I don’t know what made my parents pack up the family in 2002 and spend our summer vacation in a small Maine town we had no connections to, but I have spent every summer since convinced there is no better place to be than Maine.
One of the most rural of the United States, Maine has a prevailing sense of rugged beauty knitting together the hardworking, historic towns that dot the state’s 3,500 miles of coastline. A road trip along the coast between Portland and Acadia National Park offers no shortage of stunning views, good eats and plenty of reasons why the state has long been called Vacationland.
Starting your journey in Portland, it’s easy to see how the city’s long life as a fishing and manufacturing center has melded into the current tourist economy. Think cobblestone streets, brick factories repurposed into shops and restaurants, and historic houses turned into eclectic hotels like Blind Tiger Guest House (163 Danforth St., Portland; larkhotels.com/hotels/blind-tiger). Blind Tiger’s 15 well-appointed rooms are spread across two restored 19th century homes in the West End neighborhood. The hotel’s name is a nod to the speakeasy that once existed on the premises, now a billiards room for guests.
Leave the car keys behind for the night and stroll over to Leeward (85 Free St., Portland; leewardmaine.com), an Italian-leaning, pasta-centric joint on Free Street. Leeward is a nautical term for being sheltered from the wind, but this would still be the place to go even on the mildest of days. Co-owners Jake and Raquel Stevens had just opened the restaurant’s doors when COVID-19 restrictions forced them back closed.
Thankfully, Leeward weathered the storm and even snagged a James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant in 2022. Any of the fresh pasta on the menu is worth a taste, but if the stuffed squash blossoms — lightly fried and finished with a honey vinaigrette — are available, they are a must-order.
Feeling more snacky? In the East End neighborhood, there’s a veritable treasure trove of local businesses along Washington Avenue offering the perfect picnic goods. Start at The Shop (123 Washington Ave., Portland; portland.islandcreekoysters.com), the Maine outpost for Massachusetts-based Island Creek Oysters, for some tinned fish. Nearby, Maine & Loire wine shop and The Cheese Shop of Portland have the rest of the fixings for a proper feast, best enjoyed alfresco along the city’s Eastern Promenade.
In the morning, fuel up before hitting the road at Tandem Coffee + Bakery (742 Congress St., Portland; tandemcoffee.com), a cafe from Tandem Coffee Roasters housed in a converted midcentury gas station. Don’t miss the delicious baked goods from pastry chef Briana Holt, including inventive scone flavors like grapefruit poppy seed and apple feta.
Leaving Portland, navigating is simple — Route 1 alone will get you almost all the way to Acadia. It’s a major north-south highway serving the entire East Coast, but a slower pace of life influences even the roads and the highway drops down to primarily two lanes. There’s plenty to see and there’s no hurry to see it.
In the town of Bath, nautical enthusiasts should check out the Maine Maritime Museum (243 Washington St., Bath; mainemaritimemuseum.org), where visitors can explore historic shipyard buildings standing in the shadow of Bath Iron Works, a major operational shipyard. It’s a rich visual of Maine’s long seafaring tradition.
Artists will love Rockland, Maine, home to both the Center for Maine Contemporary Art (21 Winter St., Rockland; cmcanow.org) and the Farnsworth Art Museum (16 Museum St., Rockland; farnsworthmuseum.org). The Farnsworth holds an extensive collection from the Wyeth family, including realist painter Andrew Wyeth. Rockland also hosts regular art walks where galleries and studios open their doors.
Somewhere in between, stop for a lobster roll — perhaps in Wiscasset at Red’s Eats (41 Water St., Wiscasset; redseatsmaine.com). There’s a reason lengthy lines regularly appear around this tiny roadside shack. Red’s lobster roll is a love letter to local Maine lobster, nothing is coming out mayonnaise-drenched here. Simplicity is key.
Back on the road, you’ll soon find yourself winding along the edge of Penobscot Bay. These are the views that inventor of the duplex system telegraph Joseph Barker Stearns saw from his grand estate, Norumbega, in nearby Camden. Named for a mythical New World settlement, The Norumbega (63 High St., Camden; norumbegainn.com) is now an 11-room inn. While there are no pillars of gold here like legends once suggested, guests are sure to find the space plenty luxurious after a recent, extensive interior renovation.
To get a new perspective on the ins and outs of the coastline, book a sail with Schooner Surprise (1 Bay View St., Camden; schoonersurprise.com), a 1918 yacht listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Leaving from Camden Harbor, Schooner Surprise offers everything from sunset sails with live acoustic music to birding and marine life tours. Whichever you choose, you’ll be cruising around the bay in style.
Those who prefer to remain landlubbers should instead check out Oyster River Winegrowers (31 Elm St., Camden; oysterriverwine.com), a small farm winery that has been crafting low-intervention wines and ciders since 2007. Let yourself be charmed by the beat-up beadboard walls and creaking floors as you sidle up to the no-frills Camden wine bar and order a glass of Carbonic Nation, a dry, endlessly drinkable red with the slightest bit of fizz.
Across the street, you’ll find Wolfpeach (50 Elm St., Camden; wolfpeachmaine.com). This buzzy restaurant stepped back from farm-to-table fine dining this spring, re-concepting into a pizza joint, slinging naturally leavened pies and delicious snacks to pair. Try the clam pie studded with plenty of garlic, parsley and lemon, or go classic with red sauce and locally made pepperoni. Finish the night on a sweet note with housemade ginger ice cream.
Continuing on, you’ll hit the region that Mainers refer to as “downeast” Maine — a nautical nickname for how winds would force sailors to sail downwind to travel east in warm months. Hopefully, you’ll feel no resistance as you turn off Route 1 and head southeast toward Mount Desert Island, the second-largest island on the Eastern Seaboard.
Within the town of Bar Harbor, stay at Terramor Outdoor Resort (1453 ME-102, Bar Harbor; terramoroutdoorresort.com) for a taste of the great outdoors without having to pitch your own tent. A division of Kampgrounds of America, Terramor is a far cry from roughing it. Luxury canvas tents all feature plush beds, Wi-Fi and access to private bathroom facilities. Plus, the grounds are situated just minutes from the entrance of Acadia National Park.
New England’s only national park, Acadia contains more than 150 miles of hiking trails along rocky headlands and through evergreen forests. Thrill-seekers might gravitate toward the Beehive Loop Trail, a 1.4-mile cliff hike that features steep granite stairs, iron-rung ladders and sweeping views of the Gulf of Maine.
For a post-hike treat, stop by the park’s Jordan Pond House (jordanpondhouse.com) restaurant, known for its signature warm popovers served with jam and butter. Enjoy your snack outside and admire the views of picturesque Jordan Pond. While you’re at it, order a fresh blueberry lemonade and toast Maine’s status as the largest U.S. producer of blueberries.
If you don’t mind a predawn wake-up, make the time to watch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain. Don’t worry, no mountaineering in the dark is required — cars can take the Cadillac Summit Road with advance reservations. From there, you’ll be one of the first people in North America to see the sun rise. There are few better ways to fall for a place than to watch the sun glinting across the water’s surface, a new day beginning.
Jaclyn Jermyn is a freelance writer.
