Easy hikes/nice walks between Boston and Portland, ME?
August 16, 2016 8:58 AM Subscribe
I'm hoping to identify a good place to stop and get some exercise/fresh air on our drive from Boston to Portland, Maine.
We're headed to Portland for a quick weekend trip at the end of the month! We'll be driving up from Boston in the late morning and can't check in to our B&B until 3pm. I thought we might stop somewhere along the way and do a little hike/scenic walk.
I'll be about 11 weeks pregnant at that time and dealing with some fatigue, so not looking for anything SUPER adventurous, but a moderate intensity is fine. I'm in decent shape (was running regularly through 7 weeks, now doing more walks in the 5-ish mile range due to nausea and this dang heat wave).
Or if there are no good hikes within a reasonable distance, I'm also open to hearing about scenic towns where we might stop and wander (Kennebunkport?). Obviously we'll be doing a lot of walking around Portland once we get there, so I'm looking for non-Portland options.
We're headed to Portland for a quick weekend trip at the end of the month! We'll be driving up from Boston in the late morning and can't check in to our B&B until 3pm. I thought we might stop somewhere along the way and do a little hike/scenic walk.
I'll be about 11 weeks pregnant at that time and dealing with some fatigue, so not looking for anything SUPER adventurous, but a moderate intensity is fine. I'm in decent shape (was running regularly through 7 weeks, now doing more walks in the 5-ish mile range due to nausea and this dang heat wave).
Or if there are no good hikes within a reasonable distance, I'm also open to hearing about scenic towns where we might stop and wander (Kennebunkport?). Obviously we'll be doing a lot of walking around Portland once we get there, so I'm looking for non-Portland options.
How far off the route are you willing to go? Some possibilities might be:
Halibut Point State Park, Rockport, MA
Great Bay NWR, Newington, NH
Rachel Carson NWR, Wells, ME
And there are lots of beaches along the coast of southern Maine.
posted by underthehat at 9:25 AM on August 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
Halibut Point State Park, Rockport, MA
Great Bay NWR, Newington, NH
Rachel Carson NWR, Wells, ME
And there are lots of beaches along the coast of southern Maine.
posted by underthehat at 9:25 AM on August 16, 2016 [1 favorite]
Maybe Marginal Way in Ogunquit or spend some time at York's Wild Kingdom (zoo) is you don't mind spending the $15?
posted by Barnsie at 9:29 AM on August 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Barnsie at 9:29 AM on August 16, 2016 [2 favorites]
Don't go to Kennebunkport, it's not that interesting. Portsmouth is a nicer town. The Marginal Way in Ogunquit is lovely, but it's one mile long (plus a mile back) -- though you can always extend it with a walk on the beach, which can be as long as you like.
posted by jeather at 9:32 AM on August 16, 2016
posted by jeather at 9:32 AM on August 16, 2016
On the Southern Maine coast there are a number of easy walks.
In Kennebunk Lower Village, I've always enjoyed the Franciscan Monastery Estate, which is an easy walk right out to the Kennebunkport Shipyard.
Underthehat mentions the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge, which is also nice.
In York, you can "climb" Mount Agamenticus, which sits a towering 692 feet over Southern Maine.
posted by China Grover at 9:39 AM on August 16, 2016
In Kennebunk Lower Village, I've always enjoyed the Franciscan Monastery Estate, which is an easy walk right out to the Kennebunkport Shipyard.
Underthehat mentions the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge, which is also nice.
In York, you can "climb" Mount Agamenticus, which sits a towering 692 feet over Southern Maine.
posted by China Grover at 9:39 AM on August 16, 2016
If you decide on a town, seconding/thirding Portsmouth. It's about halfway between Boston and Portland, and has a cute little downtown, with a park along the the river with views of the shipyard. Lots of places to eat lunch, and some shops, including a combo coffee shop/bar/used bookstore.
posted by damayanti at 9:54 AM on August 16, 2016
posted by damayanti at 9:54 AM on August 16, 2016
It might be slow-moving, but if you get off 95 onto route 1 around Seabrook, and then take 1A through Rye and up into Portsmouth, you will see the pretty parts of NH's seacoast. My family always stops at Odiorne Point State Park, which has some nice hiking trails and lovely rocky shore. You can follow route 1 and 1A up the coast of Maine - all the way into Portland, if you so choose - or get back onto 95 as you feel. Kittery, Ogunquit, and Wells are all pretty with places to stop and walk around the shore and look at lighthouses and such.
posted by ChuraChura at 10:06 AM on August 16, 2016
posted by ChuraChura at 10:06 AM on August 16, 2016
Nthing Portsmouth. It's probably my favorite New England coastal town.
posted by Aizkolari at 10:09 AM on August 16, 2016
posted by Aizkolari at 10:09 AM on August 16, 2016
Maudslay State Park is really fantastic, and right off 95 in Newburyport.
posted by amelioration at 10:53 AM on August 16, 2016
posted by amelioration at 10:53 AM on August 16, 2016
Nthing Halibut Point State Park. Favorite place!
posted by houseofleaves at 12:22 PM on August 16, 2016
posted by houseofleaves at 12:22 PM on August 16, 2016
Next to the above mentioned Rachel Carson refuge in Wells there's the Wells NERR which has a very nice trail system. It's been a while but I remember it being quite peaceful and lovely, and not at all far off 95.
posted by selfnoise at 1:44 PM on August 16, 2016
posted by selfnoise at 1:44 PM on August 16, 2016
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posted by Johnny Assay at 9:25 AM on August 16, 2016