We’re in love with Maine. Every last one of us.
After doing a Maine coastal road trip with kids, we found several favorite stops in Southern & Midcoast Maine that we can’t wait to revisit!
Have you ever imagined what it would look like driving into Maine (from a stop in Boston, no less)? Ever think it would look like this….
PURE. MAGIC. This evening stop was literally perfect. The ocean breeze, the rocks to run on, those blooming flowers, the most delicious lobster roll & blueberry crisp?! Are you kidding me, Maine?!?
10/10 recommend stopping on Cape Elizabeth. I’m convinced there is no better intro to this beautiful state.
Southern Maine Favorites:
The Lobster Shack – the lobster roll was incredible, crinkle fries were delicious, and the blueberry crisp at the end was Maine perfection. The outdoor seating and the view absolutely cannot be beat. No wonder they’ve been serving since the 1920’s!
Two Lights State Park – Dramatic rocky coastlines and incredible views.
Portland Head Light & Fort Williams Park – An iconic Maine scene and one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country, it’s definitely worth a stop! We went back by another day for this stop and were so glad we did. (Although hot tip – it wasn’t actually our favorite Maine lighthouse! Read on for that one…)
Crescent Beach State Park & Kettle Cove State Park are also nearby!
Damariscotta Favorites:
The town of Damariscotta is adorable. We stumbled upon this area because of our lovely rental home, and I am so glad we did. We ended up loving the town more than we could imagine. There are many other midcoast Maine sights to see, but first, some favorites from this town specifically.
Round Top Ice Cream. Holy moly. Absolutely do not miss this ice cream. I don’t care what season it is. I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to shout it from the rooftops – best peppermint stick ice cream I’ve ever had in my life.
Barn Door Baking Company. Attached to Sherman’s Books, this is a can’t miss stop for coffee, pastries & breakfast sandwiches (or grilled cheese if later in the day).
Sherman’s Books. We love finding cute bookstores and this one didn’t disappoint. We visited 2 other Sherman’s locations as well, and all were great!
King Eider’s Pub. Delicious food and we loved sitting outside at sunset. We walked down to the bridge for a sunset view while we waited. Seriously cannot convey how sweet this town is.
Midcoast Maine Favorites:
Hendrick’s Head Beach in Southport, Maine. We stopped at this beach for the lighthouse (which you can’t access, but is adorable), beach views & shelling. The kids loved climbing on the rocks, obviously. We did a short hike nearby and stopped at the General Store for lunch. Since we got married in Southport, NC, we loved the mural & the tote bag souvenir!
Boothbay Harbor. As picturesque as everyone says it is. Busier than Damariscotta or Southport, but not as busy as Bar Harbor. Which I guess is to be expected, but we were surprised at how much of a difference that made to us! We loved walking around town and the waterfront, shopping at Seawick’s Candles and other small shops, and trying Gifford’s ice cream (not as good as Round Top IMO!). Don’t miss the next stop while you’re here…
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. We ranked it our favorite lighthouse of the whole trip. And this is Maine, so that’s saying something! An absolutely gorgeous spot and one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine – for good reason! We loved learning about the history of the lighthouse, exploring the area & taking pictures.
*use caution on the rocks (I promise we did) as the stories of the tide coming up quickly and unexpectedly are numerous and true.
LaVerna Nature Preserve. Maybe it was our expectations, or beginners luck (this was our first hike in Maine), but this was another favorite stop. The parking lot is a small unpaved lot across the street from the trail entrance. If you wonder if it’s worth it, just trust me.
A hike through the most Christmas-y smelling woods (!!!) and you emerge to the most incredible view of the ocean. I’ve read this trail gets really busy on the weekends, but we were there mid-week with peak fall colors and it was absolutely perfect. We maybe saw 2 other groups of people the entire time, and so much time out on the rocks to ourself. Our kids loved playing, and I clearly had a blast with my camera.
One more shout out because Claws in Rockland was one of our top 3 meals of the whole trip. Of the lobster we ate (and it was a lot), Claws, Beal’s and the Lobster Shack (bonus points for the best views – and none of them were shabby) were our top 3. We also saw the northern lights while in Rockland, which was such a fun bonus!
Next, we continued our road trip up the coast & finally made it up to Acadia National Park!
If you’re planning a road trip, make sure to check out our 10 Tips for Enjoyable Road Trips with Kids.
Happy travels!
