We're traveling up to New England come June and we can't decide between spending 4 - 5 days on Cape Cod, or just heading up the Maine coast.
Please help us decide!
Thank you.

The deciding factor might be whether you expect to swim in the ocean. If you do, Cape Cod is the far better choice at that time of year. (Stay on the ocean side if you want surf.) There are about 2 wks in late July/early Aug when you can comfortably swim in Maine! (If you are from NC, as I gather from your email address, you might find even that too cold.)

Cape Cod and Maine both have beaches, lighthouses, seafood and whale watches. (Cape Cod beaches, esp near Provincetown, have dunes.) Personally, as a CT native, I much prefer Maine's rugged coastline and varied choices (like lakes and pine trees) inland.

The Scarborough area (near Old Orchard but without the honkey tonk atmosphere and amusement park) has a 7-mile sandy beach with easy surf. (If you want real surf go to the Cape.)

Other Maine highlights:
--Outlet shopping in Kittery and Freeport.
--Whale watch out of Kennebunkport - it leaves near former Pres. Bush's summer home on Walker Point
-- Marginal Way in Ogunquit (I think)- paved path along the rocks and the ocean
--Scarborough Marsh - rent a canoe and check the birds
--Portland, a walkable small city with a nicely developed waterfront.
--Outside Portland, eat on picnic tables on the big rocks by the sea at Cape Elizabeth (two lighthouses and a wonderful small casual restaurant)
-- Boothbay Harbor ("Harbah!")- a picturesque town with a selection of waterfront motels
-- Rockport - beautiful - like Boothbay Harbor
-- Acadia Ntl Park - well, it IS a national park!
-- lobster - I do not eat much seafood, but many say Maine lobster is the best.

Whatever you decide, I hope you enjoy your trip.

Lori,
We are in an Internet class at New Hampshire College. We say go to the Cape since Maine will soon be in the middle of Black Fly season. That is - if the snow melts!

Try Rye Beach closer to the water without trees you do not have any black flies.

No offense to Betty and her class at New Hampshire College, but Sluggo is right on--listen to him/her. And yes, the Marginal Way is in Ogunquit.

By the way Rye Beach is in NH

June in Maine is pre season. Hope the snow is gone. Try Hew Hampshire, the best of both worlds. Ocean or Mountains & no sales tax.

Since I am a few hours from both Maine and the Cape, I visit them both, and am always torn as to where to go. For June, the cape's water temps will definitely be warmer (but not warm by any means!). Both areas have beautiful beaches and also some crowded, tacky areas. If you want lots of rocky coast, lighthouses and lobsters, Maine is a better choice. If you want windswept dunes, and great bicycling trails, the cape is the better choice.

Hello! We've done this trip for the past four years. We've never been able to decide so we turn the trip into 12 days and do both! I have to say the Cape is nice and casual, however the coast of Maine is very hard to pass up. If I were tied down and had to make a choice I think it would be Maine. It's more diverse and if you fly into Boston then you will have a nice experience along the North Shore of Mass. on the way up.

Hi,
If you do go the Cape, stay near Chatham. If you go to Maine, I recommend Kennebunkport. If you drive through the northshore, visit the House of Seven Gables in Salem and the Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester. Maine will be significantly cooler than the Cape.