One Week in Maine: Lighthouses, Lobster, and L.L. Bean
Maine’s biggest draws are the three Ls: lighthouses, lobster, and L.L. Bean. This six-day tour concentrates on the Greater Portland, Mid-Coast, and Penobscot Bay regions. Book your first two nights in Portland, the second two in the Damariscotta area, and the final two in Rockland. If you’re arriving by air, use Portland International Jetport.
Day 1
Try to arrive in Portland in time to enjoy an afternoon cruise with Lucky Catch Lobster Tours; perhaps you’ll catch your dinner. If not, you can still enjoy a lobster on the waterfront.
Day 2
Loop out to South Portland and Cape Elizabeth to visit Spring Point Ledge Light and Portland Head Light, a Maine icon. You won’t find a better setting for lunch than The Lobster Shack, with views of crashing surf and Cape Elizabeth Light. In the afternoon, book a sail or cruise to view the lighthouses salting Casco Bay.
Day 3
50 miles/80 km; 1 hour
Visit the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, and take a lighthouse cruise on the Kennebec River followed by a mosey down to Georgetown for lobster on the wharf at Five Islands Lobster Company.
Day 4
35 miles/56 km; 50 minutes
View lighthouses on a cruise with Cap’n Fish’s departing from Boothbay Harbor. Or loop down to Pemaquid Point to view Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, before enjoying lobster in the rough in Round Pond.
Day 5
40 miles/64 km; 1.25 hours
Book a daylong excursion to Monhegan Island aboard the Hardy Boat out of New Harbor. Be sure to visit the museum in the lighthouse keeper’s house. Lunch? Lobster at The Fish House, of course.
Day 6
50 miles/80 km; 1.5 hours
Greet the day with a walk out on the breakwater to Rockland Breakwater Light. Afterward, tour the Maine Lighthouse Museum. In the afternoon, take a lighthouse-themed cruise or sea kayak tour out of Rockport or Rockland. En route to yet another lobster dining experience at McLoon’s Lobster Shack in Spruce Head, take the short side jaunt out to Owls Head Light in Owls Head.
- Strategic, flexible itineraries like a long weekend Down East, five days in Acadia, and a two-week road trip
- Must-see highlights and unique experiences: Bike through timberland forests or take a lighthouse cruise down the Kennebec River. Sample wild blueberries, farmstead cheeses, and preserves from roadside farm stands, find the best beachfront lobster shack, or mingle with locals over a "chowdah suppah." Discover maritime history in a traditional fishing village or explore pedestrian-only islands packed with hiking trails. Watch the boats sway in a quiet harbor, unwind on a sandy pocket beach sandwiched between two headlands, or immerse yourself in the secluded wilderness of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park
- Honest insight from Maine local Hilary Nangle on when to go, where to eat, and where to stay, from budget campgrounds to historic inns
- Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
- Recommendations for getting there and getting around by plane, car, train, or bus
- Thorough background on the culture, environment, wildlife, and history
Exploring inland? Try Moon Maine. Hitting the road? Check out Moon New England Road Trip.
About Moon Travel Guides: Moon was founded in 1973 to empower independent, active, and conscious travel. We prioritize local businesses, outdoor recreation, and traveling strategically and sustainably. Moon Travel Guides are written by local, expert authors with great stories to tell—and they can't wait to share their favorite places with you.
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