Southern Maine Coast vacation rentals
Book unique homes, vacation rentals, and more on Airbnb
Top-rated vacation rentals in Southern Maine Coast
Guests agree: these vacation rentals are highly rated for location, cleanliness, and more.
Vacation rentals for every style
Get the amount of space that is right for you
Popular amenities for Southern Maine Coast vacation rentals
Southern Maine Coast beach vacation rentals
Southern Maine Coast fishing vacation rentals
Southern Maine Coast house rentals
Your guide to Southern Maine Coast
Welcome to the Southern Maine Coast
The Southern Maine Coast — roughly the region south of Portland to the New Hampshire border — is quintessential Maine. Fair warning: it may also be unlike the Maine Coast of your preconceptions. It has some of the rocky headlands and stormy seas associated with the state, but in many ways the terrain here is less formidable, with expansive sandy beaches backed by beach towns bustling in summer.
Yet it’s not Cape Cod or the Jersey Shore — the water is often frigid, infiltrated as it is by the Labrador Current flowing from the Arctic Ocean into the Atlantic. Even in midsummer, bathing can require stamina, grit, and moderate to extreme shrieking. And it’s not all about beach towns on the Southern Maine Coast. On rainy days, or when you don’t feel like swimming, you can explore bird sanctuaries, marshlands, pocket harbors dotted with lobster boats, and colonial-era villages filled with historic home museums, restaurants, t-shirt shops, and art galleries.
The best time to stay in a vacation rental in Southern Maine Coast
Summer is peak travel season in Southern Maine, and the vast majority of visitors come for the warm days, active beach scene, and gallery shows and regional theater productions. Irksome bugs can persist early in the summer, especially when exploring the forests or marshlands — the ocean breeze usually keeps the mosquitoes and blackflies at bay at the beaches. If crowds aren’t your thing, aim to visit in the shoulder season, when the weather is less predictable and cooler, but you’ll have the trails and beaches more to yourself. Winter is a good time for an outdoor fire and self-introspection. Dress for cold weather November through April, and hope for calm and sunny days for walks along the beach.
Top things to do in Southern Maine Coast
Old Orchard Beach
At peak summer, tourists overflow the beaches and roam the shops of this resort town with roots deep in the 19th century. It’s got a classic beach town vibe, with amusement rides, carnival attractions, and a long, crowded pier offering fried foods and games. Take a stroll through the Salvation Army’s grounds, featuring an outdoor amphitheater, off Circuit Street, and swing by the intriguing and octagonal Temple at Ocean Park, a Baptist church built in 1881 in the Ocean Park neighborhood south of the town.
Mount Agamenticus
For a bird’s-eye view of the coast and beyond, hike up Mount Agamenticus, a 692-foot prominence outside the town of York. (You can also drive to the top, but that’s not half the adventure.) The rounded peak sits in a state park, and on a clear day offers sweeping views from Cape Ann in Massachusetts. Turn around and face west for a view of the raggedy ridgelines of the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
Seashore Trolley Museum
Kennebunkport is home to the first and largest electric railway museum in the world, with three hangar-sized barns filled with specimens of urban transport from around the globe, including Glasgow, Budapest, Montreal, Rome, and San Francisco. Most are idle or undergoing restoration. Some stock is always on the roll, however, offering visitors rides along a two-mile track through a forest.
Destinations to explore
- CambridgeVacation rentals
- PortlandVacation rentals
- SalemVacation rentals
- Chebacco LakeVacation rentals
- Old Orchard BeachVacation rentals
- Jersey CityVacation rentals
- New YorkVacation rentals
- The HamptonsVacation rentals
- BostonVacation rentals
- Cape CodVacation rentals
- MontrealVacation rentals
- Québec CityVacation rentals
- Rentals with an EV chargerSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with breakfastSouthern Maine Coast
- Waterfront rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Bed and breakfastsSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with lake accessSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with a saunaSouthern Maine Coast
- Beach house rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Pet-friendly rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Hotel rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Loft rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with outdoor seatingSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with poolsSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with a fireplaceSouthern Maine Coast
- Apartment rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Townhouse rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Kid-friendly rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with a washer and dryerSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with a kayakSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with a hot tubSouthern Maine Coast
- Condo rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with an accessible height toiletSouthern Maine Coast
- Fitness-friendly rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Beachfront rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Private suite rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Cabin rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- House rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Events allowed rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Serviced apartment rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Monthly RentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with beach accessSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with a patioSouthern Maine Coast
- Guesthouse rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Rentals with a fire pitSouthern Maine Coast
- Family-friendly rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Wheelchair accessible rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Cottage rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Smoking-friendly rentalsSouthern Maine Coast
- Yurt RentalsUnited States
- Yurt RentalsUnited Kingdom
- Castle RentalsUnited States
- HouseboatsUnited States
- Holiday CaravansUnited Kingdom
- Private Island RentalsUnited States
- Farm HousesUnited States
- Farm CottagesUnited Kingdom
- Cabin RentalsAustralia
- Luxury CabinsUnited Kingdom
- Luxury CabinsUnited States
- Holiday ChaletsUnited Kingdom
- Cottage RentalsUnited States
- Holiday CottagesUnited Kingdom
- Mansion RentalsUnited States
- Villa RentalsUnited Kingdom
- Holiday BungalowsUnited Kingdom
- Bungalow RentalsUnited States
- Condo RentalsUnited States
- Holiday ApartmentsAustralia
- Holiday HousesUnited States
- Holiday HousesUnited Kingdom
- Private Holiday RentalsUnited Kingdom
- Big House RentalsUnited States
- Big CottagesAustralia
- Large VillasUnited Kingdom
- House Rentals with a PoolUnited States
- Cabin Rentals with a PoolUnited States
- Villas with a PoolUnited Kingdom
- Apartments with a Hot TubUnited States
- Holiday Cottages with a Hot TubUnited Kingdom
- Beach CabinsUnited States
- Beach CondosUnited States
- Beachfront RentalsUnited States
- Beach HousesUnited Kingdom
- Beach VillasUnited Kingdom
- Coastal CottagesUnited Kingdom
- Pet-Friendly Vacation RentalsUnited States
- Pet-Friendly Beach RentalsUnited States
- Pet-Friendly Cabin RentalsUnited States
- Dog-Friendly CottagesUnited Kingdom
- Luxury Dog-Friendly CottagesUnited Kingdom