Planning a Trip

Getting There

Kittery is accessible from either Interstate 95 or Route 1, with well-marked exits. Coming from the south, the Yorks are reached most easily by heading for (but not taking) the Maine Turnpike; follow I-95 to a point just south of the turnpike exit, then exit to the right ("last exit before tolls"). Coming from the north, pay your toll exiting the turnpike and then take the first exit, an immediate right.

Amtrak (tel. 800/872-7245; www.amtrak.com) operates four to five Downeaster trains daily from Boston's North Station (which does not connect to Amtrak's national network; you must take a subway or taxi from Boston's South Station first) into southern Maine, stopping outside Wells, about 10 miles away from the Yorks; a one-way ticket costs $19, and the trip takes 1 3/4 hours. From Wells, though, you'll need to phone for a taxi or arrange for a pickup to get to your final destination.

No bus lines serve the stretch of Maine between Portland and Kittery. However, no less than three competing lines run regular buses daily from Boston's South Station to downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which is very close to Kittery (you can actually walk over a bridge into Maine from Portsmouth). The lines are Greyhound (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyound.com), C&J Trailways (tel. 800/258-7111; www.cjtrailways.com), and Vermont Transit (tel. 800/552-8737; www.vermonttransit.com). Taking a bus from New York City's Port Authority to Portsmouth costs about $45 one-way and takes about 6 1/2 hours; from Boston, figure a fare of $17 or $18 one-way and a 1-hour ride.

From mid-June through Labor Day, a trackless trolley (a bus gussied up to look like an old-fashioned trolley) links the two beaches (Short Sands and Long Sands) in York and provides a convenient way to explore both. The "trolley" costs $1.50 each way. An all-day pass on a longer, circular sightseeing route through the Yorks costs $8 per adult, $4 for kids ages 3 to 10; hop on at well-marked stops. The chief advantage of this route is that it passes out to Nubble Light , a very scenic point that is too far for most folks to photograph from the beaches.

Visitor Information

The Kittery Information Center (tel. 207/439-1319) is at a well-marked rest area on I-95. It's full of info and helpful staff; has a pet exercise area and copious vending machines; and is open daily from 8am to 6pm in summer, from 9am to 5:30pm the rest of the year.

The Greater York Region Chamber of Commerce (tel. 207/363-4422) also operates another helpful visitor center, one that mirrors the shape of a stone cottage. It's set back from Rte. 1, right across from the Maine Turnpike exit 1 (beside the Stonewall Kitchen headquarters). In peak season, it's open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm; from Labor Day through June, it's open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm and Saturday from 10am to 2pm.