Ready-made plans

Custom planning is temporarily unavailable for this route. Ready-made plans are still available.

Home › Journeys › North America › Maine Coast: Portland, Midcoast & Acadia

Maine Coast: Portland, Midcoast & Acadia – Route Guide

Last updated:

Portland Head Light Maine — The Maine Coast: Portland to Acadia
Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Follow Maine’s coast from Portland and Boothbay to Camden, then Bar Harbor and Acadia. Working harbours, historic waterfronts, wooded hills and granite shores shape the drive; Cadillac Summit Road needs a separate vehicle reservation in season, while cruises and whale-watching trips are optional.

Maine Coast: Portland, Midcoast & Acadia is a 220 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 3–6 days; the plan below is the 4-day version for September, built from 220 verified places, with planned transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

3–6
days
220km
distance
4
Stops
220
curated stops

View ready-made plans 3-day plan · 4-day plan · 6-day plan · best time to go

The route

Portland→ 90 kmBoothbay Harbor→ 50 kmCamden→ 80 kmBar Harbor & Acadia

What you'll see

Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum
Ride scenic train trips along the East End waterfront on vintage locomotives.
Portland
Ram Island Light
Ram Island Light shines brightly, marking the harbor entrance from its offshore station.
Boothbay Harbor
Mt. Battie
Drive or hike to the summit for sweeping views of Penobscot Bay.
Camden
Bar Harbor and Acadia public park-and-heritage circuit
Use public Bar Harbor and Acadia access; Cadillac driving requires its own current reservation in season.
Bar Harbor & Acadia
Portland Museum of Art
Discover Winslow Homer works amid centuries of American art and sculpture.
Portland
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Stroll through vibrant gardens where native plants flourish in serene coastal settings.
Boothbay Harbor
Camden public harbor-and-hills circuit
Use public Camden harbor and mainland hill access subject to current park conditions.
Camden
Abbe Museum
Discover the culture of Maine's Native American tribes through exhibits.
Bar Harbor & Acadia

Choose your length

3-day plan18 stops · 7.0 h transit6 stops/day · 2.3 h transit/daySee the full plan →4-day plan24 stops · 7.8 h transit6 stops/day · 1.9 h transit/daySee the full plan →6-day plan39 stops · 9.6 h transit6.5 stops/day · 1.6 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: June, July, August, September

Lobster boats land daily, windjammers sail out of Camden, and Cadillac Mountain catches America's first sunrise — reserve the summit drive in season.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

View ready-made plans