Must-see attractions in Midcoast Maine

There's a palpable mix of reflective nostalgia and horizon-scanning adventure at this wonderful museum, which preserves the Kennebec's long shipbuilding…

These magnificent gardens are one of the state's most popular attractions. The verdant waterfront kingdom has 270 acres, with groomed trails winding…

Tackle the rugged stone breakwater that stretches almost 1 mile into Rockland Harbor from Jameson Point at the harbor's northern shore. Made of granite…

One of the country's best small regional museums, the Farnsworth houses a collection spanning 200 years of American art. Artists who have lived or worked…

This forested nature reserve is pretty compact, but within its confines there are 2.5 miles of trails and some 3600ft of shoreline. This waterfront is…

With more than 30 miles of trails, this densely forested park is a choice place to take in the midcoast's magic. A favorite hike is the 45-minute (half…

The superb Penobscot Marine Museum houses Maine’s biggest collection of mariner art and artifacts, which is spread through a number of historic buildings…

This excellent, year-round farmers market features lots of prepared foods and a ton of craftspeople, artisans, artists and entertainment. It's basically a…

Some 500 acres of land, once managed as a tree farm, now constitute a lovely slice of preserved red pine woods and breezy riparian shorescapes. Four easy…

Bowdoin, established in 1794, is one of the oldest colleges in the US and the alma mater of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne and US…

This 6-mile-long sandy stretch is one of the prettiest in the state, with views of offshore islands and the Kennebec and Morse Rivers framing either end…

The CMCA's fabulous home is a clever, glass-enclosed space with a sawtooth roofline, designed by Toshiko Mori. The digs are perfect for featuring…

Perched dramatically on top of the rocks in Pemaquid Lighthouse Park is the 11,000-candlepower Pemaquid Point Light, built in 1827, which was featured on…

The highlights of this forested park include the rocky promontory of Griffith Head, and the long, windswept stretch of Mile and Half Mile Beaches – rare…

Squeezed between the Sheepscot and Sasanoa Rivers, about 13 miles south of Wiscasset, this preserve contains in its compact dimensions no less than six…

This gorgeous example of stately redbrick New England architecture is on the National Register of Historic Places. A library has occupied this building…

If you or your kids are into history, make sure to pop by this state park, where experts have rebuilt the Fort William Henry (c 1692), and an on-site…

This small but fascinating campus museum holds memorabilia from the expeditions of Robert Peary and Donald MacMillan, Bowdoin alumni who were among the…

Set in a 19th-century building with a dramatic glass entrance pavilion, this campus art museum is small but impressive. The 20,000-piece collection is…

You can (and should) explore Sears Island on foot. This uninhabited, 940-acre conservation area is connected by causeway to the mainland north of…