Maine has earned its Vacationland nickname from the rocky coastline to the numerous beautiful lighthouses. It’s a beautiful state with many places to visit on vacation – including several gorgeous coastal towns.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. A purchase/click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us. I’ve received complimentary/discounted admission, hotels, and transportation (on the Amtrak Downeaster) to some of these locations (and have paid for others), but all opinions are my own.
I generally recommend visiting Maine in July and August for the warmest weather—it’s the best time to experience outdoor activities. We have also enjoyed trips to Kittery, Portland, and Freeport in the winter when they were less crowded. However, if you do that, you won’t be able to do any water activities.
This is a traditional train, not an auto train, so you won’t have access to your vehicle on vacation. Some places in Maine are very walkable, however, so you may not need it depending on where you go.
These places can also be great road trips from Boston if you visit Massachusetts for summer vacation. While we’d recommend staying overnight, you could always visit some of the more southern locations for just a day trip or multiple locations on a road trip.
The Best Places to Visit in Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland Maine is one of my favorite road trips from our home in Massachusetts. This waterfront city (the largest city in Maine) is a big foodie destination, with many delicious restaurants, great breweries, and unique cafes. Go hungry because there are so many things you’ll want to eat.
The city offers several famous districts, including Old Port along Casco Bay. This picturesque area of the city is where you’ll find many restaurants and where you can take a boat tour in season. Are you looking to try some of that famous Maine lobster? We recommend the Highroller Lobster Co., a fun, casual restaurant in the city’s center where you can get lobster rolls and other lobster dishes.
Several wonderful museums are also in the city, including the Portland Museum of Art, the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine (which recently moved from the Arts District to Thompson’s Point), and the Tate House Museum.
Like shopping? There are many small gift, book, food clothing, and souvenir shops around town. Portland is a great place to shop for gifts. Visiting in the summer? Don’t miss seeing a Portland Sea Dogs game at Hadlock Field.
If you choose a downtown hotel, you can park at your hotel and leave your car there most of the time. Portland is very walkable and has an airport and an Amtrak train station if you’d prefer to travel that way. It’s a little less than a 2-hour drive from downtown Boston.
Here are some of the best places to stay in Portland.
Driving to Portland? Don’t miss a stop at the beautiful Portland Head Lighthouse, which is a great photo opportunity. It’s a popular place, and you’ll often see photos of the lighthouse on guidebooks and postcards.
Kittery, Maine
Located right over the New Hampshire border is Kittery, Maine, a coastal town best known for its great outlet malls. These are spaced out across several different complexes along Route 1. Outlets include New Balance, Lululemon, Crate and Barrel, and Adidas.
In addition to the outlets, there are some fun shops like Yummies (a store filled with candy) and the Kittery Trading Post.
Kittery also offers several restaurants, Fort McClary State Park, Take Flight Adventures, Badger’s Island, and the Isles of Shoals.
Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Love the beach? Travel to Old Orchard Beach, located on the Maine coastline. It is a traditional beach town offering mini-golf, paddleboarding, boat tours, and more activities.
It’s also home to Palace Playland, New England’s only amusement park on the beachfront. This popular tourist attraction offers an arcade, kiddie rides, and traditional midway rides.
The area features several motels, family hotels, inns, and nearby campgrounds. These are mostly independent motels rather than chain hotels.
Freeport, Maine
Freeport, Maine, is most popular as the hotel of L.L. Bean. In addition to the flagship store, there is also the L.L. Bean Outlet, the L.L. Bean Home Store, the L.L. Bean Bike, Boat, and Ski Store, and the L.L. Bean Hunting and Fishing Store.
But there are also lots of other outlets beyond L.L. Bean in Freeport. These include Sperry, Vineyard Vines, and Coach. You’ll also find independent shops and small chains offering toys, bath and body products, art, and gifts. Don’t miss a stop at Wicked Whoppies, where you can purchase Maine’s signature Whoppie Pies.
Other activities in the area include boat cruises along Casco Bay and Wolfe’s Neck Center. This farm offers animals, workshops, bike and kayak rentals, and more.
