How to Explore Beautiful Coastal Maine in 10 Days

This summer, we finally had a chance to do our long-awaited coastal Maine trip. Hoping to see a little bit of everything, we planned stops in Southern, Midcoast, and Downeast Maine. Our 10-day itinerary gave us time to relax on sandy beaches, wander rocky shores, see lighthouses, get out on the water, and hike Acadia National Park’s rugged trails. But we left with the feeling that our trip was only an introduction to what Maine has to offer, not a one-time tour. Maine’s itinerary options are as numerous as the small towns that dot its coastline, and there’s no one best way to see it all. Keeping that in mind, here’s a glimpse at how we chose to explore coastal Maine in 10 days.

This post contains affiliate links, which means, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Southern Maine

Day 1

Cliff House Maine

We arrived in Boston via a direct flight from Atlanta and picked up our rental car. From there, we had an easy drive north to the Ogunquit area, a little over an hour away, and checked into our lodging for the next four nights, the Cliff House Maine. The Cliff House is a 70-acre resort perched above Bald Head Cliff on Cape Neddick. Originally opened as an inn in 1872, it underwent a major transformation as a luxury resort in 2016. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the lobby offer sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean, and the cliff from which the resort takes its name is nothing short of spectacular.

The Cliff House grounds include an indoor pool, two outdoor pools, a hot tub, and a 9,000-square-foot spa. But perhaps the Cliff House’s most notable amenity is the staircase behind the hotel lobby that leads to the cliff base, allowing guests to explore the rocky shore as waves crash nearby.

Cliff House Oceanfront Rooms

The Cliff House has 226 rooms and suites with coastal and oceanfront views, though some coastal view rooms might more accurately be described as partial coastal views. While the view from our coastal view room was indeed of the coast and the Nubble Lighthouse to the south, the room also overlooked the roof of the resort and part of a lodging wing. Thankfully, we were able to upgrade to an oceanfront room after the first night. If view is as important to you as it is to us, I recommend booking one of the oceanfront accommodations from the start.

The look of the resort is modern coastal, with blue paneling and nautical-themed décor. Both our coastal view and oceanfront rooms had balconies and were conveniently located near a “Maine station,” offering all-day coffee, tea, and sparkling water. Room rates at the Cliff House start around $550 a night during high season, but we were able to pay part of the room cost with Chase Sapphire Preferred points.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card often has a 100,000-point welcome bonus and offers great travel protection benefits. Click here to learn more.

Nubb’s Lobster Shack

On our first night in Maine, we had dinner al fresco at the Cliff House’s Nubb’s Lobster Shack. The restaurant is a casual eatery with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the ocean. The menu includes entrees such as sandwiches, burgers, lobster rolls, barbecue, and Maine steamers.

We didn’t know it at the time, but our first night at the Cliff House was the best night for watching the sunset. As we ate our dinner at a picnic table on the lawn, the sky turned gorgeous shades of pink and orange.

Day 2

Although July and August are usually the warmest months with the best weather in Maine, our trip was marked by stormy skies. Several locals told us 2021 was the rainiest July they could remember, and the official numbers agree, showing three times as much rain as normal. But the one thing anyone is guaranteed on vacation is that not everything is going to go as planned. Thankfully, we were able to find some rainy-day activities that still gave us a good sense of Southern Maine.

To start our first full day of sightseeing, we stopped for a hearty breakfast at the Egg and I in Ogunquit, a traditional table-service diner-style restaurant. Because summer is Maine’s high season, we couldn’t get seated immediately, but the lemon-cream-cheese-stuffed French toast with blueberry compote was worth the wait.

Kennebunkport

After brunch, we headed out to explore Kennebunkport. Originally, our plan was to bike around town, stopping at Kennebunkport’s sandy beaches, but our visit became more of a driving tour. We pulled over on Ocean Avenue to gaze across the cove at Walker’s Point, also known as the Bush Family compound, and we admired Kennebunkport’s charming inns and hotels, including The Colony, Cape Arundel Inn, and the Nonantum Resort, making mental notes for future trips. At one point, the boys tried to walk out on the jetty along the Kennebunk River until the rain and wind chased them back into the car again. Fortunately, the rain soon let up and we were able to walk around Kennebunkport’s cute downtown, sticking our heads into the shops around Dock Square.

