offers beautiful coastal views, and giant rocks you can climb around (just practice caution, of course!). There’s also a cute little place to eat right by the bridge called Sundrenched, which is waterfront and has outdoor seating. This is a nice place to get off-the-beaten-path.

Giant’s Stairs on Bailey Island.

Day 8: Head Back To Boston

It’s the end of your trip! Depending on when you need to make your way back home, or to the airport, you may have some time in the morning to explore a few of the places I mentioned above, but I left this day open in case you have to catch an early flight, or start your drive back home early.

If you do happen to have some time on this day to explore, I would suggest you end the previous day in Rockport, and then explore Salem and Marblehead on this day before heading back to the airport.

Optional Itinerary Adjustments

→ If you have more time and are a city person, I would recommend adding a night to Portland and Boston.

→ If you have extra time and don’t want to add a night to a city, I have two suggestions.  First option : add a night to Camden to spend a day exploring the nearby attractions (lighthouses, Rockland, etc.) to make the drive from Portland to Camden easier.  Second option : add a night to Bar Harbor to see more of the park, and enjoy more hiking.

→ If you have even longer, you could make this a 2-week adventure by driving up the coast of Maine to Lubec, and then crossing the Canada border to the charming town of St. Andrews by the Sea, and Campobello Island. You could also take the CAT ferry from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia.

I have a detailed guide on  visiting Lubec, Maine , if you wanted to explore places further north!

Best Towns To Stay In On The Drive

For an overnight stay, these are my suggestions on the best places to stay based on experience when it comes to options for dining and accommodations (plus, lovely scenery, of course!). You’ll just want to pick where you stay based on how far you want to drive each day.

As you saw in my itinerary, I included some suggestions for overnight stops, but you may want to customize this trip to your liking (which I encourage!), so I wanted to provide you with more options. It’s also good to know that you won’t have time to stay overnight in all these places unless you extend your trip, but you  will  be able to, at the very least, drive through them all.

→  Rockport, MA : Not far from Boston, and if you’re looking get a leisurely start or slow-burn end to your trip, I really love to recommend a stay in Rockport. Most everything is pretty walkable, with cool shopping, nice hotel options, and idyllic scenery.

Where To Stay In Rockport :

✓  The Cove at Rockport

✓  Addison Choate Boutique Hotel

→  Portsmouth, NH : As mentioned, fantastic dining and shopping, with lots to keep you busy in the evening after you arrive! Plus, the historic charm is really quite lovely.

Where To Stay In Portsmouth :

✓  The Hotel Portsmouth

✓  Hotel Thaxter

→  Kennebunkport OR Ogunquit : Both of these charming coastal towns that are very close to on another, and both make for a great overnight stay. Kennebunkport has more options for nicer accommodations, but Ogunquit has a gorgeous beach. Both have very charming downtowns that are easily walkable with lots of places to eat and shop! Just pick based on what vibe you’re going for: beachy or just traditional coastal.

Where To Stay In Kennebunkport :

✓  Captains Collection Historic Inns

✓  The Boathouse

Where To Stay In Ogunquit :

✓  Anchorage By The Sea

✓  Cliff House : Technically in York, but a short 10-minute drive to Ogunquit. I like to suggest it because it’s a fantastic resort with amazing coastal views, and worth the splurge! It also makes my list of the top  New England resorts and spas  😉

→  Boothbay Harbor : I love stopping here for a night or two every time I make this drive. It’s very small and easily seen in a few hours, and I like to stay the night so I have the option to take a boat tour. I also find the shops and restaurants really great.

Where To Stay In Boothbay Harbor :

✓  Harborage Inn On The Waterfront

✓  Spruce Point Inn

→  Camden : Lastly, I think Camden is the best place to stay before reaching Bar Harbor. Built around a gorgeous harbor, the coastal scenery here is beautiful, and it’s a known sailing destination. There’s also a great Main Street for shopping and dining.

