Day Trip to Bath, Maine
Turn right out of the Lincoln Schoolhouse driveway, and you can travel to Bath in as little as two hours depending on which way you go. We took the more scenic route via Coastal 1, which bumped the total drive time up to 2.5 hours; but it was worth it for all the cool towns you get to drive through brimming with art galleries and antiques shops. We then took 95/295 coming home—the shorter route with nothing to see but trees along both sides of the highway.
The Bath Iron Works
Bath, Maine is perhaps most well-known for its iron works, or ship-building yard. As you cross the long bridge over the Kennebec River coming from Ellsworth on 1, you’ll see the massive structure on your left. When we were there in June 2026, there was a giant blue floating dry dock and two US military battleships in the process of being constructed. You can’t really visit the iron works—it’s a restricted-entry situation with lots of workers in hardhats and fatigues on-site—but you can take it in from anywhere along the water’s edge—including the dog park we stopped at next!
View of Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine from the South End dog park.
South End Park
This large green park is primarily an off-leash rollicking site for dogs! It has lots of grass, offers (rocky) access to the water, and features a few benches out on the dock. We found water bowls with water and plenty of poo bags, but no shade on a very hot day at noon… so plan your visit time accordingly. There are also two portapotties for dog owners.
Bonus: Maybe two hundred yards from this park, for those who have the time and interest, is the Maine Maritime Museum.
A boat skeleton installation outside the Maine Maritime Museum, Bath.
Sliders at OystHERS raw bar in Bath, Maine.
OystHERS
Our bellies took us to OystHERS for lunch, a cute little seafood and wine bar right on the water. We opted for the covered outdoor seating so our dog could join us. Brandon liked the “crabster” sliders (one lobster slider and one crab slider); I enjoyed the chicken salad sliders. Both entrees were served with kettle chips. The friendly staff brought a water bowl out for Whisky, who found walking on the oyster-shell-covered ground a little uncomfortable.
If you go here, don’t sleep on the beautiful park directly adjacent. Linwood E. Temple waterfront park has lots of shade, deep Adirondack chairs, and on a weekday at lunchtime, was full of strolling locals enjoying their lunch breaks. On summer evenings they have live music!
A beautiful, shady waterfront park in Bath, Maine.
The Fountain ice cream parlor, Bath, Maine.
I Scream, You Scream
Bath’s downtown spans something like four square city blocks. It’s compact, but loaded with boutiques, bookstores, and yes, ice cream parlors. The three of us gobbled up scoops of Banana Pudding ice cream with real Nilla wafers at The Fountain; then, as if that wasn’t enough sugar, we bought saltwater taffy from Bath Sweet Shoppe around the corner. The taffy was locally made and incredibly soft—a sure sign of freshness! Go for the peanut butter taffy, which was salty-sweet and had a smooth peanut-butter center.
Where to Stay in Bath
The town center is so quaint and walkable and convenient to everything, you really can’t go wrong no matter where you stay in Bath. There’s a Hampton Inn right downtown; also plenty of Airbnbs, etc. I was sad we were only making a day trip out of Bath. Certainly there was enough to see and do—and eat!—to keep us entertained for another day. That said, at just 2-2.5 hours’ drive time, it’s a completely plausible day trip for the time-crunched!
The Lincoln School is a writers’ retreat and micro-wedding venue in Mariaville, Maine.
