Portland Maine to Camden Maine Road Trip Itinerary: 8 Places You Have to Visit
Maine is one of the most beautiful states, although I may be biased since I grew up in New England. Although the entire state is stunning, there is something special about the coast. Maine’s coast has beautiful beaches, lighthouses, cliffs, and mountains, offering something for everyone to enjoy.
I have spent the last few years exploring Maine's coast and everything it offers. I fell in love with its coastal towns and cannot recommend a Portland to Camden Maine road trip enough! Although Portland and Camden are the two more popular towns along the coast, there are plenty of areas to visit in between!
If you want to explore the coast between Portland and Camden, you are in the right place! This guide has the best places to visit on a Portland to Camden Maine road trip. Trust me, you will fall in love with these coastal towns!
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Things to Know About a Portland to Camden Maine Road Trip
Distance From Portland to Camden Maine
The fastest route from Portland to Camden takes about two hours, but you could spend up to a week exploring everything in between. If you want to explore the beautiful coastal towns and inlets, you should allocate a few days to explore everything Midcoast Maine offers. Trust me, you will love it!
I spent a week exploring the towns between Portland and Camden, and it was a fun road trip! I fell in love with each place I visited, and all of them are worth a visit. Even if you do not have a week to explore the coast, you can pick a few towns and see them over a few days.
Time Needed to drive from Portland to Camden Maine
Although you can drive from Portland to Camden in under two hours, I recommend taking at least a few days to explore the coast. If you only want to visit Portland and Camden, you can see most attractions within 1-2 days. But if you choose to explore more coastal towns, I recommend allocating at least 3-5 days.
Getting From Portland to Camden Maine
Drive: The best way to get from Portland to Camden is to drive. It is a short drive, so I would not recommend taking a bus. Also, driving provides flexibility to stop and explore other places in between!
Bus: If you do not want to drive, you can take the Concord Coach from Portland to the Camden/Rockport stop. The bus ride is about 2.5 hours without stops in between.
Best Time to Plan a Road Trip
Maine is a year-round destination, allowing you to plan a road trip in any month! Summer is, of course, the best time to visit because the activities are endless. Summer also has the best weather! Fall is the best time to visit and see the foliage. Midcoast Maine has stunning foliage, especially near Camden.
Since summer and fall are the best times to visit, the crowds are high. If you do not mind the cold, winter is a beautiful time to visit. Some coastal towns between Portland and Camden have seasonal restaurants and accommodations, but do not let that deter you! Each area has things open year-round, and they offer fun winter activities. I love exploring the coast in the winter because it has fewer crowds.
Where to Stay Between Portland and Camden Maine
Portland to Camden Maine Itineraries
Below are just a few ways you can plan your road trip itinerary! I recommend allocating at least one day in each town to give yourself plenty of time to explore the area.
1-2 Day Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Portland
Day 2: Camden
3-Day Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Portland
Day 2: Rockland
Day 3: Camden
4-5-Day Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Portland
Day 2: Freeport
Day 3: Boothbay
Day 4: Rockland
Day 5: Camden
6-7-Day Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Portland
Day 2: Freeport
Day 3: Bath
Day 4: Boothbay
Day: 5: Rockland
Day 6: Vinalhaven
Day 7: Camden
The Best Portland Maine to Camden Maine Road Trip Stops
Although there are many places you can explore between Portland and Camden, this guide will touch on my favorites. I have visited these places, so I know you will love them and will not be disappointed taking the scenic route!
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine based on population along the coast of Maine with many fun things to see and do. If you are a lighthouse lover, Portland is the perfect place to stop on your road trip because it has five lighthouses nearby.
If you do not like lighthouses, do not worry! Portland has delicious food (lobster rolls!!) and a cute downtown area you can explore. Depending on the season, you can visit festivals, too! In the winter, you can visit nearby farms and trails to enjoy snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Portland does not have a shortage of year-round activities!
Below are fun things to do in Portland:
Portland Head Light
Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse
Bug Light
Two Lights State Park
Portland Museum of Art
Peaks Island
Freeport, Maine
Freeport is a small town just north of Portland known to be home to the LLBean campus. If you like shopping or love LLBean, I highly recommend visiting Freeport. You can walk to its outlets downtown and explore the iconic LLBean campus.
If you love LLBean, you will love visiting its campus. It has five stores on its campus, including outdoor gear, fishing gear, home decor, and an outlet. It also has the iconic bean boot you can take a photo in front of! In the summer, LLBean has events near its campus, including fun activities and concerts.
If you would rather enjoy the outdoors, you can sign up for one of the LLBean Outdoor Discovery Programs. They offer year-round activities, including cross-country skiing, fishing, biking, and everything in between.
