5 Days in Maine: Portland, the MidCoast, and Acadia

Overview

This itinerary runs south to north: Portland, the MidCoast harbors, then Acadia National Park. Total driving distance from Portland to Bar Harbor is roughly 280 miles, spread across three separate driving days, none of them longer than two and a half hours. If you're flying, Portland International Jetport (PWM) is the natural starting point; flying home out of Bangor International (BGR) saves about 90 minutes of backtracking at the end of the trip and has nonstop connections to major hubs on American, United, and Delta.

The best windows for this route are late June through early September, when Acadia's boat tours, the free Island Explorer shuttle, and full coastal access are all running. Late September through mid-October works well for fall foliage, though some smaller boat operators wrap up by Columbus Day. July and August bring real crowds on Route 1 and in Bar Harbor; book lodging at least two months ahead for summer travel. If you have more time, the 7 Days in Maine itinerary extends this route into the MidCoast islands and gives Acadia an extra full day. For planning basics across all of Maine's regions, the Maine Travel Guide is a good first read.

Day 1: Arrive in Portland

Fly or drive into Portland and spend your first afternoon in the Old Port. Commercial Street runs along the waterfront; Exchange Street and the lanes above it connect to the cobblestoned blocks where most of the eating and shopping happens. The neighborhood is compact, walkable, and oriented toward the harbor. Drop your bags and start walking.

The Highroller Lobster Co. on Exchange Street is a reliable first-night stop for Maine lobster and seafood. They run a lobster roll flight in three preparations, including drawn butter and jalapeño mayo, which gives you a side-by-side read on what Maine does with its best-known export. If you'd rather sit down to a full meal, Eventide Oyster Co. on Middle Street draws a long local following for its brown butter lobster roll and raw bar. Expect a wait on weekend evenings in summer; they do not take reservations.

Set your alarm. Start Day 2 at Becky's Diner on Commercial Street, open early (typically before 4 a.m. on weekdays) and popular with the waterfront workforce. Clam chowder and eggs on a working harbor beats a hotel breakfast before a road day. You can also walk out to the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal at 56 Commercial Street the evening before and look up the mail-boat cruise schedule if you want to add a morning Casco Bay run before you leave town on Day 2.

Day 2: Portland to the MidCoast (about 2 hours)

Get on the road by 9 a.m. In summer, Route 1 through Brunswick backs up mid-morning. Take I-95 north to Exit 28 in Brunswick, then pick up Route 1 there and follow it northeast through Bath, past the Maine Maritime Museum on the Kennebec River, and down the Boothbay peninsula for a late-morning stop.

Cap'n Fish's Cruises operates out of the town pier in Boothbay Harbor and runs puffin tours, whale watches, and lighthouse cruises from late spring through early fall. Puffin trips typically head out to Eastern Egg Rock, about 12 miles offshore, where the Audubon Society has been restoring the Atlantic puffin population since the 1970s. Tickets run approximately $40-$60 per adult (estimate). If puffins are on your list, book ahead; the morning trips sell out in July and August.

After Boothbay, continue north on Route 1 through Damariscotta and Rockland to Camden. The Samoset Resort sits just outside Camden in Rockport, directly on Penobscot Bay with an 18-hole golf course and a spa overlooking the water. It works well as a MidCoast base if you want something more than a standard inn. In Camden itself, Schooner Appledore II departs from Bay View Street and runs two-hour sails out into Penobscot Bay. An early evening sail is the best time: the light is right, the wind usually picks up, and you get to watch the Camden hills from the water rather than looking at them from shore. Book ahead; they run multiple trips daily in season.

Day 3: MidCoast to Bar Harbor (about 2 hours)

Leave Camden by 9 a.m. and you'll reach Bar Harbor before noon. Take Route 1 north to Ellsworth (passing through Bucksport along the way, where Fort Knox overlooks the Penobscot River narrows), then Route 3 south and east down onto Mount Desert Island. The transition onto the island is gradual: the terrain shifts from rolling fields to spruce and granite ridgelines, and you start to see Frenchman Bay opening up through the trees.

Stop in Ellsworth for gas and lunch. Bar Harbor's restaurant prices are noticeably higher than the towns before it, and Ellsworth has a full grocery store on the Route 3 corridor, which matters if you're stocking snacks for hiking days.

