Join Naturalist Journeys for a fresh and fun early summer getaway to Maine! We’ve refreshed our summer Maine trip to spend more time on the coast, to enjoy all the birdlife, scenery, and food (lobster anyone?) Maine’s coastal towns have to offer before heading deep into the Northwoods.

Our journey begins in Portland, where we spend time birding the coastline and exploring local estuaries and marshes. Then, we work our way north to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island, exploring beloved Acadia National Park and surrounds, as well as embarking on a morning pelagic for seabirds and marine mammals. Finally, we drive deep into the Northwoods where nesting warblers are busy and Moose are the star of the show.

We've timed this late May trip so you can add time on your own at the Acadia Birding Festival if you'd like, which begins May 29.

Tour Highlights

• Start the trip off by birding Scarborough Marsh, the largest marsh in the state of Maine
• Watch for seabirds from Biddeford Pool, a large tidal pool on Saco Bay
• Visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, voted one of the best botanical gardens in the country
• Enjoy a pelagic on board the Friendship V, a double-hulled catamaran
• Opt to see sunrise at Cadillac Mountain, long known as the first place to see the sun break over the horizon in the United States
• Explore both sides of Mount Desert Island
• Take an evening Moose cruise on Millinocket Lake
• Bird Baxter State Park for crossbills, woodpeckers, and warblers

Trip Itinerary

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

Wed., May 21           Arrivals in Portland, Maine

Welcome to Vacationland! Our tour starts in Portland, a peninsula in Casco Bay and the largest city in Maine. For birding today, please plan to arrive no later than 1:00 PM. Upon arrival you are met at the airport by your guide. From there, plan to stop at the hotel, check in, and then head out to explore  some of the many salt marshes and sand beaches southern Maine is known for. If you arrive later, simply take a taxi to the hotel and plan to meet the group for dinner. 

We first head south to Scarborough Marsh, the largest marsh in the state and a rich ecosystem that provides critical habitat for many species of birds and other wildlife. As we walk along the Eastern Trail we look for Glossy Ibis, Snowy and Great Egrets, and five species of heron with ample opportunities for waterfowl and grassland songbirds as well. 

Next we make our way back up the coast towards Portland, taking some time to explore the beaches and rocky coastline and keeping an eye out for foraging shorebirds. In the evening, we get our first taste of Portland’s vibrant food scene for our welcome dinner along with a chance to get to know our fellow travelers. 
Accommodations in Portland (D)

Thurs., May 22         Portland Area South 

Today we visit a few different ecosystems that showcase the diversity of coastal Maine, an exciting preview for tomorrow's journey up the coast! We start with a visit to the grassland ecosystem of Kennebunk Plains, which hosts the largest population of Northern Blazing Star in the world. This spectacular flower paints the prairie purple and attracts many species of pollinators. While we walk the trails, we listen for Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows as well as Upland Sandpiper. 

From there we head to the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, which makes up over two thousand acres of land and lies partially within the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Together, these two protected areas and the habitat around them make up fifty to seventy-five percent of known Piping Plover nesting sites in Maine. We spend the rest of our morning exploring this property and the many miles of trails it affords.

Lunch is in downtown Biddeford, and we head out to Biddeford Pool for the afternoon. In addition to nesting songbirds in the forests and meadows, Biddeford Pool is a great spot for observing offshore seabirds. We spend some time here, watching pelagic birds feed, before heading back to Portland. In the late afternoon we have a bit of downtime, with the option to walk around the Old Port before dinner. 
Accommodations in Portland (B,L,D)

Fri., May 23          Travel to Bar Harbor 

Today is an exciting day as we make our way north to Mount Desert Island and gorgeous Acadia National Park. As we work our way along the Maine coast, we have some wonderful stops planned. First up is the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Voted one of the best botanical gardens in the country, this 300-acre garden is truly special. The dahlia garden and native butterfly house are crowd favorites, and true gems. There may even be a giant troll sighting along with the Winter Wren and Gray Catbird found in the gardens. 

Next up on our journey north, we stop at the Weskeag Marsh. Weskeag Marsh, in South Thomaston, is one of Maine’s best birding marshes, with a mix of salt, brackish, and freshwater habitats. This marsh, managed by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT), is the northernmost site where the breeding ranges of Nelson’s and Saltmarsh Sparrows overlap, though the former is seen more often. Weskeag Marsh’s patchwork of forests, wetlands, fields, and shrubland, provides for fantastic birding opportunities. Along with the sparrows, this can be a great location for Black-bellied Plover and Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, as well as Green Heron. 

