Travel does not have to be expensive! To prove it, I decided to show a transparent look into my total costs for a weekend in Maine.
One of the biggest excuses that people have as to why they can’t travel is, of course, the cost. Travel is painted to be this grand image that involves all-inclusive resorts, luxurious dinners, and big excursions. While those things are certainly nice, it doesn’t have to be that way at all. Being conscious about your expenses and prioritizing what is important to you can still give you a great vacation! I dug up some old emails, receipts, and credit card statements to show you my all-in costs for spending 2 days and 1 night in the Downeast region of Maine.
Important to note that I visited in early June, which is peak summer travel season. Therefore, prices were higher for everything from airfare, to hotel rooms, and rental cars. Of course, visiting this region during off peak times could help you save a substantial amount of money (and don’t worry, it will still be beautiful). Your total costs for a weekend in Maine may vary.
All amounts are in USD.
Airfare – $212.10
I flew roundtrip from LaGuardia airport in New York City to Bangor, Maine. Bangor is a small city about an hour drive away from Bar Harbor. The drive was easy, beautiful, and went quickly.
I decided to pay cash for my ticket and my out of pocket cost was $212.10.
I booked using my Citi Premier card and earned 3 points/$ on airfare. An easy way to earn 630 points!
Accommodations – $147.09
Hotels and Airbnbs are few and far behind on Mt. Desert Island. To save some money, I decided to stay at the Hampton Inn about 30 minutes away in Ellsworth, ME. The hotel had everything you need, and is much nicer than a lot of places I’ve stayed before. The drive between Ellsworth and Bar Harbor went quickly and was a beautiful drive.
By also using my Citi Premier card to book, I earned 3 points/$ on the hotel and was able to pocket 440 points.
Transportation – $95.89
I booked a rental car through Hertz at the Bangor airport. The rental car cost $63.89 for two days. Not bad considering it was peak season! Since I was going to be doing a lot of driving, I reserved an economy car to maximize gas mileage.
Before returning the car, I filled up the gas tank which cost $32.00.
Another example of how booking with my Citi Premier card helped to earn bonus points. I earn 3 points/$ on all aspects of transportation (including gas) and was able to earn 287 points.
Food – $43.00
Both days of the trip, I found myself being so active and not sitting down for many proper meals. When I did, I ate a big meal to try and hold me over as long as possible. While this worked for me, it may not be the “norm” to others on a similar itinerary.
I dug up old credit card statements to find the amounts below, rounded to the nearest whole number for ease.
Day 1
Tim Hortons breakfast – $6
Late lunch/early dinner at Charlotte’s Legendary Lobster Pound – $16
Day 2
Breakfast at Great Maine Breakfast – $13
Ice Cream at Blueberry Hill Dairy Bar – $6
Entertainment – $30.00
The only entertainment I needed all weekend was nature. While there are some areas of Mt. Desert Island that are free to access (such as Bar Harbor and Cadillac Mountain), the majority is part of the National Parks Service. Acadia National Park entrance fee was $30.00 per car. However, this fee gave you a pass granting access for 7 days, meaning I did not have to pay another fee on Day 2.
Souvenirs – $44.00
This is definitely more than I typically spend on souvenirs, but I just couldn’t help myself! Typically if I buy anything, I try to get something small like a magnet or ornament. I just fell so in love with Bar Harbor that I needed it on multiple pieces of clothing. 😉 No regrets!
Lobster Sweatshirt – $24
Bar Harbor Spirit Long sleeve tee – $20
Total Cost – $572.08
Using points to cover flights and hotels could have cut down these costs substantially. Additionally, because I was traveling solo I was (of course) the sole bearer of all the costs. Traveling with friends or family would allow you to split costs of things like hotel rooms, rental car, gas, etc. However, less than $600 for a weekend in Maine during peak summer months is really not a bad deal!
Additionally, by using my Citi Premier card, I was able to earn 1,350 points on my flights, hotel, and transportation. I can redeem these for flights or hotels in the future!
Looking for more insight into the costs of my trips? Check out my Total Costs page for transparent looks into the trips I take.
Traveling soon? Check out my Travel Tips page to help you score good deals on flights, packing tips, tools to help you plan, and more!
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