Check into Bar Harbor in early afternoon. Use the rest of the day at a walking pace: the low-tide sandbar across to Bar Island is accessible from Bridge Street when the tide is out (the tide chart is posted at the trailhead and at the town pier). Walk the Village Green, look at the whale-watch and tour-boat options at the pier, and figure out your Acadia priorities. The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. at 1 West St runs whale watches and puffin and seal tours through the season. If whale watching is on your list, book one of their morning departures for Day 3 or the morning of Day 4, not the afternoon, when wind on Frenchman Bay tends to pick up.

Day 4: Full Day in Acadia National Park

Acadia's Park Loop Road is 27 miles and covers the main coastal circuit: Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, and the carriage road network. Ocean water at Sand Beach stays around 55-58°F in July; people swim in it, but it's cold. Thunder Hole is loudest at mid-tide on a day with swell. Otter Cliffs is the highest headland on the eastern US seaboard, at around 110 feet above the water.

The Jordan Pond House at the south end of Jordan Pond has been serving lunch and popovers since the 1890s. Outdoor seating looks straight down the pond toward the Bubbles, two rounded glacial peaks that sit at the far end. Plan for a wait in summer; they open at 11 a.m. and fill fast. It is worth it for the setting.

To drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, you need a timed vehicle reservation for the summit road, required from late May through late October. Reservations open 90 days in advance for the morning sunrise window and sell out quickly. The fee is approximately $6 per vehicle, in addition to the Acadia vehicle pass at approximately $35 for seven days (estimates). If you didn't book ahead, the free Island Explorer shuttle runs from Bar Harbor to key trailheads and the main loop from late June through Columbus Day. Route 7 covers the Jordan Pond area; Route 1 gets you to Sand Beach. Cadillac summit temperatures run 10-15°F colder than Bar Harbor; bring a layer regardless of the time of year.

Day 5: Bar Harbor and Drive South

Bar Harbor's Main Street before 9 a.m. is a different place than the same street at noon. The tour boats haven't boarded yet, parking is easy, and the bakeries and coffee spots along Cottage Street and Rodick Street are uncrowded. Take the morning slowly.

If you're flying home from Bangor International (BGR), the drive is about an hour north, mostly on Route 1A and Route 9. BGR has fewer nonstop options than Portland but works well for Boston connections and some direct routes to major Northeast cities. If you're flying from PWM, the drive is roughly 3 hours, and a stop in Camden or Freeport breaks it up naturally. Freeport is about 20 minutes north of Portland on I-95 and is worth a stop for the 24-hour L.L.Bean flagship if gear or outerwear is on your list.

If you have an extra day or want to add the southern coast before flying, the route back through Portland connects easily to The Maine Beaches region, with Kennebunkport and Ogunquit about an hour south of Portland. The Maine Lighthouse Tour itinerary also routes through this southern stretch and pairs well with a coastal overnight.

Where to Stay

Portland has a range of downtown hotels within walking distance of the Old Port. Budget around $180-$280 per night in summer for a central property (estimate). The Old Port area along Fore and Exchange Streets is the most convenient base for the neighborhood and the waterfront.

For the MidCoast night, the Samoset Resort in Rockport sits directly on Penobscot Bay between Camden and Rockland, with ocean-view rooms and a full-service spa. It runs higher than a standard inn, typically $300-$450 per night in season (estimate), but the location is specific to the Maine coast in a way that most chain hotels in the region aren't.

Bar Harbor has the most lodging on Mount Desert Island, ranging from budget motels on Route 3 to small inns in the village. Most properties in Bar Harbor proper book out several months ahead for July and August. Staying in Southwest Harbor or on the quieter western side of the island saves money and puts you closer to the park's less-trafficked roads, though the drive to Bar Harbor adds 20-30 minutes.

Book These Ahead

Cadillac Mountain sunrise reservations sell out 90 days ahead in peak season. This is not an exaggeration. If the Cadillac sunrise is on your list, book it before you book your hotel. The reservation window opens at 10 a.m. Eastern on the release day; set a reminder.

Bar Harbor lodging in July and August books two to four months ahead for the best properties. Book as early as possible and read cancellation policies before you pay.

Puffin tours at Cap'n Fish's Cruises in Boothbay Harbor and boat tours in Bar Harbor sell out on peak-season weekends. Book tours at the same time you book your lodging. Schooner Appledore II in Camden also fills quickly on summer evenings.

The park entrance pass (America the Beautiful Annual Pass at approximately $80, or the $35 seven-day vehicle pass, estimates) can be bought in advance online. No reservation is required for general park access; the timed reservation is only for the Cadillac Summit Road drive.