Free parking is available throughout Freeport. There’s also an Amtrak train station.
Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Boothbay Harbor is a popular summer vacation destination in Maine. This small town offers shops with art, pottery, clothing, and more. There are also waterfront local restaurants where you can get Maine lobster and other seafood.
One of Boothbay Harbor’s most popular attractions is the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. It’s open seasonally, and kids will love the huge troll statues throughout the gardens.
These five trolls, called the Guardians of the Seeds, are made of recycled materials. They are scattered throughout the gardens, and some require walking to see. You can use the maps provided by the gardens to find them – they are marked on the map with large footprints.
You may also want to take a boat trip in the area. Cap’N’Fish’s Cruises works with the National Audubon to showcase the Audubon’s Puffin Project. During the cruise, you’ll see wildlife, lighthouses, and more – it’s a great excursion for nature lovers.
The Maine State Aquarium is another popular attraction. The state runs it, but it was closed for renovations this past year.
Kennebunkport, Maine
Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, Maine, have long been popular summer vacation destinations. Here, you can visit beaches and take a boat tour. Dock Square also offers shops and restaurants, and the Seashore Trolley Museum.
If you are visiting without kids, we recommend staying at the White Barn Inn. This beautiful inn is quaint and cozy, but the amazing restaurant is the real draw.
Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit, Maine, a trendy and artsy beach town, is one of my favorite places in Maine. I recommend visiting in July and August, when the weather is perfect for a day at the sandy beach.
Ogunquit is very walkable, with limited parking. So, I recommend staying at a hotel or resort in the downtown area so that you can leave your car and walk. A trolley also visits the popular attractions during the summer months.
In addition to visiting Ogunquit Beach, you’ll want to walk along Marginal Way to Perkins Cove, a small waterfront area with gift shops, ice cream shops, and restaurants. Don’t forget to stop and view the beautiful scenes as you walk. I love taking photos as I walk on Marginal Way.
The nonprofit Ogunquit Playhouse offers shows throughout the season if you enjoy theater. Their upcoming schedule is on their website.
During our visit to Ogunquit, we enjoyed staying at the Meadowmere Resort. It’s located in a great spot, and you can walk to Ogunquit Beach, Perkins Cove, and Marginal Way.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine, on Mount Desert Island, is one of the most popular summer vacation destinations in New England due to its proximity to Acadia National Park (the main attraction in the area). Like other places to visit in Maine, we recommend visiting in the warmer summer months so that you can take advantage of all of the activities.
There are various ways to explore the area. Oli’s Trolley offers tours of Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, and downtown Bar Harbor. This guided tour is top-rated, and we recommend booking your tickets in advance.
There are also Acadian Boat Tours, offering fishing excursions, guided tours, sunset cruises, and more. Depending on the excursion booked, you can also see nearby lighthouses and puffins. There are lots of fun things to do near Acadia.
Sebago Lake, Maine
We loved our visit to Migis Lodge located right on Sebago Lake. This family wilderness resort offers traditional lake activities, a kids’ club, delicious food, and beautiful accommodations.
Migis is open in the summer and is very popular. Often, guests book for the same week and cabin year after year, so if you are interested in attending, you’ll want to make a reservation as soon as possible. It’s an American plan all-inclusive resort (except for alcohol), and you won’t have to leave once you are there.
Other Places to Visit in Maine
In addition to the places we’ve highlighted here, there are other points of interest to visit in Maine. These include:
- Camden Hills State Park (Camden, Maine)
- Moosehead Lake and the Kennebec River
- Cape Neddick Lighthouse in York
- Mount Katahdin and Baxter State Park
For most places to visit in Maine, you’ll need to drive. There is the Amtrak Downeaster train as well. It travels from Boston, MA’s North Station to the following station stops:
- Brunswick, ME
- Freeport, ME
- Portland, ME
- Old Orchard, ME
- Saco, ME
- Wells, ME
- Dover, NH
- Durham, NH
- Exeter, NH
- Haverhill, MA
- Woburn, MA
