Last minute vacation…daughter has been wanting to see those iconic rocky beaches for years, and we have a window of time to do it in late July. I know, I know… high season in a very expensive (and crowded place) but…time is ticking… she is growing up too fast, so we’re seizing the day.
Purchased plane tickets in and out of Portland and will rent a car. We’ll have a week in addition to the flight days.Have been looking on TripAdvisor and the still-available accomodations seem to either fall in the $400-$500 per night class (NOT us!!!) or surprisingly economical places (given that this is Maine, and some of these places have decent traveler ratings…they’re either budget chain hotels or cute lil retro-ish mom-and-pop motels that do look squeeky clean and safe to my eyes. So, that’s what I’ll be aiming for. I figure all the really good deals for the most charming accomodations were booked a year or two ago, and that’s OK. We won’t be spending much time in the hotel and I’m just happy to be able to go there.
I’d love your collective ideas of must-visit places, and what to steer clear of! Obviously, in this day and age I have to have some sort of itinerary so that there will be a place to sleep at the end of the day, but ideally we will putter, and explore. I’d like to mostly travel the slow roads through little towns and countryside, stopping along the way. But I don’t mind spending chunks of time in heavily touristed places too…we live in the sticks, so it feels festive and stimulating to be surrounded by happy throngs of vacationers. ( Will basically every town near the coast be heavily touristed? It would also be nice to see the “real Maine” too.)
So far the idea is to make our way from Portland, hugging the coastline on Highway (or route?) 1 up to Bar Harbor, maybe spending a night somewhere along the way (even though Bar Harbor is not really that far.) Then I’d like to stay somewhere within 1/2 hour of Bar Harbor, as I assume it’s prohibitively expensive there, and maybe spend two or three days in that area, seeing Acadia National park, etc. If there’s enough to see and do there, maybe we’d spend most of the vacation there, and then boogie back to Portland inland, maybe on the interstate or maybe not. Maybe we’ll even drive through a college or two for fun 
(not going on official college visits quite yet.)
All ideas or critiques of this plan are welcome, as are any other suggestions. I’ve only been to Maine when I was four, visiting my parents’ friends…my only memory is the shock of seeing the lobsters I thought were bought as pets lowered into the cooking pot ( and refusing to eat a bite…)
Stop at Duckfat in Portland (unless you are a vegetarian of course!) and when you get to Acadia NP rent bikes and ride on the carriage paths. So lovely. It was a major highlight of our Maine trip.
Bar Harbor IS a pretty long drive!
Spend some time in Portland. It’s terrific and there is lots to do.
If you are hugging the coast…head north.
Make a stop in Freeport…just because going to the flagship LLBean store really is a must do, in my opinion.
There is a lot to see along the coast in Maine. You can see the shipyards in Bath. Beautiful homes in Kennebunkport and Kennebunk.
I like Wiscasset too…a real quaint New England coastal town.
Go to Camden…really pretty small coastal town.
Then if you want to, continue north to Bar Harbor.
Acadia is beautiful too.
@Consolation and @MaineLonghorn should be able to give you some specifics.
I would strongly suggest you have lobster…at least once. And stop and get a piece of pie at Moody’s Diner.
Thanks, @thumper1. Do you think Bar Harbor is too far…too much to pack in for a week? Do you like the south better? I had actually been wondering if we should venture north of Bar Harbor.
I’m allergic to shellfish, lol…but maybe my daughter will want to try it. (I still feel sorry for the lobster!) DD LOVES clam chowder…I expect she will eat it every meal…and I love blueberries 
Acadia National Park is always cool, and you can go whale watching at some point.
Also Maine has great seafood!
We were there last September. One of our favorite adventures was visiting and going on the tour at the
Shaker community not that far from Portland. There is one last Shaker living there (at least then).
I thought Acadia was going to require passes or tickets to enter? Maybe that is the future?
If I were going to Maine for the first time, I wouldn’t miss Acadia National Park. The park is a gem. Be sure to have tea and popovers at the Jordan Pond House (in the park).
Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor are a long drive from Portland just because it is high season and Route 1 is the slow road. But if you venture up Route 1 you can do many suggested above stops between Portland and Mount Desert Island, maybe stopping in or around Camden/Lincolnville for a night, go up to the Bar Harbor area for a couple nights, then make your way back to the greater Portland and environs for the rest of your trip via the faster highway. There’s so much to do around Portland, including islands to ferry out to. Lots of great food. Don’t worry about safety in the mom & pop motels, Maine is wonderfully safe.
Going to be traveling back to Maine myself in a few more days, can hardly wait.
So, you have 5 days in Maine? There are lots of great ideas here for what to do in Maine. IF I was flying into Portland, Maine from away here are some travel options.
See Acadia and drive along the the coastline of Maine. (long drive)
DAY 1 (HWY 295/HWY 95/ Route 1A/ Route 1)
- PWM (airport) to Bangor to Ellsworth - Interstate 295 to 95 to 1A
- Stay in Ellsworth or Bar Harbor or probably best is Trenton, Maine…there are some nice, cute, clean classic Maine coastal motels there (maybe $90-$150).
- Eat seafood somewhere there, not many bad places and the motel owner will tell you where to go.
DAY 2 (Route 1 & Route 102)
- Explore Bar Harbor, MDI, Frenchboro or Swan’s Island.
- Take a Ferry to Frenchboro or Swan’s Island (https://www1.maine.gov/mdot/ferry/bassharbor/)
- You will get a boat ride, see the coast from the ocean, experience a real Maine island community and possible see some whales or sealife.
- Drive to Blue Hill or Castine.
DAY 3 (Route 1 & Route 172+)
DAY 4 (Route 1)
DAY 5 (Route 1)
- Wiscasset (http://wiscasset.org/)
- Bath/Popham Beach (first Maine settlement)
- Brunswick (Bowdoin College, etc)
- Freeport, etc.
- Stay in Freeport
DAY 6 (Route 1 or HWY 295)
- Drive to Portland
- Portland Old Port Area, Commercial St., Duckfat, etc.
DAY 7 (HWY 95)
OR other trips without Acadia
DAYS 1 & 2 - Camden/Belfast for 2 days
(go to Lincolnville and take ferry to Isleboro, or go to Rockland and take ferry to Vinalhaven)
DAYS 3 & 4 - Damariscotta/Boothbay for 2 days
DAY 5 - Freeport/Portland for 1 day
OR Maine’s Western Mountains and Coast
- DAYS 1 & 2 - Bridgton, Maine/North Conway, NH (get to the Shaker village area - http://maineshakers.com/)
- DAYS 3 & 4 - Belfast/Camden/Damariscotta/Wiscasset
- DAY 5 - Brunswick/Freeport/Portland
During the summer in Maine we still have a lot of agricultural fair…those are pretty local events - http://www.mainefairs.org/
If you really want to see the Maine’s coast, it’s best seen from the sea, and Maine’s Ferry system is a cheap, interesting way to do it.
I’d focus on the midcoast area around Boothbay harbor/Camden and around Bar Harbor.
In the Boothbay area, I recommend this place because it is reasonable, has a nice, quaint setting - not going to cost you $500 a night and breakfast is included. https://newagenseasideinn.com/
Also in the area, this place is a little more rustic but great location/views, also breakfast included and reasonable: https://www.oceanpointinn.com/
Once you decide on an itinerary, I’d be happy to recommend places to eat/things to do. I know the Portland area and the Midcoast area well. Bar Harbor not so much. There’s plenty to do - hiking, kayaking, botanical gardens, whale watches, island visits, museums, shopping, etc. depending on where your interests lie and how you want to spend your time.
Also, search in the Parent Cafe for Maine as there have been very good threads on this topic in the past.
Yes, search for “Maine.” We’ve given lots of suggestions in the past.
I always vote for the trip to Bar Harbor. If it were me, I would go straight there - driving up I-95 and taking routes 201,17, 3, and 1. It will be faster but it’s still a pretty route. I would stay in the Seacroft Inn, a reasonably priced inn right in downtown Bar Harbor and just a block from the water. http://www.seacroftinn.com/ I would take the Park Loop Road one day, like all the tourists do, but then spend a lot of time on the Carriage Roads that John Rockefeller built back in the early 1900s and donated to the government - they are beautiful 12-foot wide gravel roads where cars are not allowed. They go around ponds, lakes, up mountains, and through woods.
