8 Best Maine Towns For A Weekend Trip

Augusta

Home to under 20,000, Maine's intimate capital city is a fantastic idea for a getaway. The University of Maine at Augusta caters to a lively feel for strolls and people-watching, galleries, and bookshops. Lined with notable brick buildings, Capitol Park features mature trees and expansive lawns in the stately shadow of the Capitol Building. Drop by the Maine State Museum and the nearby Children’s Discovery Museum. The Augusta Greenway Williams Street Trailhead connects the East Side Boat Landing Playground along the Kennebec River to Fort Western, a former British colonial outpost by the bridge.

Augusta Nature Education Center is a scenic preserve to explore, while Viles Arboretum welcomes the public to relax among trees and native plants. Play disc golf, tee off at the popular Western View Golf and Pub, or spend a sunny day boating on the charming Togus Pond with a launch east of downtown. When hunger strikes, the popular Red Barn serves Maine seafood in an intimate riverside barn to down some lobster rolls at a picnic table. Senator Inn & Spa really stands out with a sizable pool, while the bucolic Maple Hill Farm Inn offers boutique lodging away from downtown bustle.

Bar Harbor

Between seaside cliffs and evergreens, Bar Harbor presents an endless opportunity to really get away. Basically perfect all around, it is the commanding funnel south into Acadia National Park. Despite being a popular tourist stopover, this doesn't detract from the appeal of the state's "it" small town. Hulls Cove Visitor Center provides maps and guided tours, plus souvenirs and direct access to carriage roads, like the westward Stone Barn Farm. Navigate right down Eden Street into downtown, overlooking the busy harbor with sailboats on the eastern edge of Mt. Desert Island.

Here, you will find clapboard houses, local shops, and stays for every weekender, like the Seasider Motel or the Central House. Side Street Cafe serves burgers and lobster dishes, while Agamont Park is an oceanside hub with open green space to take in a live show or picnic. Take the famous Shore Path, created in the 1880s for worldwide travelers to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the sea. Bar Island Land Bridge connects to the eponymous isle, while Wild Gardens of Acadia is great to relax in a rustic setting among native wildlife, and Egg Rock Overlook "nods" at the far-off lighthouse.

Bath

This friendly town on the western bank of the Kennebec River just below where it flows into Merrymeeting Bay is seldom busy, without tourist kitsch, and boasts some of the state's top attractions. For a non-coastal locale, Bath is a great base to explore the area's history and nature. The small city has a huge maritime history in its pocket, particularly in shipbuilding, where much of the US Navy fleet was "born." Home to the Maine Maritime Museum, this treasure trove houses artifacts and demonstrations on shipbuilding, sailing, and lobstering, plus cruises.

The area's heritage is preserved at Bath Iron Works, between local galleries and boutiques, which make “the City of Ships” just as perfect a place for shopping. Catch a local fishing charter or take the Thorne Head Preserve Trailhead for a picnic at Mushroom Rock overlook. Pryor House Bed & Breakfast is top-rated, while the Brunswick-Bath area offers cheaper stays along the highway west. It is minutes east to Nequasset Park, or Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary, a wildlife refuge just south. Reid State Park and Bailey Island's stunning views across Casco Bay are within 30 minutes.

Boothbay Harbor

This buoyant town exudes romanticism, perfect for an adventurous couple's escape. Think morning strolls in a gentle breeze, followed by a waterfront breakfast and spontaneous hikes inland like Lobster Cove Meadow or Penny Lake Preserve. Barrett's Park provides all the seclusion on its own wilderness-steeped peninsula south of downtown to explore and make it onto the rocky ledge at sunset. Take the Boothbay Harbor Footbridge past the Bridge House to Boathouse Bistro Tapas Bar & Restaurant. The Fisherman's Wharf Inn is conveniently next door for a romantic overnight.

Waking up to new seabound adventures, Harbor Cruise With Seals, Lighthouses & Lobster enchants families. Between fishing charters and even streamlined schooners, a trip to Cabbage Island promises to be unforgettable to explore, with clam chowder the highlight of a planned picnic. The landbound can dive into the Boothbay Region Art Foundation, then regroup for a weekend show at the Opera House, plus popular seasonal performances. The Annual Windjammer Festival is a lively competition between sailors and boaters, an homage to the enduring heritage as a sailing destination.

