Many Maine guides, travelogues, and articles list the best-known places or the author’s personal preferences. The truth is that everyone has their own Maine.
Maine boat’s crisp ocean air mixed with pine calls of loons in the distance above a quiet lake or a thrill of drifting down the Kennebec snowmobiling on frozen water or the tender kiss of summer sun — all are different captures of Maine.
This is not an exhaustive list of the best places in Maine but merely my personal favorites. Rather, think of this as a list of recommendations for fun times in the Pine Tree State.
Having grown up in Maine and still returning often, I have included both favorite attractions as well as those that are a little off the beaten path. A mix of personal favorites and some recommended by my fellow Mainahs, this list will help you navigate the various topographies of the state.
Some of these places and the tastes of Maine you’ll recognize from past visits, but I hope there are new surprises, too. See the map at the end of this post for a more visual overview.
25 Magical Things to Do in Maine
1. Recharge At The Top Of Tumbledown Mountain
In western Maine, Tumbledown Mountain offers more than just scenic hiking. It is topped by an alpine pond, perfect for a cool dip on the hot summer trail.
Fair point, as this patch is so popular that even in Moonie winter, arriving at off-peak times offers a better chance of having the area to yourself. As with any natural area, please remember to follow Leave No Trace guidelines (if you pack it in, pack it out – meaning no camping no fires, stick to the roads/trails) and do not disturb protected species.
2. Acadia National Park: Paddle the Islets by Sea Kayak
Merchant Row is a cluster of more than 50 islands, known for its decent legacy of slashed rocks that started being utilized in the late 1800s and mid-1900s. Today, 2/3 of these islands have some form of protected status.
With such a large range of islands, this is a sea kayaker’s heaven. Savvy kayakers can set off from various public launch sites around the island for a bracing island-to-island odyssey. Learn to kayak l If you’re ready to try out kayaking, several local outfitters offer guided tours.
Though I have yet to kayak in it, those experiences aboard a Stonington mail boat and a Stonington lobster boat have taught me some of what I so love about Maine’s coastline, adding to my normal emphasis on interior Maine.
3. Head to the Highest Heights in Maine
The greatest elevation in the Maine mountains would hardly get a second lookout in the Rocky’s celebration of mountainous terrains in their state. Climb to the top of a fire tower, tackle the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit challenge, summit 4,000-foot peaks in the Maine High Peaks region or meander a rare mature forest at Borestone Mountain.
Also, conquered Mount Katahdin, the tallest Maine summit. Being the terminus of the Appalachian Trail, it’s also a special place to see thru-hikers who have just finished their epic 2,000-mile trek in the unlikely event that your visit overlaps with their arrival.
4. Visit Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, is the largest of its kind in New England. Located in Boothbay, MA, this sprawling 300-acre locale combines stunning gardens with broad natural expanses.
With attractions such as a butterfly house, a native bee exhibit, and dahlias and sensory gardens, visitors can easily spend hours, or even an entire day, immersing themselves. It also features unique art installations and miles of forest walking trails, providing a rich and immersive environment. But there is also a whimsical area for children, with a fairy house village and a garden based on Maine children’s literature. Kids will be in awe of colorful blooms, chicken habitat in full swing, and seasonal entertainment, such as the winter light show. This is still one of my mother’s favorite places to visit, especially when the flowers are in full bloom during the summer, and also when it is decorated for the holidays in the winter.
5. A Lobsterman Tells His Stories
I only met one lobsterman myself, but he even looked exactly like what a lobsterman is supposed to look like: big beard, salty hair, big seafaring stories.
Getting a little off the beaten path you may run into some Maine locals engaged in a traditional occupation such as lobster fishermen. For those who might not get quite so lucky running into a lobsterman lobserwoman (quil-beul!), several coastal towns including tours of lobster boats such as Lulu Lobster Boat and Lucky Catch Cruises, where you can hear stories firsthand of the many tales and tails of those who make a living off the lobstering craft.
6. Go whale watching in Maine
With over 3,500 miles of coastline, Maine makes front-lines to the lives of an array of whale species that feed, rest, hide, and live in local waters, including humpback, finback, and minke whales, like the one above. Therefore, whale watching is one of the best activities you may enjoy in Maine during the summer.
