Weather in Maine enjoys four sharply distinct seasons and each one has its merits. Summer comes late this far north in New England, starting around the beginning of July and running until the beginning of September. During this brief warm stretch, expect daytime highs averaging a glorious 80°F with tolerable humidity levels and daylight that lasts until 9:00 p.m. Coastal towns enjoy cooling sea breezes, while the mountains get refreshingly pleasant nights. Rain is never far off, however, but that doesn’t deter most tourists.

Maine winters are a real mixed bag. Some years they are simply magical, with fluffy snow that piles up pretty and white. Other years can be absolutely miserable, with icy sheet that crusts the whole state over. Either way, daytime highs stay firmly in the low 30’s °F from December until the end of February, and nights see the mercury drop well below freezing. However, many visitors love winter in Maine when ponds freeze into ice-skating rinks, the ski resorts open, and charming sleigh rides and crackling fires are common finds.

Spring is perhaps the one season that is not particularly nice in Maine. They call it the mud season and for good reason as all that snow and ice melts. Spring arrives late, around the end of May, and seems to be gone in a flash so it doesn’t deter visitors. In March and April, the temperatures are still in the 40’s and 50’s °F with frequent rain so this is when you will find the lowest hotel rates. Visitors are so scarce that rooms can often be half the price they are in July or October.

Best Time to Visit Maine

If it’s a cheap room you want, there is no better season to visit Maine than the spring months of March, April, and early May. Unfortunately, the weather is at its most unpredictable, and often most unpleasant. Fall, on the other hand, is reliable in terms of climate and scenery. The hardwood forests begin their wonderful display of color around the middle of September and reach their crescendo around mid-October. Blue skies and daytime highs in the low 70’s °F and upper 60’s °F make sightseeing and outdoor recreation simply sublime. Be prepared to pay top dollar on hotels in the fall when New England produces the most spectacular displays of color on the planet.