Ogunquit Museum of American Art

We next visited the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. In the early 20th century, Ogunquit was home to an influential artist colony, and the museum holds works of impressionism and American Modernism, much of it depicting the Ogunquit area.

Although small, the collection is good, and the view from the museum grounds is among the best of any museum I’ve been to. Behind the museum is a gravel path with a sculpture garden overlooking the rocky coastline. We spent the second half of our visit exploring the rocks, which gave us a terrific view of Perkins Cove and its quaint drawbridge from across the water.

Interested in other museums with incredible views? Read about Ringling Museum in Sarasota here.

The Tiller Restaurant

That evening, we splurged on the Cliff House’s upscale dining room, The Tiller. The Tiller is surrounded by windows, offering the same incredible views as the Cliff House’s main lobby. My younger son and I opted for seafood selections— the diver scallops with lobster fried rice and a green curry aioli and a sea bass special—while my husband and older son sampled the strip steak with a green peppercorn veal reduction and the Tiller Burger, served on a brioche bun with a fried egg. Even if you’re not staying at the Cliff House, consider drinks or dinner at The Tiller to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

Day 3

Day three brought us clear skies, so it was time to do two of the most popular activities in Ogunquit—walking the Marginal Way and going to the beach.

Marginal Way

The Marginal Way is a paved path that runs along the Atlantic Ocean between the villages of Perkins Cove and Ogunquit. A mile and a quarter-long, it follows the cliffs and offers serene resting places to watch the waves. The path is mostly flat, flanked by flowering shrubs like beach roses and bayberry bushes.

Stopping often to take pictures and soak in our surroundings, it took us about a half hour to reach the end of the trail at the Sparhawk Hotel. We then walked about another 15 minutes through town to reach Ogunquit Beach.

For our Marginal Way stroll, we parked in the three-hour lot at the trail entrance in Perkins Cove, but that didn’t give us as much time at the beach as we would have liked. If you combine your walk and a beach trip, I recommend paying for full-day parking a little farther from the trail. If you plan to visit only Ogunquit Beach (without walking from Perkins Cove), go early or late to snag a spot in the main beach lot off Beach Street.

Ogunquit Beach

Southern Maine is dotted with sandy beaches that are otherwise hard to find along the rocky Maine coast. The surrounding beach towns are a huge draw for regional visitors looking for a summer getaway. During our July visit, the wide 3.5-mile public beach was filled with beachgoers as far as the eye could see.

And while the beach looked expansive when we arrived, it didn’t stay that way for long. When the tide comes in, it comes in quickly, gobbling up prime beach space, which is why many experienced Ogunquit beachgoers set up their chairs at the back of the beach, away from the water line.

The sand at Ogunquit Beach is white and fine, and the water is clear and cold. My crew was brave enough to do some body surfing. We also spotted families tubing along the Ogunquit River, which runs along the west side of the beach and meets the ocean at the southern tip.

Nubble Lighthouse

In the afternoon, we got an up-close view of our first Maine lighthouse, the Nubble, also known as the Cape Neddick Light. Although the island is not accessible to the public, you can see the lighthouse from the rocks across the channel, just a few hundred feet away. It doesn’t take long to take in the view and snap a few photos, but if you have more time, bring a picnic or grab a lobster roll at Fox’s Lobster House, next to the park. The surrounding town of York also has a cute touristy feel, with shops and restaurants lining its downtown. If you’re looking for more beach time, three sandy beaches, Long Sands Beach, Short Sands Beach, and York Harbor Beach, are located nearby.

Day 4

Lucky Catch Lobster Cruise

On day four, we headed to Portland to spend the day. Our first stop was the highly-rated Lucky Catch Lobster Cruise. Lucky Catch takes visitors on a lobster boat tour around Casco Bay to learn firsthand about the lobster industry.

