What a wonderful time I had recently in Maine! With my beloved husband Dale, and another couple, we spent a week in mid-September eating, drinking and soaking up the local culture known to the Northeast. You can have lobster in so many ways; lobster rolls, steamed lobster dripping in butter, grilled lobster, lobster bisque and even lobster pizza! Did I mention the clam chowder?
Going after Labor Day, ensures you won’t have to deal with the busy crowds of the summer and the weather was perfect! We saw hints of the leaves changing, but if that is what you are looking for, go in October.
Don’t look for a chain hotel, stay at a quaint little inn with charm and great hospitality. We selected places off the beaten path in East Boothbay, Ocean Point Inn with a restaurant onsite; and in York, The Viewpoint Hotel. Our view of the Nubble Lighthouse (one of many you will see in Maine) was amazing! A sunset sail is a must, we were on the Schooner Eastwind Sunset Sail, the captain and sailor were knowledgeable and friendly and doubled as bar tenders! Volunteers got to hoist the sail, yep, that was me!
The winding drive through Acadia National Park was not originally in our plan, but highly recommended by people we ran into. We gave it a try and were not disappointed. Note, if you want visit Cadillac Mountain and drive up the Cadillac Summit Road between late-May and mid-October, you will need to buy a vehicle reservation. These are only sold online in advance and are not available for purchase in person in the park. Learn more at Recreation.gov
Our final stop was in Newport, RI, where you can visit the famous cottages of the robber barons of the 19th century. Amazing architecture! We stayed at the Historical Admiral Fitzroy Inn in the heart of downtown Newport on the main drag, Thames Street. They greeted us with homemade cookies!
I highly recommend you put this on your bucket list, you won’t be disappointed. Let me know if I can help you plan this trip or any other trip on your bucket list!