Need help planning a week along the Maine Coast
 

I'm trying to plan 7-8 days in Maine with my family - children are 12yo. We will be driving from NJ and would like to spend a few days at Acadia/Bar Harbor. Would also like to see Portland but not sure I need to overnight there or stay somewhere nearby - was thinking my children would like to see a minor league baseball game.

I'd appreciate any and all recommendations for places to see, where to stay!

Thank you!

Are you planning on a lot of driving each day or finding a good base for explorations? Because of the drive, you might consider overnight in Portland on the way up and someplace else on the way home.

I don't want to do too much driving in one day -- except for the way up and I guess the way back...staying in two or three places for two nights each is fine with us.

Very fond of Pemaquid Point and Pemaquid Light. You might not be eager to stay at either of the two inns there -- one (Bradley) is high-end, the other (?Pemaquid?) is rather downscale old-fashioned, but the lighthouse is great, lots of rocks that are great to climb over, and the last time I was there, the little souvenir-café-shoppe had great ice cream.

Click on photo slideshow here: http://www.visitmaine.com/lighthouse...emaquid_point/

Los Angeles is host to 3/4 of a million visitors each WEEK. Please folks, let's stop telling them all to rent a car. Have you looked at the freeways lately?......This is not rocket science.

When's your trip? If it's anytime soon, you should be asking "where oh where can we find any vacancies", and then plan your trip around the availability of accomodations. Do you have a budget in mind/ type of lodging? Maine has everything from $20 camping to the $742 per night Inn By The Sea.

It's the 12 yo kids that I'm thinking about and rebellion in the back seat because of all the miles to Bar Harbor. Once there, do you plan to do a lot of hiking and biking?

Owls Head Transporation Museum near Rockland has some extra events on weekends IF you are interested in cars and antique airplanes. We like the general Bath/Wiscasett/Brunswick area in the mid-coast. You can get a map of some hiking places in the Harpswells (east of Brunswick). But, if the kids are expecting beach time, not a good place. Plus I like the view from the top of Mt Battie better than Cadillac. Agree that Pemaquid Point is a fun visit as is Owls Head Light (free).

Thank you for your ideas. I actually have called around and found vacancies at various hotels - our price point is mid range hotels/inns. We are not a camping family at all.
My son is very into visiting National Parks (something he got from his uncle who has been to almost every one) so he really wants to go to Acadia. I know it's far - that's why I was thinking of breaking up the drive with a couple of overnights beforehand. Just finding it hard to figure out where to stop. Appreciate all the suggestions!

In that case, I vote for the Brunswick area with a day to explore the Harpswells. Here's a link to the conservation areas that are open to the public
http://www.harpswell.maine.gov/verti...ted_722012.pdf

I think it would be a good lesson in what a community can do to preserve open space. It's on the local level, not national park size but I think the philosophies are similar.

Portland can be your other stop and a good comparison between city and rural.

I would like to recommend a day or two in tiny, charming Belfast Maine. (try to stay right downtown) Especially if you can be there for a Friday afternoon/evening when the town is full of street performers and the galleries are all open.

I stayed there for a week a few years back and found plenty to do and see.

The drive from Portland to Bar Harbor is about 3.5 hours, IF you take 295/95. It is longer than that if you take the prettier coastal route.

The Brunswick area is about 40 minutes north of Portland, and it is where Bowdoin is. It's pretty, but if you aren't planning on spending two nights so that you get at least one full day there, I wouldn't recommend it as a stop.

It sounds like your first and last days will be full travel days to/from NJ. I would recommend stopping in Portland on your way up, so that you can start your trip off with as little car fatigue as possible. There is a great minor league baseball team in town called the Seadogs, and tickets are $4. You should stay in town itself, and you can have dinner along the harbor, or take the ferry out to one of the islands. We have really great breakfast spots, so you can wake up and have Holy Donuts (OMG. Please have Holy Donuts.) and then head up to Bar Harbor. If you want to take the coastal route, plan to spend all day, OR you could stop in the Damariscotta/pemaquid point area for the night and have plenty of time to explore. If you do, be sure to have lobster/oysters at Shaw's Wharf in New Harbor!

That would get you into Bar Harbor on Day 3 at some point. There is plenty to do in Acadia to occupy three full days. OR, you could spend two full days, leave day 6 and head back down the coast with a night in Belfast or Camden/Rockland and another in southern Maine before you head back to NJ. Maybe in Kennebunk or York if you wanted to do the beach resort thing.

Glenmoor-By-The-Sea in Camden. Billowhouse just south of Old Orchard Beach, about 25 min from Portland/Minor League Baseball. Terrace by the Sea in Ogunquit if you want something further south.

Do you have accommodations on Mt. Desert Island (MDI to locals) or somewhere near Acadia already?

BTW - envious. I love that place.

Stopping in Portland is a great idea. A Seadogs would be fun, and time permitting a boat ride to Peak's Island You can walk around the island in an hour or so. Then either straight to Acadia (where you could easily spend your entire vacation). Coming back you could take a more leisurely route and stop in Camden, for the hike to Mt Battie, or perhaps a harbor cruise. If you like gardens, the Coastal Botanical Gardens in Boothbay are fabulous. There are children's gardens, too, so it might be interesting for all. Stonington has a nice park, too, but I don't remember the name. ( In case of rainy days, on your way back.....the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath are both very interesting) Further south...if in Ogunquit, you could walk the Marginal Way and poke around Perkins Cove. If in York, there is the York's Wild Kingdom, Short Sands Beach, Long Sands Beach, and Harbor Beach. You might check out: acadiamagic.com for info on lodging etc. in the Acadia region.

Thank you all for your input. I've drafted this itinerary and am in the process of finding lodging. Curious what you all think:

Day 1: Travel up from NJ - overnight somewhere along the way (TBD)
Day 2: Drive to Camden - overnight in Camden
Day 3: Explore Camden/Rockport area - Mt Battie - overnight in Camden
Day 4-6: Bar Harbor/Acadia
Day 7-8: Travel to Portland - over night Portland
Drive home to NJ

Thanks for any commends!

One-nighters can be hard to find in July and August so decide soon. Maybe Ogunquit/Kennebunkport on the way up? Or Salem/Rockport Mass?

Coming from New Jersey, we've stayed overnight in Portsmouth, NH just as a good stopping point. You mentioned staying in Camden next, which is 2 1/2 -3 hours depending on traffic. If you start early, you'll basically have a good amount of the day in Camden or to explore some of the places others have mentioned on the way there.

I think Portsmouth is a great idea for an overnight on the way up. If you have time, you could visit the science center at Odiorne Point or give the kids some run around on the beach time in Rye or simply motel pool time.

We like to do a picnic lunch on top of Mt Battie. The view is wonderful. Bring binnoculars and bag chairs. You can watch boats coming along the coast and in and out of the Camden harbor.