This is the route we’d give a friend visiting Maine for the first time. We’ve driven every road on this itinerary many times over the years and the stops that survive the cut are the ones that consistently deliver — not the ones with the best marketing.
This is the route we’d give a friend visiting Maine for the first time. We’ve driven every road on this itinerary dozens of times over 30 years and the stops that cut the mustard are the ones that consistently deliver — not the ones with the best marketing. A week in Maine is enough time to cover the full arc of the state’s coastal character — from the sandy beaches and classic lobster shacks of southern Maine through the refined midcoast towns to the dramatic wilderness of Acadia. This itinerary is designed for a first-time Maine visitor who wants to cover the essential experiences without rushing, with enough flexibility to linger where you fall in love and move on where you don’t.
Best time: Late June through September. September is the best overall — crowds drop after Labor Day, the weather is excellent, and the foliage begins developing by late September. Reservations: Book accommodations well in advance for July and August. Cadillac Mountain timed entry (recreation.gov) must be booked in advance for peak season.
Day 1 — Portland
Arrive in Portland and spend the full day in Maine’s most interesting city. Walk the Old Port, visit the Portland Museum of Art (budget two hours minimum for the Homer and Wyeth collections), and walk the Eastern Promenade for views across Casco Bay. Dinner at Eventide Oyster Co. or Fore Street — both among the finest restaurants in New England. See our Things to Do in Portland Maine guide.
Day 2 — Kennebunkport and Ogunquit
Drive south on Route 1. Start in Kennebunkport — drive Ocean Avenue to Walker’s Point, explore Dock Square. Then drive to Ogunquit (15 miles south) — walk the Marginal Way cliff path, lunch at Perkins Cove, swim at Ogunquit Beach. The White Barn Inn restaurant in Kennebunkport is one of the finest dining experiences in Maine for a special dinner. See our Kennebunkport and Ogunquit guides.
Day 3 — Wiscasset, Damariscotta, and Boothbay Harbor
Drive north on Route 1. Stop in Wiscasset for Red’s Eats lobster roll and the historic district. Continue to Damariscotta for Damariscotta River oysters at King Eider’s Pub. Drive south to Boothbay Harbor for an afternoon boat tour and dinner at The Lobster Dock. See our Wiscasset, Damariscotta, and Boothbay Harbor guides.
Day 4 — Rockland and Camden
Rockland: The Farnsworth Art Museum (two hours minimum — the Wyeth collection is world-class), walk the breakwater to the lighthouse. Camden: Lunch at the harbor, hike Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park for sweeping Penobscot Bay views, evening sunset sail on a harbor schooner. See our Rockland and Camden vs Bar Harbor guides.
Day 5 — Acadia National Park
Drive from Camden to Bar Harbor (about 1.5 hours). Start at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center. Drive the Park Loop Road — Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, Otter Cliffs, Jordan Pond. Lunch at the Jordan Pond House for the famous popovers. Afternoon bike ride on the carriage roads. Dinner at Havana or Café This Way in Bar Harbor. See our Acadia National Park guide and Bar Harbor Restaurants guide.
Day 6 — More Acadia
Choose your second Acadia day: Schoodic Peninsula (less crowded mainland section, dramatic Schoodic Point coastline), Quiet Side of MDI (Acadia Mountain hike with Somes Sound views, Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, Thurston’s Lobster Pound in Bernard), or Whale Watching (morning tour from Bar Harbor pier — humpback, finback, and minke whales regularly seen). See our Best Time to Visit Bar Harbor guide.
Day 7 — Return South
Take Route 1 south at a relaxed pace. Recommended stops: Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory in Prospect (one of the highest public observatories in the world, extraordinary views), Belfast (good downtown and dining), Lincolnville Beach (final Maine swim on Penobscot Bay), Brunswick (Bowdoin College Museum of Art, free admission, excellent collection).
Practical Notes
- Driving: Portland to Bar Harbor is about 3 hours without stops. Total driving for the week is roughly 6-8 hours — very manageable
- Lobster: Eat it early and often. A whole steamed lobster at a working lobster pound is one of the finest food experiences Maine offers
- Cell service: Reliable in cities, spotty between towns. Download offline maps before leaving any city
- Weather: Variable. Pack layers and rain gear regardless of the forecast
Customize Your Week
Consider swapping Day 2 for Downeast Maine (Eastport, Lubec, West Quoddy Head) if you want the most remote Maine coast — see our Downeast Maine Road Trip guide. Or replace Days 3-5 with a windjammer cruise from Camden or Rockland — see our Maine Windjammer Cruises guide. Or add a Monhegan Island day trip from Boothbay Harbor — see our Monhegan Island Day Trip guide.
Plan Your Trip
Ready to road trip Maine? Browse lodging in Portland, Camden, and Bar Harbor to start planning.
About MaineGuide.com: MaineGuide.com has been helping visitors plan their Maine trips since 1995 — making us one of the longest-running and most comprehensive Maine travel resources on the web. Our guides are built on decades of firsthand Maine knowledge, local expertise, and a genuine love for the state.
📌 Visiting in late July or August? Add wild blueberry picking to your itinerary. Read our complete Maine Wild Blueberry Picking guide — the Washington County barrens are one of Maine’s most distinctive seasonal experiences.
📌 Popham Beach is Maine’s finest beach. Read our complete Popham Beach State Park Visitor Guide and add it to your road trip itinerary.
📌 L.L. Bean in Freeport is a classic Maine road trip stop. Read our complete L.L. Bean Freeport Visitor Guide — the flagship store, campus, Desert of Maine, and outlet shopping.
📌 Eating your way through Maine? Read our complete Maine Lobster Roll Guide — the best rolls in the state from Red’s Eats to Eventide to McLoons.