Great Itineraries

Great Itineraries

If You Have 3 Days

A three-day trip to the Southern Coast can give you a good taste of the different flavors of the region. Start your trip in South Berwick. Here you can tour the historic home of author Sarah Orne Jewett and the grand Hamilton House. From South Berwick, follow Route 236 east to Route 91, back to U.S. 1 in York. Take Route 1A and explore the historic sites of York Village. Continue the few miles to York Harbor, a good place to spend the night. On your second day, follow the Shore Road (Route 1A) and stop in lively York Beach, where you can swim, bowl, or play arcade games until after dark. Continue north on Route 1A and spend the night and the next day in Ogunquit. Here you can walk the Marginal Way, and spend several hours perusing the shops of both Perkins Cove and the village of Ogunquit. If you're visiting in summer, save some time to relax at Ogunquit Beach.

If You Have 5 Days

Start your first day in Kittery, an area rich in history and natural beauty, as well as a shopper's mecca. If the weather cooperates, bring a picnic, a kayak, or your walking shoes for a full day of enjoying the vistas and trails of Ft. Foster. From here, follow the three-day itinerary above. On Day 5, leave Ogunquit, and continue on U.S. 1 into Wells, a town known for its 7-mi stretch of pristine beaches. There are several opportunities for bird- and nature-watchers at Beach Plum Farm as well as the Wells Reserve and the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Follow scenic Route 9 to the Kennebunks, a good place to spend the night. If you have more time, visit historic homes and museums, as well as the shops in Kennebunkport 's busy Dock Square, or, if you like the sights and sounds of a carnival-on-the-beach atmosphere, take coastal Route 9 north from the Kennebunks to Old Orchard Beach.