Driving from Boston to Acadia National Park along the coast has a lot to see and explore like lighthouses, coastal beaches, lobster shacks, and more. I will admit that I did this trip in 3 days, and I felt very rushed. If I were to do it over again, I would have slowed down the trip and added a day. Therefore, this 4-Day Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary is how I would recommend doing the trip instead of how I actually did it.
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Free Maine Coast Road Trip Itinerary
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When to Do Your Maine Coast Road Trip
The two best seasons to visit Maine is during the summer and fall. The summer is the most popular time to visit while temperatures are warm but not as hot as some states in other parts of the USA. The beaches are beautiful, and you will see lots of people cooling off in the ocean during this time. The fall months is another popular time to visit because of the leaves turning colors. The fall foliage bring people from all over to this part of the country.
Itinerary Summary
We started our Maine Coast Road Trip in Boston. The night before our itinerary begins, we flew into Logan International Airport. This was the cheapest and most convenient airport for this trip that I found.
Important Tips for the Maine Coast Road Trip
I would have enjoyed my trip more had I had the proper expectations for this Maine Coast Road Trip. Keep these tidbits in mind when planning your trip.
- You will not have views of the coast when driving between coastal towns and lighthouses. In fact, the roads will mostly be lined with trees, and you will not even feel like you are in Maine.
- Bring cash for tolls. You will be driving through 3 states, and all will require payment for toll roads.
- Take your time exploring the coastal towns on your road trip. Do not shortcut the trip by trying to squeeze it all in just 3 days. You will be spending more time driving in your car than exploring the great things Maine has to offer.
Acadia National Park Entrance Fees
In addition to the park passes and parking fees you will need to pay for some of the lighthouses, you will need to purchase a park pass to enter Acadia National Park. The cost is $30 per private vehicle, and the pass is good for 7 consecutive days. If you frequent national parks, you should purchase an America the Beautiful park pass, which will allow you into all national parks and NPS lands for a year. Also, if you have a 4th grader in your household, you can get a family pass to the national parks that is good for a year. Find out more about that benefit here.
What to Pack for the Maine Coast Road Trip
- Sunscreen – Protect your skin from the sun, and do not forget to reapply.
- Hat – More sun protection to block the sun from your face
- Packing Cubes – Keep your stuff organized in your luggage with these packing cubes.
- Rain Jacket – Rain can occur at some point while in Maine, so make sure to pack your men’s or women’s rain jacket.
- Jacket – Even in warmer months, the temps can be cool at night so pack a light men’s or women’s jacket.
- Cute Coastal Outfits – Here are several super cute ladies’ outfits perfect for taking pictures along the coast.
Day 1: Boston to Kennebunk
Whaleback Light Observation Point
Whaleback Light Observation Point can be seen from inside Fort Foster Park, which costs $20 per vehicle for an all-day entry pass. Drive straight to the pier and walk to the pier’s end for the best views of the lighthouse. Fort Foster Park also houses a few old forts that you can climb into and explore. The park also has a beach where you can swim, fish, or look for crabs.
Nubble Lighthouse
Nubble Lighthouse is located in Neddick Bay and was built in 1879. Parking for this beacon is free. While you cannot reach the lighthouse by foot because it is built on an island, you can get spectacular views by wandering the rocks and beach area across the channel.
Kennebunk
Kennebunk is a super cute town located just inland from the coast and has many quaint shops where you can spend hours shopping. This town was extremely crowded, and we struggled to find parking. Because of this and because we were on a strict schedule, we were not able to spend as much time in Kennebunk as we would have liked. This town is one of the major reasons why I added a day to the itinerary, and you should definitely plan on spending extra time here.
We arrived just in time for lunch and ordered lobster and lobster rolls from the Clam Shack which was featured on the Food Network.
Walkers Point
Walker’s Point, or also known as the Bush Compound, is the summer retreat of the Bush family and served as the summer White House for George H. W. Bush, America’s 41st president. The property has been owned by the Bush family since the late 1800s.
Goat Island Light
Goat Island Light was built in 1833 to help ships find their way into Cape Porpoise Harbor. President Bush’s secret service also used this spot to watch out for potential threats to the Bush Compound. If you are looking to learn more about this area and to get up-close views of Goat Island and Walker’s Point, you can participate in this 2-hour tour.
Day 2: Kennebunk to Portland
Portland Head Lighthouse
Portland Head Lighthouse is located inside Fort Williams Park, and you will need to pay for parking. The beacon is located in Cape Elizabeth and was completed in 1791. When you look northeast into the water, you can see another lighthouse, Ram Island Ledge Light Station.
Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse
Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse is located in a residential area, and accessing the light via its driveway is not allowed. Therefore, you will only be able to see the light from the side of the road. Just a short drive from this lighthouse is Two Lights State Park where you can hike a 1-mile trail that takes you to amazing rock formations along the shoreline. The fee to enter the park is $7 per person for out of state visitors.
