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!
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.