48 Hours: The Ultimate Summer Guide
Summer in Maine comes once a year, so we rounded up our favorite destinations to take advantage of the season. Whether you’re seeking inspiration for a weeklong vacation or just something to do on a warm Saturday afternoon, this guide is for you. No matter where you want to visit in Maine—from island trips to oyster tours to art havens— we have you covered. The only question is, where will you go first?
48 Hours: The Ultimate Summer Guide
No matter where you want to go in Maine this summer—from island trips to oyster tours to art havens— we have you covered.
by Anna Fiorentino, Hadley Gibson, Alexandra Hall, Catie Joyce-Bulay, and Paul Koenig
Photography by Kelsey Gayle, Heidi Kirn, Melissa Olander, and Daniel Orr
Illustrations by Olivia Ryder
Issue: June 2022
Summer in Maine comes once a year, so we rounded up our favorite destinations to take advantage of the season. Whether you’re seeking inspiration for a weeklong vacation or just something to do on a warm Saturday afternoon, this guide is for you. The only question is, where will you go first?
A Weekend in Kennebunk + Kennebunkport
The Kennebunks are picture-perfect coastal towns between Portland and Maine’s southern border that deliver ocean views and plenty of dining options.
A Weekend on the Boothbay Peninsula
A trip to the villages of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, and Southport gives weekend visitors a taste of the best that the coast has to offer.
A Day in the Belgrade Lakes Region
The web of pine-lined ponds that make up the Belgrade Lakes region has captured the imagination of travelers and artists for centuries. As E.B. White wrote in his essay “Once More to the Lake,” “None of us ever thought there was any place in the world like that lake in Maine.” To make the most of a day trip to the region is to surrender to the slow pace of a fisherman waiting for a great catch, to idle in tiny pastoral towns, and to pause long enough to hear the babble of the rushing brooks and streams that weave together its seven lakes.
A Day in Oqunquit
The many overlapping layers of culture across this oceanfront resort town have made it a magnet for vacationing families, art connoisseurs, the LGBTQ+ community, and nature lovers. That glorious human mix means that, no matter who you are, you’ll rarely long for something stimulating to jump into around Ogunquit.
A Guide to the Casco Bay Islands
The islands reachable via Casco Bay Lines ferry service out of Portland don’t just boast pine-dotted shores, protected harbors, tight-knit fishing communities, and sea life galore. They also offer a slew of activities: from hiking and biking trails to tennis and golf to fine dining and camping. And one thing they all have in spades is a notably slower pace of life and the bliss that comes with it.
A Day in the Sebago Lakes Region
Nirvana for freshwater enthusiasts, this is where vacationers mingle with locals all summer long. By day’s end almost every adult seems to have a sunburn on their neck and a beer in their hands. It’s a kids’ playground, too, of course, with numerous water sports available, from pontoon boat rentals and fully rigged fishing trips to simply jumping off a gigantic rock again and again…and again.
A Damariscotta River Oyster Tour
The Damariscotta River is world-famous for its oysters, and there’s never been a better time to shuck and slurp your way through the region. Many of the river’s oyster farms provide tours of their growing operations, and some now have markets for taking their bivalves home with you as well as outdoor seating for on-site sampling.
Read More:
- Branching Out
- 48 Hours in Cape Elizabeth, South Portland + Scarborough
- 4 Unique Winter Weekends
- Brunswick in 48 Hours
Share The Inspiration
