There’s a reason Maine is called “Vacationland." There’s nothing quite like the Pine Tree State in the summer. Warm, sunny days give way to crisp, cool nights; produce—including blueberries, tomatoes and corn—is at its peak; and natural beauty abounds, from lighthouses to stately homes and rocky coasts. Much of the joy, too, is in the break Maine's weather from Sarasota’s sweltering summer heat.

And then there’s the seafood. Sarasota may have stone crab and grouper, but Maine’s lobster, oysters, clams and scallops are something special.

While there’s no shortage of places to visit in Maine, this guide focuses on the midcoast—Wiscasset, Bristol and the surrounding areas, with a quick jaunt up to Camden and Rockport. A seasonal economy is familiar to most Sarasotans, but Maine is even more seasonal than most places. Many restaurants, shops, hotels and attractions are only open from late spring through early fall, and restaurant reservations are a must unless you’re prepared to wait (and even then, tables aren’t guaranteed). Book everything early.

Recommendations

Accommodations: Martson House (Wiscasset) | Airbnb

Activities: Marginal Way (Ogunquit) | Pemaquid Point Lighthouse (Bristol) | Colonial Pemaquid State Park (Bristol) | Schooner tours (Camden)

Food: Backyard Coffeehouse & Eatery (Ogunquit) | Newcastle Publick House (Newcastle) | Treats (Wiscasset) | Red’s Eats (Wiscasset) | In a Silent Way (Wiscasset) | The Contented Sole (Bristol) | Water Street Kitchen & Bar (Wiscasset) | Camden Cone (Camden) | Nina June (Rockport)

Shopping: Rock Paper Scissors (Wiscasset) | Angelo Santo (Wiscasset) | Village Handcraft (Wiscasset) | Jessie Tobias Design (Camden) | Swans Island Company (Camden) | Owl & Turtle Bookshop (Camden)

Itinerary

Day One: Welcome to Maine

Hop on a nonstop flight from SRQ to Boston Logan International Airport—Allegiant offers year-round fares and JetBlue flies seasonally. Once you land in Beantown, rent a car at Logan and head north. (Heads up: If you’re reading this before September, the Sumner Tunnel is closed for repairs, so plan accordingly.)

Portland is a quick two hours from Boston and a great spot to take a break and have a bite to eat on the way to the midcoast—but if you touch down early and find yourself needing caffeine ASAP, make Ogunquit your first stop instead. Grab coffee and a pastry at the charming Backyard Coffeehouse & Eatery, which has a beachy vibe that feels right at home in this seaside town. You can enjoy it outside on the patio, but if you have time to kill, take a quick drive—or walk 15 minutes—to the Marginal Way, which offers sweeping views of the craggy Maine coastline and Atlantic Ocean, complete with crashing, white-capped waves. In the summer, the scent of sea roses and salt fills the air.

Once you’ve soaked up the sunshine and stretched your legs, get back in the car and continue to Wiscasset, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it town that’s your home base for the rest of the trip. Martson House is a two-bedroom bed and breakfast in the heart of the tiny downtown that doubles as a French antique store and textile shop that’s a worthy option for a stay. But there are also a number of charming Airbnbs, like this one, with a private deck on the first floor, a flower-filled garden that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, and Maine-themed décor that’s charming without being kitschy. You can rent the first floor, the second floor and a third-floor loft, or the whole house.

Settle in, throw open the doors and windows and relax—then get ready for dinner. Newcastle Publick House, in nearby Newcastle, is located on the first floor of a three-story red-brick building. It’s decorated with lots of wood and warm lighting, with an outdoor patio strung with café lights. As the name suggests, the menu has a pubby vibe, with lots of salads, burgers and seafood, as well as nightly specials. You can’t go wrong with the fried haddock sandwich, crispy fish and chips or a lobster roll and a cold beer.

Day Two: Wander Wiscasset

Wake up, get dressed and head immediately to Treats, an adorable coffee, pastry and wine shop on Wiscasett’s Main Street. You’ll find good coffee, hot-from-the-oven baked goods made with local ingredients and interesting bottles of wine. If you decide to eat at the community table, you’re guaranteed to overhear some good conversation, too.

After Treats, spend a few hours exploring Wiscasset’s other independent shops. Rock Paper Scissors is a stationery store that’s been in business for more than two decades—“After 23 years, we’re finally going online!” a note at the cash register read this summer—and it’s packed to the brim with cards, washi tape, candles, jewelry, textiles and homewares. (Be sure to say hi to Lucy, the shop dog.) Next door, the new Angelo Santo is a purveyor of beautiful coffee table books, art and objets from Maine makers like ceramicist Chloe May Brown.

