Oh, OK, I got you. I thought you were starting in Bangor.
What day do you get to Boston? If it’s a Friday, traffic up to Maine will be intense.
Oh, OK, I got you. I thought you were starting in Bangor.
What day do you get to Boston? If it’s a Friday, traffic up to Maine will be intense.
We did upper Michigan last year. It was fabulous! Let me know if you go and I’ll send you our itinerary. It well exceeded all my expectations.
Oh, I should say I see no need to spend a night in Bangor. I would drive up the coast on Route 1 instead of taking the highway to Bangor.
We drive Boston to Bar Harbor in a day (but not after a flight) - it is doable. $300 is a good rate - we usually pay more when we stay in Bar Harbor.
If you stay in Augusta and are art lovers, stop at the Colby Art Museum as youhead back north. . Interesting collection about 5 miles out of your way. Hardly quintessential Maine but a real bonus if you’re in that neck of the woods.
Saturday the 10th of Sept we land - 2:40P. We figured just as easy to go to BOS non-stop as it was to fly to Portland with a one stop in Baltimore.
That’s why my wife thought - maybe we see Ogunquit that day - probably get there 5P by the time we get the car…maybe even that’s too late and we should go straight up?
We did this Maine trip at the same time last year (September) and had a good time. Even though it was past Labor Day, rates were still high and restaurants very crowded. We stayed the first two nights in Ogunquit, moved up to Boothbay, then Portland (used Marriott points and stayed by the airport) and then Bar Harbor and took Kiddie’s suggestion of West street Hotel which includes parking and is well situated. We took a non view room. Acadia was very crowded but we lucked out and got a parking spot at Jordan Pond when someone pulled out right as my spot in the queue got there. We also really enjoyed the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. Then we drove to a view point of Mt Katahdin and back south down 95. Traffic to Boston was bumper to bumper almost the entire way after Bangor!
Sorry Ogunquit to Portland to Boothbay to bar harbor.
awesome - thanks.
so much to research hope we start booking soon.
I used marriott points because it was 20k in bangor - but i know we need to do the “locals” places - for convenience and just the charm of maine.
so need to get a lot of nights of that.
The hotels in Portland were 700+/night so we used our points by the airport. I usually find airport hotels to be a bit rundown but the Marriott Airport Portland was very nice and only took about 15 minutes to get downtown. We took a ferry to one of the islands and took it back just to get a boat ride. .
I wouldn’t bother with Bangor personally with only a week. Portland, Camden or one of the other places mentioned or drive straight up. Traffic will be intense Boston to Maine on Saturday as well but probably not that late in the afternoon and not that late in the season so you might be fine. Why not spend the first night in or around ogonquit and drive up to Acadia the next day? It should only be 3 1/2 hours or so the following morning esp if you get an early start.
Love hearing when people used my suggestions - West Street Hotel is a gem. I also recommend, even if you don’t stay there, to have a meal at their Irish pub (Paddys).
This might sound strange for Maine, but we had some of the best pizza of our lives at Hearth & Harbor in Southwest Harbor on Mt. Desert. No reservations and a bit of a wait, but worth it for the food and friendly atmosphere. In Northeast Harbor, a walk through Atiscou Gardens is lovely and you can check out the adjacent Atiscou Inn – a 19th-century shingle-style gem. https://www.hearthandharbor.net/
It’s only a 2 1/2 hour ride to Freeport from Boston. Of course it could take you longer from Boston depending on traffic. I’d skip Ogunquit…but if you are dying to see it…that could be your first stop. I would also skip Bangor.
I agree with Portland as your first night destination…or maybe Freeport (unless you stay on Ogunquit tjat first night). There are so many wonderful things to see and do next. I’d head to Camden/Rockland. Lots to do and lots to see along the way. Wiscasset is a charming town…about as charming as a Maine town can get. Stop there. Walk around. Then proceed north to Camden area. As noted by others, there is great hiking, and that downtown is also charming.
Stop at Moody’s Diner just south of Rockland. It’s diner food…but they have great pies! We just stop for the pie…blueberry is really good.
bangor was just a stop to launch into acadia - my wife thought - we should start at the top - because acadia could be 2 days or turn into 5 kind of thing. I thought - it gets you close enough to then jump into the park on day two.
i don’t think we plan to tour Bangor…just a bed for 20K marriott points vs. the $350 or whatever it is.
The best thing in Bangor is Steven King’s house. But I agree that it’s easily skipped. We flew into Bangor so that was where we started. And also used it as a home base before driving to some ice cave. I wouldn’t recommend that though it did lead to an interesting story for ever more!
I would strongly suggest you start at the bottom and work your way up. You don’t want to do a LONG drive to Bangor from Boston. It’s a four hour drive from Boston to Bangor. That’s a long drive. Look into Airbnb outside of Acadia once you do get there. One of my kids did that and said it was terrific and very convenient for the hiking they did as well.
There is so much to see on your way north from Boston. You could split that sightseeing in half…do part while you head north, then do Acadia in the middle, then do some more Maine sightseeing on the way south.
Kiddie- we really liked the West Street Hotel. I grabbed a couple of Hersey kisses every time I came and went! Funny story, my daughter had booked a cheaper hotel a month later but when she arrived, they told her they had overbooked and moved her to an ocean view room at West Street at the price of the cheaper one.
how can i get that deal
You can spend not much more than 20k Marriott points for a hotel near the Portland airport (hotels downtown would cost much more, of course).