dakotapie

I'm in the process of researching a week-long trip in March and one idea that has come up is a week on the coast in Maine. I did some searches online and found websites that completely contradict one another about the general weather during the month ("March is a lovely time to visit Maine" or "March is generally rainy and muddy"). So Fodorites - what's the scoop? If I'm looking to rent a cottage/house by the shore, read, relax, eat a lot of seafood and maybe do some boating & hiking, is March okay? Would I be better served by waiting until April? (FYI - I've spent a week in Kennebunkport at the end of May and while I was eaten alive by black flies, the weather itself was grand.)

wyatt92

March is still winter in Maine. It's doubtful that temps will be much higher than the 40s, and you could get snow, rain, or anything in between.

Also, the seasonal shops and restaurants will not be open in March (or April). I guess it depends on what you're looking for in a vacation.

emalloy

It is New England, so if you don't like the weather, wait a minute. Southern Maine may have some warmish days in March, like 50's. As watt said, you could get snow or rain, but you won't have black flies and it might be nice and sunny. While the seasonal places won't be open, there are plenty of locals who do eat seafood so finding good places to eat won't be a real problem and you could do the mail boats out of Portland for a boat ride.

On the plus side, hotel/motel/cottage rates should be good although finding cottages at that time of year might be harder. B&Bs might give you a deal too.

nlg

We love Maine and have been several times the first of June.The weather was always cool when we were there-we wore sweatshirts. Our son lives in New Hampshire and it is always pretty cold there in March.

nytraveler

Um, March is winter. Not really beach weather anyplace north of FL (or perhaps GA if you're hardy).

Yes, it is possible to get a warm day or two. But, from having spent quite a few March days in the Hamptons picking out a summer cottage - you usually need a heavy jacket - esp as the sun goes down. And Maine is way north of there.

dfrostnh

March is mud season but that only makes a difference if a place is on a dirt road. Or, at a b&b the path between the parking area and door might be muddy (some people put boards on their path). I live in NH so I'm quite familiar with March weather. It's not my favorite month since it usually not really winter any more (except there might still be some great skiing) and it's still too early for spring. Weather could be anything from warm and wonderful to blizzard/ice storm ... but Maine does not completely close down during non-tourist times. The true lobster shacks won't be open but lobster dinners are still available. I just discovered on Chowhound that it's fresh Maine shrimp season which might go into March. Fish store guy said it started in early December and goes about 4 months. These are not your typical shrimp. Taste is quite different. Another March event is Maple Syrup Sunday March 28 when maple producers will be having open sap houses. The AMC Maine chapter has a year round hiking schedule but an avid hiker I know stays off the trails until nicer weather.
Bring bad weather clothes and a good attitude. You have a good chance of discovering a different kind of Maine than the average tourist.

gail

I would consider November and March about the worst months to visit Maine - not quite winter/not quite fall or spring. Could snow, but especailly along the coast more likely to be dirty old snow, mud and slop in March. Raw, raw, raw. While it might be sunny, likely to be damp wind. Way to early for any sign of growing foliage or plants. Likely too muddy to hike. Boating? I don't think so unless you are planning on wearing a survival suit. Relax, read, drink tea by a nice fire - fine. You asked about April - not much better unless you wait until the very end. I think the only people who would say "March is a lovely time to visit Maine" are trying to sell you something.

wliwl

The good thing is no tourists, but yeah, the weather is likely to be horrible. (But I find the tourist crunch pretty horrible too.)

michelleNYC

Oh my gosh... I couldn't imagine getting out on the water in Maine in March. That would be complete insanity.

djkbooks

Winter in Maine, especially along the coast, is dreadfully dreary. Not too bad if you have a fireplace and/or hot tub.

But, you probably don't have a change of favorable boating or hiking weather in March.

It's easy enough to pick up lobsters and cook them in those microwave boxes (made especially for doing this).

Jaya

You didn't say what you would being doing in Maine. March will most likely still be very chilly, but... you will be before blackfly and mosquito season which is a big advantage.

March could be really cool/cold, but then out of nowhere you could have a surprisingly warm stretch for a few days.

Measure the unpredictability of the weather against what your plans are and see what you think.

scarboroughmom

March is a fairly miserable month in Maine. To echo earlier posters, it is not quite spring and not quite winter. Nights are usually below freezing and high temps during the day are only in the low to mid 40's. A walk on the beach will usually involve icy winds off the ocean. Nothing is green yet. There are plenty of good places to eat seafood. Any cottage rentals you can find will likely be much cheaper than in the summer, but many rental cottages are not winterized. Many of the cute shops you may have visited in Kennebunkport will be closed. I live here and I don't mind cold weather, but I wouldn't pay money to come and stay here during March.

alley

It's true, the weather in Maine in March is likely to be cold, but why not go in early March and instead of hiking and boating you could enjoy some cross country skiing?