Travel guide for planning a vacation or trip to Maine, including top tourist attractions, sightseeing ideas, hiking spots, skiing slopes and more.
Maine is a wonderful place to visit for most of the year, but it's such a big state it can be hard to figure out what to do and where to go once you get there. The state is roughly divided into seven regions, and each one has many things to offer, enough that you could plan a full vacation to each region and never be bored.
South Coast Region
Most people approach Maine by car (it's an easy drive from Boston to the southern part of the state) and if this is the way you travel to the state you will arrive first in the south coast region. This area is home to the fabulous outlet-shopping town of Freeport, which is also home of L.L. Bean. But this is not your typical outlet town (if that's what you want, stop in Kittery). It's adorable, with these great shops stuffed into Main Street-style storefronts (even the McDonald's is in an old house) perfect for a day of strolling, browsing and buying. Shop around holidays for even bigger savings at outlets from the North Face to the Gap.
While you're in the southern coast region, you'll want to stop in Kennebunkport, home of the Bush summer home. This lovely seaside town (and its neighbor, Kennebunk) is friendly and built for wandering. Or take a trolley tour of the area to see the Bush compound and other city sites. The beaches here are gorgeous but there's no parking near them for visitors.
Of course there are many other beaches in this area, including in Ogunquit, the Yorks, Wells, Old Orchard Beach and Cape Elizabeth, known for the famous black and white Portland Head Lighthouse.
Speaking of Portland, the largest city in Maine (at around 62,000 inhabitants) is also found in this region. In true Maine spirit, Portland combines city amenities (museums, fancy hotels and great restaurants) with the small-town charm present throughout the state. The city also boasts a wonderful indoor farmer's market, where you can buy produce, wine, and gourmet food items as well as dine at one of several eateries. The town also has some lovely parks and a waterfront area. You'll also want to check out Back Cove, a tidal flatland within the city.
Midcoast Region
If you follow the coast north you will encounter the midcoast region, another section of the state known for its beaches and rugged coastline. Brunswick, home of Bowdoin College and the state's music theater in the summer, is the first town in this region, which begins about 20 miles north of Portland. The college boasts an art collection that includes works of Andrew Wyeth and Winslow Homer. Near Brunswick you will find Harpswell, a collection of peninsulas and islands.
Also in this region you will find Bath, home of the famous Bath Iron Works, supplier of the U.S. navy and Merchant Marines. Bath also has a maritime museum and a waterfront area featuring a park and shops. Boothbay Harbor offers a glimpse of a working seaport, and Camden is a great place to stop if you want to get out on the water. Belfast, another shipbuilding community, is also a charming artists' community.
Downeast and Acadia
Following the coast even farther north you will reach perhaps the most beautiful region of Maine, downeast and Acadia. The beautiful rocky coasts of this region are dotted with islands, some of which are open for exploring by boat or car.
Bangor is really the gateway to the downeast region, and it is the place to start if you're planning to travel farther north in the state (Bangor has an international airport). The city boasts a theater and the nation's oldest continually running orchestra. Nearby Ornon is home to the flagship college of the University of Maine system.
These cities are lovely, but the reason to go to the downeast region is to visit Bar Harbor and Acadia. Bar Harbor is the largest town on Mount Desert Island, the third-largest island on the U.S. east coast. This town is said to be in the foothills of Acadia, and it is definitely the place you will want to stay when touring Acadia National Park, the oldest national part east of the Mississippi. The park features 120 miles of paved trails, 17 mountains and more than 50 miles of crushed-stone carriage roads installed by the area's former owner, John D. Rockefeller. Cadillac Mountain is the first place the sun rises on the east coast of the United States. A car-friendly park loop road will help get you oriented, and don't forget to stop for lunch at Jordan Pond House, the only restaurant in Acadia and home of some of the best popovers you will ever eat.
Bar Harbor itself offers numerous seafood restaurants and accommodations from cozy bed and breakfasts to elegant hotels steps from the ocean. It can get a little crowded in the summer, so go off season or plan to stay in Southwest Harbor, known as "the quiet side of Acadia" and home to most of the harbor cruise and whale-watching operations.
The County
The extreme northern coastal area of Maine is known as the County, or Aroostook County, more specifically. This region is the largest county in Maine and is known for its potato farms as well as its easy access to Canada. A great place for hunters, fishers and snowmobile enthusiasts, this is truly a place to go to get away from it all.
Presque Isle is the commercial and industrial heart of the County, housing a campus of the University of Maine as well as a technical college. Nearby Aroostook State Park offers not-quite-middle-of-nowhere facilities for camping, swimming and hiking.
Van Buren offers a 16-building Acadian Historic Village, which highlights the French culture of the original European settlers of this area. For more on the Acadian way of life, check out Madawaska on the St. John River, where people still commonly speak French and an Acadian festival is held annually. For access to Canada and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway (a protected wildlife area) go to Ft. Kent.
Katahdin/Moosehead Region
Traveling south in the inland part of the state, you will find the Katahdin/Moosehead region, appropriately named for two astounding natural features you will want to visit in this area.
Mt. Katahdin is a towering mountain in the northern part of this region, best seen in Patten, which also is the northern access point to Baxter State Park, a 200,000 acre wild space that dominates this region (Millinocket is the southern gateway, much easier to drive to). Moosehead Lake, at more than 40 miles long and up to 10 miles wide, is the largest freshwater lake enclosed in one state in the Northeast. There are many natural activities available around the lake besides those particularly devoted to the water, such as skiing on Squaw Mountain, hiking and watching wildlife.
Kennebec Valley
Going south again we enter Kennebec Valley, a lovely area dominated by the Kennebec River and the Winthrop and Belgrade Lakes areas, where streams and rivers connect huge networks of lakes.
The state's capital, Augusta, is in this region, on the banks of the Kennebec, where tours of state buildings such as the governor's mansion, capital, library and state museum are available. The city is near several state parks and also is home to a lighthouse and a covered bridge (off Route 5 at Andover).
But the real attraction of this region is the lakes and river and all the activities that go along with them. The Winthrop Lakes area includes 20 connected lakes surrounding several small towns, while the Belgrade Lake system includes seven joined lakes. Shopping, history and nature are big draws in this area, which also is home to The Forks, a must-stop for whitewater rafters and only two miles away from Maine's highest waterfall, Moxie Falls.
Western Mountains
Finally in the southwest corner of the state is the Western Mountains region, dominated by Maine's portion of the White Mountains. Hiking will dominate most of your visit to this region, which also includes Sebago Lake, Maine's second largest. The White Mountain National Forest offers hiking, waterfalls and endless natural beauty.
Bethel is a great place from which to launch your visit of this region. Near Grafton Notch State Park, the city is home to skiing, restaurants and plenty of history (it was incorporated about 200 years ago). If you've ever wanted to ride a llama through the mountains of Maine, this is the place to do it.
The other main town in this region is Farmington, on the banks of the Sandy River. Home to many opportunities for skiers and snowmobilers, it is also the center of commerce for the region and is home to the area's branch of the University of Maine.
As you can see, there is plenty to do and see in the vast state of Maine. Pick a region, plan a trip, and you'll be sure to want to go back and visit the other regions you missed the first time around.
