Ah, Maine!! I can still smell the fresh air and hear the sounds of the sea. What a beautiful place to visit in the Summer. If you love incredible weather, lighthouses, lobsters, and fantastic beaches, then Maine is for you.

We just returned from a trip that took us from Washington DC all the way up to Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Yes, it is a very very very long drive. Of course, you cannot drive such long distances without multiple stops. So in this photo guide I will go over my recommendations for the first part of our trip in Maine (York, Portland, and Acadia National Park). We were also able to see the most pristine villages in Maine and they are just breathtaking.

You cannot go on a trip to Maine without eating Lobster, Seafood, Blueberries, and Ice Cream. So I have a special section that required a lot of diligent research on the best Lobster Rolls. I know it is hard work, but someone has to do it.

Maine, during the summer, is really heaven on earth.

When to Go

Maine is obviously a large state. Due to the geography of the coastline short distances can take quite a bit of time to reach. So we focused on 3 areas: Southern Maine, Portland, and Northern Maine in the Acadia National Park Area.

The best time to travel to Maine depends on what you want to do. If you're hoping to ski, head to the mountains during the winter (obviously). Want to hike through Acadia National Park? Choose spring, summer, or fall. In general, though, the best time to visit Maine is during the summer, especially if you're headed for the coast, planning on spending time at a resort, or simply visiting small towns. Yet, I would love to see the Fall Foliage in Acadia National Park.

Yes, you'll be faced with tourists and yes, prices will be higher on everything from souvenirs to lunch to lodging. But with these downsides comes a big payoff: spectacular weather. Highs hover in the comfortable low 70s with lows dipping into the upper 50s at night. We never used had to use air conditioning during our trip.

My guess is that September is probably the best month to visit Maine; you basically get the best of everything. Summer weather is still clinging on (highs are in the upper 60s and low 70s) but the boatload of tourists has packed up and left. With them went the higher hotel rates. During September, you can experience the changing colors of the fall foliage in Acadia. I really hope to go back to see this one day.

Where to Stay

Our first stop in Maine was in York. We chose to stay at the Cliff House Maine , and we loved it (9/10). The hotel is newly renovated and is right on the cliffs. You can even see the Nubble Lighthouse in the distance from the hotel. The rooms were large, very cozy, and had incredible views. We also enjoyed all 3 of the restaurants. This is the kind of hotel that you would be happy to stay in for a week.

Since we had never visited Portland we thought it would be good to stop for 2 nights. We stayed at the Press Hotel. The hotel gets great reviews but I would say its good but not great (7.5/10). Rooms were clean and comfortable but the service was inconsistent. The best thing in this hotel is the Restaurant called Union.

While in Maine make sure not to miss The Standard Baking Co and Mt Desert Ice Cream, Tandem Bakery and Bard Coffee.

After leaving Portland we drove about 3.5 hours north to Bar Harbor. We choose the Sand Bar Cottage (7/10) because we could not find rooms in the Bar Harbor Inn. The Sand Bar Cottage has a wonderful manager and the rooms are comfortable but dated. The one thing that is nice about this hotel is the location right by the Sand Bar where you can walk to Bar Island during low tide.

Where to Eat Lobster Rolls....

You cannot go to Maine and not try a Lobster Roll. So I have added this section on my advice on Lobster Rolls in Maine.

***The Food Bridge Lobster Shack in Perkins Cove***

Maine lobster is the sweetest, most flavorful, and tender lobster on the market.

The Lobster is hand-caught daily so it is extremely fresh. One of the world’s most delicious sandwiches is the lobster roll. The key to a great Lobster Roll is the freshness and simplicity of the ingredients. There are only three main ingredients: fresh lobster, bread, and mayo or butter dressing. Traditional Maine lobster roll restaurants serve this sandwich with french fries or potato chips on the side.

Cold or Hot Lobster Rolls?

The traditional lobster roll is stuffed with premium lobster meat soaked in butter and served on a steamed or grilled lobster roll bread. However, lobster rolls come in two types: hot with melted butter or cold with mayonnaise (and, sometimes, celery). While the cold one is known as the “traditional” preparation, the hot butter option is equally delicious. Which one is better?

I love watching the Lobster boats going out every morning to bring in the daily catch.

The lobster roll may also contain lemon juice, lettuce, celery, salt, and black pepper. If a Lobster shack changes one tiny ingredient you will see dozens of Yelp negative reviews within hours.

So where are the best Lobster Rolls in Maine....Drum Beat. We have taken in to account 2 factors the location and the taste of the Lobster Rolls. I think the 2 best Lobster Shacks are McCloons and the Foot Bridge Lobster Shack.

Our favorite Lobster Rolls in Maine are:

Best Lobster Rolls in Maine are McCloons (Wonderful Location and Lobster)
The FootBridge Lobster in Perkins Cove
Two Lights Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth

If you want to see an entertaining video on Lobster Rolls check out Mark Wines on YouTube and this review from New England Today

Photography Gear & Tips

For Maine I would recommend bringing 1 more lens than I usually bring while I traveling. I would definitely bring your longest possible lens for Wildlife. I would also bring a Tripod and ND filters for photographing the Lighthouses at Sunrise or Sunset.

My Canon R5 camera. Any good DSLR or Mirrorless Camera will do Nikon Z7, Fuji etc.

