US 1 in Maine

I will have to figure out exactly what to do when I get there, want to do the lobster fest in Rockland for sure. Thank you everyone for all the info, I had no idea about most of what I have been told. Looking forward to a fun trip to Maine. Dave (I always love a good boat trip!)

BillMFl wrote:

hellbird503 wrote:
From what everyone is saying it makes me think of camping near 95 and just driving to the coast for the day. Does anyone think that is a good option ? Thanks for the info, more is always better ! Dave

I would say yes in the southern portion of Maine. Once you are north of Portland US1 tends to be fairly far from many of the coastal towns and points of interest and there are good camp sites nearer towns like BoothBay and down east.

Don't be afraid of Rt 1 once you are north of Portland. Traffic is not bad except Fri northbound and Sun south. Always some backup in Wiscasset at the bridge. If you have specific towns or sites you are interested in, post them and a lot of us can advise you where to stay. For example, if you want to see BoothBay, stay at Shore Hills Rv Park. Very nice level pull thrus and close to town on Rt 27. They also have free shuttle service. Popham Beach State Park does have a sand beach and camping for tents and small rigs.Pretty spot and an old fort nearby. Pemaquid Pt has rugged cliffs and crashing ocean waves and a light house you can climb up to the top. Its one of those long points of land that are better to drive the toad to. You can actually cover the entire mid coast from Freeport to the south and Camden to the north on day trips from the BoothBay area. Day cruises for whale watching and trips to Monhegan Island are right there too. From Camden north to Acadia there aren't a lot of RV sites until you get closer to Acadia. And the villages like Blue Hill or Stoneington on the coast are a fairly long distance from Rt1. Depending on how much time you have, a few days in south coast, Orchard Beach for example, a few days in mid coast at BoothBay and even more time in the Acadia area would give you a great taste of the variety and beauty of the Maine coast. And do take a boat ride. The view out on the water beats any on the land. From the mid coast north, the coast is rugged granite with rolling waves crashing against the rocks and cliffs. Verdant green islands dot the coast and offshore rocks hold groups of seals and birds. The big party boats are comfortable and reasonably priced.

BillMFl wrote:
North of Portland there are very few sand beaches and Belfast is way inland from the actual coast. We have a summer place on the water in East Boothbay and a 43' Trawler for cruising the coast.

No offense, but this gave me a chuckle. :)

While US-1 in Belfast isn't as damp as the swim platform on your trawler, I think to call it "way inland from the actual coast" is a bit of an overstatement. Belfast has 10' tides and everything!

Yes, US-1 bypasses all of the peninsulas with good reason, and I would never recommend towing a 5th wheel into every nook and cranny just to hit the highlights. If you tow down one of them be sure to spend the night or two. Both Camden Hills (electric) and Cobscook (no services) are lovely state parks for exploring their respective regions, both via US-1.

ooops sorry for the repost

Once north of Portland US 1 can be a pretty good distance from the coast. Many of the harbor towns like BoothBay are located at the far end of a long point of land. Yes 1 does get closer to the water in the Rockland/Camden area but that is a bay not the open ocean. Moving further north on 1 there are long portions of the drive where you don't come even close to the many quaint villages along the coast. The old saying "you can't get there from here" refers to the many peninsulas that are close by from the water but far away over land. Just trying to give a newbie a heads up. South of Portland there are sand beaches and campgrounds very close to both 95 and 1. Reminds me of the Jersey Shore. North of Portland there are very few sand beaches and Belfast is way inland from the actual coast. We have a summer place on the water in East Boothbay and a 43' Trawler for cruising the coast. Over the years we have cruised the Maine coast both inside and offshore. We have visited a fair number of harbors up and down the Coast with N.E. Harbor being a favorite. And SW Harbor for its many classic boat yards. Folks visiting Maine for the first time should take some of the day cruises to really see the rugged beauty of the Maine coast. I admit I'm kinda spoiled, but you see more trees than water on most of US1. Lots of working water front harbors and villages to see if you drive out on the many peninsulas. Too many to name here but I've been to most of them either by land or water. Acadia is tops but is also a pretty good drive out from 1. Then Quoddy Light near Lubec is quite the view too and that's about as far down east you can go by land. Coobscook Bay State Park has a lovely campground not far from Lubec. A good stop for folks on the way to Calais and on up to Canada. Day after Memorial day we will be heading for Maine. Lobster, scallops, haddock, clams, yum yum! Sorry for such a long reply. Can't wait to get back! :)

BillMFl wrote:
Once you are north of Portland US1 tends to be fairly far from many of the coastal towns

I think you meant to say "I95 tends to be fairly far..." For example, Augusta (on I95) is an hour from Belfast (US1, coast).

As far as US1 goes, some of the larger coastal towns (like Rockland and Belfast) have a bypass so you don't have to drive on Main St and sit at stop lights, but others (like Camden), you drive right through the middle of town along with all the other bikes, convertibles, tractor trailers, and logging trucks.

Towing wise, the entire route is do-able and the road itself is in pretty good shape south of Machais. It's a two-lane road with wide shoulders for the most part; 55mph for most of the long stretches, 25/35/45mph in/near downtowns. It just depends on your tolerance for summer traffic getting through some of the busier towns.


If the focus of the trip is the coast, I would say take I95/I295 to Freeport/Brunswick and US1 north of that.

From what everyone is saying it makes me think of camping near 95 and just driving to the coast for the day. Does anyone think that is a good option ? Thanks for the info, more is always better ! Dave

That depends. There are many campgrounds near the water where you could land for a night or two and be right where the action is. If your timing is before Memorial Day, after Labor Day, or mid-week the traffic is less. Much less in the off-season. It also depends on what you plan to do. If it's just a "check the box" type thing just to say you've been there, then maybe staying nearer to the highway is the way to go. If you want to "experience" the area, then stay closer to the water. Yes, there's traffic but to me that's just a part of life.

hellbird503 wrote:
From what everyone is saying it makes me think of camping near 95 and just driving to the coast for the day. Does anyone think that is a good option ? Thanks for the info, more is always better ! Dave

I would say yes in the southern portion of Maine. Once you are north of Portland US1 tends to be fairly far from many of the coastal towns and points of interest and there are good camp sites nearer towns like BoothBay and down east.

From what everyone is saying it makes me think of camping near 95 and just driving to the coast for the day. Does anyone think that is a good option ? Thanks for the info, more is always better ! Dave

The worst area in Summer is Northbound into Ogunquit. Half an hour to go one mile is common.

X 2. Even more than 30 minutes is not unusual. Once Memorial Day hits we don't venture up there until after Labor Day unless we leave here late afternoon or go on a weekday. We have no use for Rt 1 during peak season-too busy and not much for scenic views. However, driving the 5er through there shouldn't be a problem.

As an FYI, do NOT take the fifth wheel down to Perkin's Cove should you decide to venture off Rt. 1 in Ogunquit. You will not fit for one and I believe there is a sign that says you cannot enter that area.