This is a bit of a cheat on the “48 hours” concept because really you should go to Maine for at least four days, and this is a one-way trip that starts in Acadia. What I actually did was fly into Boston in the evening, drive up to the Acadia area (a cute AirBnB in Surry, specifically) that night, spend three days in Acadia and Bar Harbor for a wedding, one day driving down the coast, and then drive to Boston and fly out on day six. Without the wedding and on a tight schedule, I’d suggest something similar: get up to Acadia in the evening, spend at least two full days in the park and Bar Harbor, one day down the coast, with a final morning in Portland before flying out. We’ll pick up here on the morning of day two with some Acadia/Bar Harbor highlights.
Day 1 – Acadia, Bar Harbor and Ellsworth
7am – When in Maine, rise early! Catching the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain is a classic Acadia experience–be sure to get there maybe half an hour before the actual time of the sun rise, or you may not be allowed up the road–and even if you skip that, you can start your day with some blueberry pancakes or morning buns at one of the many bakeries and cafes in town.
8am – Head into the park and take a hike or a wander. The shuttle buses are great options for checking out a few different areas without having to worry about looping back to your car. I’m a crazy person, so I did Jordan Pond, to the Bubbles Divide trail, to Pemetic Mountain, to Cadillac Mountain, to Dorr Mountain, and ended on the park road somewhere near Sieur de Monts. Then I took a shuttle back to Jordan Pond and had a popover and pot of tea. Highly recommend (the popovers, not the peak bagging). A more reasonable and probably prettier option is Sand Beach to Otter Point.
2pm – Head back to Bar Harbor and eat a lobster roll. Doesn’t matter where. Then bop around town, drink some blueberry beer, get an ice cream cone, buy a hat, etc.
6pm – Leave Mt. Desert Island to stay in Ellsworth for the night; cheaper than Bar Harbor and on your way back down east. Find a lobster boil and eat some more lobster. The chef at the Union River Lobster Pot was extra friendly to a solo traveler, as were all the staff. After all that hiking and lobster I was ready for bed, but there’s an Irish pub in town if you’re still feeling social.
Day 2 – Drive the coast from Belfast to Portland
9am – First stop today is the Fort Knox and Penobscot Narrows Observatory, so you can sleep in a bit but be there when it opens at 9. The fort is kind of fun to explore, and the view from the Observatory is sublime.
10:30am – For breakfast and/or coffee in Belfast, I highly recommend the breakfast sandwich, or any sort of pastry, at Chase’s Daily. Spend another thirty minutes or an hour wandering around Belfast’s charming streets and harbor; I enjoyed the Belfast Co-op, Brambles, and Heavenly Bean Bags.
12pm – Next stop is Camden, another cute main street and plenty of options for lunch, picnic or snacks. The Camden Public Library is pretty great (and a good option for a bathroom break), Megunticook Falls and the nearby park/harbor are nice, and my inner grocery store nerd enjoyed neighboring French & Brawn Marketplace Stonewall Kitchen. I hear Camden Hills State Park is worth a walk as well.
1:30pm – Stop just outside Rockland and check out the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse: park at Jameson point and walk out along the breakwater into the harbor. The views and the feeling of being in the middle of the harbor are worth the walk. Rockland itself is larger than Belfast or Camden and could be another good lunch stop.
2:30pm – It’s about an hour and a half from Rockland to Brunswick, home of Bowdoin College and all you would expect from a New England college town. Fuel up with coffee and a pastry at Wild Oats Bakery and Cafe before heading down the highway to Freeport and the outlets. Patagonia and L.L. Bean are the hipster-outdoorsy highlights, but there’s plenty more to explore.
6pm – Portland is worth much more than a night, but make the most of the evening regardless and take a walk along the waterfront before checking out at least one of the town’s many craft breweries. I had a great flight and a burger at Liquid Riot Bottling Company, and there’s plenty more to explore in the Old Port from there.
Day 3 – Portland
7am – Even before much is open, downtown Portland is worth a quick walk; start at Standard Baking Co. and then walk along Fore, up Exchange, back on Congress, and down on Pearl to get the basic lay of the land and make plans for your next visit before you head out.
