Maine's Stunning Scenic Byway Is Perfect For An East Coast Road Trip

When it comes to unspoiled coastline, it's hard to beat Maine. After all, New England's largest state boasts 228 miles of ocean shore, though if you count all of the inlets, bays, outcroppings, and islands, that number balloons to 3,478 miles. Whichever way you cut it, Maine has plenty of coastline with scads of attractions well worth exploring. This means everything from picture-perfect beach towns like York to lighthouses and hidden beaches — almost all of which can be accessed by car. Maine seems like it was custom-made for road tripping. 

With so many scenic drives to take in, the choices can seem dizzying, but if you're looking for the Maine coast at its most authentic, you can't go wrong with the Schoodic National Scenic Byway. While inarguably a short route — it clocks in at just 29 miles — the Schoodic National Scenic Byway may be small, but it packs a seriously scenic punch. The byway winds through one of the most idyllic stretches of Maine's coast, featuring fishing villages, rocky shorelines, and access to the only mainland section of the postcard-worthy Acadia National Park.

Snaking along Frenchman Bay between the towns of Hancock and Winter Harbor, the Schoodic National Scenic Byway follows a route that was once a lifeline to the isolated fishing villages along that part of the coast. These settlements provide the drive with much of its character and color, and are worth stopping at for their gorgeous photo ops and perhaps a lobster roll or two. 

Among these settlements is Prospect Harbor  — a working lobster town and site of the shuttered Stinson Seafood Plant — a sardine cannery that was the last of its kind in the U.S. This plant once employed generations of local workers, and stands as a testament to how much these communities depend on the bounty of the sea to survive. From Prospect Harbor, it's just a quick shot over to the tiny fishing village of Corea. While not officially part of the Schoodic National Scenic Byway, the village looks like a scene from a postcard, with clapboard shacks on stilts and colorful lobster boats bobbing in its diminutive harbor. 

Heading south to the rugged and wild Schoodic Peninsula, the next town up is the village of Birch Harbor. You may have worked up an appetite, and to eat like a local, stop by The Pickled Wrinkle and dive into some pickled sea snails, a regional delicacy. If you're not feeling that adventurous, you can always head to neighboring Winter Harbor and, after taking in the iconic lighthouse, sit down for some steamed clams, fried seafood, or fresh lobster at The Fisherman's Galley.

Now that you're fueled up, take the Schoodic National Scenic Byway into Acadia National Park's 6-mile loop, which is arguably the highlight of the drive. The shoreline features slabs of granite jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, culminating in the dramatic landscape of Schoodic Point. This is Maine at her most untamed, and after appreciating the raw power and beauty of the ocean up close, take the quick hike up Schoodic Head, the 440-foot rise that offers arresting vistas of the surrounding sea and shoreline. 

The next stop on the drive is the Mt. Desert Narrows Overlook, a viewpoint that overlooks the channel connecting Egypt Bay to the much larger Frenchman Bay. After that is the Tidal Falls Preserve, an 8-acre park where you can watch the narrow channel rapidly switch directions twice a day. It's also a terrific spot for spotting seals and birds such as eagles, kingfishers, and ospreys. In addition, the low tide creates pools brimming with colorful marine life such as crabs and sea stars, but visitors should remember to observe at a distance and avoid touching, which could cause harm.

The penultimate stop on the southbound route of the Schoodic National Scenic Byway is the village of Sullivan, which once supplied much of the granite to New England. The route then carries on over the Hancock-Sullivan Bridge before ending in Hancock, a village which offers amazing views of Mount Desert Island, Maine's largest island and home to most of Acadia National Park. For more of Maine's coastal wonder, head to Phippsburg, one of the state's oldest towns full of historic charm and beaches.