Mid-Coast Maine: Everything to See and Enjoy in 5 Days

If you love lobster and lighthouses, then this post about Mid-Coast Maine is for you!

One of my favorite places to visit in the summertime is Maine. In particular, I love Mid-Coast Maine, because there are so many charming harbor towns, spectacular beaches, scenic hiking trails, historic lighthouses, and lobster pounds serving up fresh lobster and seafood.

In this post, I’m sharing my favorite Maine itinerary with you – a 5-day itinerary for the Mid-Coast harbor towns. It’s a trip I recently took myself, and it was a great way to explore coastal Maine.

So if you’re planning a trip to Maine, definitely bookmark this post for all of my tips and recommendations. Keep reading for everything you need to know for planning a trip to Mid-Coast Maine!

Where is Mid-Coast Maine?

Midcoast Maine starts 35 miles north of Portland, with the city of Bath. It extends all the way up to Bucksport or Ellsworth, depending on who you ask. The region includes many coastal towns. The great thing about midcoast Maine is that there are all of these ‘fingers of land that extend down into the sea, and you can have so much fun exploring and discovering rocky beaches, lighthouses, lobster pounds, and more.

When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Mid-Coast Maine?

Let’s face it, Maine gets cold in the wintertime! While there are things to love about visiting Maine during different seasons of the year, I think the best time to visit is during the summer. It gets warm enough during the day to take a dip in the sea, but cool enough at night to wear a sweater. To me, that’s the perfect summer weather.

5 Day Mid-Coast Maine Itinerary:

This 5-day Mid-Coast Maine itinerary is loosely based on the trip I took with a friend. The 5 days do not include our drive up or back, but you can easily adjust this itinerary to fit your schedule. And depending on where you are driving from, you can fit in a couple of these things on your travel days.

We drove from NYC. It took about 6 hours to get to Edgecomb, Maine where our Airbnb was, from Manhattan. We arrived in time to check out Wiscasset in the evening and eat lobster rolls at the famous Reds Eats. (More on this below). On our way back, we left early in the morning so we could spend a few hours checking out Portland, Maine before the long drive back to NY.

Of course, feel free to pick and choose from this 5-day itinerary of Mid-Coast Maine. Not everyone likes to explore and fit in as much in one day as my friend and I do, (we can literally go, go, go all day like Energizer bunnies!) but this itinerary will give you a comprehensive list of things to choose from when you design your own mid-coast Maine itinerary.

Day 1 – Pemaquid

The Pemaquid peninsula is one of 7 ‘fingers’ in Midcoast Maine that extend out into the sea. This small village is located within the town of Bristol and is known as a fishing and resort area. One of the main attractions is the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and this should not be missed! The rocky landscape surrounding this lighthouse is spectacular. Here’s a snapshot of the day we spent in Pemaquid and the surrounding area.

Things to do in Pemqauid:

• Hike the La Verna Preserve which has 2.5 miles of trails and 3,600 feet of stunning rocky ocean shoreline.
• Go for a Kayak Tour – We did a 2-hour kayak tour with Maine Kayak and it was one of the highlights of our trip.
• Get the blueberry ice cream at Harbor Ice Cream. (Now also called Café on the Hill.)
• Head to the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse for spectacular scenery.
• Eat dinner at Muscongus Bay Lobster, a family-run lobster pound a short drive from Pemaquid and worth the trip!
• Travel Tip: Most lobster pounds are BYOB so bring a bottle or a 6-pack to go with your lobster dinner.

Fun Fact: There are 35 lighthouses in Mid-Coast Maine and 65 lighthouses throughout the entire state of Maine.

Day 2 – Popham Beach & Bath

Popham Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Mid-Coast Maine and for good reason. The long stretch of white sand along the Atlantic coast is tranquil and inviting. There’s also a small island offshore that becomes accessible at low tide when a sand bar forms. Alternatively, another beach you can include on your Mid-Coast Maine itinerary is Reid State Park.

For a bit of history, head to Bath. a harbor town that has long been a haven of shipbuilders and shipping. Many of the town’s beautiful buildings and mansions are from the wealth brought to the town from these industries.

Things to do in Popham & Bath:

• Popham Beach State Park – Plan on spending most of the day here so you can visit Fox Island when it’s low tide.
• Visit the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, which features a life-size representation of the largest wooden sailing ship ever built.
• Also in Bath, visit the Light Station at Seguin Island. It is Maine’s tallest and second oldest lighthouse.
• Travel Tip: The parking lot at Popham Beach fills up very early and then they don’t allow additional visitors so plan accordingly. We signed up for the Popham Beach email alerts on the website because they let you know when the parking lot is full.

Day 3 – Wiscasset, Edgecomb, and Damariscotta

Wiscasset, Edgecomb, and Damariscotta are all small towns in Mid-Coast Maine that are within a 15 minute drive of each other. You can easily explore all three of these towns in one day, or plan a visit to one of them after doing other things in the surrounding area.

Wiscasset is a small Mid-Coast Maine town that is big on charm. It’s where you will Reds Eats, the lobster shack that is home to Maine’s #1 lobster roll. Nestled between Wiscasset and Damariscotta, Edgecomb is a small town full of history. A visit to Fort Edgecomb is a must if you are passing through. And Damariscotta is full of 19^th century storefronts that are worth checking out. The town is also famous for its locally farmed oysters which you can enjoy at one of their many restaurants on the water.

Things to do in Wiscasset, Edgecomb, and Damariscotta:

• Stroll through Wiscasset to check out the art galleries, home good stores and more.
• Get the famous lobster roll at Reds Eats. They did not disappoint!
• Visit the Fort Edgecomb Historic Site for a dose of history. You can also picnic on the grounds.
• Check out Glidden Point Oyster Farms for some of the best oysters in the region.
• Stroll through Damariscotta’s charming Main Street Historic District to take in the many shops and restaurants.

Days 4 & 5 – Boothbay Harbor

Only an hour drive from Portland, Boothbay is a quintessential Mid-Coast Maine harbor town. It’s a place rich in maritime history and tradition that continues to this day. There is so much to see and do here you can easily spend two days enjoying everything that Boothbay Harbor has to offer. Below is a snap shot of everything we did while visiting Boothbay.

Things to do in Boothbay:

• Take an early morning fishing expedition.
• Head out to Ocean Point and hike the rocky outcrop along the coast for spectacular scenery. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy the view!
• Visit Booth Bay’s stunning Botanical Gardens.
• Head out of harbor for an afternoon sail with Balmy Days Cruises.
• Walk around Boothbay Harbor and do a bit of shopping.
• Check out the local Downeast Ice Cream Factory for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
• Fill up on more lobster at the Boothbay Lobster Wharf.

Are You Ready to Visit Mid-Coast Maine?

So are you ready to pack your bags and visit Mid-Coast Maine? If so, I hope you’ll find this 5 day itinerary helpful. I know this guide just scratches the surface of all there is to do in Mid-Coast Maine, but at least you have a jumping off point to plan your trip.

If you are curious to learn more about Maine, check out my post about 10 coastal towns in Maine worth visiting.

And you might be interested in my ultimate travel guide for outer Cape Cod, plus New England road trips: 9 amazing destinations.

As always, hit me up with any questions you have in the comments below, and happy travels!