The Ultimate Coastal Maine Road Trip

Road tripping the Maine Coast is truly the best way to experience all that Maine has to offer. With more coastline than the state of California, Maine is abundant in stunning destinations that will take your breath away.

After planning your route with a map of the coast of Maine, it is time to pick your stopping points. On this blog post I will outline a road trip with must stop places along the way. No shortage of lighthouses here; Maine has 65! Let’s get into it.

At first glance, a map of coastal Maine can be quite intimidating! There are many inlets and coastal towns, how do you choose where to go? On our road trip we had 4 full days to stop at all of the places featured on this blog post. However, it was February so I will also add on stops if you have more time.

Keep in mind that spring and summer in Maine is quite busy, making the off season quite pleasant because we didn’t have to wait for dinner or enjoy lighthouses with large crowds.

To get to coastal Maine, fly into Portland International Jetport, a small airport in Portland Maine. Typically you will fly from a major airport to here, but this cuts down on drive time to enjoy coastal Maine. From here, we rented our car and headed to our first stop, Portland Head Lighthouse at Cape Elizabeth.

In the winter, typically coastal Maine is blanketed in snow, making it a great place for downhill and cross country skiing. Camden Snow Bowl also has a downhill toboggan chute! However, with warming temperatures, winter sometimes ends early, like we saw in February where most the snow was gone. We found that many restaurants and shops close during winter to take the time off. Temperatures average with lows in the 20’s to highs in the 40’s degrees with rain and snowfall.

In spring, coastal Maine starts to come to life. Maine is aptly named, “vacationland” as the summertime in Maine is when east coasters flood to their beach homes. Spring flowers start to bloom, making picture perfect moments along the coastline. Temperatures average with lows in the 30’s and highs in the 60’s with rain.

Summer in Maine is the most popular time to visit, and for good reason. The lobster shacks open, farmers markets are in tow, and the weather is the best. Temperatures in Maine in the summer average a high of 78 degrees and lows in the 50’s with some rainy days.

Fall in coastal Maine is also a popular time to visit because of the foliage. Truly something I hope to witness! Expect that this season will be quite busy because of this as well when the leafs are changing colors. Temperatures in Maine during the fall average highs of 60 and lows in the 30’s. Rain and even snow is possible in the fall months.

Our first stop, just a short drive from the airport, is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States. Portland Head Light located in Fort Williams Park is situated between rock formations that look like petrified wood. Most of coastal Maine is layers of quartzite and dark grey phyllite, giving quite a grand scene.

In 1894, Cape Elizabeth first came to life and was used until 1962 as Fort Williams. During the spring the flowers come to bloom, becoming a popular place for photographers. In the winter, storm season brings big waves, making it quite spectacular to watch.

The part is also home to Battery Keyes, built in 1906 and still standing today. It was designed for Rapid-Fire Guns on pedestal mounts with a protective shield. The buildings were used to relay information to ships and defend against small, fast, attack boats.

Portland Maine has an abundant amount of restaurants to choose from. It’s truly worth spending multiple days here if you can. Rather than listing all of the restaurants, I will point out some that I had, and others on my list from a chef’s recommendation.

For dinner, we had Fore Street Restaurant. Farm to table and the vibe of sharing the restaurant with the kitchen as there is no wall for the kitchen. Best wood fired scallops I’ve ever had! Top of the East has tapas, cocktails, and the best views of Portland.

Dinner in Portland Maine: Street and Co. , J’s Oyster, Bird and Co. Tacos , Isa Bistro, Boda.

Lunch in Portland The Highroller Lobster for the best lobster roll in the city, Liquid Rot, Little Tap House. The Porthole Restaurant as featured on Anthony Bourdain No Reservations-no frill diner on the water.

Truly, I could go on and on! Depends how big your food budget is and how much time you have in Portland.

On the next stop of our coast of Maine road trip, we drove two hour north to Rockland, Maine. Maine is full of bed and breakfasts to stay in, which makes it unique!

Rockland has a beautiful downtown area which is great to walk around. It is the most artist centric area in Maine, so it is a great place to view gallery and purchase local art. Be sure to visit the Farnsworth Art Museum when your in town. We loved visiting and learning about the local history through the lens of artists, new and old.

