Maine coastal road trip: TMA/TME

FanOfFanboys

I tried something similar last year but Covid so trying again

So just booked the airfare, April 9-16. Will land pretty early that morning, departing late afternoon

Tentative plan:
9th land, drive to portland, spend the day and night
10th head to bangor, spend the day and night
11th head to bar harbor/Acadia, stay the night
12th bar harbor/Acadia, stay the night
13th head to camden/rockport, spend the night
14th go to boston, stay the night
15th boston
16th depart for home

All the daily drives are couple hours, expect Camden area to Boston which is 3. Is Bangor worth spending a day in? Will there be enough open in the Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park area that time of year/? The trip is me, my wife, and my 12 year old. So good mix out outdoors, restaurants, cool spots, hiking, sightseeing. That first day back in Boston we will probably turn in the rental car and walk/use public transport/lyft

Love to hear all tips and suggestions

I don't think I want to go to bangor but I am not sure the best way to fill that day? Another day in Portland or the Camden/Rockport area? Somewhere completely different?

buzzvol

My wife and I went in September.  We flew into Portland and headed down to Ogunquit for two nights.  Then we stayed one night in Booth Bay, and one in Camden.  Then went to Bar Harbor for three nights.  We drove over to Lubec for a night and then back to Portland for a night before flying home.

if we were doing it again, I would want to skip Ogunquit and the area to the south west.  Another night in Camden and one more somewhere between Booth Bay and Bar Harbor would be my choice.  The drive to Lubec was interesting, but one could stay a week at Acadia without wearing it out.

Gulfcoastguy

I have no idea but be sure to post many pictures.

buzzvol

fishlessman

FanOfFanboys said:

I tried something similar last year but Covid so trying again

So just booked the airfare, April 9-16. Will land pretty early that morning, departing late afternoon

Tentative plan:
9th land, drive to portland, spend the day and night
10th head to bangor, spend the day and night
11th head to bar harbor/Acadia, stay the night
12th bar harbor/Acadia, stay the night
13th head to camden/rockport, spend the night
14th go to boston, stay the night
15th boston
16th depart for home

All the daily drives are couple hours, expect Camden area to Boston which is 3. Is Bangor worth spending a day in? Will there be enough open in the Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park area that time of year/? The trip is me, my wife, and my 12 year old. So good mix out outdoors, restaurants, cool spots, hiking, sightseeing. That first day back in Boston we will probably turn in the rental car and walk/use public transport/lyft

Love to hear all tips and suggestions

I don't think I want to go to bangor but I am not sure the best way to fill that day? Another day in Portland or the Camden/Rockport area? Somewhere completely different?

would skip bangor and stick with portland, portland has a really nice vibe to it. almost a norman rockwell vibe. never been to booth bay, theres a train place there with an old steam locomotive there that still takes rides, could be a little sleepy in april though and llbean is not far away. llbean is better at night.  hiking inland will be cold and most of the lakes are sill frozen. im thinking kennebunk port is mostly closed so do some research to see whats open. dress warm if you do a boat ride, i would want to take a boat tour at some point to see the light houses. i know you can take fishing trips but not sure where the tours are at this early. hard for me to pass by the clam shack in kennebunk if i were sight seeing for several days (im not much of a site-seer) but thats my favorite shack in new england, not sure its open in april. you need to make some calls to find out whats open ahead of time.

FanOfFanboys

I have done a little reading since I booked the flights and made a few changes, with more I am sure to come

Bangor was because I lived there as a child and wanted to see the old house, old elementary school, etc. Found out none is still standing. so Bangor is gone. And it seems April is too early for Acadia/Bar Harbor. 

A guy south of bangor has a cabin deep in the woods and said I can stay there a couple nights, which would be awesome. will certainly look for other options to fill those extra days too. 

"sleepy" is high on my list. I don't want big touristy stuff. I want the equivalent of Camden/Aiken, SC. Local, hole in the wall, dive, rustic, all describe what we're interested in 

CTMike

If you are in to craft beer, Portland is the place to be. Allagash is the 800 lb gorilla, and most of their offerings are excellent. Bissell brothers, Battery Steele, Rising Tide, Shipyard, and many others all are very good. 

Battery Steele’s Kineo and Bissell Bros The Substance are two of my favorite beers. Last time we went to Portland SWMBO gave me the side eye because I spent way too much on beer. 

Portland also has an outstanding food scene. Go to Duckfat for lunch for the fries and boozy milk shakes, and Fore Street for dinner - reservations usually required. 

If you visit the LL Bean flagship in Freeport, I also recommend hitting up Georgetown Pottery for some amazing ceramics.

fishlessman

other options.   portsmouth nh has alot of history, cape cod ma will be quiet but the beaches will be yours and you can get over that bourne bridge in a timely manner verse the stopped summer traffic. bunny clark fishing charters out of ogunquit and hit one of the restaurants there, thats the only two reasons to go to that town other than the ocean view. bunny clark is a small boat charter. make sure to call ahead though, things havent opened up much in april, beach rentals usually start end of june in maine