It’s not hard to figure out why Lucky Catch has so many positive reviews online. What we loved about it was the personable and enthusiastic captain and his two college-aged crew members, who made every effort to ensure each person aboard had a chance to try the different lobstering tasks—from baiting the traps, to measuring and banding the lobsters, to throwing the traps back into the water. They also seemed genuinely interested in sharing their knowledge about lobstering, the ocean, and Portland. Not only did they teach us fun facts about lobsters, but they also pointed out a harbor seal and a giant ocean sunfish swimming next to us.

At the end of the tour, we had the option of purchasing lobsters from the boat for $10 each. We then took the lobsters to the Portland Lobster Company, located at the end of wharf, where they steamed them and added drawn butter, baked potatoes, cole slaw, and corn on the cob for another $12.95. The restaurant has covered picnic tables on the dock where we enjoyed our freshly caught meal.

Parking in Portland

Because we were only in Portland for the day, we were again faced with crowded summer parking. The large lots near the docks are $8 an hour, which adds up fast when you’re planning a full day of sightseeing. At midday, we were able to move our car to a lot just outside the Old Port district for half the cost, which we found through Parkopedia, a website with real-time parking lot availability and prices. If you’re headed to Portland (or any other big city with difficult parking), I highly recommend it as a resource.

Portland Head Light

We saw numerous lighthouses during our 10-day trip to Maine, but out of all of them, Portland Head Light was my favorite. On the tip of Cape Elizabeth’s craggy shore, Portland Head Light has been lighting the coastline in one form or another since 1791. The lighthouse tower was raised by 20 feet in 1865, and the keepers’ quarters were constructed in 1891. The now-iconic structure is said to be one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine.

Along with wandering the lighthouse grounds, visitors can tour a lighthouse museum inside the keepers’ quarters. The park also includes two batteries that were part of Fort Williams, as well as the ruins of a pre-Civil War era mansion. A beach area, a children’s garden, walking paths, and picnic tables are also on site. We spent about a half hour viewing the lighthouse but could have easily spent a half day or more.

Where to Stay in Portland

Portland is the largest city in Maine and arguably has the widest array of traditional tourist activities in one location. But despite that, we opted not to overnight there. That was a good decision because my kids weren’t fans of Portland’s big port-city feel and, as I predicted, were happy to return to the Cliff House’s stunning oceanfront pool that evening.

From an adult’s perspective, Portland is well-known as a foodie city, and I would have been happy to explore more of the shops and hip restaurants of Portland’s Old Port district. If I ever return, I’ll stay at the Marriott’s Press Hotel, located on a quiet corner of the Old Port neighborhood, far enough away from the bustling docks to provide a pleasant atmosphere, but still close enough to be walkable.

Midcoast Maine

Day 5

Day five saw us leave our home base in Ogunquit and head up the Maine coast to reach our next accommodations in Bar Harbor. On the way, we followed Route 1 and spent the afternoon in Camden, the quintessential Maine coastal town on Penobscot Bay.

Schooner Appledore II

During our afternoon in Camden, we went for a sail aboard the schooner Appledore II, an 86-foot two-masted windjammer that spends half the year in Camden and the other half in Key West, Florida. Admittedly, going for a “sail” might be too generous a word for what we did on the Appledore. It was slow-going through the bay. In the Appledore’s defense, there wasn’t much wind that day, but the captain also didn’t try to tighten the sails. I think the crew has a short distance they’ll go on a day like that, lest they get caught farther out than they can motor back in time for their next tour.

But even on a day with no wind, aboard a ship that could hardly be said to be sailing, it was worth every minute of the two-hour trip to be out on Penobscot Bay under the brilliant blue sky with a view of the harbor behind us. Several tour operators provide schooner tours in Camden, with bookings for both day and sunset trips.