After Weskeag Marsh, we head into Rockland for lunch and a visit to a very special place—the Project Puffin Visitors Center. A great stop after lunch, Project Puffin launched in 1973 as an effort to restore puffins to historic nesting sites in Maine. Their visitor center is as darling as the Atlantic Puffins they are working so diligently to protect. 

With our time in Rockland over, we continue on to Mount Desert Island for check-in at Bar Harbor. This is our home for the next three nights and our lodging is perfectly situated in downtown Bar Harbor and within walking distance of everything. We set aside a little downtime for relaxing and/or exploring town on your own, before meeting up for dinner at a favorite local restaurant. 
Accommodations at Atlantic Oceanside Hotel (B,L,D)

Sat., May 24          Pelagic | Bar Harbor

Today we board the Friendship V, a double-hulled catamaran built to smoothly maneuver through the Gulf of Maine waters. We travel 20 to 30 miles offshore in search of Arctic and Common Terns, Atlantic Puffin, Razorbill, and Common Murre rounding out the list of alcids that nest along the rocky shores of Maine’s small islands. We hope to encounter Humpback, Finback, and Minke Whales, and possibly encounter White-sided Dolphin, too.

Foraging among the whales, it’s possible to find swarms of Wilson’s and a few Leach's Storm-Petrels, Northern Gannet, Greater and Sooty Shearwaters, Parasitic and Pomarine Jaegers, and other members of the ocean-dwelling tubenose species.

We spend the rest of the evening on Mount Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park. The only national park in Maine, Acadia is surrounded by quaint coastal New England communities with strong ties to the ocean. The largest island in an archipelago of 4,600 islands is home to around 330 species of birds throughout the year. We have an evening stroll around Sieur de Monts Springs and Wild Gardens. After a day on the water, it’s nice to spend an evening with the likes of singing Winter Wren, as well as spend some time looking for Pileated Woodpecker. 
Accommodations at Atlantic Oceanside Hotel (B,L,D)

Sun., May 25          Acadia National Park | Seawall | Bass Harbor 

Today starts out with an optional very early morning outing. For those who want to be among the first to see the sunrise in the US, we are offering an early morning trip up Cadillac Mountain. Cadillac Mountain, and the rest of what we now call Maine, was originally inhabited by the Wabanaki or the “People of the Dawn Land”. Long known as the first place to see the sun break over the horizon in the United States, it's a truly unique and special experience that can only happen on Cadillac Mountain.

After a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, we gather together for a birding trip around Mount Desert Island, taking in coastal and inland habitats. The first part of the morning, we explore Eastern MDI and go into Acadia National Park. There are many amazing places to explore on MDI from Stone Barn Farm looking for Boblink to Pray’s Brook Marsh searching for the elusive American Bittern.

After another fabulous local lunch, we head over to the “quiet side” of MDI. We check out many places such as the seawall looking for Common Eider, as well as any holdover shorebirds that may still be around. We also have many other options on the west side, such as Bass Harbor Marsh and Seal Cove, which are also all excellent locations for ducks and warblers, and do some tidepooling if tides permit.

Sprinkled in with the birding, we won’t forget to take in the unique sights of Mount Desert Island. Places like Bass Harbor Light Station and the picturesque Southwest Harbor, are quintessential Maine. 
Accommodations at Atlantic Oceanside Hotel (B,L,D)

Mon., May 26          Millinocket | Orono Bog | Moose Cruise 

Today starts our journey deep into the Northwoods of Maine. We spend the next two nights at the New England Outdoor Center (NEOC) in Millinocket. This is the gateway to Baxter State Park and all that the Maine woods has to offer.

We start the day off with breakfast in Bar Harbor before saying our goodbyes to this truly magical place. On the way to NEOC are the Bangor Forest and Orono Bog, about an hour and a half northwest of Bar Harbor. This three-mile walk meanders through forested wetlands that surround the bog to the peat bog and a one-mile boardwalk, offering opportunities for some northern specialty birds like Lincoln’s Sparrow, Palm Warbler, Northern Harrier, and a host of breeding birds known to frequent the bog ecosystem and the edge habitat. Bogs form “boreal islands” with a high percentage of species of northern affinities and are regarded as relics of former conditions associated with the Wisconsin  glaciation. This prepares us for our Northwoods birding adventure where this habitat is plentiful. There is the possibility of Black Bear, White-tailed Deer, and Moose when we leave the coast and while driving into the northern forest.