Old Port in Portland
In this Maine Coast Road Trip, you will have about half a day to explore Portland’s historic Old Port. However, with its harbor cruises, shopping, 18th century buildings, and nightlife, you could spend a couple days just in Portland. Make sure to research this town to see how you would best like to spend your time. We chose shopping, having dinner, and enjoying drinks in Old Port.
Day 3: Portland to Bar Harbor
Permaquid Point Lighthouse
Permaquid Point Lighthouse is located on top of a cliff with great views of the Atlantic Ocean. This beacon was commissioned in 1827 and costs $3 per adult to enter. Make sure to hike down to the beach and explore the rocky shoreline. The keeper’s house has been transformed into a Fisherman’s Museum where you can learn about Maine’s fishing and lobstering community.
Marshall Point Lighthouse
Marshall Point Lighthouse was built in 1832 to help boats enter and exit Port Clyde Harbor and became an automated light in 1971. The keeper’s house is now a small museum and gift shop that you can explore at no cost. A fun fact about this lighthouse is that it made an appearance in the infamous 1994 movie, Forrest Gump.
Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse
By the time we entered Rockland, it was lunchtime. We decided to eat on the outside patio of Archer’s on the Pier where we had views of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse on the other side of Rockland Harbor.
Make sure to try the King of Clubs at Archer’s on the Pier which was a Bobby Flay Throwdown winner. This club sandwich is a giant triple decker that has a ton of lobster, bacon, lettuce and tomato.
Owl’s Head Lighthouse
Also protecting Rockport Harbor is Owl’s Head Lighthouse which was built in 1825 and then rebuilt in 1852. At the bottom of the stairs that lead to the beacon is the burial location of Spot, a springer spaniel that reportedly alerted a boat just before running aground in the 1930s by pulling on the fog bell rope and barking.
Bar Harbor
Your third day of the Maine Coast Road Trip will end in Bar Harbor which is the gateway to Acadia National Park. The town of Bar Harbor is lined with boutiques, souvenir shops, and delicious restaurants. Spend the rest of your evening discovering this charming coastal town before checking into your hotel for the night. If weather permits, you may want to find a good spot to watch the sunset.
Day 4: Acadia National Park
Cadillac Mountain
One of the top things to do in Acadia National Park is watch the sunrise from the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Due to its popularity, the national park service requires a timed entry pass which must be purchased prior to your visit at recreation.gov. These passes sell out quickly so you will need to plan accordingly. The sunrise passes were sold out for our Maine Coast Road Trip, so we got passes for 8:00 AM, which was still really beautiful.
Many people were eating breakfast on Cadillac Mountain while enjoying the views. However, if you want to eat breakfast in Bar Harbor either before or after your Cadillac Mountain visit, many of the restaurants open super early. We ate at Jeannie’s Great Maine Breakfast, and I recommend The Lumberjack for a hearty meal!
Schooner Head Overlook
After Cadillac Mountain and breakfast are out of the way, you will spend the rest of the day on the Park Loop Road, which is a 27-mile, one-way scenic drive through the park. Be careful not to miss any of your stops, or you will be out of luck since the road is one-way. We did miss the first overlook, Blue Hill Overlook, so we experienced this issue first hand. The next stop is Schooner Head Overlook where you can see Egg Rock Lighthouse across the Mt Desert Narrows.
Sand Beach
The next stop is Sand Beach which is also the parking area for a few hiking trails such as the Beehive Loop Trail which is a 1.5-mile trek. Check out pictures of this hike before trying it because a part of it is on the side of a cliff. We opted not to do any hikes this trip, so we spent our time at this stop checking out Sand Beach. This is one of the few sand beaches in this area, and you can take a dip in the ocean to cool off in warmer weather.
Thunder Hole
On a calm day (which is what we experienced), it may be difficult to see why Thunder Hole is so amazing. When the waves are a bit more dramatic, the water rushes into a narrowly carved rock inlet where the water explodes and sounds of thunder erupt. Even without this phenomenon, you can spend a lot of time here rock scrambling along the shoreline. You can also get views of Otter Rock to the right and Sand Beach to the left.
Otter Cliff Overlook
Our last stop on the Park Loop Road is Otter Cliff Overlook, which is another area where you can explore the rocks along the shore. You can choose to continue exploring Acadia National Park with hikes such as Precipice Trail, Ocean Path, Jordan Pond Path, and Dorr Mountain.
Bar Harbor
However, we decided to head back into Bar Harbor and shop for souvenirs the rest of the day. We also took a short walk along the harbor. If you want to whale watch, consider touring with Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company where you can see more than whales like puffins and close-up views of nearby lighthouses.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
The last event on your Maine Coast Road Trip is watching the sunset at Bass Harbor Lighthouse. Fog rolled in the night we planned on watching the sunset, so we had to visit at another time. Since you will be in Bar Harbor two nights, I highly recommend coming here the first night if the weather is nice. You never know if the weather will turn bad the second night!
Day 5: Travel Day
The last day of this itinerary is dedicated to traveling home. We drove the long drive back to Boston where we spent a day exploring Salem, Massachusetts before flying out. You can either fly out this last day or extend your trip visiting the Boston area.
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