You'll find few cookie-cutter lodging properties along Maine's northern shore, and that's actually a good thing. Unique accommodations can enhance your Midcoast or Downeast adventure, whether you choose a family resort on the water or a snug sea captain's home turned inn.

Midcoast Overnights

While you'll find some modern motor and chain hotels in the region, particularly in the Brunswick area, by far the most enchanting options are the seaside resorts and cozy inns that dot the lodgings landscape.

In Boothbay Harbor, you'll enjoy the soothing views from the oceanfront outdoor pool or your own private balcony at Smugglers Cove Inn (Route 96 East, 800-633-3008, www.smugglerscovemotel.com), where a simple buffet breakfast and WiFi are complimentary. At the forty-five-acre, wooded, waterside Ocean Gate Inn &; Resort (Route 27 South, 207 633-3321 or 800-221-5924, www.oceangateinn.com), accommodations are modest, but the kids will love the on-site miniature golf course and heated pool. Other perks include a free buffet breakfast and complimentary use of kayaks and canoes. Families might also like Brown's Wharf Motel and Marina (121 Atlantic Avenue, 207-633-5440 or 800-334 8110, www.brownswharfinn.com), which offers balcony rooms with marina views and a seafood restaurant on-site.

For something more upscale, escape to the Spruce Point Inn Resort &; Spa (Atlantic Avenue, Boothbay Harbor, 207-633-4152 or 800-553-0289, www.sprucepointinn.com), situated on its private, 100 acre peninsula. Enroll the kids in the inn's Lighthouse Camp in July or August, then relax in a hammock or enjoy the saltwater and heated freshwater pools, two whirlpools, clay tennis courts, full-service spa, and more.

For historic charm, consider the Captain Daniel Stone Inn (10 Water Street, Brunswick, 207-725-9898, www.captaindanielstoneinn.com), a palatial 1819 Federal-style home turned thirty-four-room inn with its own restaurant.

At the Grey Havens Inn (Seguinland Road, Georgetown Island, 207-371-2616 or 800-431-2316, www.greyhavens.com), four of the eighteen guest rooms are located in the circular turret, providing 180 degree ocean views. Crisp white rockers on the wraparound porch are another prime vantage point to watch the waves. The 1904 inn, which accommodates children ages twelve and up, is believed to be the last classic “shingle-style” hotel still operating on Maine's coast.

Children of all ages are welcome at EdgeWater Farm Bed &; Breakfast (71 Small Point Road/Route 216, Phippsburg, 207-389-1322 or 877-389-1322, www.ewfbb.com), which has two suites especially for families. On select weeks and weekends, particularly in the off-season, rent the whole house and enjoy six rooms, an indoor pool and hot tub, nearby beaches, and acres of gardens and fruit trees.

The Samoset Resort (220 Warrenton Street, Rockport, 207-594 2511 or 800-341-1650, www.samosetresort.com) has welcomed guests to Midcoast Maine since 1889. Located on 230 rugged oceanside acres overlooking the Rockland Breakwater and Rockland Lighthouse, it is known for one of New England's most scenic golf courses, with ocean vistas from fourteen of the eighteen holes. Sam-O-Camp, a children's program, is available in the summer months for an additional fee.

For an affordable vacation, the off-season rates are great at the pet-friendly Belfast Harbor Inn (Route 1, Belfast, 207-338-2740 or 800-545 8576, www.belfastharborinn.com), which overlooks Penobscot Bay.

Downeast Digs

From campgrounds and rustic log cabins to elegant inns, modern hotels, and spacious resorts, whatever your style, there's likely a perfect lodging complement for you in Downeast Maine.

Located near Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor is Downeast Maine's most popular destination, and the diversity and number of lodging establishments definitely reflects this distinction. At the top is the four-star Bar Harbor Hotel~Bluenose Inn (90 Eden Street, 207-2883348 or 800-445-4077, www.barharborhotel.com), which offers expansive ocean views, heated indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, restaurant, and ninety-seven rooms and suites. The main entrance to Acadia National Park is just a couple of minutes from the hotel. Acadia Inn (98 Eden Street, 207-288-3500 or 800-638-3636, www.acadiainn.com) is also conveniently located with more down-to-earth rates and a free continental breakfast; the Island Explorer shuttle stops here, providing free transportation to Acadia and downtown Bar Harbor in season. For a dramatic ocean setting, it's difficult to top Bar Harbor Inn &; Spa (Newport Drive, 207-288-3351 or 800-248-3351, www.barharborinn.com), once home to the Oasis Club, a social club whose members included the Vanderbilts, Morgans, and Pulitzers.

There are two campgrounds in Acadia National Park (www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm). Make reservations for Blackwoods campground by calling 877-444-6777 up to six months in advance. Seawall campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis and fills up early for July through September.

For many more Bar Harbor lodging and camping ideas, request the free guidebook from the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce (207 288-5103, www.barharborinfo.com).

There are some intriguing accommodations to consider elsewhere in the region. For your own log cabin hideaway, Castine Cottages (Route 166, Castine, 207-326-8003, www.castinecottages.com) has six two-bedroom waterside units available — all furnished with lobster cooking equipment. Seclusion is also on the menu at Goose Cove Lodge (Goose Cove Road, Deer Isle, 207-348-2508 or 800-728-1963, www.goosecovelodge.com), a casual resort offering lodge and cottage accommodations, a private beach, nature trails, spa services, stargazing evenings, and proximity to the quaint fishing village of Stonington. Children two and up may participate in the Lodge's Kid Camp, a complimentary dinner and activity program offered nightly in July and August.

For something out of the ordinary, the Pleasant Bay Bed &; Breakfast and Llama Keep (West Side Road, Addison, 207-483-4490, www.pleasantbay.com) has four family-friendly guest rooms and is situated within a 110-acre working llama farm. You can reserve llamas to be your hiking companions for a morning walk along the property's trails.