Where To Stay In Camden :

✓  Camden Harbour Inn

✓  Lord Camden Inn

Where To See Fall Foliage Between Boston & Bar Harbor

Manchester By The Sea in the fall season.

If you happen to be planning your trip to coincide with fall foliage, then I would love for you to consider adjusting the itinerary slightly (but don’t worry, it’s not too different!). Most places already on the itinerary offer amazing foliage color. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind:

→  The Essex Coastal Byway in Massachusetts is GORGEOUS in the fall  with lots of foliage color. I’ve done this drive during peak foliage, and I was shocked at how beautiful it was. Manchester-By-The-Sea, Essex, Salem, and Newburyport are especially beautiful in the fall. And, of course, Salem is  famous  for its October festivities!

→  Portsmouth offers some really lovely fall foliage  during this time of the year. It’s also an especially cozy place to visit because of all the historic New England architecture.

→  Boothbay Harbor  is also amazing in the fall, and the entire harbor is surrounded in fall color. Head out on a boat tour to see even more beautiful fall foliage! Tours usually end around mid-October, so there are typically opportunities that coincide with peak foliage.

→  Camden is also spectacular in the fall . I definitely recommend hiking or driving up the Mt. Battie Auto Road to take in the views of the harbor from above. It’s the best during foliage season!

→  Kennebunkport  also offers some beautiful fall foliage. Having been in October a few times, the fall season always impresses me in this coastal town.

Kennebunkport, Maine in October.

→ Of course,  the starting and end points on this road trip are stand-outs in the fall, too.   Acadia National Park  is stunning in the fall season with foliage color, and  Boston  is also amazing this time of the year. Although, it’s good to know that Boston tends to peak later in October, so in the fall, you may want to plan to spend more time in Boston at the end of your trip to get a glimpse of some foliage color.

What To Pack For This Road Trip

This will depend entirely on what time of year you visit, so plan accordingly based on the season when it comes to clothing and footwear. Beyond that, here are some things I recommend you bring regardless of what time of year you visit.

→  Light sweater or jacket  – even in the summer! If you plan to take any boat tours or get up for sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, you’ll want this to stay warm.

→  Reusable water bottle  to stay hydrated.

→  Dramamine  if you plan to hop on a boat tour and tend to get seasick.

→  Comfortable shoes  – I know this seems obvious, but you can leave your fancy shoes at home. I usually wear a really comfortable pair of sandals in the summer, or sneakers in the spring/fall. If you take a boat tour, they may have some requirements on the type of footwear you wear, so double check that, too.

→  Hiking boots  if you plan to tackle any trails in Acadia. You’ll be happy to have the ankle support.

→  Camera, of course!  You’re going to see so much incredible scenery on this trip, you’ll want to capture the best memories along the way. This is a good trip to get a tripod if you don’t have one – they even make inexpensive ones for iPhones that are perfect for just about anyone.

Tips For This Road Trip

→  Offline maps  on your GPS! You’ll have cell phone service in most places, but when you’re near a beach or inside Acadia National Park, you may lose service.

→  Be ready to pay tolls on the roads . If you’re renting a car for the trip, I suggest making sure your rental comes with an EZ Pass for the toll roads to make things easier. Most of them in this area are now cashless and don’t require you to stop – you just get a bill for the tolls instead, which you can work out with your rental company.

→  Bring Some Cash  – I know this seems obvious, but as someone who  never  carries around cash, I’m always reminded when I make this road trip that some places still don’t take credit cards! Usually places like ice cream stands and seafood shacks are the ones that may be cash only, so it’s good to have a small amount on you at all times. Better yet, get a debit card that reimburses you for ATM fees, like the Charles Schwab checking card. Most places will take cards, though.

→  Prepare for crowds at popular places . Depending on the time of year you take this trip, most places will bring in some level of crowds. The most popular destination is Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, and this is where you can expect the biggest crowds. If you travel in spring or fall, you’ll see fewer people, but places will still be lively.

