Assuming you miss rush hour, the only downside to Logan is car rentals can be more expensive. But that’s true in many cities. The access road will pop you right onto the highway. It’s only about 2 hours to either school.
And you can overnight in Brunswick just fine. After all, if you’re considering Bowdoin, see what’s around.
I wouldn’t ever say to sashay back and forth between Brunswick and Lewiston. Just plan the right time at each. Check tour times and, if you want it, the info sessions.
We got bit assuming two colleges were “close enough” to do both in one day. Not. And maybe you want the extra time built in the schedule, to ask questions, visit another corner, or eat in tbe cafeteria.
Yes, Portland is an easy airport, but pay attention to what posters say about costs and delays.
I disagree that the Portland airport “is less subject to problems” than Logan. Not by a longshot. I’m sure you could get unlucky at any of them. The difference is if your flight gets canceled at Logan there are dozens of other options typically. When my son’s flights are routinely cancelled at Portland, often the next available option at the same airport is days away and he usually ends up having to travel to Logan instead.
If you want to stay in Brunswick the closet option to the Bowdoin campus is the Brunswick Hotel and Tavern. It’s across the street from the campus and right at the beginning of the main downtown shopping and restaurant district as well. This is not to be confused with the Brunswick Inn which is a B&B nearby and also nice. At the North end of Maine Street (I love that they call it that, with the “e” at the end) is The Daniel, about 1/2 a mile from campus. All of these are smallish, non-chain places. The Hotel & Tavern is run by Bowdoin alum and all of these places will likely give you a Bowdoin discount if you ask. As long as you aren’t going on a popular occasion for the college you should have no trouble getting rooms. If you do pick a popular weekend, these places sell out about a year or more in advance. We tried booking for next year’s Family Weekend in October right after returning from this year’s and all three of those places were already sold out. Graduation books two years in advance and would sooner if they hotels let you. There are a variety of 2-star places nearly but when this happens we prefer to stay in Freeport, which is only 10-15 minutes away (and a pleasant drive at that) and then you are in the midst of the best shopping district in Maine where you are staying.
Just remember…at any of the mentioned airports…if you are flying southwest…your only other options will be on southwest. They don’t have relationships,with other airlines. At. All.
It’s certainly possible to do Bates and Bowdoin in the same day if you’re just casing them out prior to applying, but you should check the tour/info session schedules (we found doing Bates first worked better because at the time Bowdoin had more late-in-the-day options). But if your kid is accepted at both, and evaluating one vs. the other as home for the next four years, I’d give each a full day. Or eliminate one on paper.
Plus the 11th-15 is exam period, meaning you’re going to see a lot of bleary-eyed kids with their heads down.
When we visit Bates for the weekend we stay in Portland. Kids aren’t going to spend a lot of time on their own in hotels anyway so whether they stay in town or not doesn’t make a lot of difference. I would factor in some time to take a walk through both downtown Brunswick and Lewiston. Brunswick is definitely prettier but Lewiston is on the upswing and has some fun restaurants.
I think you can certainly do both Bates and Bowdoin in one day if you don’t have anything else on your agenda. If you’d like to break up the trip a bit, assuming there won’t be 8 schools on the tour in the end, you could spend some time wandering in Portland, ME or Portsmouth NH. Both are on the way to the Maine schools and have pretty, vibrant walking areas. Freeport, ME has a reputation as a shopping Mecca because of all the outlet stores but frankly I find it a bit depressing, like a bland suburban mall stretched over a mile or 2. YMMV.
When I visit New England now unless I am staying with a friend I choose AirBnB - better accommodations than hotels for the money and often right in the downtown/college area. It’s not for everyone but it’s an option.