7. Explore Abandoned Trains in the North Maine Woods
Follow the Barron and see the Trees down as you ride through the Tree Farms the trains from the 1920s that shot through, left behind in the deepwood. For those who are in the area, these are fun diversions and a little peep into history.
8. Set Sail on a Windjammer Cruise in Maine
A journey off the coast: To witness the natural awe of the Maine shore, you must make your way out onto the water. It happens to have the largest collection of historic sailing vessels in North America. Depending on your location on the Midcoast Maine, a multi-day cruise will put you up close to wildlife, beautiful views, and great meals. Find out more about what a sailing on a windjammer cruise is like.
9. Catch a Live Show on the Bangor Waterfront This Summer
Some of those costs are offset by the variety of acts that play at the Bangor Waterfront, which have included everyone from Pentatonix and Train to several country stars. This concert space is a major draw in a state that too frequently misses out on big-name tours, even if larger cities might take such venues for granted.
10. Dig for Clams
Hike through the mud, and tidepools, then into the apartment of low tide to dig your dinner. It may seem simple, but there is more to it like securing a permit from the Town Hall and ensuring your hands are clean. Clamming is a fun activity in Maine, whether or not you are with kids.
11. Take in Wabanaki Culture and History
The land which now comprises the state of Maine was the ancestral home of four Indigenous groups together known as Wabanaki people, or “People of the Dawnland”. The Eastern Abenaki lived in large parts of Maine along the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers – waterways that were some of the most important travel routes for these people.
Experience the history and historic culture of the Wabanaki through the immersion of a Way of the Wabanaki canoe trip. Led by Penobscot First Nation guides working with Mahoosuc Guide Service, you will learn about medicinal plants, Penobscot place names, basket making, and more.
12. Watch Atlantic Puffins
MaineMany islands off the coast of Maine have colonies of puffins. You can take a small tour to see these lovely little birds. Of course, I have yet to try this myself, but I would assume the best place to start might be with companies that have partnered with the Audubon Seabird Institute.
13. Ice caves ice hiking summer cool off
If there were ever air conditioning machines in nature, the ice caves around Mount Katahdin in the Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area may just be them, as the caves are cool enough inside to be frozen year-round. These rocks were the perfect place to hang meat and pelts because they were cold year-round. Native Americans utilized these caves to keep meat and pelts cold throughout history.
14. See Seals in Cobscook Bay State Park
Located off the beaten path, Cobscook Bay State Park is one of the unsung treasures of Maine. It’s been decades since I set up a tent there as a child, but I remember clear as day the fun of watching seals play in the water right from our campground. Any wildlife lover will be able to tell the difference between this remote park and almost any other park on earth.
15. Capture the Beauty of Lupines
Nothing says the beginning of summer like wildflowers By mid-June, before the onslaught of Queen Anne’s Lace, Maine has a heart-stopping bloom of pink and purple lupines in full spin–one of my favorite things. They are also excellent for photographers since these brightly colored wildflowers create a beautiful photography opportunity.
16. Discover the Hut-to-Hut Trail System with Maine Huts & Trails
Maine Huts & Trails is a change from when I was a child; it provides an 80-mile trail system in the western Maine mountains. It’s part of over 1,500 miles of trail offered over New England, from the local Huts in Western Maine, which are great for doing some tree time in places otherwise isolated from the world, in a way that appreciates and respects the natural resources of the western mountains, forests, and waters of Maine, and that supports the local economy of the region. Sustainable sustainability: The quality of life that ensures both environmental interest and economic interest – a not-so-common position in one least interesting regions of the planet.
Presently, the huts are open for group rentals and the trails are public for biking, hiking, fly fishing, and paddling. Check out the MHT website for the most up-to-the-minute updates.
17. Rapids in Maine: How to Beat the White Water
The thrill-seeking angler can head inland for whitewater rafting on the Kennebec, Penobscot, or Dead River. Even those who are not at all adventurous (and children) can enjoy some of the sections. One of my most cherished childhood memories is rafting the Kennebec and this is represented amongst my recommendations for things to do in Maine.
Northern Outdoors is a great choice for trips on all three rivers and is where my father himself did his guide training!
