Fodor's Maine, Vermont, & New Hampshire: with the Best Fall Foliage Drives & Scenic Road Trips
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...
Classic townscapes, rocky shorelines punctuated by sandy beaches, and picturesque downtowns draw vacationing New Englanders to Maine like a magnet. Counting all its nooks, crannies, and crags, Maine's coast would stretch for thousands of miles if you could pull it straight. The Southern Coast is the most visited section, stretching north from Kittery to just outside Portland, but don't let that stop you from heading farther "Down East" (this nautical term is Maine-speak for "up the coast"), where you'll be rewarded with the majestic mountains and rugged coastline of popular Acadia National Park. Slow down to explore the museums, galleries, and shops in the larger towns and cities, like Portland, and the antiques and curio shops and harborside lobster shacks in the smaller towns and fish...
Read MoreClassic townscapes, rocky shorelines punctuated by sandy beaches, and picturesque downtowns draw vacationing New Englanders to Maine like a magnet. Counting all its nooks, crannies, and crags, Maine's coast would stretch for thousands of miles if you could pull it straight. The Southern Coast is the most visited section, stretching north from Kittery to just outside Portland, but don't let that stop you from heading farther "Down East" (this nautical term is Maine-speak for "up the coast"), where you'll be rewarded with the majestic mountains and rugged coastline of popular Acadia National Park. Slow down to explore the museums, galleries, and shops in the larger towns and cities, like Portland, and the antiques and curio shops and harborside lobster shacks in the smaller towns and fishing villages. Despite the cold North Atlantic waters, beachgoers enjoy miles of sandy—or, more frequently, rocky—beaches, with sweeping views of lighthouses, forested islands, and the wide-open sea. The most visited areas in inland Maine are the Western Lakes and Mountains—stretching west and north from the New Hampshire border—and the North Woods—extending north from central Maine. This area attracts skiers, hikers, campers, canoeists, anglers, and other outdoors enthusiasts.
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Top Destinations
Top Destinations
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
The Mid-Coast Region
![](/assets/destinations/240/lighthouse-bar-harbor-maine_med.jpg)
Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island
![](/assets/destinations/612771/portland-maine-usa_med.jpg)
Portland
![](/assets/destinations/609600/harbor-kennebunkport-maine-usa_med.jpg)
The Southern Coast
![](/assets/destinations/712197/penobscot-bay-maine_med.jpg)
Penobscot Bay
![](/assets/destinations/622395/blue-hill-peninsula-maine-usa_med.jpg)
Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Down East Coast
![](/assets/destinations/710303/rangeley-lake-rangeley-maine-usa_med.jpg)
Western Lakes and Mountains
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Bar Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Cape Porpoise
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Camden
![](/assets/destinations/710304/moosehead-lake-greenville-maine-usa_med.jpg)
The North Woods
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Rockland
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Damariscotta
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Blue Hill
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
The Yorks and Cape Neddick
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Brooklin, Sedgwick, and Brooksville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Belfast
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Bath
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Rangeley
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Deer Isle
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Bethel
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Castine
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Lubec Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Greenville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Northeast Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Millinocket
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Eastport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Pemaquid Point
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Wells
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Brunswick
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Wiscasset
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Ogunquit
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Kittery
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Side Trips From Portland
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Sebago Lake Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Tenants Harbor and Port Clyde
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Biddeford
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Lincolnville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Searsport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Stonington
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Machias Bay Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Jonesport and Beals Island
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Rockport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Thomaston
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Southwest Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Bridgton
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Bass Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Kingfield
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Bangor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Harpswell
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Bucksport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Monhegan Island
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Somesville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
York Beach
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Schoodic Peninsula
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Center Lovell
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Old Orchard Beach
![](/assets/destinations/1089538/acadia-national-park-maine-usa_med.jpg)
Acadia National Park
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Isle au Haut
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
York Village
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Boothbay
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
York Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Tenants Harbor
![](/assets/destinations/612771/portland-maine-usa_med.jpg)
Portland
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Bar Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Camden
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Rockland
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Blue Hill
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Damariscotta
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Brooklin, Sedgwick, and Brooksville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Belfast
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Bath
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Rangeley
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Deer Isle
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Bethel
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Freeport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Castine
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Lubec Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Greenville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Northeast Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Millinocket
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Pemaquid Point
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Eastport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Brunswick
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Wells
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Wiscasset
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Ogunquit
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Kittery
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Sebago Lake Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Tenants Harbor and Port Clyde
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Biddeford
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Lincolnville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Stonington
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Searsport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Machias Bay Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Jonesport and Beals Island
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Rockport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Hancock Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Thomaston
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Bridgton
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Ellsworth
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Southwest Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Bass Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Harpswell
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Kingfield
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Bangor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Bucksport
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Waldoboro
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
York Beach
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Somesville
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Center Lovell
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
York Village
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Old Orchard Beach
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Isle au Haut
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Boothbay
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
York Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Yarmouth
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Tenants Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
The Mid-Coast Region
![](/assets/destinations/240/lighthouse-bar-harbor-maine_med.jpg)
Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island
![](/assets/destinations/609600/harbor-kennebunkport-maine-usa_med.jpg)
The Southern Coast
![](/assets/destinations/712197/penobscot-bay-maine_med.jpg)
Penobscot Bay
![](/assets/destinations/622395/blue-hill-peninsula-maine-usa_med.jpg)
Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Down East Coast
![](/assets/destinations/710303/rangeley-lake-rangeley-maine-usa_med.jpg)
Western Lakes and Mountains
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Cape Porpoise
![](/assets/destinations/710304/moosehead-lake-greenville-maine-usa_med.jpg)
The North Woods
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
The Yorks and Cape Neddick
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Boothbay Harbor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Schoodic Peninsula
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Side Trips From Portland
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Scarborough, Prout's Neck, and Cape Elizabeth
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Milbridge Area
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Schoodic Peninsula
All Destinations
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