Suggested Itineraries

I can't emphasize enough not overreaching when planning your trip. Many travelers coming from a distance look at this trip as their only chance to see northern New England, and make the rash decision to drive madly across the region in a valiant effort to see the Green Mountains, the White Mountains, the Maine coast and certainly a moose up in those Maine Woods. All in a week or so.

A formula for disappointment, you end up seeing little except the inside of your windshield. New England has few attractions that lend themselves to pit-stop tourism -- you remember these kinds of trips: you pay your fee, look around for a few minutes, take some photos, grab a snack, and get back on the road to the next "attraction." New England is best seen by not moving, or at least moving rather slowly, by foot or canoe or bike. The happiest visitors to the region tend to be those who stay put the most, getting to know their selected patch more intimately through well-crafted day trips.

With that in mind, here are some suggested itineraries that you can use as a starting point, mixing and matching depending on how much time you have.

Maine's coast tends to confound hurry-up tourism -- there are too many dead-end peninsulas to backtrack along, too many inlets that cleave the coast far inland, forcing tourists to drive great distances to get from one rocky, wave-beaten point to the next. Finding a couple of welcoming bases and using these to explore farther afield is a good strategy.

9 Days on Maine's Coast

Day 1 Drive in to Maine from the south on I-95, and head immediately to York Village (Exit 1). Spend some time snooping around the historic homes of the Old York Historical Society, and stretch your legs on a walk through town or the woods. Drive northward through York Beach (stocking up on saltwater taffy), and arrive in Kennebunkport in time to stroll the leafy town, gawk at George Bush the Elder's summerhouse, settle into your room for the evening, and have a relaxed dinner out.

Day 2 Pick and choose your diversions en route to Portland: maybe a birding hike at Laudholm Farms, a visit to the beach or an excellent small art museum at Ogunquit, or antiquing up Route 1. In Portland by afternoon, stroll the Old Port, take a ferry to one of the islands, or prowl the Portland Public Market in search of picnic supplies. Pick from the abundance of restaurants to suit your mood.

Day 3 Head north early to beat the shopping crowds at the outlet haven of Freeport. (You can't leave too early for L.L.Bean -- it never closes.) Continue onward with possible side trips in Brunswick (for the Bowdoin College Museum of Art or the intriguing Arctic Museum) and Bath (to the Maine Maritime Museum and Shipyard). Detour down to Pemaquid Point for a late picnic and to watch the surf roll in, and then head back to Route 1 and make it to Camden in time for dinner. Plan on 2 nights in this area.

Day 4 Wander around Camden's downtown, poking into shops and galleries, hike up one of the impressive hills at Camden Hills State Park, hop a ferry to an island (North Haven and Isleboro are both great for biking), sign up for a daylong sail on a windjammer, or just spend a long afternoon unwinding on the deck at The Waterfront Restaurant. Turn in early.

Day 5 Drive up and around the head of Penobscot Bay and then down the bay's eastern shore. The roads here are great for aimless drives, but aim for Stonington, far down at the end of the peninsula. If distant Isle au Haut, visible from town docks, makes you pine for an offshore adventure, plan on a boat trip out early the next morning, secure lodging for the night, and adjust your schedule accordingly. Otherwise, explore around the area, or sign up for a kayak tour with Old Quarry Charters. Then head to scenic Blue Hill for dinner and lodging.

Day 6 Off to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island. Book a room for 3 nights at the place of your choosing -- Bar Harbor is a handy and central location, with access to movies, bike and kayak rentals, free shuttle buses all over the island, and numerous restaurants. Spend the day getting oriented -- perhaps with a shuttle bus trip around the scenic Park Loop Road, which offers a great introduction to what's in store.

Day 7 Hike, bike, boat, whatever. Explore the island at your own pace. A beginner's kayak trip down the eastern shore, a hike out to Bar Island, or a mountain bike trip along the carriage roads are all good options.

Day 8 Those things that you wanted to do yesterday but didn't have time? Do them today. Cap it off with a cold-water swim at Sand Beach and tea and popovers at Jordan Pond House.

Day 9 With luck, you'll still have some time to do a few things before it's time to zip up to Bangor and begin your long southward trek home on I-95. Maybe watch a sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain? Or paddle a canoe on Long Pond? Or enjoy a last lobster atop a pier before setting off?