Maine- Portland to Bar Habor Advice needed
 

My mom and I will be driving from Portland to Bar Harbor in July. Is I-95 the best route to get there?
Can anyone a good place to stop half way between the two place for a bite to eat? We are not picky eaters.

Thanks!

Probably...
After many trips up that way, I usually do 95--it's just faster. You might want to try the slower, through towns drive on Rt. 1 in one direction, but be aware that it not really scenic.

Thanks! What's city is half way between the two cities?

Via I95 it's a three hour boring inland drive. We usually get off I95 in Brunswick and travel Rt 1 which is more interesting but will only get near water a couple of times in places like Wiscasset and Bath. I think you miss a lot of great eating choices if you go I95. If you're coming to Maine for seafood, I would got Rt 1 and stop at Claws on the north side of Rockland. It's family style drive-in with a covered porch with a bit of a view of the harbor (kind of industrial section but I recall being able to see the big ferry coming and going). My husband is looking forward to having a lobster burger (think crab cake like) but I really liked the chowder sampler that came with a crab cake. He didn't care for the seasonings in the chowder since he prefers the plain kind of chowders.

If you want city on I95, you might forget halfway and aim for Dysart's in Bangor. It's a really good truck stop. If you got Rt 1, Rockland is a city and looks about half way. There's a lot of good restaurant options.

We LOVED the town of Camden, where we stopped for lunch coming from Bar Harbor to Portland; Boothbay is totally skippable, loved it 30 yrs ago, but now just stop a bit south at Wiscassit on the river, where everyone lines up for Red's Eats for their lobster at this long standing famous take-out spot. You'll enjoy an hour or so there before continuing north. Lunch at Red's and dinner in Camden would be lovely; perhaps even spend the night in one of the lovely B&B's in Camden before heading up to BH. Another notable stop is Rockland with the Farnsworth Museum/Wyeth Center, again, for an hour or so. Frankly, we enjoyed Camden considerably more than Bar Harbor, although our two days at Acadia were memorable. When we went in October, we shot up directly via 95 to BH, then meandered back along Rt. 1 to Portland.

Thank you!

I agree that driving Rte 1 is far more pleasurable than 95 though 95 is likely the quickest.
Acadia NP is beautiful -- lots of outdoor activities, walking, hiking, kayaking etc. The little town of Bar Harbor is very touristy and usually overcrowded. I find Camden to be the same, but lots of people love both of them. I enjoy Rockland for fewer crowds. There are several restaurants in Rockland so that might be a nice place to stop for lunch. While I am a huge fan of Red's lobster rolls, there is almost always a line with a 20-30 minute wait. Then you take your food to picnic table around back on the side of the road so not necessarily the best place to stop for lunch. I have read the place across the street from Red's, Sarah's I think is the name has good food, never eaten there myself. Boothbay is a bit off the track as you have to drive the peninsula to get to it.

Bath could make a nice stop. Mae's Cafe is known for its breakfasts, but I bet their lunches are just as good. Moody's Diner in Waldoboro is also a good stopping point.

Have a great trip

Thank you yestravel!

Have been to both Sarah's and Red's Eats in Wiscasset, though it's been a couple years ago now.

Got a crab cake salad at Sarah's, which was very good (the crab cake was the "falling apart" kind that indicates plenty of crabmeat).

At Red's, got their lobster roll (good, about a lobster and a half's worth of meat with your choice of a cup of mayo or drawn butler on the side) and a fine fried mushroom side. The wait was long, though, and the locals I asked said Sprague's, more or less across from Red's, sells lobster rolls just as good. Didn't have time to verify this claim, sorry to report.