Jordan Pond is a great place to visit - you can have tea on the meadow next to the pond. You have to make reservations for that.
I would also explore the “Quiet Side” of the island and visit the gardens - Asticou and Thuya.
If you had time, my second choice would be to explore Camden and drive up Mount Battie for incredible views of the harbor and surrounding hills.
Maine is one of those places you can spend a lifetime and not run out of things to see and do. We’ve been here 32 years and haven’t scratched the surface. Don’t tell anyone, though! 
My vote is for Bar Harbor too. Definitely spend a day hiking Acadia. We also had the best whale watching ever from Bar Harbor but we went in September. Enjoy! It’s a beautiful part of the country!
Three Bs and a C (and an H):
Bar Harbor
Bates
Bowdoin
Colby
Wow, everyone, my head is swimming! Thanks ever so much… Who needs the TripAdvisor forum when we’ve got you guys around! I’ve just barely skimmed your posts so far, but I’ll go back and take careful note of everything. I stayed up until 2 AM looking into the suggestions posted last night (Wiscassette and Camden do look like awfully appealing places.) Now I have a lot more to work with. Decisions, decisions.
@NewEngParent, that’s quite an intenerary! Thanks for the suggestions about the islands/ferries and all your links. I’ll take careful notes. Yes we will have seven full tourist days plus two flight days (will arrive Portland at 4:30 PM on a Sunday and fly out late morning on a Monday. I’ve pinned down the Portland airport hotels, at least.) I had been wondering whether to dip down to Kennebunkport or just focus on the mid-coast. Hmmm. How long of a drive is it?
@doschicos, I’ll look into Boothbay Harbor. As far as our interests, a little bit of everything, Nature and light hiiking, whale watching, historical sights and small museums, old houses, gardens (of course!) , ferries, light shopping (dipping into little antique stores or boutiques but not planning to buy much more than Maine sweatshirts!), a lighthouse or two. Mostly just being there, soaking up the atomosphere (especially of sailboats and docks) and being as spontaneous as possible about the options. Hoping for good weather!
@MaineLonghorn, thanks for the suggestion of Asticou and Thuya…I would have had no idea about that! Also, Mont Battie.
@momofsenior1, Thanks for the vote! I think I’d feel regret if we went to Maine and didn’t make it to Bar Harbor! Are the whales in hiding in July?
Ha! @prezbucky …I think Bates would be my first choice for her should she want to veer in that direction (rising sophmore, grades fine so far) and I think she’d love to see herself as a nascent New Englander (if transplants can ever be that) but a little thing called winter might get in her way. …
Well…if you love old beautiful houses…Wiscasset is nice. Lots of great old houses…and a drive though Kennebunk and Kennbunkport…lots of great house there.
Wondering if there might be a house or garden tour sometime when you are there.
Perhaps for your next trip to Maine consider a few far afield trips!
My favorite part of Maine is Baxter State Park, up north, the culmination of the Appalachian Trail, lots of moose, pristine mountain lakes, where one can skinny dip, but it is a really far drive north of Portland.
Baxter State Park is virtually unknown outside of Maine, but its similar to a national park in beauty and stunning wildlife viewing and hiking Mount Katahdin is fabulous. Fall is a great time but summer is lovely too.
I think sailing is one of the better ways to see the coastline. You can go in and out of small coastal islands that
are not very populated, enjoying the views the whole way. As you get away from Portland and go north, on the water can buy fresh lobster right from the lobstermen, collect mussels on islands and steam them. You may be able to take a charter sail up the coast of Maine.
The best parts of Maine are far from Portland, but might as well start with other excellent ideas closer by.
Well, this thread is perfect. We are also headed to Maine in late July/early August!
We are still new to Maine, so I only know our little corner of it, but I can say that the Camden/Rockport/Rockland area is lovely. Rockland has a lobster festival the first weekend in August so it will be crowded and it may be difficult to find places to stay. (Our daughter’s wedding is that weekend, so we had our guests book early!) AirBnB and VRBO are always options.
In Lincolnville, the Youngstown Inn is a beautiful place to stay and to eat, and the rooms aren’t expensive. It’s in a pretty early 19th century house.
Don’t be afraid to head a little inland for the night. You can find vacation rentals and AirBnBs on many of the lakes within 10 miles of the coast in mid-coast Maine.