Maine is one of the 50 states that make up the USA. It is in the northeastern part of the country, and in terms of area, it is the largest of the six New England states.
Maine was the 23rd state to join the Union on March 15, 1820. Quebec and New Brunswick in Canada form Maine’s northwest and northeast borders, respectively. New Hampshire forms its southwest border. Massachusetts agreed to let the Maine district file a statehood request in 1819.
This post will highlight the best places to visit in Maine.
Best Places to Visit in Maine
- Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park’s 47,000 acres are spread out over Mount Desert Island, located near Maine’s coast, while other areas of the park are on the Schoodic Peninsula and Isle au Haut.
Acadia National Park is a wonderful national park where you can see the fall foliage, go skiing in the winter, go fishing in the spring, go biking, or go for a walk in the summer. Park Loop Road, one of Acadia’s most well-liked roads, features several breathtaking vistas.
Consider using a different entry, such as the Welcome Center at Rockefeller Hall on the Schoodic Peninsula during the busiest summer months.
- Maine Bar Harbor
This popular tourist destination of Maine Bar Harbor is situated on Mount Desert Island. Bar Harbor is well-recognized for many things, including breathtaking ocean views, delectable seafood, yachts, lobster boats, and much more. Acadia National Park is situated near this tourist site.
Take a whale-watching excursion. There are numerous trails around Bar Harbor and even more in the adjacent areas of Mount Desert Island. You must Layer your clothes as mountains and coastlines can be breezy and cool even on the hottest summer days.
- Camden Hills State Park
In the town of Camden, Knox County, Maine, there is a public recreation area called Camden Hills State Park. There are multipurpose trails in the state park that lead to Mount Battie, Mount Megunticook, and other beautiful locations.
Many trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing are located throughout the park. The top of Mount Battie is only around 240 meters above sea level, and there is a parking lot accessible by car road.
- Portland Head Lighthouse
The Town of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, owns and operates the well-known landmark, Portland Head Lighthouse, located at 1000 Shore Road.
Since 1791, the oldest lighthouse in Maine has been in use. Even though it is not open to the public, you can visit the nearby museum and take advantage of the property’s beach, grass, and picnic spaces. It is also one of the most popular American photo subjects.
- Baxter State Park
In Northern Piscataquis, Piscataquis County, in central Maine, the United States, an area that has been conserved permanently as a state park called Baxter State Park. It is surrounded on the east by the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and is located in the North Maine Woods area.
The moose, black bear, and white-tailed deer are the three most prevalent animal species in Baxter State Park. These animals are occasionally seen from the road and are most active in the summer. Beaver, muskrats, river otters, and raccoons have homes in the park’s numerous marshes and bogs. Other species of wildlife can also be found in Baxter State Park.
- Farnsworth Art Museum
There is always a new exhibition at the Farnsworth, with 20,000 square feet of gallery space and a collection of more than 15,000 works. The Wyeth Center exhibits pieces by Andrew, Jamie, and N.C. Wyeth. In the museum is one of Louise Nevelson’s most extensive sculpture collections.
The Farnsworth Homestead is next to the front door of the Farnsworth Art Museum. The Farnsworth Homestead’s interior is a replica of the lovely Victorian architecture, while the building’s outside is decorated in the Greek Revival design.
The Wyeth Center is one of the Farnsworth Art Museum‘s most lauded and much-awaited centerpieces. It exhibits artwork created by the three Wyeth generations—N.C. (Newell Convers) Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and Jamie (James Browning) Wyeth—who are generally referred to as “America’s first family of art.”
- Ogunquit Beach
You may do deep sea fishing, whale watching, sailing, kayaking, hiking, and golfing along Ogunquit’s 3.5 miles of sandy beaches and shoreline. You can explore a variety of boutiques, gift shops, and antique stores, as well as eat at several upscale restaurants.
Ogunquit Beach is divided into various parts. North or Moody Beach combines with the community of Wells at its northernmost point. Cross the wide footbridge over the Ogunquit River at Footbridge Beach. Nearby nesting piping plovers are common.
On the riverside of the beach, take advantage of the calmer, warmer seas. Explore Little Beach at low tide because it only appears when the tide is out. Continue strolling south along Marginal Way from Ogunquit Beach to the charming town of Perkins Cove.
- Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach is a vacation destination in Maine’s York County. Palace Playland is a beachside amusement park that is near Old Orchard Beach.
The first carousel in the country was built in Old Orchard Beach, and two other hand-carved carousels with horses and other animals once stood there.
Ocean Park was established in 1881 in a neighborhood of Old Orchard Beach for spiritual camp meetings and talks on self-improvement. The only octagonal church in Maine, “The Temple,” is located there and is still held by an association.
9. Annual Maine Lobster Festival
During the Maine Lobster Festival, there are five days of festivities and feasting on the gorgeous Maine coast. This seafood festival is held every year throughout the first weekend in August.
It is simple to locate the festival site in Rockland’s Harbor Park. Boston and Portland are approximately four hours apart from Rockland by vehicle. Hot and fresh Maine lobster is the festival’s main attraction. Under the Main Eating Tent, savor your lobster feast with melted butter as you take in the beauty of Penobscot Bay.
It is the world’s first and largest museum devoted to electric railroads. It is located in Kennebunkport and is 30 minutes south of Portland.
An antique trolley from the early 1900s is available for rides on the heritage railroad. Explore the outdoor campus’s three carhouses, home to various priceless transit relics and gorgeous, restored trolleys. The world-famous museum’s collection contains streetcars from nearly all the country’s main cities and other countries.
Visit the Restoration Shop to see a variety of vehicles undergoing maintenance or thorough restoration. Visit the Museum Store if you’d like a snack or to browse for a souvenir of your trip.
- Asticou Azalea Garden
The Asticou Azalea Garden, a beautiful garden at the Preserve, combines Mount Desert Island’s best natural characteristics with design cues from traditional Japanese gardens.
Charles K. Savage established it in 1957 using plants he had acquired from Beatrix Farrand’s Reef Point Garden after it had closed.
Only a small portion of its collection, azaleas, smoke bushes, rhododendrons, irises, and water lilies, are found there, and visitors can enjoy a variety of hues and scents throughout the season. The garden evokes tranquillity and introspection while giving the impression that there are far horizons, mountains, and lakes.
- Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay is a well-liked sailing and kayaking location. It is located in Lincoln County, Maine. There are plenty of natural trails, seasonal festivals, and delectable seafood.
The winters are typically snowy, windy, and frigid, whereas the summers are extremely comfortable. Year-round, there is also some cloud cover.
A 1,000-foot-long footbridge connects both sides of the Harbor. Explore the solitary coves, rocky shorelines, and island lighthouses.
- Portland Museum of Art
The Portland Museum of Art (PMA), situated in the center of Portland’s thriving downtown arts district, is a spacious, light-filled building that is well worth a visit and a fantastic incentive to travel to Portland.
Children will adore the bright installation Modern Menagerie, which features animal-themed pieces by Dahlov Ipcar, Bernard Langlais, and others. They should also visit The Workshop, a collaborative area with engaging, hands-on activities.
- Goose Rocks Beach
Families have been visiting the beach for decades to enjoy its kilometers of white sand beaches, breathtaking views of the Atlantic and the islands, harbor seals lounging in the sun, and a relaxing spot. Seven coastal parcels are included in the Trust’s assets.
Goose Rocks Beach becomes a special place for everyone who visits, lives here year-round, or visits for a summer vacation.
One of the most popular Maine destinations, Goose Rocks Lighthouse, was built in 1890.
- Maine State Museum
It is the official museum of the Maine government and is situated in Augusta at 230 State Street, next to the Maine State House.
Explore Maine’s long history of mining precious stones by visiting Maine Gems, which features amazing tourmaline, rose quartz, and amethyst specimens. You should stop by the Cabinet of Curiosities later in your trip to see well-preserved specimens from the 1830s.
The museum is also home to several transient exhibits that chronicle the history of the individuals, communities, cultures, and ideas that have shaped the state of Maine.
- Casco Bay
Fourteen coastal municipalities comprise Casco Bay, including two of Maine’s biggest cities, South Portland and Portland, and two of the state’s newest towns, Long Island and Chebeague Island.