→  Prepare for the cost . New England in general is just an expensive region to visit, unfortunately, and prices tend to be higher than other parts of the country.

More posts you may enjoy:

• The BEST 7 Day New England Road Trip Itinerary
• The PERFECT Fall Foliage New England Road Trip Itinerary
• The Best Time To Visit New England
• Incredible Lighthouses In New England To See
• Maine Lighthouse Road Trip Itinerary
• Gorgeous New England Islands Worth Visiting

That’s A Wrap On The Boston To Bar Harbor, Maine Road Trip!

And there you have it! After years of perfecting it, I’m thrilled to finally share my unforgettable Boston to Bar Harbor, Maine road trip itinerary with you. I truly believe that the New England coast is such a special and memorable region to experience for yourself, and with this guide, you’ll see the very best it has to offer. Happy planning!

February 21st, 2023 • 5 min

21 best places to stop on an I-95 road trip

Ready to experience the stunning Atlantic Coast? Connecting southern Florida to the Canadian border in Maine, the I-95 passes through major cities such as Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York.

Whether you’re taking on the whole 1,920 miles or just looking for some inspiration near you, our I-95 road trip planner has got you covered. From curious museums to tranquil parks and gardens, we’re here to keep you entertained along the way.

Buckle up and discover some of the many great attractions on the I-95 with Thrifty.

What to expect from your I-95 road trip

The I-95 route is notable for many reasons.

• It’s the longest north-south interstate in the US and crosses an impressive 15 states – more than any other interstate!
• With almost 2,000 miles to explore, there are more than enough highlights along the way.
• Non-stop, it would take over 30 hours to drive the route. So, we encourage you to take it easy and schedule a few pitstops along the way.

Not sure where to explore? Check out these 21 amazing I-95 stops and start planning…

Source: Shutterstock

Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

3251 South Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33129

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Miami Beach South, Fl TLE

Get your camera ready and stroll through the beautiful gardens of the Villa Vizcaya. Inspired by the Italian Renaissance, this mansion house from the early 20 th century will wow you with its opulent rooms and 10-acre gardens.

Stopping by on a Sunday? Don’t forget to pick out some tasty snacks at the Vizcaya Village Farmers Market before heading north on the I-95.

South Beach

Between 1st and 23rd Street on Miami Beach, Miami, FL 33139

Have you really been to Miami if you haven’t checked out South Beach? Among the rich and famous, you’ll find beautiful Art Deco buildings, eclectic restaurants and the relaxing South Pointe Park in this iconic neighborhood. Take a walk down Lincoln Road for some retail therapy or admire the Atlantic from South Pointe Pier.

Butterfly World

3600 West Sample Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Tsh Coral Springs TLE

Florida is famous for its biodiversity, and we can’t think of a better way to experience it than Butterfly World. Gather the family and get ready to take a trip to paradise. Discover over 20,000 butterflies from across the globe and witness the free flying creatures as they take flight in an authentic tropical environment.

Guanabanas Restaurant

960 North Highway A1A, Jupiter, FL 33477 Nearest Thrifty car rental location: West Palm Beach International Airport

From colorful nature to a colorful eatery – Guanabanas in Jupiter has got you covered. Take a seat in the lush riverside setting and get ready to chow down on Floridian favorites. From fresh Florida shrimp wraps to blackened Cajun salmon, Guanabanas is the place to be for a hearty lunch or dinner. Keep an ear out for live music while you dine, as bands to suit all tastes regularly stop by.

Kennedy Space Center

Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953 Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Melbourne International Airport

Kennedy Space Center is one of the more iconic things to do along the I-95 in Florida. Who doesn’t want to visit the starting point of the historic moon landing in 1969?