Camden Deli

After our tour, we grabbed some food at Camden Deli, a standard counter service deli with a fantastic view of the harbor through its back windows. It was an excellent stop for a quick bite and a delicious whoopie pie, a classic Maine dessert made of a white cream filling sandwiched between two mounds of chocolate cake. On a nice day, consider getting a lobster roll to go and spreading out a picnic blanket at Harbor Park next door.

Even my teen boys were completely charmed by Camden, and we all would have loved more time to explore it, along with nearby Rockland and the Midcoast peninsulas.

Downeast Maine

Days 6-8

We spent days six through eight of our trip in “Downeast Maine,” the upper part of Maine’s eastern coast. The term “downeast” refers to the direction that ships carrying cargo to the area would sail during the summer months —downwind and to the east, with the prevailing winds.

Bar Harbor Inn and Spa

We stayed at the Bar Harbor Inn and Spa, in the heart of Bar Harbor. From the balcony of our waterfront room, we had a view of Frenchman Bay and the Porcupine Islands. Each evening we could watch the impressive four-masted schooner, the Margaret Todd, set sail from the inn’s dock for a sunset cruise.

In addition to having an incredible view of the harbor, our room also overlooked the Shore Path, which runs through the beautifully landscaped resort grounds and along the shoreline. The Bar Harbor shopping district was also just steps away, allowing us to browse for souvenirs every evening after our Acadia National Park adventures.

The main building of the Bar Harbor Inn was originally built in 1887 as the Mount Desert Reading Room, a private club. The property became a hotel in the 1950s, and the resort has continued to add amenities through the years, including the Oceanfront Lodge where we stayed, and a gorgeous infinity pool, completed in 2019. We loved sitting by the infinity pool each morning for the complimentary continental breakfast.

Bar Harbor Restaurants

We had a chance to try various Bar Harbor restaurants during our four-night stay, and our favorites were Geddy’s, Terrace Grill at the Bar Harbor Inn, and Side Street Café. Geddy’s is a seafood restaurant on Bar Harbor’s Main Street. It has a casual family-family atmosphere and all the Maine specialties you’d expect, like New England clam chowder, steamed lobster, lobster rolls, and blueberry pie. The Terrace Grill is an outdoor restaurant at the Bar Harbor Inn with a beautiful view of the harbor, while Side Street Café is located slightly off the beaten path—on a side street, a block from Bar Harbor’s main drag.

During the summer, getting a table in Bar Harbor can be tough, so try to make reservations in advance if you can. For the restaurants that don’t accept reservations (which is many of them), we had great luck eating at off times.

Mount Desert Island Ice Cream

I didn’t realize it before the trip, but eating ice cream is apparently a big deal in New England. Even though Bar Harbor has several ice cream shops, the lines were always out the door. We finally got our ice cream fix at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream on Firefly Lane. MDI Ice Cream makes its own small-batch ice cream daily and has unique flavors like fresh basil, coriander lemon curd, and cinnamon cardamom.

Acadia National Park

For details about how we spent our time in the park, check out my separate post called “3 Amazing Days in Acadia National Park.” In short, we saw some great highlights, but we could have easily spent more days there. Our full park itinerary is included in the article.

Day 9

Boston Waterfront and the North End

We spent a large part of our last full day in coastal Maine driving back to where we started. It takes about five hours to get from Bar Harbor to Boston via Interstate 95. That evening, we walked around the tourist hub near our hotel, looping through Faneuil Hall Marketplace, the Waterfront, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway. We eventually made our way to the North End, where we had dinner at Antico Forno.

Having stayed in Back Bay in the past for a family vacation, I can say that staying at a hotel near the Waterfront is worthwhile if you’re willing to pay the premium. On this trip, I used Marriot Bonvoy points to score a harbor view room at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf, which put us right in the middle of the tourist action for our brief stay.

Day 10

We bid farewell to New England on day ten, on a direct flight from Boston to Atlanta. Our takeaway from the trip is that Maine is beautiful and that every place is as scenic as the last. So how do you explore coastal Maine in 10 days? With an eye out for where to spend more time the next visit.