The Road Tripper’s Guide to Coastal Maine in Summer

Africa has the safari, Antarctica the cruise, New Zealand its great walks. But America? We have the road trip. No other travel experience is as deeply ingrained in our country’s identity quite like the open road. Exploring these great United States on wheels can be a cinematic experience—so long as you pack a curious and carefree attitude.

I never thought of myself as a road trip person until 2020’s lockdown derailed a trip to Europe and I found myself, instead, embarking on a three-week drive throughout the Pacific Northwest, camping in forests and beaches along the way. It was then that I realized the road trip’s key advantage: spontaneity! What other type of getaway allows you to spot a roadside cherry stand, quickly decide, ah, yes, I would like some cherries, and then promptly pull over to purchase said cherries?

Alas, I’m a road trip person now. One of my most recent jaunts was a weeklong drive up and down Maine’s famed coast, which was as idyllic as it sounds. I ate an obscene amount of lobster, hiked Acadia National Park’s postcard-perfect trails, popped into antique shops, and relished the freedom to explore the region with ease.

A shoreline road in Acadia National Park, Maine.Photo: Getty Images

Maine’s coast is appealing in all seasons—from oysters in winter to heirloom apples in autumn—but summer is the quintessential experience thanks to near-perfect weather (and sometimes, just plain perfect). Of course, this is also the most popular time of year to visit. But if you plan it well, a Maine summer can be enjoyed in peace and quiet.

Ahead, a handful of insider tips and recommendations for a road trip so pleasant you’ll want to make it a tradition.

Set Aside Enough Time

Without getting into a philosophical debate about when a simple drive becomes a road trip, it’s a worthy callout that, in order to fully grasp the region, it will require ample time. “I think to really take in the experience you need to set aside at least four days,” Maine native Tony DeLois tells me. (A couple of years ago, he opened Longfellow Hotel in Portland alongside his brother and business partner, Nate.) Even though you don’t need to drive more than a few hours each day, Maine’s coast has several fingers that branch off from Route 1, which are excellent for wandering roadtrippers.

Decide Where You Want to Start (and Finish)

A road trip along Maine’s coast will entail charming towns peppered with antique shops, ice cream parlors, quaint general stores, and plenty of artisan-made products to sample and bring home. Part of the fun is stumbling upon all of the above, but some level of planning is still a good idea. “Without a doubt, Portland needs to be part of the equation and can either be the launching pad for your trip or your landing zone after exploring the coast,” DeLois says.

For my road trip, Portland was my landing zone, where I spent my final two days exploring this underrated city. I feasted on the impeccable menu at Twelve (yes, the lobster roll served in a flaky puff pastry is a non-negotiable order), slurped down oysters at The Shop by Island Creek Oysters, sipped impeccable drinks at Room For Improvement (looks like a dive bar, tastes like a craft cocktail lab), perused Japanese knives at Seisuke, and melted into the massage table at The Longfellow’s Astrea spa followed by an hour in their infrared sauna suite (a delectable antidote for sitting in a car five days in a row).