Magical Maine Road Trip Itinerary: Lighthouses, Whales & More

Post Topic: The Best Maine Road Trip Itinerary

Maine had been on my bucket list for so many years – I’d see glorious photographs of Maine’s rugged granite coasts and knew that one day I’d have to explore this incredible state.

And a few years ago, my dreams of Maine became reality. We planned a magical road trip through Maine along the coast that was full of ocean views, lobster, lighthouses, and of course, blueberries.

Is your trip to Maine a part of a larger trip to New England? You may also like this Fall New England Road Trip post.

Short attention span? Skip ahead here show

How to Get to Maine

For most travelers in the United States, Maine is a bit too far to drive. If you’re not quite familiar with where to find Maine on the map, Maine is located in the tippy top of the USA. Right in the top righthand side of the map.

So if you’re not already located in the New England region, you’re probably looking to fly to Maine. I’d recommend two different airport options. (1) Fly straight into Portland, Maine where this road trip begins, or (2) fly into Boston-Logan International Airport about 2-3 hours away. The first option is definitely the most convenient of the two, but if you’re a budget traveler, like myself, you may find better flight prices into the big city of Boston.

Either way, you’ll want to rent a car for this magical Maine road trip adventure.

Pack These for a Magical Maine Road Trip

1. Good Hiking Shoes

There are so many great hiking trails on the Maine Coast! Especially in Acadia National Park.

It’s super important to wear sturdy hiking shoes or sandals on the trails. I wear brands like Merrell Moab 2 Mid Ventilator, Teva Universal Trail (trail sandal), and Timberland Mt. Maddsen Mid Waterproof. My husband, who is very prone to ankle injuries, wears Salomon X Ultra Low GTX and swears by them.

I love being able to switch between a solid hiking boot and a trail sandal with excellent traction on the easier or wet trails. I’m very prone to blisters and having different shoes to change into makes a world of difference.

2. Water Bottle & Hydration pack

It’s important to stay hydrated on hiking trails. Even if the conditions are wet & rainy and you may not think about drinking water.

To keep your drink extra cold, go with a Hydroflask, which is vacuum-sealed and keeps your liquids cold for up to 24 hours. If you’re looking for something a bit more lightweight, go with the traditional Nalgene.

On longer hikes, fill up your Ospry Hydraulics Reservoir to keep your water easily accessible & hands free. My favorite day pack that accommodates a hydration bladder is the Osprey Mira 22 Hydration Pack.

3. Snacks & More Snacks

Every good road trip requires good snacks. Make sure you bring enough energy-boosting food to get you through the day. full of driving & hiking.

Some of our favorite road trip and trail snacks are the traditional PB&J, grapes, trail mixes, Go Macro Bars, and RX Bars.

4. Wool Clothes & Moisture Wicking Clothes

I HIGHLY recommend wool material clothes for both road trips and hiking. Wool is the best at keep your cool when the temperatures are warm and keeping you warm when it’s cold out. It’s natural fibers are great for pulling the moisture and sweat away from your body and don’t cause the build-up of bacteria. Meaning wool clothes won’t start to smell like your polyester shirt!

These Icebreaker T-Shirts have been a favorite of mine recently, they’re excellent at keeping you dry. And the best part is that they don’t stink even after a long sweaty day on the trail!

6. Lots of Layers (including a Rain Jacket)

You can expect the temperatures on the coast to be cooler than you expect. Literally. In the middle of July, I didn’t go many places without my puffer jacket (although I was still wearing shorts). Definitely pack and carry a jacket with you. Especially during an early morning or late evening hike.

A rain jacket is absolutely essential. Rain on the coast is very likely.

The Best Maine Road Trip Itinerary

Our trip started on a Friday morning, when we flew from DFW to Boston, MA, rented a car, picked up my sister-in-law and drove to Portland, ME. The trip from Boston to Portland is about 2-3 hours depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrive in Portland

By the time we made it to Portland, it was time for an early dinner so we headed straight to The Lobster Shack (225 Two Lights Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107) for their lobster rolls. Because when in Maine you must eat a lobster roll. The lobster at Lobster Shack was great, but what could not be beat was the picturesque view that came with dinner. The Lobster Shack sits outside, right on the coast, with views of lighthouses.

Next, we drove straight to the Portland Head Lamp (1000 Shore Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107). The headlamp is located at Fort Williams Park which is the original site of a largely demolished U.S. Army post, operational during WWI and WWII. Fair warning, you will have to contend with a good number of tourists here, but it will be worth it, so go. I recommend either going early, or late, to miss most of the crowds. We went right before sunset and oh, so worth it. The lighting was perfect.

