A week along the Maine Coast during first week of September

My husband and I are planning a drive up the Maine coast in early September. Neither of us have ever been there. We want to see Portland. People mention Camden and Boothbay.

I%26#39;d love to hear everyone recommendations. Is it worth going to Aacadia Park? Any thoughts about Ogunquit or York?

We want to hear people%26#39;s favorite towns to visit.

We%26#39;d also like to incorporate a ferry ride to an island into the trip.

Thanks so much!

A week along the Maine Coast during first week of September

Portland is okay...like a small NE city. It reminds me of Providence and Worcester, but with a Maine sort of flavor to it.

I love Boothbay Harbor. That for me is quintessential Maine.

York is kind of honky-tonk, but fun.

A week along the Maine Coast during first week of September

Our favorites on the coast of Maine are Ogunquit, Boothbay harbor, Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, Camden in this order. Ogunquit has beautiful beaches, great walking town, good restaurants. Boothbay Harbor is charming, a tourist town but a little off the beaten path , Bar Harbor a bit larger that the previous two but further away. There is quite a bit to do in this area. There is Arcadia Park which has many areas to explore, there is the downtown area with many shops, restaurants and pubs, there are boat excursions, kayaks to rent. Boothbay Harbor is small and quaint with not too much to do. Kennebunkport is another small, charming seaside town. Lastly, Camden which is a very pretty, charming seaside town. Portland has come a long way in the last few decades. There is the area called ';Old town'; where most of the sight seeing activity is. There are ferries to islands from Portland.

Thank you for your reply. Do you have any thoughts on how many nights in each town? Any favorite places to stay? Also, have you ever taken tour boat through Acadia?

Arcadia Park is definitely worth the trip if you are in Bar Harbor. I would say at least three nights in the Bar Harbor Area. Any of the other areas at least two nights. If you stayed in one of the towns along the Southern Coast of Maine, you could stay in one town %26amp; travel from there. I find it hard to advise on places to stay. Everyone%26#39;s expectations are different. In Ogunquit we have stayed at the Grand Hotel which we like a lot. It is a good size one- bedroom suite with a balcony. Have also stayed at the Meadowmere which is also nice but right on Rt 1. In Bar Harbor we have stayed at the Bar harbor hotel with is in a beautiful location right on the water and the center of town is right there. There are many other nice places that are not in the town.

Just about 1 month from now we will be in San Francisco. We are very excited about our trip to CA.

If you stop in Ogunquit, try staying 2 or three days. Try staying at the Anchorage Inn. It is centrally located to everything in town. No need to drive once your there.

There are some great restaraunts in town - Provence (french country), MC%26#39;s - (New England, located on the water in Perkin%26#39;s Cove), Angelina%26#39;s (Italian), The Old Village Inn or OVI to the locals (New England), Clay Hill Farm, Five O, Cafe Amore or Bessie%26#39;s(breakfast).

The food and drinks at the Front Porch are terrific and if you are in for a piano lounge, go upstairs. Warning: The comedian%26#39;s act in the evening is quite blue.

The Marginal Way is a beautiful 1 mile walk along the cliffs that provides some terrific views.

If you find yourself looking for something new to do, Kennebunkport is a quick 20 minute drive north on Route 1 and the Kittery outlet malls are a short 15 minute drive to the south. Portland is about an hour north by car and is also accessible by train (Amtrak Noreaster) from the Wells Station (10 minutes from Ogunquit) if you would like to do extend your stay in Ogunquit and do day trips to Portland.

I love Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It%26#39;s north of Camden but not by much - if you%26#39;re heading that way you might as well.

Acadia has plenty of trails from easy to advanced if you like hiking. Drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain and enjoy the panorama views of the coastline. The Park also boasts miles of carriage trails, created by the Rockefellers in the 1930s. The gravel trails are easy to walk and you can criss-cross the island easily.

Bar Harbor itself is a nice little town, especially once the crowds thin out. September is perfect - the kids are back in school and there%26#39;s elbow room. Take advantage of low tide and walk out to Bar Island in the inner part of the harbor. It%26#39;s a fun spot to explore and SUVs are allowed on the beach during this time.

There are tons of places to stay in and around Bar Harbor - I like the Bar Harbor Inn the best. Perfect downtown location and lovely rooms. http://www.barharborinn.com/

September is my favorite time for the Maine Coast! Crowds have thinned, driving is much easier, and rates are lower. I grew up in Southern Maine, but have lived in California since college many years ago and now visit this area as a tourist almost every year (even got married in York ten years ago!) Ogunquit is my favorite town in the area and offers many great hotels of various sizes. I would advise staying within town so you can walk in the area. I also would not miss Portsmouth, NH - somewhat gentrified but nonetheless beautiful seacost town. Great Restaurants and breweries. Same with Portland - the old Port area of portland contains restaurants that usually make Gourmet%26#39;s magazine tops lists every year. Portland is also a great area to take a ferry to visit one of the many islands. Peak%26#39;s island is popular. I would suggest you take a few days to make the drive up to Bar Harbor and enjoy the beauty of the entire seacoast. Stay in Southern Maine one night and then perhaps one or two other places along the way. Don%26#39;t miss Camden - the location of ';Peyton Place';

Hope this helps.