My boyfriend and I will be traveling to Maine over the 4th of July weekend. We will be driving from Boston on the 5th, and are hoping to spend a few days in Maine. I would appreciate any advice on where we might go, or B&B's, restaurants, etc. I am looking for a quaint, seaside community, perhaps Bar Harbour?

Jessica - my husband and I live in Portland, and I can tell you if you are going to be driving from Boston and want to go to Bar Harbour on that holiday weekend, what would take 5 hours normally to get to Bar harbor would take double that time from Boston. The traffic on that weekend is incredible. While you may miss it on the way up, if you plan on coming home from Bar Harbor on Sunday, you will spend most of your time in the car - so plan accordingly. Travel in the early a.m. through the coastal routes, or late at night. If you go to Bar Harbor, they have plenty of small restaurants - brewery's etc. A good brewery / restaurant is Lompoc's Pub and Brewery - fun atmosphere etc. The only place i have stayed in Bar Harbor outside of camping is the Bar Harbor Inn, which is situated right on the water, and is beautiful. There are a ton of B&B's, but would book now, if it is not already too late - that weekend books up fast. Check out www.acadiainfo.com for info on the area. Have fun, and enjoy your weekend.

Check out the Higgins Beach Inn just south of Portland in the town of Scarborough. Was there last fall.

www.higginsbeachinn.com

There are also nice B&B's in Freeport. Close to Portland, which has good shopping in small boutiques, and good restaurants. The water is right there in Freeport, and great shopping in outlets. The town of Freeport is very cute, and is very much "village like".

My husband and I 'accidentally' drove through the town of Belfast on our first trip to Maine last summer and fell in love with it - right on the water, the perfect seaside village, more shops & restaurants than we could begin to explore - and almost like being transported to that other Belfast.
I can't compare it with anyplace else in Maine, but we're definitely planning a return trip.

Unless you want to shop in the July heat at a bunch of outlet malls avoid Freeport. Getting to Bar Harbor on that weekend may not be worth it because of the terrible traffic as previously stated. You may want to try Camden, Boothbay, or Rockport. I live in Qgunquit which is a great little town as well and we do have a beautiful beach. Again it gets a little busy in Maine during that time. It would be very wise to book soon

My wife and I were in Bar Harbor last 4th of July and had a blast. We stayed at both the Cleftstone Manor and the Maples Inn. I wouldn't recommend the Cleftstone because it is a bit outside of town. It is so crowded during the 4th of July that I would suggest staying somewhere right in Bar Harbor where you can walk to/from. We loved The Maples Inn. I would highly suggest that B&B as it was clean, relatively inexpensive and on a quiet street not far from all the "action." If we went to Bar Harbor again, we would definitely stay there.

Make sure you go to Acadia National Park which is beautiful. We spent a day exploring that whole area and enjoyed the sights, trails, etc.

As to restaurants, there are plenty of them and enough variation to suit every budget and taste.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

Camden is closer and is really nice. Just outside of town is a beautiful resort called the Samoset. There's a small state park that sits up on a hill with some of the best views.

The reason why I suggested Freeport is because it is out of Portland, there are nice B&B's, and is in close proximity to beaches, restaurants etc. Many people do enjoy shopping - it is just a thought. In my opinion, I want to be able to utilize every moment of a holiday weekend, and sitting in traffic is not my favorite way of doing that. Camden, Rockport, Bar Harbor, Boothbay Harbor are all on Rt. 1 which is just jam packed with cars - my husband and my family and I came home from Bar Harbor and unfortunately stopped in Camden on the way home for lunch during a normal summer weekend in August. . . It took 5 hours total driving time in what usually takes 3. I would stay away. Ogunquit is a good place - and I understand they have great fireworks on the 4th. Since the fourth is during the week, it is my bet they will have fireworks on the weekend still. Ogunquit also has a bunch of good restaurants - Hurricane's comes to mind. Small, good food, and right on the water.

Jan, or any other local--

Is the terrible traffic you describe typical in the summer? I'm sure July 4 is the worst, but what about wekends in general? We will be there from July 21 through Aug. 5. Thanks for any insights.

The traffic is really just bad on holidays. There is more traffic during the summer due to the tourists, but it is bearable. It all depends on where you are going. . . . up the coast you will experience traffic, but usually it isn't too bad because of the scenery - occassionally through towns you will be at a standstill - but between towns you can make good time, typically. Have fun!

Hi Jessica,

If you're anywhere near Kennebunkport, you should strongly consider Cape Arundel Inn. I can't say enough good about this place, especially if you're looking for a cozy inn with lots of atmosphere. I went in the fall, but imagine summer is just as heavenly.

Their web site is: capearundelinn.com
I wasn't so impressed by their web page, or even the outside of their house. But the food, service, location, and atmoshphere can not be matched. Plus, Kennebunkport is a fabulous little town!

Have a great trip!