We then headed into the city of Portland. After checking into our sweet little AirBnB, we spent the evening exploring Old Port. Old Port is full of cobblestone streets, darling boutiques, more lobster, and delicious ice cream parlors. We ate at Beal’s Ice Cream (recommended to us by our Airbnb host), and oh, so good. I recommend you try the Blueberry, made with fresh Maine blueberries. Yum.

Day Two: Drive to Bar Harbor

The next morning, we were up at dawn and ready to head to our next stop! But before we left, we made a quick stop for some of the famous potato doughnuts. Yes, potato. Can’t be all bad for you, right? Holy Donuts (7 Exchange Street, Portland, ME 04101) is located in Old Port. I recommend the Maple and Fresh Blueberry. Can you see a trend here? We didn’t stay long, because we were so ready to get to Bar Harbor, ME!

Driving to Bar Harbor from Portland takes about 3 hours. If you can, try taking Highway 1 instead of the interstate, for a more scenic drive through the small towns on the Maine coastline.

Right after arriving in Bar Harbor, we headed to the square and checked in for our Whale Watching Tour which we had booked ahead of time through Bar Harbor Whale Watch (Harbor Place, 1 West Street Bar Harbor, ME 04609). Simply put, this is a must do. We had the best experience. I have to say, we got lucky because for a solid hour, a mother humpback whale and her calf swam around our boat, breaching and diving for food. It was incredible, a memory that we will never forget. In addition to the humpbacks, we saw hundreds of porpoises, a super pod of dolphins, and a basking shark. The tour guides at Bar Harbor Whale Watch were fantastic, they were very educated and informative. Due to the number of whale sightings, our tour was extended at least an hour. Hands down, best part of our trip to Maine.

Day Three: Explore Acadia National Park

Since we arrived back at Bar Harbor later than planned and only had a few hours left of daylight, we quickly decided to go for a short hike. Our bodies needed it after a day of driving and sitting on a boat. We chose the Beehive Trail, which is an Acadia classic. The hike is fairly strenuous but not too long. Hikers use iron rungs to climb along ledges of exposed cliffs. Mileage is about 1 mile up the beehive trail with a more gentle descend down the bowl trail which leads back to the trailhead. Even with the difficulty of the assent, this hike should take you no more than an hour to complete.

For dinner, we headed back to Bar Harbor for Rosalie’s Pizza where we shared a large pizza. The portion sizes were large and a good value, but we had to save some room for dessert! Mount Dessert Island Ice Cream is hands down the best ice cream in Bar Harbor. I ordered the Blueberry, again. When in Maine, right?

On Sunday Morning, we woke early and headed to the Bass Harbor Head Lamp to get a few quiet photos of the lighthouse. In order to get this shot, we had to climb down over several borders to get the right angle. Highly recommend good footwear if you plan to do the same. This one has to be on your Acadia to-do list.

After an hour at the head lamp, we headed to Jordan Pond. Here, we hiked the Jordan Pond Path, a 3.5 mile loop with little to no elevation change. It was very crowded, but still beautiful. We enjoyed walking on the wooden platform for most of the hike, but as you can imagine, we became stuck behind slower hikers quite frequently. The Jordan Pond House is also nearby if you want to get a bite to eat.

Later that afternoon, we visited Thunder Hole and Otter Cliffs. Thunder Hole is named for the booming echo that is made when the waves hit the cave in the rock face. The best time to experience this phenomenon is about an hour before high tide. Check with the national park for high and low tide times.

After Otter Cliffs, we headed to Sand Beach. Sand beach is unique because it sticks out among the rest of the rugged and rocky coastline at Acadia National Park. The water here is so cold, we did not find it swimmable. However, there were a few braver souls on the beach who were not as deterred by the frigged temperatures as we were.

Day Four: Sunrise on Cadillac Mountain and Head Back to Boston

Now, one of the most iconic activities to do at Acadia National Park, is to drive up to Cadillac Mountain to see the sunrise. Travelers who choose to do this will be some of the first to see the sunrise in the United States. However, check the weather before you make the trek up the mountain.

The last morning that we were in Bar Harbor, a thick blanket of fog covered the island and Cadillac mountain so we chose to sleep in and drive up the mountain later in the morning after the fog had cleared.

On Monday morning, we left Bar Harbor and headed to New Hampshire before heading back to Boston. From the delicious lobster rolls, all of the blueberry ice cream, breathtaking hikes, stunning lighthouse landscapes and best of all, whale watching tour, Maine surpassed all expectations.

I hope this blog post has inspired you to give it a visit. And if not, take a chance anyway, you will not be disappointed.

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