Planning a trip to Maine in the summer? Add these summer activities in Maine to your list for some unique vacation ideas!
For example, did you know that summer is the best time to visit Maine for Seafood? Or that Maine is officially know as “vacationland”?
Use this 3 days in Maine itinerary to plan the best summer vacation in Maine – including some Peaks Island activities!
Ps. You can grab free Travel Planning checklist from our Travel Resource Library to help you plan the best summer Maine vacations!
Let’s go!
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Summer Activities in Maine
Add these Maine summer activities to your list to get started and read on to see how we planned them out in our 3 days in Maine!
- Walk around the Old Port in Portland Maine
- Enjoy the fresh air while eating fresh blueberry pancakes – a Maine favorite!
- Take sunset photos at the Portland Headlight
- Buy a “Made in Maine” souvenir
- Explore Peak’s Island on bike
- Visit the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse
- Watch the fishermen bring in their catch on the Old Port docks
- Go paddle boarding on the Casco Bay
- Go hiking to a waterfall
Day 1 - Portland, Maine & Peak's Island
Start with Portland!
Portland is the major city in Southern Maine and is such a charming little place. Complete with cobblestone streets, farm to table restaurants, and the smell of salt water from across the bay! There are so many things to do in Maine and a bunch of them are right in the Old Port!
Day 1 - morning
Grab breakfast at one of the many amazing diners to get your day started. Coffee and blueberry pancakes anyone?
Here are a few of our favorites:
- Bayside American Cafe
- The Front Room
- Becky’s Diner
Any one of these will be a great starting point to walk into the downtown area and stroll along the cute cobblestone streets.
Mainers are very proud of their “Made in Maine” reputation, so you’ll find a bunch of handmade and local crafts.
You can even head down by the water to see working fisherman bring in their catch!
Day 1 - Afternoon
Portland isn’t that big, so it’s completely possible to walk the entire city in a few hours.
You can also linger around and stretch out the visit to the entire day if you’re keen on that, but we recommend hopping on the ferry to Peak’s Island!
Head over to Commercial Street and buy a ticket at the Casco Bay Lines building.
Ferries to Peak’s Island run almost the entire day, are are even dog-friendly.
Spend a little while exploring the island (also not that big) or hang out on the tiny beach! You can’t miss it, it’s right as you exit the ferry!
Wandering around the island for a bit and grab lunch at the Inn on Peak’s Island – fresh seafood, local Maine beer, and the ocean breeze – no wonder why Maine is know as Vacationland!
Other things to do on Peaks Island include:
- bicycle rentals
- golf cart rentals
- hunt for sea glass on the beach
- grab some ice cream
- take your bathing suit and jump off the pier!
After some time on Peak’s, I would recommend making you way over to the Spring Point Ledge lighthouse in South Portland.
Perfect place for some amazing Maine sunset photos!
The wrap up the evening at one of the hundred restaurants in Portland. We’ve been to almost all of them and it’s hard to go wrong!
Here are some of our personal favorites:
- The East Ender
- Walter’s
- Hugo’s
- Vignola’s
- David’s
- Flatbread’s
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Day 2
Day 2 - morning
Ready for a more active day?
You should plan to wake up earlier and hit the ground running!
Stop by one of the local bakeries like the ones below to grab some coffee and delicious goodies to go!
- Two Fat Cats
- Standard Baking Co.
- Bam Bam Bakery (gluten-free and vegan!)
Kayak, stand up paddle boarding, or even yoga on a stand up paddle board!
Day 2 - Afternoon
Now that you’ve gotten your work out for the day, head over to grab lunch at one of these awesome Portland eateries, and then walk around town for a bit or sit and people watch over a cup of ice cream!
- Portland Lobster Company – lobster rolls
- Nosh – burgers
- Duckfat -paninis
- Flatbreads – pizza
- The Porthole – fish and chips
Then head over to Fort William’s Park in Cape Elizabeth.
This is where you’ll find the Portland Headlight, one of the most photographed lighthouses in the US so don’t forget your camera!
But there’s so much more to do there.
Bring a bottle of wine and some cheese and fruits for an impromptu picnic on the Casco Bay – you’ll even find some picnic tables across from the first parking lot!.
Also be sure to check out the ruins of Goddard Mansion, the Battery Keyes, and the Cliff Walk, where you can access the coast and still have a great view of the lighthouse!
And to finish up the day, head over to another amazing restaurant to grab dinner and wrap up your day!
- Eventide Oyster Co.
- Fore Street
- Central Provisions
- Hot Suppa
- DiMillo’s On The Water (literally on a boat)
Day 3 - morning
Ready for your last day in Maine?
Get ready to step out of Portland and take a scenic drive into the White Mountains for some hiking!
Go towards the town of Bethel, ME and find Frenchman’s Hole, a scenic hike/waterfall that will leave you breathless!
Explore the area around the lake or be adventurous and take a jump off the waterfall! Just make sure the water isn’t too cold!
Day 3 - afternoon
If you’re coming back from Bethel head West into Freeport for some great outlets and lunch around town!
The Freeport Village Station is chalk-full of great shopping and great restaurants.
And if you opted out of going to the White Mountains, Freeport is home to the flagship LL Bean store which hosts several “Discovery School” activities.
Take your pick from archery, kayaking, sporting clays, and fishing trips.
And then you’ll already be in Freeport for lunch when you get back!
Did you think we were out of amazing restaurants to recommend? Grab dinner at one of these great places which all have their own unique flare.
- RiRa’s Irish Pub
- Five Fifty Five
- Boda
- Street & Co.
So what did you think about these summer activities in Maine? Hopefully they will help you plan the best summer vacation in Maine!
But don’t forget to subscribe for access to our free travel resource library to start planning an epic Maine trip like a pro – it only takes 5 seconds!
Happy travels!
– Veronica
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