A WEEKEND IN MAINE
Sooooo no one asked but I will deliver, here is a full weekend itinerary / road trip idea for Maine! I recently traveled up the coast of Maine the end of September right as the leaves were beginning to turn. I visited Portland, Bangor and Bar Harbor / Acadia National Park. I spent my days trying delicious foods, hiking to some rewarding, incredible coastal views, wandering through shops and sipping coffees. I adored the seasonal changes and the entire trip had a feeling of coziness mixed with adventure and small town coastal New England pleasures. I personally would love to return to Maine some day and will include it on my “back again” list! Maine has so much to offer and although I just hardly chipped away at the surface here I feel like if a quick weekend is all the time you can a lot this guide and itinerary has just about anything and everything you could ask for from views, eats and more!
TRAVEL PLANS:
If you are flying in I suggest Portland International Jetport or if you are wanting to stop in Boston, Logan International Airport is a larger airport and significantly cheaper. On the contrary if you are strictly traveling to Maine for Acadia National Park there is a small airport in Bangor as well. Beware though these small airports have high price points and not as much schedule flexibility.
I personally drove to Maine from Boston and highly suggest having a car for this trip. It’s almost a must if you want to see multiple cities and get a good mix of nature and city! I started my journey in Boston and drove the 2.5 hours to Portland Maine. The drive is pretty painless once you exit the initial Boston traffic.
Turo, Zip car and the big boss rental car services such as Hertz and Alamo are all options!
Accommodations: I HIGHLY suggest independently owned Inns as compared to Airbnb, Vrbo or hotels. I will include a few below to check out.
WHERE TO STAY
Portland:
budget- Inn at St. john, Fireside Inn & Suites
moderate- Portland Harbor Hotel, Fleetwood House B&B
luxury- West End Inn, Inn by the Sea
Bar Harbor / Acadia:
budget- Isleview Motel and Cottages, Bar Harbor Villager Motel
moderate-Acadia Yurts and Wellness Center, Bar Harbor Cottages and Suites
luxury-Bass Cottage Inn, The Inn on Mount Dessert
PORTLAND
Portland is a coastal wharf city with working fishing ports and a very strong historical New England feel. Old Port features tons of delightful seafood options, independent shops, a beautiful park with mountain and harbor views, stunning iconic lighthouses and beautiful victorian neighborhoods.
To do/ to see:
Shop along Commercial Street, Market Street and Exchange Street
Visit Eastern Promenade which is a beach area on the water with beautiful mountain and harbor views
Visit the Western Promenade to drool over the old mansions
Lighthouses of course!!! Top picks- Portland Head Light, Bug Light, 2 Lights State Park, Spring Light
Sunflower Farm (cute goats!!!)
Casco Bay Ferry Ride for sunset
Walk nearby trails ( Eastern Trail, Pleasant Hill Preserve)
Eats:
(Breakfast& Coffee):
Bard Coffee
Speckled Axe
Portland Pottery Cafe
Tandem Coffee Roasters
Coffee by Design
Becky’s Diner
Bayside American Cafe
Otherside Diner
(Lunch/ Dinner):
Blue Rooster (quick)
Blue Spoon
Duck fat (fries/american)
Dutch’s (chicken biscuit)
Eventside Oyster Co.
Hot Suppa
LB Kitchen
Miyake (bento box)
Portland Lobster Co.
Drifters Wife
Union
Central Provisions
BAR HARBOR/ ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
To do / see:
Walk Bar Harbor downtown shops
Sit in the park by the public harbor pier
Walk the waterfront trail
Buy a ticket to drive up to Cadillac Mountain for sunset at Acadia
Acadia- Beehive Hike (Difficult)
Acadia- Jordon Pond Path Hike (Easy)
Acadia- Ocean Path Hike (Easy)
Acadia- Visit Sand Beach
Acadia- Brass Harbor head light Hike (easy)
Acadia- Precipice hike (Difficult)
Acadia- North / Connors Bubble Hike (moderate)
Eats:
In Acadia: Jordon Pond Restaurant popovers
Breakfast / Coffee:
2 Cats Bar Harbor
Sunrise Cafe
Everyday Joes
Choc o latte
Coffee Hound
Lunch / Dinner:
Geddys
Side Street Cafe
Thirsty Whale
Stewmans Lobster Pound
BANGOR:
Okay I was only here for about 4 hours but in that time I got coffee, a delicious breakfast sandwich and did something realllly fun!
Coffee/ Breakfast: Wicked Brew (the coziest family owned coffee shop / breakfast & lunch hub with warm and cold eats, strong coffee and very unique and eclectic vibes!
Must do: See Stephan Kings Mansion !!!! It lived up to all of my expectations.
Okay, that’s all I have for now! I hope this little Maine guide blog helps in your next trip up the coast of Maine. I absolutely adored the areas I visited and hope to be back again soon.