The Fore, Presumpscot, Harraseeket, Royal, and Cousins rivers flow straight into Casco Bay. It is not part of the Casco Bay watershed; some of the Kennebec River’s flow enters the eastern portion of the bay.
Casco Bay is a bustling waterfront that serves as a port for cruise ships, oil tankers, and cargo ships, as well as picturesque islands, old forts, enduring lighthouses, and quiet anchorages.
- Art Galleries
Exploring the art galleries must be on your list of things to do in Maine. Some of the popular art galleries of Maine are Kefauver Studio & Gallery, The Rock & Art Shop, Ogunquit Museum of American Art, Richard Boyd Art Gallery, and many more.
- Peaks Island
Casco Bay, Maine, is the island with the highest population. About three miles from the city center, it is a part of Portland. There is a police station, library, and elementary school on the island. Due to its size, it is the only island in Casco Bay that permits cars on the entire island.
At the Island Lobster Company, Cockeyed Gull, or Inn on Peaks, you may relax while enjoying lunch with a view of the ocean. Discover the hidden, lush green trails that lead inland to tiny houses with porches, the remains of concrete military bunkers, or the eerie remains of ancient Indian pathways that wound through luminous pine forests.
- Cape Neddick
Located in the town of York in Maine’s York County, it is a census-designated place (CDP). The CDP, as it is now defined, encompasses the entire geographical peninsula known as Cape Neddick and the entire unincorporated neighborhood of York Beach, which comprises two beaches on either side of Cape Neddick. Cape Neddick Harbor, Route 1, and York Harbor form the CDP’s northern, western, and southern boundaries.
The Cliff House Maine offers a gorgeous luxury spa, indoor and outdoor pools, and unique access to the tough course at the neighboring Cape Neddick Golf Club.
They also have fantastic seasonal options for coastal Maine activity, such as cross-country skiing, golfing, biking, hiking, river kayaking, fishing, and lobster excursions.
- Rockland Harbor
About 75 miles northeast of Portland, near Rockland, on Penobscot Bay, is Rockland Harbor. Geographically, Vinalhaven is 10 miles to the west, and Mount Desert Island is 45 miles to the southwest.
The ferry and freight service to the settlements of Criehaven, Matinicus, Vinalhaven, and North Haven on the Penobscot Bay Islands terminates in Rockland Harbor, a significant fishing, seafood processing, and boating hub.
From Penobscot Bay, one can approach the harbor from the east. The Owls Head Light House towers 90 feet above its namesake geographical landmark with a flashing white light and horn signal during fog or decreased visibility if you are coming at night or in those conditions.
- Main Street
Rockland’s historic Main Street is teeming with one-of-a-kind and quirky shops, including those selling gourmet foods, nautical decor, apparel and gift shops, art galleries, home goods, and children’s clothing. Shopping is a popular pastime for visitors and residents alike and a significant income source for Rockland.
It is the second-biggest island in the United States after Long Island, New York, and the largest island off the coast of Maine. Millions of tourists visit each year because Acadia National Park and the town of Bar Harbor are so well-known there.
Acadia National Park, renowned for its breathtaking seaside cliffs and several hiking trails bordered with wild blueberry bushes, occupies most of the island. The island contains about 18 mountains.
Spend at least one day wandering through Bar Harbor’s shops, picking up trinkets from Sailor and Hook, purchasing wood-carved figures from In The Woods, and sampling the ice creams created in-house at Mount Desert Ice Cream.
- Portland
Enjoy great regional cuisine with a Maine influence. Learn about the city’s culinary past. Meet regional chefs and learn about their origin stories. Try some legendary Maine craft beer and take some home.
Enjoy Portland, Maine’s scenery while sailing on a renowned schooner tall ship. See seals, lighthouses, and other coastal animals as you cruise Casco Bay’s rocky coastline.
On the tasting trip of three regional breweries in and around Portland, Maine, delve deeply into the local brewing culture. To suit your tastes, pick from a selection of interesting tour options. Walk through the cobblestone streets of the historic Old Port, downtown, and waterfront regions starting on Commercial Street.
Final Note
Maine has many fun things to offer. Discover why Maine is one of the country’s most stunning, intriguing, and enjoyable destinations. Begin making travel plans for Maine immediately and be ready for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, a ton of wonderful memories, and many must-see sights.
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