A Weekend in Southern Maine: Side Trips, Detours & Little Adventures
One of the things we love most about this corner of Maine is how much is packed into a very small radius. You can have a completely full day without going more than thirty minutes from either property — or you can use the coast as a base for longer adventures up into Maine.
Here's our guide to the side trips and detours worth knowing.
For the ones who need to move
Bike the Eastern Trail — a growing multi-use path winding through marshes and coastal neighborhoods with views that stop you mid-pedal.
Paddle the tidal water in Biddeford Pool — boards and kayaks available to rent locally; let the tide do half the work.
Walk the Marginal Way in Ogunquit — one mile of clifftop path above the open ocean, somehow never gets old.
Hike Mount Agamenticus — thirty minutes inland, panoramic views from sea to summit, accessible for most fitness levels.
For the kids (of all ages)
Funtown Splashtown USA — full amusement and water park, thirty minutes away, a full day disappears here.
Mini golf and arcades in Wells — the classic Maine summer experience that hasn't changed much since 1987 and is better for it.
Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport — exactly what it sounds like, genuinely delightful, ten minutes away.
Indoor pickleball and bowling in the area — the essential rainy-day plan B.
For the curious
Biddeford Mills — the mill district with galleries, studios, and the food scene worth a dedicated evening.
Ogunquit Museum of American Art — small, serious, beautifully situated above the ocean.
Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm — 2,000 acres of protected estuary and coastline with trails and a visitor center that explains the whole ecosystem.
Route 1 antique district in Wells — half a dozen shops within a mile, best approached on a slow morning.
For the food people
We could write an entire post just about eating in this area. (We did — see the Biddeford post.) The short version: Biddeford for the most interesting cooking, Ogunquit for the most concentrated dining scene, Kennebunkport for the classic Maine experience done very well, and the lobster shacks along Route 1 for the version of Maine seafood that people drive hours for. Still worth it. The most beautiful setting for lobster rolls is at Goldthwaites in Biddeford Pool where you eat at picnic tables overlooking the lighthouse and islands. In Wells, you can’t beat dinner at Billy’s Chowder House overlooking the marsh at sunset, or grabbing seafood at Brown’s Clam Shanty.
One more thing: Labor Day is late this year
Peak summer runs longer than usual. If you're reading this in late July or August and wondering whether it's too late to plan a trip, it isn't. September is THE BEST month! The ocean is at its warmest. The crowds thin noticeably after the first week of September, and the light starts doing something remarkable. It's one of the best months on the Southern Maine coast.
Maine as a base: the longer adventure
Both properties also work as a starting point for a longer Maine itinerary. Portland is 30 minutes north of Biddeford and under an hour from Wells — a full day of food, art, and the Old Port. Boothbay Harbor is about two hours — worth the drive for the harbor scenery alone. Bar Harbor and Acadia are three hours — a natural extension if you're staying a week or more. The move we like: unwind at the coast for a few days, then do one longer day trip north before you head home. You arrive a tourist and leave someone who actually knows a piece of Maine.