Below are fun things to do in Freeport:
LLBean Flagship Campus
Freeport Outlets
Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park
Desert of Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is one of my favorite small towns in southern Midcoast Maine, and it is often overlooked! Many people visit Brunswick because it is bigger, but I prefer Bath. Honestly, you cannot go wrong visiting either.
Bath is a great place to make a quick stop to walk around or enjoy a delicious meal. I love walking around downtown and visiting its cute shops. It is also right on the Kennebec River, offering beautiful views overlooking it!
Below are fun things to do in Bath:
Thorne Head Preserve
Maine Maritime Museum
Linwood E. Temple Waterfront Park
Boothbay, Maine
Boothbay is one of the most picturesque coastal towns in Maine and the go-to place for all things boat tours. Whether you want to go on a sunset cruise, see puffins, cruise around lighthouses, or go whale watching, Boothbay has a fun cruise for everyone!
Boothbay has a beautiful downtown with ocean views, cute shops, and delicious food. We stopped here for a day and walked around the harbor, looking at all the beautiful boats. We want to go back to take a cruise because many of them are dog-friendly!
Below are fun things to do in Boothbay:
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Barrett park
Puffin Tours
Whale Watching
Lerner Garden of the Five Senses
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a stunning coastal town in Midcoast Maine on Penobscot Bay not too far south from Camden! You can explore its cute shops, sail on a cruise tour, visit lighthouses, and relax by the ocean. I love Rockland because it has one of my favorite lighthouses, Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse!
And you can take ferries to the beautiful islands nearby from cruises leaving out of the harbor in Rockland. Do not worry, we will talk about that next! Trust me, these islands are stunning and should be on every bucket list.
Below are fun things to do in Rockland:
Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse
Farnsworth Art Museum
Owl’s Head State Park
Rockland Harbor Trail
Vinalhaven
New Haven
Vinalhaven, Maine
If you spend a few days in Rockland, you should take a ferry to a nearby island, like Vinalhaven. The ferry to Vinalhaven is a little over an hour long, and you have the option of bringing your car if you need it.
Once you arrive on the island, you can swim in Quarry Ponds, hike in Huber Preserve or the Basin Preserve, explore its lighthouses, and enjoy delicious food. If you want to extend your trip, there are a few accommodations you can stay in on Vinalhaven that you should book in advance because they book up quickly!
Below are fun things to do in Vinalhaven:
Quarry Ponds
Huber Preserve
Browns Head Light
Basin Preserve
Rockport, Maine
Rockport is often associated with Camden since it is very close, but I think it deserves its own section because it offers many things to do! Because it is so close to Camden, it is easy to visit when you are in the area.
One of my favorite things about Rockport is it offers a little bit of everything. It has a few areas to hike nearby, a cute downtown with shops and restaurants, and cruise tours. No matter what you want to do, Rockport has something for everyone!
When I visited Camden, I spent a day exploring everything Rockport offered and fell in love! We walked around its downtown before heading to Beech Hill to hike its small trail. The views at the top were beautiful, overlooking the town!
Below are fun things to do in Rockport:
Beech Hill
Rockport Marine Park
Andre The Seal Statue
Ragged Mountain Preserve
Camden, Maine
Camden is my favorite coastal town in Midcoast Maine and is the final stop on this road trip. And the best part? It offers year-round activities, so you have something to do no matter when you visit. I have visited in winter, spring, and summer, so I can confirm it is a beautiful place to visit year-round!
If you like mountains by the ocean, this is the perfect place to visit! You can shop in its downtown, sail on a cruise, hike in Camden Hills State Park, explore nearby lighthouses, or relax by the ocean. Camden is one of my favorite places in Midcoast Maine, so I know you will love it. And of course, it is the end of your amazing road trip from Portland!
I spent an entire weekend exploring Camden and quickly fell in love. We spent most of our time hiking in Camden Hills State Park because the views are stunning! And if you do not want to hike, you can drive to the top to enjoy the views.
Below are fun things to do in Camden:
Camden Hills State Park
Laite Memorial Beach
Megunticook Falls
If you want to take a road trip from Portland to Camden, you are in the right place! This guide has everything you need to know to create the best Portland Maine to Camden Maine road trip itinerary.
Hey, I’m Nichole!
I am the creator behind Nichole the Nomad, the home of my explorations around the world, mountain hikes, and beautiful pictures taken along the way. I have a deep passion for capturing the world in a beautiful light and sharing my experiences.
I created this blog to share my travels, show how beautiful the world is, provide tips and tricks for traveling, and encourage you to explore. Whether you want to travel across the world or explore what’s in your backyard, I hope this blog inspires you to get outside and find your adventure!
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