Marvel at the Kennedy Space Center ’s must-see attractions such as the Saturn V rocket, astronaut training simulators and Atlantis space shuttle. Brush up on your astronaut knowledge with its expansive library of objects and information to fuel curious kids and adults alike.

Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens

78 East Granada Boulevard, Ormond Beach, FL 32176

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Aloma TLE

Step away from the rush of the Interstate to enjoy the tranquil setting of Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens . Established at the end of World War Two to honor veterans, this art space hosts a variety of unique exhibitions each season. Stretch your legs and your creativity with activities for the whole family to have a go at. Paint pouring anyone?

Fort Frederica National Monument

6515 Frederica Road, St Simons Island, GA 31522

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Jacksonville International Airport

Just 25 minutes off the I-95 route in Georgia takes you to the stunning Fort Frederica National Monument . Don a tricorne hat and explore the ruins of an old fort and town built in the 1730s. Take a trip back in time with a guided tour to learn more about life in America’s colonial years.

Pee Dee State Farmers Market

2513 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Myrtle Beach International Airport

South Carolina’s freshest and best produce awaits you just off the I-95 at Pee Dee State Farmers Market . It’s open year round, making it the ideal place for a pitstop. And the seasonal flower shows make for a vibrant view after miles of asphalt. Grab a bite to eat at one of the market stalls, serving everything from tasty tacos to kettle corn. Or browse the unique ornaments and antiques for something to take home.

South of the Border

Hamer, SC 29547

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Fayetteville Regional Airport

It might be kitschy, but we love it. South of the Border is a world-famous themed roadside attraction, just off the I-95 and highway 501. It invites visitors to climb the Sombrero Tower, eat at the Sombrero Restaurant or shop at Pedro’s. Have you guessed the theme yet? Yep, this Mexico-inspired location is a fun stop for the whole family, just before you enter North Carolina.

Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park

301 Goldsboro Street South, Wilson, NC 27893 Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Raleigh - Durham International Airport

Take a 15-minute detour off the I-95 via exit 116 to downtown Wilson. Here you’ll find the novel Whirligig Park . As the name suggests, all manner of arty wind-powered sculptures come to life with the gentlest of winds here – some standing up to 50 feet tall –. It’s easily one of the best places to stop on the I-95 in North Carolina for something different.

Agecroft Hall and Gardens

4305 Sulgrave Road, Richmond, VA 23221

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Tsh Alexandria TLE

If you’re after weird attractions along the I-95, look no further than Agecroft Hall . Located just west of Richmond, Virginia, this 16th-century English Tudor Hall has a unique story to share. Learn the fascinating history of this manor house and how local businessman T.C. Williams Jr purchased and relocated the original structure from England to Virginia in the 1920s.

Occoquan Historic District

Mill Street, Occoquan, VA 22125

Before leaving Virginia (please check your trunk for Tudor manor houses), check out the Occoquan Historic District on the banks of the Occoquan River. This quaint town is home to numerous historic buildings, museums and a thriving art scene. We recommend grabbing some sandwiches from Ballywhack Shack while you explore. Delicious!

Fort McHenry National Monument

2400 East Fort Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21230

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Baltimore - Washington International Airport

As you make your way into Baltimore, we recommend stopping by the Fort McHenry National Monument. In 1814, the results of the decisive Battle of Baltimore inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star-Spangled Banner. Chat with an experienced ranger who can fill you in on all the historical details or simply take a reflective walk around this iconic location.

Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

6825 Norwitch Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19153

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Philadelphia International Airport

Time for some high-octane fun. Explore the expansive racing sports car collection at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum . From Ferrari to Ford, Dr. Frederick Simeone’s collection of over 75 cars is second to none. Don’t miss the twice-monthly demo days where the cars are taken outside for you to see, hear and smell up close!

Bamboo Forest

126 Log Cabin Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Newark Liberty International Airport

Let’s dial it back and bring it back to nature. Stop off at New Jersey’s very own bamboo forest. Along with the other botanical exhibitions at Rutgers Gardens , the bamboo forest is certainly a unique location for a selfie or three. Listen to the leaves rustle in the wind and channel your inner peace.