Deer Isle

Why not aspire to a Maine-undiscovered getaway, even for a weekend, with easy access via the Deer Isle Bridge? Deer Isle is a paradise for photographers, birders, watersports fans, artists, and the outdoorsy in general. Encompassing several islands and two towns, there is a lot to cover in two or three days, but no need to fret—nor crowds—to explore various landforms and attractions between the granite quarries. Here you can indulge in seafood or even try lobstering, another mainstay, and score some Maine-made products. The Deer Isle Stonington Historical Society opens in late June.

With galleries and studios all around, most antique and gift shops are open May through September, including Nervous Nellie’s Jams and Jellies. Accommodations vary from campgrounds to a popular hostel and the top-rated Pilgrim's Inn. Pack a picnic for Lily Pond Park or through Scott's Landing Preserve to a secluded seashell beach. From Sylvester's Cove, you can spy on Eagle Island Lighthouse on the relative island to the west. Edgar M. Tennis Preserve is the southernmost terminus, a fantastic hike with roots along the way to a relaxing shore with gorgeous views.

Kennebunk

Although this town tends to be overlooked or even mistaken for the neighboring Kennebunkport, Kennebunk is no less appealing and more serene. The upcoming May Day Festival is an annual hoot for the entire family. The Wedding Cake House is a 19th-century landmark. Once considered the most picturesque home in Maine, its intricate architectural details are set off by the Kennebunk River, a prelude to more mansions down at Kennebunk Beach. Between Gooch's Beach and Parson's Beach, the sandy shores are perfect for sailing and get-togethers with BBQ grills.

The Mousam River winds through the heart past the Brick Store Museum, with heritage exhibits, and the charming railroad depot. By far the biggest draw for nature lovers, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge bounds it to the south. This large salt marsh and estuary offers a boardwalk and hiking trails through open spaces and woodsy appeal, plus plentiful birdwatching. The Old House Parts Company is a cool architectural salvage store, while White Sails Inn is top-notch for a weekend stay. There are also B&Bs and camping every way around, plus a delectable dining scene downtown.

Old Orchard Beach

Some 20 minutes north of Kennebunk along coastal Maine, Old Orchard Beach tastes like a childhood getaway, with sticky fingers from cotton candy and dripping ice cream cones. Whether you're in for the summertime amusement park or the annual Beer Fest, expect potent retro vibes and to spend a few bucks, flip-flopping in wet footsteps, on priceless memories overlooking Saco Bay. Old Orchard Pier is a raised platform with front-row panoramas of the sands and water. This old-school area for dining, nightlife, and boat tours gets busy with tourists, plain sightseers, and fishermen.

Just a hop north along Grand Avenue, the oceanside promenade, take in the views along Old Orchard Beach for nearly 4.5 miles of sandy beachscape. Home to popular restaurants and historic sites, escape the commotion at the central Veteran's Memorial Park or dive into the Old Orchard Beach Historical Museum, chronicling back to the 17th century Thomas Rogers arrival in Maine. Paradise Park Resort Campground and Powder Horn Family Camping Resort are some of the most popular and unique weekend stays. Crescent Beach State Park juts into the Atlantic 30 minutes north.

Rockport

Not far from Augusta, Rockport is a hidden gem along the Midcoast region. Backed by wildlife preserves, it is frequently overshadowed by Camden, the neighboring king of weekend escapes among natives and visitors alike. All this adds to a unique destination for an intimate escape. There are plenty of ways to soak up its authentic New England appeal, like Rockport Marine Park, with places to relax. The central Aldermere Farm Ocean Trail, seldom busy, offers unobscured views of the small fleet against the dramatic backdrop in soft, natural light.

Rockport's stunning harbor has long inspired artists and photographers, with devotion on display through local studios and galleries, plus Maine Media Workshops. From Maine Sport Outfitters to the oceanfront Vesper Hill Children's Chapel, don't miss Harkness Preserve just south. There's a handful of cafes on the corner of Main and Russell Ave. to recharge at Seafolk Coffee or indulge in oysters. Andre the Seal Statue, the town's mascot, is next to its historic Lime Kilns, while Curtis Lighthouse Overlook is worth a minute's drive north before unwinding at Starlight Lodge at Rockport Harbor.

"The Pine Tree State" lets nature do all the talking, nicknamed for the highest percentage of forest cover in the country. Taking the front stage with 35,000 square miles of rugged seacoast, beachfront, rivers, wetlands, cliffs and coves, there are fantastic hiking and sailing opportunities. Each of the eight best Maine towns for a weekend trip have so much to explore and may just become your "go-to," too. For sailing, Bath is the refined City of Ships, while for lobster rolls, sailing, and fresh chowder, head to Boothbay Harbor. For endless swathes of forest, find out what lies below Bar Harbor on Mt. Desert Island.