Vaucluse

Hi guys, we'll be driving from Philly. We're planning to spend 7 days in Maine. What's the best way to spend it? We don't mind hopping on 2-3 cities.

Efrem

That's pretty open-ended. Some people would like climbing Mount Katahdin, others would prefer Portland's microbreweries and still others would choose to kayak around Casco Bay. What kind of people are you, and what sorts of things do you like to do?

Yahtzee

And, are you a couple who wants B&Bs or a family of 6?

Vaucluse

Family of 4 with a 3 year old, not interested in beer, loves Lobster, preferably staying in 2.5 to 3* hotel.

Yahtzee

I'd probably do 2-3 days in Portland and environs (including time up in Freeport and environs & a Sea Dogs game) and then go up to Boothbay Harbor (including a day on Monhegan Island) for 2-3 days or head up to Camden.

Low Roller

7 days seems like a long time to intentionally spend in Maine

As mentioned, Camden is very nice, as is Belfast. In general, the coastal areas have lots of quaint charm (take Highway 1 from just north of Portland to the Bar Harbor area). I95 is nothing but hours of seemingly endless evergreen trees, so avoid this as much as possible.

There's lots of good lobster (I especially like Red's Eats in Wiscasset, but even McDonald's in Maine does a pretty decent lobster roll).

gfunkdave

Red's Eats is the best old-fashioned lobstah roll (despite the crazy summer line).

Eventide is the best lobster roll.

Vaucluse

Thanks for the suggestions, once we got our plan in order, I will post it here for feedbacks.

Iamnotlost

I hope I still think that is funny after my trip in August to intentionally do just that (and coming all the way from the UK to do so)

My embryonic plan, which may or may not include anything of interest to OP, is

- fly to Portland, ME
- Acadia National Park
- Quoddy Head State Park for eastern most point in continental US
- Campobello Internal Park
- Moosehorn NWR
- Mt Katahdin mainly for photo op with start of Appalchian Trail

gfunkdave

I think Katahdin is usually considered the END of the trail, as one usually starts in Georgia in the early spring and works one's way north.

That's a lot to cram into seven days. And a lot of driving. Maine is a deceptively large state.

I'd suggest spending 2 days in Portland, which has great restaurants and a bunch of cute lighthouses and such.

Acadia is worth 2-3 days itself depending how much hiking you want to do, and it's adjacent to Bar Harbor and all the other cute towns on Mt Desert Island.

fastflyer

There is a new Hyatt Place in Portland and the Eastland is now flagged as a Westin (Starwood), but my favorite hotel is The Press hotel (Marriott).

My favorite lobster roll is from a food truck "Bite into Maine" in Fort Williams Park in nearby Cape Elizabeth. After that, enjoy the drive down route 99 to Prouts Neck (perhaps for a drink at the Black Point Inn). In Prouts the Winslow Homer studio is worth a detour (coordinate with the Portland Museum of Art beforehand), and the public Cliff Walk in late summer marks the departure point for thousands of Monarch butterflies headed to Mexico.

Analise

Stay on Mt Desert Island and enjoy Acadia National Park. Hiking, swimming, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, whale watching, horseback riding, going on lighthouse boat tours or on a lobster boat, Thurston's Lobster Pound in Bernard….have fun! You can take day trips to West Quoddy & Campobello Island or Camden and drive (or hike) to the top of Mt Battie.

PsiFighter37

I will echo the sentiments here - Press is a fantastic hotel, and much better (IMO) than the Westin in town, which is similarly a converted building. Really nice lobby, good workout facility in the basement, and the newspaper/printing press (get it?) motif is really well-integrated. Rooms are renovated but do not come off as being a cheaply-done overhaul (aside from the walls not being terribly thick). The Westin has deathly slow elevators and the feel of a quick renovation that isn't all that well done. The only thing going for it is that the higher rooms will have a better view of the bay, but I would still pick the Press.

Lobster rolls - if you are a traditionalist (or even an experimentalist, to an extent), you have to go to Bite Into Maine. Aside from the absolutely gorgeous views you will have of the bay, the lighthouse, and the ocean, the rolls here are incredibly delicious. Eventide is just so decadent (they soak their lobster rolls in brown butter, which should be illegal given how good a move that is) that it should be tried once. The latter is especially a place that you should go first thing when it opens - otherwise you will be waiting for seating for a while.

Portland is a nice little town that I have visited twice in the past couple of years - but especially if you aren't going to be digging the microbrewery or foodie scene, 2 days is almost certainly more than enough in the area. It's not all that big a town.

RoyalFlush

I grew up (in the summertime) on an island in Casco Bay. Seven days is not enough time in Maine.

I'm glad to see Red's Eats getting a mention and Campobello Island getting several mentions. My parents retired to Campobello. It is truly a very special place. Make sure to go to the end of the island to see the lighthouse.

Some say the real Maine doesn't start until Washington County.

Enjoy your visit.

gfunkdave

The reason behind the "press" theme is that the building used to be the offices and printing press for the Portland Press-Herald. Marriott converted it into a hotel in late 2015 or so.

Which island?

Washington County is I believe the poorest county in the state, sadly. I look forward to seeing more of Maine this summer.