week in maine
 

I'm looking at visiting Maine during the middle part of September. I was thinking of staying in Ogunquit with day trips to Kennebunkport and Kennebunk. I've heard so many wonderful things about Acadia National Park but did not know if visiting this area would be too much for one week. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Go for it and stay in the MDI area. The K'bunks and Ogunquit would be bit of a bore after you you experience Acadia.

If you have a week definitely go up the coast. Mid September should be a breeze traffic-wise.

The coast of Maine drive (is it 1 or 1A) is just abeautiful ride and some of the smaller towns can be so quaint and beautiful. Acadia is a drive but the entire ride and end is well worth itl Good luck!

There is plenty to see and do in the Ogunquit/Kennebunkport area.

I, personally, cannot fathom the interest in visiting Acadia. For one thing, all is fogged in much of the year. For another, all is ridiculously pricey. And, all is ultimately rather underwhelming, to me, anyway.

Get yourself a copy of "Maine, An Explorer's Guide". This is one incredible resource for visiting Maine. With this you can easily determine where to spend your time (though you'd wish for far more time...).

You'd do just fine spending a week in the Ogunquit/Kennebunkport area, with excursions up and down the coast from there.

I think a good guide is the book "The Coast of Maine" written by Nancy English. We used a lot of the information to plan a first time trip there last year in September.

Hi. Mid September is a great time to visit Mount Desert and Acadia. The weather tends to be clear and crisp - perfect for hiking and biking. Route 1 after Camden and Rockland is scenic but longer with more delays. We usually take 95 to 395 to 1A or exit 113 to 3 to 1. Lodging prices will tend to be lower in September and there are lots of options to choose from - pricey boutique B & B's everywhere, chain hotels in Bar Harbor and smaller, quaint properties all over the Island. Acadia tends to be synonymous with Bar Harbor and sometimes travellers don't know that Southwest or Bass Harbor offer other possibilities. quietsidechamber.com is one source. Have a great vacation.

ALL of coastal Maine is very nice in it's own way, it depends on what you want. The southern coast (Ogunquit, etc)
is beautiful beaches, some scenic villages, lots of shops. The Acadia area is spectacular scenery, and rugged rockbound coast. The mid coast is scenic harbors ,lighthouses and a few beaches. I would do a few days in the south, and a few days up furter (Camden, Boothbay,etc).

A week, definately take a trip up on Route 1 and visit all the coastal towns and go to Bar Harbor, it's beautiful there in mid-Sept, the whole coast is.

I have been working in Maine for the last few months- but from Mass.
I have spent all off hours just experiencing Maine.

I think I wouldnt miss Bar Harbor region.
If you LOVE the beach I guess I can see why you'd stick to southern Maine coast.

It's so beautiful up here.

Bar Harbor and MDI for sure.

The Ogunquit area is fine for lunch but there's not much going on there and Rt 1 goes (or tries to go) right through the middle of it.

IMHO it isn't worth hitting the coast road until you're north of Brunswick...too congested for my taste.

"the Ogunquit area is fine for lunch..." what the heck does that mean? I laughed at first, but now I'm curious.

There are some very good restaurants there as I recall but little else to distinguish it from any other small town in southern coastal Maine. I tried to vacation there for a week but was underwhelmed.

I did enjoy Boothbay and the surrounding area and a day trip to Monhegan Island where we hiked along the cliffs.

My favorite low key Maine coastal town is Belfast although there's not much to do there either but there are some great restaurants and Camden is close with even more. The best towns on the coast are the ones that Rt. 1 bypasses like Belfast.

My family is from Maine (since the 1650s) so I get up there quite a bit so perhaps I'm a little jaded. Maine isn't so much an exciting destination IMHO but it is very scenic and relaxing. I pretty much limit my visits to mid August so I can enjoy locally grown sweet corn with my mussels and lobstah and the wild blueberry harvest is in full swing then...I love those blueberries!!

If you are near the Brumswick/Bath area, take a spin down the the lobstermen's coop at Five Islands and they can set you right up with a wonderful feast. Great views of the islands from their pier where you eat as well. It's just a couple of miles from the coop to Reid State parks beautiful beach as well.

I meant BruNswick.

My husband and I along with our 2 teenagers spent a wonderful week in Acadia National Park last year in August. We stayed in Bar Harbor and did not have any trouble filling our days. We hiked, rode bikes around the carriage roads, explored other smaller coastal towns, kayaked. Make sure you eat lunch at Jordon Pond House. The Lobster stew and popovers are fabulous! Maine is so beautiful. I'm sure whereveryou go, you will have a wonderful time!