If you don't like riding in traffic, just stay out of the downtown touristy area. Otherwise, backroads have very little shoulder and there will be some traffic. But once you get out on non-major roads, traffic isn't too bad, especially if you head inland, west of 1 and 95. A bike might be the best way to get through the downtown area quickly. It's beautiful up here this time of the year and peak travel season isn't for another 3 weeks or so.

Oh, wait, you're not *from* Maine? Then the area is terrible for riding. Stay away. Or rather come to the border, throw your money over it, turn around, and go home. Nothing but horrible roads, rednecks in pickup trucks throwing lobsters at you, mosquitos as big as birds, and headwinds, both ways.