18. Bike the Carriage Roads in Acadia National Park
Completed by Rockefeller in 1913-1940, this 45-mile network of roads allowed for cars free access to Mount Desert Island. Today, these routes are maintained by the National Park Service and are a peaceful way to experience the vista without having to worry about the implications of vehicular traffic. Note: Roads are 16 feet wide and shared with walkers, cyclists, and horse-drawn carriages so be aware and courteous when it comes to right of way.
End your carriage road venture with a treat at Jordan Pond House, famous for its popovers, or enjoy a pleasant lunch on the lawn.
19. Live the Easy Lake Summer Life
More times when we go to a lakeside cabin, often called “upta camp,” because Maine summers are not complete without a visit to one. Days on end of simple pleasures: skimming rocks, jumping off the dock, loons calling through the nighttime air, the sound of muffled screen doors banging shut. That takes in a lot of great summer memories for the family, and with about 6,000 lakes and ponds in Maine, there are plenty of cabins to rent to enjoy them.
20. Enjoy a Summer Art Walk
In many communities around Maine, from Portland to Presque Isle and Bangor to Bar Harbor, the downtowns come alive with art walks in the warmer months. This is a great chance to see local art, meet the artists, and enjoy the buzz of activity which becomes alive in summer in activities.
21. Enjoy Apple Picking
Pick Apples – Just Get to Maine There are over 100 varieties of apples grown here, a perfect fall bucket list in a state dotted with apple trees like it is with crimson leaves. At the orchards, enjoy some fresh apple cider, hot and spiced or refreshing and cold — nothing like it in autumn!
At or near the top of my must-visit list are Treworgy Family Orchards near Bangor. Now, I may be a bit biased, seeing as I worked their very first job at their dairy bar when it first opened in the early 2000s, but their farm has only gotten better as the years have gone by. Come fall, you can also take a hayride to experience their breathtaking corn maze, providing you with a full day of family fun!
22. Noshing Past Blueberry Barrens in the Autumn
Autumn in New England: Route 1, Maine Instead of leaf peeping, drive past the fields of flaming low bush blueberries in Downeast Maine. The Cherryfield area and blue Hill peninsula and Deer isle are great places to see the fiery fields of blueberries.
23. Take in the Colors of Our Fall Foliage from the Air
Experience the impetus of splendid sights of autumn leaves throughout Maine at different peaks and summits. The Height of Land Overlook, Attean Overlook on Route 201, Caterpillar Hill near Deer Isle, the Penobscot Narrows Observatory Bridge, and Mount Kineo, where you can hike to the fire tower, and all of these viewing areas, offer absolutely stunning views of the autumn scenery.
24. Cross-Country Skiing into the Pine Forests
Are you in search of Winter Adventure Under Your Own Power? You can also ski more than 90 miles of groomed trails that start from the Appalachian Mountain Club wilderness lodges. You have the benefit of admiring the quiet snowy scenery while being in motion, and coming back to a blazing fireplace, and therein lies the charm. A winter cabin in a forest has an extra warmth and coziness to it that is really special.
25. Give Ice Fishing a Go
With the hard freeze that seizes up Maine’s thousands of lakes and ponds in the dead of winter comes abundant ice fishing prospects. If you’ve never tried ice fishing, book a trip with a registered Maine guide to one of the state’s remotest lakes and let the expert outfit you with everything you need and show you how it’s done.
26. Ride a Toboggan Down A Snowy Hill
Age doesn’t matter, it’s just something about getting on a sled and running down the snowy hill. (Well…that and maybe some Tylenol if you are over 25!)
27. Quiet Stillness in winter snowshoeing through the forest
Winters can be cold in Maine, but the solitude in the beauty of the outdoors is worth it. The trees creak, the snow crunches underfoot, and all you have to focus on as you snowshoe from hub to hub is the sound of your snowshoes and the wind brushing the trees in the Carrabassett Valley with Maine Huts & Trails.
28. Snowmobiling across Maine
Have you ever wondered why that overly excited Mainer with the dialect so thick you can hardly understand a word they say is so pumped about “sledding”? It’s really about snowmobiling.
Winter in Maine and 14,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails make for one very popular pastime. These were the trails I grew up buzzing on many winter days.
Renting snowmobiles (or booking multi-day guided trips) is easy for those looking to experience South Greenland in winter. If you would prefer to experience snowmobilig in rockier climates, they tend to be located towards the western or northern part of the state.
