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Trip from Boothbay, ME to City of Portland, ME

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 47m

Distance

59.8 mi

96 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min
4 AM
1h 40m ★
6 AM
1h 48m
8 AM
2h 4m
10 AM
1h 53m
12 PM
1h 52m
3 PM
1h 54m
5 PM
2h 3m
8 PM
1h 43m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Boothbay, ME, ME

Boothbay, ME

Phil Evenden

Downtown City of Portland, ME, ME

City of Portland, ME

Brett Sayles

Trip Overview

This 59.8-mile journey from Boothbay, ME, to the City of Portland, ME, is a 5-hour and 14-minute adventure that can easily be tackled in a single day. You'll navigate primarily via Boothbay Road and Route 1, with Main Street playing a role as you get closer to your destination. With a fuel cost estimated at around $10, this trip is quite budget-friendly. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, suggesting a more local, less highway-centric experience. Given its manageable distance and duration, it's well-suited for a day trip without the need to split it over multiple days. You'll be staying within the Northeast region for this entire drive.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

29.9 miles from Boothbay, ME

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 48m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 295 21.1 mi 24m
Leeman Highway 9.2 mi 13m
Route 1 6.1 mi 8m
Wiscasset Road 4.8 mi 8m
Boothbay Road 4.7 mi 7m
Bath Road 4 mi 7m
Portland - Peaks Island 2.5 mi 20m
Main Street 1.5 mi 3m
Longest stretch: I 295 — 21.1 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Boothbay, ME and City of Portland, ME.

1

Start on ME 27

4.8 mi · 8 min · Wiscasset Road
2

Continue on ME 27

4.7 mi · 7 min · Boothbay Road
3

Turn left onto US 1; ME 27

1.2 mi · 1 min · Route 1
4

Continue on US 1; ME 27

0.5 mi · 1 min · Main Street
5

Turn straight onto US 1

4.0 mi · 7 min · Bath Road
Use the left lane.
6

Continue on US 1

4.9 mi · 6 min · Route 1
7

Continue on US 1

1.0 mi · 2 min · Main Street
8

Continue on US 1

9.2 mi · 13 min · Leeman Highway
9

Turn right onto US 1

1.4 mi · 2 min · Pleasant Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 41 sec
11

Keep slight left at fork

1.6 mi · 2 min
Toward I 295 South: Freeport, Portland
12

Merge onto I 295

21 mi · 24 min · I 295
Use the straight lane.
13

Take the exit onto US 1A

1.1 mi · 2 min · US 1A
Exit 7 Toward US 1A Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on Maine State Pier

0.1 mi · 29 sec · Maine State Pier
Use the straight lane.
15

Turn slight right

187 ft · 13 sec
16

Turn straight onto Portland - Peaks Island

2.5 mi · 20 min · Portland - Peaks Island
17

Continue

213 ft · 15 sec
18

Continue on Welch Street

0.2 mi · 49 sec · Welch Street
19

Turn right onto Oakland Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Oakland Avenue
20

Turn slight left onto Whitehead Street

351 ft · 15 sec · Whitehead Street
21

Continue on Seashore Avenue

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Seashore Avenue
22

Continue on Seashore Avenue

0.6 mi · 2 min · Seashore Avenue
23

Arrive at destination

Seashore Avenue

Trip Plan

Since this trip is a manageable 59.8 miles and takes about 5 hours and 14 minutes, you have a lot of flexibility with when you depart. Leaving earlier in the morning could help you avoid any potential local traffic buildup, especially as you approach the City of Portland. With only one recommended stop and a low fuel cost of about $10, you can easily complete this drive in one go. Pay attention to the numerous turns indicated by the route's profile; it's a good idea to have your navigation set up before you leave Boothbay to ensure you don't miss any key turns on Boothbay Road or Route 1.

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 29.9 miles from Boothbay, ME, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.1 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 13 miles or 22m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 29.9 miles or 48m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near City of Portland, ME than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Boothbay, ME so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Boothbay, ME

This is one driving day of about 59.8 miles and 1h 47m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 13 miles from Boothbay, ME.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 295 for about 21.1 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Bath, ME, ME

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bath, ME

30 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Wiscasset, ME

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brunswick, ME

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.9 miles from Boothbay, ME, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 30.2 and 58.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
30.2 mi into trip | ~48m in | US 1 / Pleasant Street

Turn right onto US 1 / Pleasant Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.
6
32.1 mi into trip | ~52m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 295 South: Freeport, Portland

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward I 295 South: Freeport, Portland
5
33.8 mi into trip | ~54m in | I 295

Merge onto I 295

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
54.8 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in | US 1A

Take the exit onto US 1A toward US 1A

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 7 Toward US 1A
5
58.9 mi into trip | ~1h 44m in | Oakland Avenue

Turn right onto Oakland Avenue

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.63 one way

$19.25 round trip

$4.09/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.50 $10.59 $21.18
premium $4.86 $11.45 $22.90
diesel $5.61 $13.20 $26.41

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$10

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$35–$60

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.9 0 $6.28 $2.87
Efficient EV 15 0 $5.23 $2.39
EV Truck/SUV 23.9 0 $8.37 $3.83

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Boothbay, ME

Late night in Boothbay on Sunday

Local time

12:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

37°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

City of Portland, ME

Late night in City of Portland on Sunday

Local time

12:29 AM

EDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

37°F

Bath, ME

30 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

6 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 47m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Frances Perkins National Monument

Frances Perkins National Monument

National Monument

Known as the first woman to hold a presidential cabinet position and the “Woman behind the New Deal,” Frances Perkins championed many labor rights that Americans enjoy today, including safety standard...

4 mi from route ~11 min detour Free near mile 8.3
Park Closure: For Current Visitor Information
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this 59.8-mile stretch, with no highway share to speak of. This means you'll be dealing with a consistent series of turns and changes in direction rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of high-speed travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not a factor here, as the route is designed around local roads. As you progress from Boothbay toward Portland, you'll likely experience a change in scenery and traffic patterns as you transition from coastal Maine towns to the more urban environment of Portland.

47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.1 mi on I 295.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 30.2 miles in near US 1 / Pleasant Street.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.8 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 30.2 miles (US 1 / Pleasant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.8 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Boothbay, ME to City of Portland, ME, road signs begin pointing toward Portland along the way.

Portland

32.1 mi in | ~52m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 59.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 21.1 miles on I 295. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through ME can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.

The main spots that need attention: at 30.2 miles (US 1 / Pleasant Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.8 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Frances Perkins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at City of Portland, ME before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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