Coastal Maine

We are heading up to Coastal Maine this summer. Our destination is Dennysville Maine, we are flying into Portland Maine and taking a couple days to get to Dennysville. We would like to go up the coast, we do not know anything about the area, any suggestions of where to go, where to stay, and what to do?? Thanks!!

Coastal Maine

You should get lots of great feedback from the coastal Mainers but for my two cents worth I love Camden and a great place for a couple of days is Glenmoor By The Sea just a couple of miles North on Rt . Look them up on TA from lots of good info.

Coastal Maine

The first stop from Portland should be L.L. Bean whose flagship store is in Freeport, just about 20 minutes north of Portland. The store itself is impressive. There are quite a few other outlet stores in the village. A really great place for lunch is the Azure Cafe, just two doors up from L.L. Bean. The Jamieson Tavern and the Harraseekent Inn are other choices for lunch.

You then travel north through Bath and Brunswick. U.S. battleships are built in Bath. There%26#39;s an elegant private college campus in Brunswick. You will soon come to Wiscasset which is a pretty little town known for the good lobster rolls at Red%26#39;s Eats, a shack right on Highway One.

In Rockland, Maine there is a great art museum with lots of Wyeth paintings. Just beyond Rockland is Camden which is worth a stop and could be an overnight for you. It%26#39;s a pretty little sailing town with nice shops and restaurants. Be sure to drive to the top of Mount Battie, just north of town, for the view.

After Camden there are a few other little towns and then you come to Ellsworth and the Acadia region. Acadia National Park is on Mount Desert Island. There are many lodging and dining choices in Bar Harbor. Lots of hiking, kayaking, bicycle rental, whale watch boats. An overnight near Acadia would be well worth your time.

Dear ColdinPgh,

In addition to what others have posted there%26#39;s a few more areas and scenic places you might want to stop in.

Just north of Portland and Freeport are two lovely beaches. Both are down peninsula%26#39;s by about 20 minutes from Bath and Brunswick. Detouring would take you about 40 to 45 minutes round trip. They are Popham Beach and Reid State Park beach. Both are very pretty and worth seeing and each has it%26#39;s own character. The drive alone down these peninsula%26#39;s is worth the trip where you%26#39;ll get a chance to see non-commercial Maine.

Just north of Wiscasset and down another peninsula is Boothbay Harbor. You take route 27 south about 11 miles. This is a bustling little touristy village with lots of shops, restaurants, boat tours, and even it%26#39;s own little bowling alley! There are many side trips you can take from downtown and one in particular and well worth the drive is to Ocean Pt. Take rt 96 towards East Boothbay and follow till the end which puts you at Ocean Pt. It%26#39;s about 6 miles and will take you about 10 minutes from the village of Boothbay Harbor.

Ocean Pt. is the quintessential summer cottage colony. When you come to the end of rt 96 you%26#39;re right at Grimes Cove with lovely views to islands and open ocean. Continue along Shore Rd. towards the right (the only way you can go) and to the left is stunningly beautiful vista%26#39;s to more islands, 4 lighthouses, open ocean, and all kinds of boat traffic. At any point you can stop and get out and walk along the shore or out on the rocks. People often bring a picnic lunch.

Also along this road are classic turn of the century summer homes with many sporting lovely gardens, tall evergreens, and rocking chair porches. If you time it right you could even have lunch or dinner at the Ocean Pt. Inn which offers gorgeous views of the open ocean, lighthouses, islands, and the sunset.

Moving further north and just down another peninusla is Pemaquid Lighthouse. This truly is a spectacular sight that I never tire of. To get there go through downtown Damarascotta (route 1 north) and turn right just afterward where there are directional signs that point to Pemaquid. This will take you about 15 to 20 minutes but is well worth it. The lighthouse sits high upon a bluff overlooking open ocean and is very dramatic. The views are endless. There%26#39;s also a little museum you can tour. In addition there%26#39;s a gift shop and restaurant with the same spectacular views.

The art musuem another poster mentioned in Rockland is called the Farnsworth Art Museum. It is well worth a visit as most of the paintings are either by Maine artists or are Maine landscapes with Wyeth family work predominant.

I could go on and on as there are so many breathakingly beautiful places to see along the Maine coast. There just isn%26#39;t enough time to see them all and do them justice even if you%26#39;re a native or year round resident!

Enjoy your trip and don%26#39;t forget to report back :).

cozyharbor

P.S. If you want to be able to stop at any of the coastal communities you have to take route 1 north, just north of Portland. If you continue on 295 or 95 they%26#39;ll lead you inland far from the water.