Maine Tourist Season Begins: 8 Overcrowded Spots to Skip

As Memorial Day Weekend Kicks Off, Are These Maine Tourist Spots Getting Too Crowded to Enjoy?

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of Maine’s busy summer tourism season, and with it comes the familiar mix of excitement, traffic, and packed coastal towns.

Places like Bar Harbor and Old Orchard Beach are beloved for a reason, but anyone who’s been there in peak season knows the experience can feel very different once the crowds arrive. Even in Bangor, local landmarks like the Paul Bunyan statue, Maine Savings Amphitheater, and Stephen King’s former home on West Broadway tend to draw steady streams of visitors once summer gets going.

Tourism is a huge part of Maine’s identity, and most people welcome it, but there’s also a growing conversation about which spots still feel enjoyable… and which ones feel overwhelmed.

We asked readers and looked at Reddit discussions to see what places people personally consider “too touristy,” and the responses were pretty consistent:

“The Taste of Maine Restaurant, Route 1, Woolwich… It’s probably the archetype.”
“Red’s Eats is a literal trap… hours in line for overpriced lobster rolls.”
“Bar Harbor — filled with t-shirt shops and overpriced restaurants.”
“Camden, Bar Harbor, anything south of Portland.”
“Any place on the coast with ‘lobster pound’ in the name.”

These opinions vary, but the pattern is clear: some of Maine’s most famous destinations come with tradeoffs, especially during peak summer weekends.

We want to hear from you! Which Maine spots feel worth it… and which ones do you think are too touristy to enjoy anymore?