Midcoast Maine
Just outside Freeport, this park has 5 miles of easy hiking trails, including a scenic shoreline walk that skirts Casco Bay. To reach the park, take Bow…
Must-see attractions in Maine
Portland
The revered American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) grew up in this Federal-style house, built in 1785 by his Revolutionary War–hero…
Portland
Built in 1807 atop Munjoy Hill, this seven-story brick tower was originally used to alert shipowners when their ships were heading for home. Now restored,…
Inland Maine
Built in 1832 and enlarged in 1909, this stately, granite-domed edifice was designed by Charles Bulfinch (the Boston architect behind the nation’s Capitol…
St Croix Island International Historic Site
Down East
The site of one of the first European settlements in the New World is visible from this historic park, 8 miles southeast of Calais. In 1604, a company of…
Down East
Around 10 miles off the coast, the barren rocks of Machias Seal Island are home to a colony of so-awkward-they're-cute Atlantic puffins, plus plenty more…
Inland Maine
Just across the river from Augusta's main drag (Water St) stands this 1754 landmark, America's oldest wooden fort. It was built by a Boston-based outfit…
Midcoast Maine
If birds are your bag, visit this interesting little nonprofit center, where you can learn about the National Audubon Society's success in bringing…
Inland Maine
The settlement of Poland Spring is famous for its mineral water, which is now sold throughout the USA. From the mid-19th century, Poland Spring was a…
Mount Desert Island
This downtown museum contains a fascinating collection of cultural artifacts related to Maine's Native American heritage – particularly the Wabanaki…
Inland Maine
Built with Maine granite and hardwoods, this architecturally striking building houses a collection of photos, artwork and other memorabilia relating to…
Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site
Midcoast Maine
Hidden deep in a dark forest are the piled remains of this former shell midden (refuse pile), an important record of the area's pre-Colonial past…
Midcoast Maine
Geography boffins shouldn't miss a visit to the Garmin company – its lofty office atrium is home to a giant rotating globe named Eartha. Eartha has a…
Midcoast Maine
If you're in need of a dip and the waters of Boothbay Harbor feel a little too frigid, head to this swimming hole, where the water is…well, also cold, but…
Down East
Jasper Beach is a bizarre, mile-long beach consisting entirely of polished, red-hued jasper stones. As the waves wash in, the rocks slide against one…
Midcoast Maine
This rawboned Maine farmhouse was made iconic when Andrew Wyeth painted it as the backdrop of his most famous painting, Christina's World. Wyeth viewed…
Abbe Museum at Sieur de Monts Spring
Acadia National Park
This summertime offshoot of the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor is located at the Sieur de Monts Spring area inside Acadia National Park. This was the original…
Southern Maine Coast
The Palace Playland, a vintage beachfront amusement park, is the fitting symbol of Old Orchard Beach – tacky and fun in equal measure. Its arcade games,…
Inland Maine
The mega-best-selling author of horror novels like Carrie and The Shining resides in an appropriately Gothic red Victorian house on West Broadway (not to…
Edmund S Muskie Visitor Centre
Down East
A good introduction to Campobello Island's Roosevelt attractions is this visitor center, which has exhibitions on FDR and a small auditorium that screens…
Down East
Overlooking the leafy town common, the Castine Historical Society hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year, often with thought-provoking themes. A…
Great Cranberry Island Historical Society
Mount Desert Island
Less than half a mile up the road from the town dock, the Historical Society runs a small but intriguing museum with changing exhibitions covering island…
Midcoast Maine
There are so many wonderful, privately run nature preserves in this part of Maine you could blink and miss them. Such is the case at Griggs Preserve, run…
First Families Kennebunkport Museum
Southern Maine Coast
This place goes by various names (including 'White Columns,' the name of the stately 1850s home at this address), but most people know it as the 'Bush…
Southern Maine Coast
The drive to Fort Foster Park twists past blooming flowers, Victorian homes and tantalizing ocean glimpses. The seaside park is a nice place to walk some…
Midcoast Maine
This bridge was once threatened with destruction after a larger span carrying US 1 car traffic was built nearby, but dedicated preservationists raised a…
Midcoast Maine
William Tuttle came to Freeport in 1797 to farm potatoes, but his deadly combination of clear-cutting and overgrazing caused enough erosion to expose the…
Inland Maine
For a primer on Bangor's fascinating history, stop by this Greek Revival house two blocks northwest of Main St. Staff offer guided tours of the 1836 home,…
Western Maine
The photogenic Bob Dunning Memorial Bridge was built by district craftsmen in 2007 to honor a local conservationist. It marks the northern entrance to…
Midcoast Maine
Belfast's Farmers Market features an avalanche of produce, fresh cheeses, seafood and other goodies. Compared to the United Farmers Market of Maine, this…
Fort Edgecomb State Historic Site
Midcoast Maine
This octagonal fort was built around 1808–9 to 'protect' Wiscasset, then a major shipbuilding center and port. In many ways, the fort's guns were actually…
Southern Maine Coast
Beach Ave and Sea Rd (west of Kennebunk River and then south of the Lower Village) lead to three good public beaches: Middle Beach, Mother's Beach and our…
Southern Maine Coast
Most visitors to Kennebunkport want to check out Walker's Point, the summer compound of the Bush family. To view the estate, which sits on a small…
Midcoast Maine
OK, so it's not really a castle. Still, Wiscasset's grandest and best-situated mansion has a certain regal air about it. Judge Silas Lee had the Federal…
Midcoast Maine
This mansion was built by Captain William Nickels, and is a great example of how maritime voyaging shaped Wiscasset. It's also a gorgeous example of…
Midcoast Maine
Fishing paraphernalia and photos, as well as a nautical chart of the entire Maine coast with all the lighthouses marked, are on display in the Pemaquid…
Midcoast Maine
Ride the narrow-gauge steam train through this endearing village, a historic replica of an old-fashioned New England town. The 28 buildings house more…
Portland
The sand is kind of rocky, and the water is cold enough to chill a bottle of champagne, but we still love this little beach – Portland's only public sand …
Southern Maine Coast
This gallery occupies a lovely bend of the York River and is passionately curated, showing off a small but impressive collection of regional contemporary…
Midcoast Maine
Skolfield-Whittier House, a 17-room brick mansion adjacent to the Pejepscot Museum, is a virtual time capsule: it was closed off from 1925 to 1982…