Coming from Oregon, we don’t have the rich history like the east coast does. I suggest staying in one so you can truly get to know the area more. Plus, its nice to not worry about breakfast and you feel right at home. We stayed at the Granite Inn, located right on the edge of downtown Rockland Maine.

This lighthouse was easily one of the most unique ones we visited during our trip. Perhaps it was the foggy day, or the eeriness of the historic lighthouse. Either way, it was straight out of a horror film. In the summertime you can go inside of the lighthouse but unfortunately we weren’t able to.

The path takes you out into the breakwater and you have to watch where you walk as the path is full of cracks. The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse wasn’t always connected to the land. It wasn’t until 1880 when the original plan was executed. The lighthouse is free to visit!

When in coast of Maine, there is absolutely no shortage of seafood to eat. The infamous lobster roll, with cold lobster, mayonnaise, on a warm bun is a must try when in Maine. Try fresh lobster during the spring and summer months, but it is available year long. We had the chance to try quite a few delicious restaurants in Rockland.

Restaurants we loved in Rockland: Archer’s on the Pier, Susukis Sushi Bar, Taqueria Max, In Good Company, Sea Dog Brewing Company , and Ada’s Kitchen.

Just north of Rockland, is the cutest town of Camden Maine. Camden Hills State Park is home to many hiking trails, XC skiing, and beautiful beaches to enjoy year round. Keep in mind that seasonally roads in the park are closed. Mount Battie is a great trail to hike up to for sunset.

In the winter, be sure to enjoy downhill skiing and snowboarding at Camden Bowl. We were disappointed with the low snowfall when we visited in February so we didn’t get to enjoy the toboggan chute.

This lighthouse was one of my most favorite stops on the trip. In addition, most lighthouses we visited on this trip were free. Some parking lots do have fee stations, so be mindful of that when visiting.

Owl’s Head Lighthouse is a short walk on a dirt path to the stairs. Keep this in mind when planning your trip here as the trail is not suitable for wheelchairs and can be quite muddy.

On our way to Camden Hills State Park we stopped at Curtis Lighthouse viewpoint. This is located in a neighborhood with limited parking, so be mindful of that when visiting. It is just a short walk to the island viewpoint of the lighthouse in the distance. It is only accessible by boat.

Unfortunately since we visited the coast of Maine in February, we weren’t able to visit the gardens. In spring and summertime especially, this is a very popular destination. Each year the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden opens May 1. Home to a Native butterfly and moth house, many different gardens and exhibits.

On our way to Bath, this was one of my favorite stops of the trip. Unfortunately, the lighthouse had been damaged by a storm in winter of 2023, so there was a lot blocked off around the lighthouse. Nonetheless, it was the quartz lined coast that I remember most. It was a stormy and windy day with nobody around too, making it extra special.

As we made our way back south towards Portland on our coast of Maine road trip, we stopped in the town of Bath, Maine. With it’s close proximity to Portland Maine I felt that Bath had more than the other small coastal towns we visit. More restaurants and places to stay to choose from.

We made our way to Bath because of this epic treehouse on our list that we wanted to stay at. If you know me, treehouses are a place that I seek often to stay in.

Located just outside of Bath on private property, this is worth a stay! With three treehouses to stay in, waterfront access, and wood burning hot tubs, how can you go wrong? Sequin Tree Dwellings is a labor of love. The family that owns the property grew up next to it and found a way to purchase it once it went up for sale. Since then they built a beautiful community building, the treehouses, and more to come.

Bath has a cute downtown area on the water, so be sure to park your car and walk around. Our first stop, was Bath Brewing Company for beers and lunch. Do recommend! Other spots that we enjoyed in the area: Buranos Wood Fired Pizza, Mae’s Cafe and Bakery, Oysters Raw Bar, Cafe Creme.

When in Maine, you must visit the LL Bean Flagship store. Located in Freeport, on the way to Portland, this is a great area to stop for lunch and shopping. The LL Bean has the infamous large boot on the outside and is bigger than Costco. Truly worth visiting!