Planning Guide for a Maine (and NH) Vacation

Covered Bridges found all over New England

I got an email from a friend of my mom's who is thinking of spending two weeks in Maine this upcoming summer.  She had a list of questions and after answering them, I thought I'd repost them for others to peruse.  Please leave comments if you have other suggestions!

1.  Where are the best hikes?

Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park

It depends on your hiking ability and how far you want to drive.  In Maine, you'll have two main choices for hiking... either Coastal hiking or Mountains. If you are really into hiking, I'd say Acadia National Park or White Mountain National Forest in Northern New Hampshire (2 hours from Portland) are the places to go.  

Here are my recommendations for specific hikes:

Southern Coastal Maine

- Marginal Way, Ogunquit - Beach/Coastal Walk in Ogunquit, Maine (Easy)

Mid-Coast, Maine

- Bald Mountain or Mt. Battie, Camden - Small Mountain near quaint town of Camden (Easy-Moderate)

- Acadia National Park - Fav hikes are Gorham Mountain (Moderate - Challenging), Bubble Rock (Moderate), Jordan Pond (Easy), Acadia Mountain (Moderate - Challenging)

Cog Railroad can take you to the top of Mt. Washington

White Mountains, NH

- Mt. Willard (Easy - Moderate) access from Highland Center, Crawford Notch - 3 hrs

- South Moat Mountain - (Moderate - Difficult) - all day hike  accessed from the Kancamangus Hwy

- Mt. Chocura - (Moderate - Difficult) - all day hike access from the Kancamangus Highway

- Mt. Pierce - (Moderate - Difficult) - all day hike access from Highland Center, Rt 302

- Mt. Washington (Very Difficult) - all day access from AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center

- Mt. Lafayette/Mt. Lincoln (Very Difficult) - all day

2.  Where are the most quaint charming villages?

Many of the coastal Maine towns are very quaint and charming...Here are my recommendations...

Southern Maine:

- Ogunquit, Maine - Beaches, shopping, restaurants.  It is very touristy but fun and beautiful.

Bar Harbor, Maine

- Kennebunkport, Maine - This is where I live.  It is very charming and has great beaches, shopping and dining.

- Portland, Maine - Charming small city.  Excellent night life and unique dining.  Check out Portland Head Light in nearby Cape Elizabeth.

Mid Coast Maine:

- Camden, Maine - Small and regal fishing town.  Tourist friendly.

- Boothbay Harbor, Maine - Small Fishing town.  Cute shops, and places to eat.

- Bar Harbor - town near Acadia National Park.  Artistic, shopping, and nature

3.  Where should we stay (maybe 3 different places)?

If I were you and I had 2 weeks I'd do something like this...

Kennebunkport, Maine

- Southen Maine 3-4 nights (see Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, Portland)

- Small Fishing town Camden or Boothbay Harbor - 1 night

- Acadia/Bar Harbor 2-3 nights

- White Mountain National Forest - Stay in North Conway area for 3-4 nights

- Return to Portland/Boston or whereever you are flying out of.

4.  Are there any inn to inn hikes available?

- There are well established "hut to hut" hiking systems.  These don't provide private rooms but in the summer would provide a hearty dinner and breakfast and bathrooms/ shared bunkroom.  The one I'm familiar with is run by the AMC and can be found out about at www.outdoors.org.  There is also a hut system called Maine Huts and Trails but I've never used them.  You should know that the hiking is generally moderate-very difficult.

5.  Which part of the coast is the prettiest and most interesting?

- Southern Coast has sandy beaches and is more tourist friendly with a wide variety of restaurants, accommodations, and things to do.  

- Mid Coast is more rocky/rugged and a fisherman's land (less tourism).  I think one of the small towns like Camden or Boothbay Harbor would be a charming one night stop.

Boats in Kennebunkport, Maine 

- Acadia is gorgeous because it has mountains up against the ocean which provides many places for beautiful views.  Plus, Bar Harbor has a thriving scene for tourist looking for good food and shopping.  

6.  Any ferries to take us to Nova Scotia or outer islands?

- Nope.  Last year they ended ferry service to Nova Scotia.  

- If you want a short ferry trip - try the 20 min ferry from Portland to Peaks Island.  Check out my blog entry here for info on what do do on the island:  HERE.

7.  Any other tidbits you’d like to share?

Lobster Roll 

- Bring Bug Spray

- Use a map and bring appropriate gear if hiking in the White Mountains.

- Use Trip Advisor Forums for quick questions.  There are some really knowledgeable people on there who love to answer questions.

- See the Portland Head Lighthouse in Portland, Try a Lobster Roll, Whoopie Pie, and Maine Maple Syrup, and get into nature.

Southern Coast on Dwellable

Peaks Island Day Trip

Double lighthouses viewed from 20 min ferry ride to Peaks island.

I lived in Southern Maine for 5 years before I ever took the trip out to Peaks Island.  I missed out.  It is the perfect outing for those looking for a change of scenery, casual seaside stroll, or bike ride.  This is a great idea for a fall outing since the crowds have cleared and you can expect a quiet, quaint island.

Ferry comes into Peaks Terminal

Follow this recipe for a perfect afternoon on Peaks....

10:10 am - Arrive in Portland.  Park and walk to the Ferry terminal.
10:25 am - Purchase ferry ticket.
10:40 am - Board Ferry to Peaks.
10:45 am - Ferry departs Portland.
11:05 am - Arrive at Peaks. De-board.
11:15 am - Walk up road and turn right on Island Ave.  Go to  The Peaks Island House for and early lunch and drink on the deck overlooking Casco Bay. 
12:15 pm - Exit the restaurant walk the island... This is a 4 mile stroll.

• Continue walking down Island Ave, 
• Turn left on New Island Ave
• Right on Whitehead St. - You'll pass the 5th Maine Regiment Museum on your right.
• Right on Seashore Ave which will take you down to the shore.  
• Continue walking on Seashore Ave. You'll pass views of beach, quaint island homes, and rocky shore.
• You will continue on Seashore Ave as it winds back into the inland island.  Continue past Pleasant Ave and wind down to Island Ave.
• Stay on Island Ave until you return to the main part of town.  
• Return to Ferry terminal.  

  

  Stroll along Seashore Ave

2:30 pm - Finish walk and grab a coffee at Peaks Cafe near the ferry terminal.
2:40 pm - Board ferry back to Portland.
2:45 pm - Depart back to Portland.


Bike Option:

- Rent a bike at Brad's Island Bicycles.  Bring cash.  This is an honor system in the off season and comes with a island map.  Once off the ferry, you can get to Brad's by walking up the road and taking a left on Island Ave.  Brad's will be about a 10 min walk on the right.  Address: 115 Island Ave., Peaks Island, ME.  Phone: (207) 766-5631

More advice for Peaks...

Map by google maps

- Check out the ferry schedule at http://www.cascobaylines.com/.  It usually departs Portland once an hour with some exceptions.

- The ferry is very affordable.  It is currently $7.70 round trip ($4.10 off season) with $6.50 extra if you are bringing a bicycle on.   Show up to ferry a 20 minutes prior to departure to get your ticket and get to your gate.

- There is a parking garage at the ferry terminal, but passengers shouldn't expect this to have open spots during the high season of summer.  Other options are street parking or other City of Portland garages which can be found on the Casco Bay Lines website under parking (here).  

- The ferry ride to Peaks takes 20 minutes one way and you will likely see lighthouses, islands, and lobster/fisherman hauling their catch. 

- Once on the island, you'll discover that the businesses are almost all near the ferry terminal.

Biking is another option

Southern Coast on Dwellable