Best time to visit Maine

I did first week October in 2018 and it was peak. I think depending on weather the peak can vary by 2-3 weeks. I wouldn’t recommend anything later than when I went though

I was in Portland and NW Maine second week of October in 2020. It was perfect then. As everyone said already, it varies. There are forecasts you can look at next summer when it gets closer.

Best time is summer time and it can still get cool at night
Foilage is way better in the mountains in vermont and new hampshire

We went this year during the first week of October and felt like we were a week to early for peak, but plenty of the trees had changed/started to change and it was beautiful. Was very cold for us Mississippians (the wind playing a huge factor here).

As far as things to do -- we flew into Boston and did Portsmouth (1 night), Portland (2 nights), Camden (2 nights), and and then back to Boston to fly out (3 nights)

From Boston, we had a few hours to kill so we went through Marbelhead did some shopping and I peaked into a cemetery or two before going onto Salem where did a walking tour. We arrived on October 1st, so the town was fully decorated for Halloween and it was pretty neat -- I was against going but I'm glad we did. Worth the stop over if you have the time and are interested in the Witch trials.

We arrived in Portsmouth pretty late and didn't do it justice. Woke up and did the Strawberry Banke Museum which we really enjoyed.

On our way to Portland we made our first lighthouse stop at the Nubble Lighthouse - was extremely windy and cold (wife stayed in the car) but my daughter and I got out, very picturesque. From there we stopped for lunch in Ogunquit - really enjoyed our stop here, neat little town. My wife did some shopping and I walked the Marginal Way -- really enjoyed, a must-do in my opinion if you're in the area. Continued on the drive to Kennebunkport. Just drove through, but came back later.

For Portland, the highlight for us was the Fort Williams State Park and Portland Head lighthouse -- went back here for a sunrise that was beautiful. Commerce and Exchange Street street had good window shopping, and the Old Port area in general was nice, but we prefer small towns and wish we'd stayed elsewhere for the two nights. We stayed at the Hilton Waterfront and it was in a great location.

One of our days in Portland we got back in the car and backtracked to Kennebunkport - neat town to walk through, Walker's Point is nearby and is worth the stop.

On our way to Camden we stopped in Freeport to do the L.L. Bean store and other shopping -- stayed here most of the morning before driving on to Boothbay Harbor -- we weren't in Boothbay to long, neat little town, but not sure that it was worth the stop because it was a little out of the way.

Camden was my favorite stop of the trip. Such a picturesque harbor town. Going atop Mt. Battie is a must do. I went twice - drove up to the top the afternoon we got there, and the next morning I walked up to catch a sunrise -- the walk up was a little eerie because it was absolutely pitch black but the views were absolutely worth it. We also did a sailboat/lobster boat cruise in the harbor that was pretty neat.

If you want what we did in Boston I can give that as well -- but most of what we got was from this board (shoutout to )

It was a very relaxed trip, "the way life should be".

We went first week in July a few years back, was suppose to go to a waterpark, but it was in the 50s