The Met Cloisters

99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tyron Park, New York, NY 10040

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Tsh Fort Lee TLE

As you follow the I-95 across George Washington Bridge into New York, why not take a slight detour to visit The Met Cloisters at Fort Tyron Park? The museum’s hilltop location along the Hudson River makes for a surreal experience. Stroll through the intricate arches and gardens, and marvel at the colorful Medieval paintings, tapestries and sculptures throughout the gallery.

Staying in New York for longer? Check out the Metropolitan Museum’s Fifth Avenue location as well, to experience more than 5,000 years of art from around the world.

Waterford Beach Park

317 Great Neck Road, Waterford, CT 06385

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Tsh New Haven TLE

After a night in the Big Apple, rejoin the I-95 and head north into Connecticut. Your route will take you through cities like Stamford and New Haven, if you fancy a museum outing or lunch in the city.

But we also recommend checking out Waterford Beach Park a little further east along the highway. Waterford Beach is one of the state’s few natural, unmodified beaches. Sit back and take in the views of Long Island across the waters or walk about the nearby Harkness Memorial State Park for a day outdoors.

South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903

Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Providence - Tf Green State Airport

Schedule a stop in Providence, Rhode Island’s capital – the I-95 runs straight through Downtown, so it’s hard to miss. The city’s flourishing arts community make it a top location for art lovers.

Our favorite public piece is artist Boris Bally’s “Gun Totem” sculpture on South Main Street, opposite the courthouse. Venture down to see the intriguing concrete pillar standing 12 feet high and containing more than 1,000 disabled guns – a unique sight to say the least.

Minute Man National Historical Park

174 Liberty Street, Concord, MA 01742 Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Boston - Harvard Square Hotel, Ma TLE

All around the Minute Man National park you can feel a great sense of history. From the battles that signaled the beginning of the American Revolution to the traditional pre-revolution buildings, a guided tour is highly recommended here. The nearby Minute Man Visitor Centre is also great if you’re short on time and need an overview.

USS Albacore Museum

600 Market Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801 Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Manchester - Boston Regional Airport

You’ve come this far on your I-95 road trip, why not explore a submarine? But don’t worry – this submarine’s on dry land. The USS Albacore was designed as a testing submarine. The full vessel is open for viewing, so watch your head as you peer through the periscope and marvel at the miles of wires and pipes running along its walls.

Palace Playland

1 Old Orchard Street, Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 Nearest Thrifty car rental location: Manchester - Boston Regional Airport

Sporting the catchy title of “New England’s only beachfront amusement park”, Palace Playland makes the most of Maine’s beautiful coastline. Adrenaline-filled fun awaits you on the Sea Viper rollercoaster or take it easy on the Ferris wheel for great views over Old Orchard beach. Its many arcades and food outlets make it great for the family after a long drive.

Phew – almost 2,000 miles and this is only the beginning of the many great I-95 stops along the route. Where will you visit?

Looking for more travel inspiration?

If you’re hungry for more travel destinations across the US, check out these blogs:

• Road Trip Along the Oregon Trail
• Route 66’s Most Iconic Spots
• The Best of Everything Along the I-10

Ready for your I-95 road trip from Florida to Maine?

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From California to Washington: Top 21 stops on an I-5 road trip

Craving a classic road trip? Take the drive along the 1,300-mile I-5 highway and immerse yourself in the beauty of the West Coast. From the sunny beaches and urban sprawl of Los Angeles to gorgeous national reserves around Washington, the West Coast has everything you could want from a road trip.

Start Your Iowa Adventure in the Capital of the Hawkeye State

When you think of Des Moines, IA you probably think of a bustling mid-western city that is nestled next to the beautiful Des Moines river. If you did, you’d be 100% correct!