We should be in Millinocket for a late lunch followed by check in at the NEOC. This leaves us some downtime for a little shopping and relaxation at the lodge before the evening activities. Tonight is capped by a special evening Moose Cruise on Millinocket Lake. Dusk is one of the best times to see moose and we take full advantage of our time on the cruise looking for them. This lake is also a great place for nesting Common Loon, Common Merganser, and the always entertaining Belted Kingfisher.  
Accommodations at the New England Outdoor Center (B,L,D)

Tues., May 27            Baxter State Park | Golden Road

Baxter State Park was established in 1931 by 28 donations of land, in trust, from park donor Governor Percival P. Baxter between 1931 and 1962, eventually creating a park of over 200,000 acres. The park is home to many species of birds, including Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Bay-breasted Warbler, Canada Jay, and Spruce Grouse. We drive the famous loop road through the park.

We spend our time at Baxter looking for Moose and boreal specialty birds, an abundance of warblers, thrushes, flycatchers, and finches that breed in the northern Maine forest. White-winged and Red Crossbills are a key species we look for while also visiting known hotspots for Black-backed and American Three-toed Woodpeckers. We also have a great chance to witness some of the tougher warblers, too, such as Blackpoll, Tennessee, and Mourning.

Along our way to Baxter State Park we also get to enjoy some sections of the Golden Road. The Golden Road is a privately owned and mostly unpaved road, extending from Millinocket west over 100 miles to the Quebec border. It was established in the 1970s as a transportation conduit for raw wood to feed the hungry Great Northern Paper Company mills in Millinocket and East Millinocket. We travel parts of this road seeking boreal species in the woods and around many lakes and rivers of northern Maine. From Millinocket, the road skirts the southern boundary of Baxter State Park, then crosses Abol Bridge and travels along the south bank of the West Branch of the Penobscot River.
Accommodations at the New England Outdoor Center (B,L,D)

Wed., May 28         Departures from Portland

We say goodbye to Coastal Maine, the North Woods, and newfound friends. Our journey comes to an end today as we travel south to Portland International Airport. It’s a three-hour drive from our lodge to the airport, so please plan flights out after 4:00 PM. This should afford us time to make one last birding stop and enjoy lunch before departing. (B,L)

Cost of the Journey

Cost of the journey is per person, based on occupancy: $4390 DBL / $5370 SGL, from Portland, Maine. Cost includes six nights’ accommodations, all meals as noted in the itinerary, airport transfers, ground transportation, professional guide services, park and other entrance fees, and miscellaneous program expenses. Cost does not include round-trip airfare to and from Portland, personal expenses such as laundry, telephone, drinks from the bar, and gratuities for luggage handling or other services. Guide gratuities are at your discretion.

Travel Details

Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.

Arrival and Departure Airport: Portland International Jetport (PWM)

Arrival Details: Please plan to arrive May 21, 2025, no later than 1:00 PM

Departure Details: Please plan to depart May 28, 2025, after 4:00 PM

Travel Tip: You may wish to arrive a day early and rest up from your travels. The easiest option would be to book an extra night at our first night tour hotel, the Hampton Inn Portland Airport. If you’d like to explore a bit, there are many interesting things to do in Portland. Portland Head Light, a historic lighthouse that is the most photographed in America, is a popular and scenic spot to visit that also has a museum. The Victoria Mansion is an Italianate villa known for its architectural significance and well-preserved lavish interior that can be toured. And if you’re into art, The Portland Museum of Art is a fascinating place to visit and has over 18,000 works of art including pieces from Andy Warhol and Claude Monet. All of these attractions are located within 20 minutes of the airport and can be reached via taxi, Uber, or rental car.

Hotel Recommendations:
If you wish to arrive early and prefer to stay downtown, we recommend:

Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
(207) 780-0780

AC Hotel Portland Downtown Waterfront
(207) 747-1640

Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.

• James Petersen
  

  James grew up in New Jersey and started birding at a young age. He continued that passion by getting an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Maine. Since then, he has worked and birded extensively across the United States, including conducting point counts and banding ducks in Maine; identifying and counting waterfowl in Nebraska; counting migrating raptors in Texas, Arizona and Wyoming; and surveying for Northern Goshawks in northern California. The past three springs he has been a bird guide in the Chiricahua mountains in southeast Arizona, and he enjoys sharing his passion for birds with others. His favorite bird is the Red-headed Woodpecker.

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