Across the street is Red’s Eats, the lobster shack Wiscasset is known for. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from mid-April to mid-October and the lobster roll is served with a side of melted Maine-made Kate’s Butter. Get a locally made Green Bee soda and a Whoopie pie or slice of blueberry cake for dessert, and no matter what, be prepared to wait. Rain or shine, the Red's line wraps around the building from open to close.

Once you’re properly stuffed, walk up Water Street to Village Handcraft to check out Eric McIntyre’s woodworking and take home a hand-turned wooden spoon or vase. Spend the rest of the day sightseeing the surrounding areas. Damariscotta and Boothbay Harbor are both less than half an hour away and offer plenty of waterfront shopping. Or you can spend a few hours strolling through Wiscasset’s residential area, which is filled with stately old homes, antique shops, art galleries and even a store that’s dedicated to selling reproductions of antique butter molds.

Later, for happy hour and a light dinner, head back to Water Street to In a Silent Way, a wine bar and bottle shop that offers a tightly edited selection of wines and small bites featuring exquisite Maine produce and seafood. Our tip: order everything on the menu and make a meal from it. You won't regret it. Recent options included a scallop crudo made with line-grown Maine scallops, lemon and olive oil; tuna tataki with bluefin tuna that was caught that day in nearby Damariscotta; eggplant with sweet, fresh Sungold tomatoes and Parmesan cheese; and creamy panna cotta topped with fresh local blueberries that sparkled like jewels.

Day Three: Pemaquid Point Pilgrimage

Get up early and drive to Pemaquid in nearby Bristol, which is home to the historic Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1827. Pemaquid Point is also home to a museum and an art gallery, and there are tables under stately old pines where you can hang out and read, picnic and listen to the waves crashing onto the rocks. If it’s a dry, sunny day, clamber down the rock ledges to get even closer to the water—if you’re brave, you can dip your toes—and take in a stunning view of the lighthouse from below. Between the salty breeze, the golden sunshine and the roar of the ocean, you’ll feel any stress you might be holding onto melt away.

For lunch, make a quick drive over to The Contented Sole and settle in at a picnic table on the dock. Order a half-dozen Pemaquid oysters and a basket of fried clams, look at out the water and the boats in the harbor, and wonder whether life gets much better than this. After lunch, explore Colonial Pemaquid State Park, which is home to a fort, a Federal-style historic home and a burial ground and museum. You can also rent a kayak and spend the afternoon paddling on the clear blue water.

Finally, after a long day in the sun, pick up some local produce on the way home and make a simple meal at your Airbnb, or walk to Water Street Kitchen & Bar in Wiscasset for a hearty, seafood-forward dinner and tasty cocktails.

Day Four: Northern Exposure 

On your last full day in Maine, enjoy a slow morning in Wiscasset, then make the 45-minute drive north to Camden, which is known as the town “where the mountains meet the sea.” Schooner tours abound here, and they’re always a good idea if time allows. If it doesn’t, you can while away the hours dipping in and out of vibrant downtown shops like Jessie Tobias Design for artfully curated home goods, clothing and accessories; Swans Island Company for hand-loomed blankets; and the Owl & Turtle Bookshop, which has been open since 1970 and highlights Maine authors. Don’t forget to grab an ice cream cone at Camden Cone, made with local Round Top ice cream.

For dinner, head to nearby Rockport for a special dinner at Nina June, chef Sara Jenkins’ much-lauded restaurant. Jenkins—a Maine native who spent much of her childhood in Italy, Spain and Lebanon and also ran successful restaurants in New York—puts a Mediterranean twist on Maine ingredients in a homey space overlooking the picturesque Rockport harbor. The food and drink menus change weekly, depending on what’s available, but recent offerings included a fresh raspberry Daiquiri; bright-purple blueberry risotto with tangy crème fraîche and chives; crisp shaved bread with a bright tomato sauce, homemade ricotta and squash blossoms; juicy, pan-seared duck breast with fresh roasted peaches; and an impossibly creamy rhubarb sorbetto with more fresh raspberries. Reservations are essential here; ask for a table on the deck if the weather cooperates. And if you sit outside, make sure to bring a sweater. Even in the height of summer, the nights can get cool.

Day Five: Sarasota Bound Again

Enjoy one last coffee and croissant or scone at Treats and grab a last-minute gift or souvenir at Rock Paper Scissors or Angelo Santo, then head back to Boston for your flight home and start planning next summer’s trip back.