If You Have Three Days
On the first day, visit Bath, setting aside a good half day for the Maine Maritime Museum. In addition to studying the ship models, paintings, and other artifacts on the 25-acre property, reserve a spot on one of the scenic river cruises that depart from here. You can also sign up for a trolley ride and boat trip to learn about neighboring Bath Iron Works, where huge ships are built for the Navy. These tours to BIW almost always sell out, so book them well in advance through the museum.
Spend the rest of the day on one of the two peninsulas to the south. On the Georgetown Peninsula, you can head to the broad beach at Reid State Park to climb up a tall outcropping and look out to Seguin and other islands. Or set your course for Popham Beach State Park on the Phippsburg Peninsula, where the Kennebec and Morse rivers meet the sea. Arriving at or near low tide allows you to roam miles of tidal flats and walk across to Fox Island. You also can make a 2-mile trek along the beach to Fort Popham, a Civil War–era fortification that is fun to explore.
On Day 2, drive up U.S. 1 to the pretty little village of Wiscasset, set beside the Sheepscot River. Budget an hour or two for shopping in charming boutiques, galleries, and antiques shops. For lunch, have a bulging lobster roll from either of two waterfront shacks on opposite sides of the street. Red’s Eats is the best-known and busiest, but Sprague’s offers fine lobster rolls at a slightly reduced cost.
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In the afternoon, cross the Sheepscot River, turn onto Route 27, and head to Boothbay Harbor, a touristy but scenic town. Prowl the many shops, or just enjoy an ice cream cone as you stroll the boardwalk. Alternatively, take a sightseeing cruise of the harbor or out to one of the nearby islands.
On Day 3, drive about 18 miles north on U.S. 1, and turn off to Newcastle. Cross a small bridge to Damariscotta and browse a variety of appealing shops before having lunch on picturesque Main Street or overlooking the harbor. In the afternoon, head down Route 130 to beautiful Pemaquid Point and its iconic lighthouse. Climb the tower if it’s open, stop at the small museum, and scramble around on the dramatic rocky shoreline. For lunch or dinner, you have a choice of quaint lobster eateries, including the Sea Gull Shop and Restaurant at Pemaquid Point, Shaw’s in New Harbor, and two spots on the dock in Round Pond.
If You Have 5 Days
If you have five days for the Mid-Coast, you have time for a day or overnight (make lodging reservations well in advance) trip to Monhegan Island. Follow the three-day itinerary, and sleep in New Harbor on the third night. On your fourth day, rise early and hop on the 9 am ferry to Monhegan Island, where you can hike out to the bluffs and picnic with the circling seagulls. In addition to numerous trails, the island has a small museum and a couple of shops.
Spend some or all of Day 5 exploring the western side of the Pemaquid Peninsula at South Bristol, crossing the swing bridge onto Rutherford Island, and dining at a restaurant overlooking Christmas Cove.