Rockland is about a four-hour drive from Boston, an hour and a half drive northeast from the Portland Jetport, an hour and a half drive south from the Bangor Airport, and just five minutes from the Knox County Regional Airport in Owls Head, which has regular fights from Boston on Colgan Air (US Air). Jet Blue has service to Portland, Maine from many locations, so flying to Portland and renting a car or taking the bus is likely to be the most cost-effective option for visitors coming from New York, Washington, D.C., and points south.
If you fly into Portland, Boston or Bangor there are several ways to get to Rockland:
There are numerous national car rental locations in Portland and Bangor. There is also regular bus service from the Portland and Boston airports to Rockland on Concord Trailways, and the bus stops right at the Maine State Ferry Terminal where you can catch the ferry to North Haven. You can also take an Amtrak train from Boston to Portland and then take the bus up the coast to Rockland.
Take I-95 into Maine. Follow I-95 north to I-295 (Exit 44), South Portland. Take I-295 North to Exit 28, which is U.S. Route 1 North (Coastal Route) at Brunswick. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Rockland – this is a very scenic route that will take you through the towns of Bath, Wiscasset, and Thomaston. You will spend about an hour and ten minutes on Route 1 to Rockland. Stay on Route 1 which will take you down Main Street Rockland. Toward the end of Main Street you will see the State Ferry Service on your right with a large parking lot, terminal, etc. Turn right into the terminal and there is parking on either side of the terminal. Click here for directions.
Take I-295 North to Exit 28, which is U.S. Route 1 North (Coastal Route) at Brunswick. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Rockland. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Rockland – this is a very scenic route that will take you through the towns of Bath, Wiscasset, and Thomaston. You will spend about an hour and ten minutes on Route 1 to Rockland. Stay on Route 1 which will take you down Main Street Rockland. Toward the end of Main Street you will see the State Ferry Service on your right with a large parking lot, terminal, etc. Turn right into the terminal and there is parking on either side of the terminal. Click here for directions.
From points south or from Augusta, Maine – (Coastal U.S. Route 1 bypass): During the peak of summer, many visitors use this route to bypass the heavy summer traffic on U.S. Route 1: Take I-95 to Exit 109 (Augusta), then go through the city of Augusta following signs for Route 17 East into the City of Rockland. Route 17 will turn right onto North Main at a blinking light (follow State Ferry signs) and that will intersect with Route 1 in Rockland (just after Dunkin Donuts). At the stop sign, bear right toward a three-way intersection and then bear left onto Union Street (Rt. 1 South). Immediately get into the left lane and take your third left off Union onto Talbot Street, following signs for the State Ferry Service and you will travel one block and see the ferry service across Main Street.