Maine’s size and variety offers bike rides for all levels. Here in alphabetical order are 5 of my favorites all of which we do on our great Maine Bike Tours.

Acadia’s Carriage Roads.

Built through the generosity of John Rockefeller the carriage roads offer 50 plus miles of car free cycling. Most people who ride the carriage roads only ride the super highway between Eagle Lake and the Jordan Pond House. It is a nice family friendly ride that offers a nice stopping point with services but it gets crazy crowded on summer days. If you really want to do this ride try it after 3 pm and you will encounter a fraction of the people. Looking to ride the carriage roads with a few less people try the Around the Mountain Loop, a little bit more challenging but worth the effort, I have ridden this at the height of tourist season in August and seen maybe 6 other people. In addition to more exercise and less people the Around the Mountain Loop will offer some nice views of Sommes Sound and Northeast Harbor. Want a kid friendly ride cycle Witch Hole going the opposite way at Eagle Lake from the crowds heading to Jordan Pond.

Blue Hill Peninsula

A little further a field and best for experienced road cyclists Blue Hill offers great cycling. Both the towns of Blue Hill and Castine are charming and great starting points. Get the Delorme Maine Gazatter and plan a route following the roads along the coast for miles of low traffic roads with a nice mix of hills. Be sure to visit Blue Hill reversing falls just south of the town of Blue Hill

Cape Elizabeth and Prouts Neck

My hometown favorite leave Porltand and do a bit of urban cycling over the bridge to South Porltand. From here cut over to the South Portland shore and visit Both Bug Light a small fire plug lighthouse with a nice little museum over looking Casco Bay and Spring Point another small lighthouse with a stone jetty for great views of Portland. Pop into Willard Square and stop at the great bakery for a treat before cycling out Shore Road with great views of some beautiful houses and a visit to the Portland Head Light. From here cycle onto Route 77 heading south to Two Light State Park where can wander on the Rocks, and enjoy a Lobster Roll at the scene from a Edward Hopper painting. Pedal onto Kettle Cove and then follow Route 77 to Prout’s Neck for more ocean views and view of Pine Point and Old Orchard Beach. Cycle back to Portland and celebrate your ride with one of our great micro brews from Geary’s or the Shipyard.

Rockland and Port Clyde Loop

From the funky town of Rockland, think Camden with a soul, head south on Route 73 to the Owls Head Light continue south passing the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum a great spot for any one interested all kinds of transportation from air planes to bicycles. and continue south to the Junction of Route 131. Follow 131 down to Port Clyde visiting the Marshall Point Lighthouse and the fishing village of Port Clyde. Stop at the general store or dip net for lunch before cycling back to Rockland

Route 113

One the best fall foliage Maine. Start from Bethel and follow the North Road to the bridge, cross the bridge and turn right onto Route 2 for a short stretch until the junction of Route 113. It offers easy cycling up until Hastings campground where the leisurely can turn around and the more enthusiastic can cycle up to Evans Notch. For a bigger challenge start in Fryeburg and follow 113 from the steeper side into the Notch

The lobster roll is a Maine icon: a combination of one of our best natural resources and Yankee practicality. The traditional lobster roll is made on a hot dog bun and, in Maine, a hot dog bun has exposed dough on both sides rather than being encased in crust. The roll needs to be buttered on both sides and toasted on a griddle. It is served full of fresh lobster meat (either with butter or mayo). No need for any veggies or other flavors to deter from the succulent, fresh lobster taste. Many people searching for a true Maine lobster roll end up at Red’s Eats, a coastal icon located right before the bridge in Wiscasset. Red’s is almost always on the list for best lobster roll. They make a fine lobster roll, but if you would rather spend your vacation enjoying Maine instead of standing in line inhaling the exhaust of summer traffic, I spend my days cycling the coast of Maine for my company Summer Feet Cycling from someone who has ridden every road on the coast of Maine here are 5 great places for a lobster road.

1. The Trevett Store is located just west of Boothbay. The Trevett Store offers a true lobster roll in an idyllic setting. This little general store with a lunch counter not only knows how to make a lobster roll, but you also get to experience the swing bridge. A swing bridge is a bridge that pivots on a central piling to allow boat traffic through. What makes the Trevett bridge unique is that it is manually operated. Anytime a boat needs to pass through, the bridge keeper comes out with a metal pole, inserts it into the bridge, and walks in a circle until the bridge gains enough momentum to swing open.

1. Osier’s Wharf is located at the gut where Route 129 crosses onto Rutherford Island (home of Christmas Cove). Osier’s is another corner store with a killer lobster roll with a great view of a working lobster co-op. For non-shellfish eaters, the fish and chips are freshly made and a delicious bargain.

1. The Lobster Claw is located on West Street in Bar Harbor, Maine. Barry, the owner, is a character and it is worth a visit just to meet him. In addition to being a hoot, Barry is passionate about fresh food and will build you a great lobster roll on demand. All of my friends that guide for National Park Kayak ( the best kayak outfitter on Mt Desert Island) swear that he also has the best fish and chips in town. This is the only place in Bar Harbor to eat a lobster roll or lobster stew. We bring hundreds of people to Bar Harbor in the summer and we never have lobster in town. This is because most, if not all, of the restaurants in Bar Harbor pre-cook the lobster and just heat it up when you order it. We always pile our guests into the van and trek across island to Beal’s or Thurston’s for a fresh lobster dinner.

1. The Lobster Shack at Two Lights is our home town favorite located on Route 77 just south of Portland in Cape Elizabeth. For this one, bring your bike. You can pedal out of Portland and visit Spring Point and Bug Light, two of the smaller lighthouses in Portland Harbor. Then continue on to the Grand Daddy of Maine lighthouses, Portland Head Light, before cycling to the Lobster Shack for a lobster roll in an Edward Hopper painting. Two Lights was the subject of several of Hopper’s Maine paintings.

1. Waterman’s Beach Lobster is located off of Route 73 heading south towards Port Clyde. Waterman’s beach recently received honorable mention from the James Beard Foundation. They have not let it go to their heads. They are still only open Thursday through Sunday and offer great simple fresh food in an unpretentious setting with an amazing view.

Summer Feet Cycling’s Sailboats and Summer Folk Camden Weekend Tour was just listed as one of 10 Amazing Adventures under $1000.00 by Smarter Travel Check out this great trip and a few others at Smartertravel.com