If you only want to bring 1 lens then a 24-105 mm or a 24-240mm would be perfect. I usually bring 2 lens but this is a matter of preference.
A wide-angle lens 15-35mm so you will be able to photograph the landscapes.
A medium telephoto, such as 70-200mm. This will come in handy when you need to for people shots, and photos where you need more reach.
*A Longer Telephone, such as the 100-500mm. This will come in handy for Wildlife
A good sturdy tripod so you can take photos at sunrise and sunset. You will also want to take some long exposure shots.
Neutral-density filters (3, 6 and 10). Since there are many opportunities to take photos of Lighthouse it is important for long exposure photos.

My Favorite Locations

In my opinion, there are 10 towns in Maine that you should not miss. The towns are: Kennebunkport, Camden, Rockport, Ogunquit, Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Boothbay Harbor, Cape Elizabeth, Stonington and Castine. Each of these towns are so quaint and well worth the visit. One way to visit the towns is to visit each towns Lobster Shack. Most of the time, the lobster shacks are right on the harbor.

Another thing that you will not find a shortage of in Maine are the Lighthouses. My favorites were the Nubble Lighthouse, Portland Head Lighthouse and Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse.

York, Maine

Our first stop was only 10 minutes away from the Nubble Lighthouse. it is a must. It is also considered the "most photographed" lighthouse in the United States.

The Nubble Lighthouse began operating in 1879, and is perched atop a rocky outcrop in Cape Neddick, Maine. The good thing is that there is excellent parking at Sohier Park, at the end of Nubble Road in York Beach, with an excellent view of the lighthouse.

Perkins Cove is another wonderful location in the York area. It was originally a small fishing village. Perkins Cove is a charming area that includes local shops, restaurants and a very scenic outlook.

Portland, Maine

In Portland, you have to visit Cape Elizabeth and the Portland Head Lighthouse. This lighthouse dates back to 1791 and is considered the oldest Lighthouse in Maine.

There is also wonderful Lobster shack in Cape Elizabeth called the Two Lights Lobster Shack. It is located right on the beach and there is plenty of parking. While you are in the area drive down to Higgins Beach, and Ferry Beach.

In Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor

Acadia National Park needs no introduction. It is one of the best National Parks in the United States for good reason. I would definitely buy a National Park Pass before going. The cost per vehicle is $30 per entry. So if you go into the park a 3 times you are already at $90. But the Park Pass only costs $85 per year for unlimited entry into all the national parks in the United States.

One of the most popular things in Acadia is to drive up to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the East Coast. From here you can see a spectacular sunrise. The only thing is that to get to the top you need to get a reservation on the Summit Road.

Acadia's coast is the most photographed (and easiest to access) part of the park. A stretch of the Park Loop Road, known as Ocean Drive, winds along the coast for nearly 5 miles from Sand Beach to Hunter's Head. Many of Acadia's most well-known and photogenic locations are along this section Acadia’s coast. Make sure you stop at Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Monument Cove, Boulder Beach, Otter Cliffs, Little Hunter’s Beach, and Hunter’s Beach as you make your way down Ocean Drive.

My Top 5 Acadia Photo Locations

1. Bass Harbor Lighthouse

The lighthouse is at the southwest corner of Mount Desert Island. From Bar Harbor, it will take you about 45 minutes to reach. Once you park, there are some wooden stairs down to the rocks. I think it is best to shoot it at sunset, with the sun setting behind the lighthouse providing a nice sunset background. Find a comfortable place on the rocks and use them for the foreground. The only issue to be aware of is that the rocks can be very slippery, and the parking lot is very small. So get there early and be careful!

2. Cadillac Mountain

The large rocky area at the top of Cadillac Mountain provides a great foreground for a sunrise photograph of Bar Harbor. It can be crowded, so arrive early. For sunsets, there are some nice areas along the road just before you get to the top of Cadillac Mountain that provides stunning views to the west. As I wrote above, you need to get tickets for the Summit Road.

3. The Coastline alone the Park Loop

The drive along the Park Loop is stunning. I would advise shooting this area at Sunrise when there are limited numbers of people walking around.

What makes the Maine Coast in Acadia National Park so different is the large rectangular boulders along the coast. Make sure you stop at Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Monument Cove, Boulder Beach, Otter Cliffs, Little Hunter’s Beach, and Hunter’s Beach as you make your way down Ocean Drive.

4. Jordan Pond

There are 2 places to photograph Jordan Pond. The north end and the south end of the Pond. We arrived at the North End first and I did not realize there is a South End. #notprepared

So as I got out of the car my wife warned me it's better to go to the South end. So naturally, I did what every male does, I decided to not listen to her advice and walk to the top of the North End. That was a bad decision!! After about 2 minutes the trail got pretty rocky. Then it got very steep. At this point a smart person would say it is not worth it. But not this guy!!! So I kept going and it got steeper and steeper. At the point where there are ropes on the trail to help you climb I should have turned around. Nope, No of course I did not do that. So after a 40-minute, very steep hike, I get to the top and it was not even that picturesque. So I walk back down totally exhausted and....

Do not miss photographing the "Bubble Rock".

So I get back to the car and notice that special way my wife can look at me with empathy while thinking that I am an idiot. So my wife asked me "Did you see the bubble rock?" I looked at her wondering what she was talking about. She then tells me that's why people climb up there!! That was not my proudest moment!!

The next day, I took a photo of the Bubble Rock from the Road below with my telephoto lens. Lesson learned--always listen to my wife!!

The easy and better location is the South End. At the south end, there is plenty of parking and you only need to walk about 100 yards on a flat smooth trail.

5. Explore and find magical locations Around Acadia

There are tons of other locations to photograph while in Acadia. There are small fishing villages, beautiful gardens and all sort of wonderful views.

I hope you have found this Photography Guide on Maine, helpful. You can find my other 38 Photography & Travel Guides by clicking on this Link

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My Photography & Travel Guide to Maine