Acadia National Park

The rugged and beautiful stretch of coastline that is set aside as Acadia National Park also surrounds a large inland region of lakes, streams, and forests. It provides a playground for locals and visitors who enjoy the outdoors. The scenic Park Loop Road winds its way through the park past the main attractions and is the best way to tour the park by car. The handy Island Explorer buses also connect the various attractions, while cyclists and walkers can follow the network of unpaved carriage roads, part of the more than 100 miles of hiking trails for all levels of ability. These include trails to the summit of 1,530-foot Cadillac Mountain, the park’s highest point, from which there are views of the coast and islands.

Kennebunkport

The little coastal town of Kennebunkport, 12.5 miles south of Portland, is very popular in summer. Stately homes of former ship captains and owners, some of which have been carefully restored as bed-and-breakfasts, line its quiet streets, and you can learn about these on a self-guided walking tour, or at the Historical Society’s First Families Kennebunkport Museum, in an 1853 Greek Revival home. The small commercial area of restored dockside buildings around Dock Square is filled with galleries, boutiques, and restaurants. Parsons Way, a scenic path, begins from the square and leads along the shore to Walker’s Point.

Boothbay Harbor

Boothbay Harbor was once a shipping port, but today it is primarily a popular summer resort, especially with boat-owners. It has the largest boating harbor north of Boston, and along with private yachts, it is home port for working lobster boats and a variety of cruise vessels. From here, you can go deep-sea fishing, take river and ocean cruises, go whale watching or even join a local lobsterman hauling traps.

The downtown area is packed with waterfront seafood restaurants, antique shops, and a number of art galleries, reflecting the more than 200 artists and craftspeople who live and summer in the area. It has been a haven for the arts since the early 1800s, and along with studios and galleries, the little town has an Opera House and Carousel Music Theater, as well as a community band. You’ll also find the Maine State Aquarium and Boothbay Railway Village here.

Monhegan Island

Monhegan is a small island that lies 10 miles off the coast of Maine, and although it’s one of many inhabited coastal islands, it has achieved iconic status over the years. This is in large part due to its long history as an artists’ colony, coupled with the many tales of its hardy population and their lives on this storm-swept outpost. There are no cars or paved roads on the island, and its 75 year-round residents are mainly engaged in fishing and lobstering. During the summer, visitors can take day trips to the island from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, and Port Clyde, but will have only three or four hours ashore.

Old Orchard Beach

An unabashed old-fashioned beach resort, Old Orchard Beach revels in the somewhat tacky honky-tonk atmosphere of its pier and thrill rides at New England’s only remaining full-scale amusement park on a beach. So kick off your shoes, step back into mid-century summer fun, and indulge in a little nostalgia. Palace Playland has all the expected rides: a Ferris wheel right over the waves, a roller coaster, an old-fashioned carousel, bumper cars, and a dozen or so other kid-pleasers. Pier stands and street-side windows sell fries, soft ice cream, saltwater taffy, and fried dough.

Victoria Mansion, Portland

Victoria Mansion is an extraordinary Italian style villa built in the mid-19th century. The architecture and the interior details are exquisite, and it’s one of the most lavishly decorated mid-Victorian homes in the country, with painted walls and ceilings and ornately carved woodwork. Most of the furnishings are original, and along with the house itself, they provide a glimpse into how Portland’s wealthy lived during the pre-civil war era.

Cruising the Maine Coast

Don’t miss the chance to see the craggy, irregular Maine coast and its rock-bound islands from the water. Not only will you get a new perspective on the lighthouses and granite cliffs, but you’ll have a chance to be part of the busy harbor life of Maine’s seaport towns. The options are many. You can join a whale watching tour from Bar Harbor, go deep sea fishing from Eastport, take a Puffin Tour to Machias Seal Island from Jonesport or Stonington, join a lobster boat out of Portland to haul traps, or take a seal cruise from there to Eagle Island.

Old Fort Western

Old Fort Western is a wooden fort built in 1754 on the banks of the Kennebec River. It is the oldest of its kind in New England and the nation’s oldest stockaded fort. The National Historic Landmark, which includes the fort along with a store and house, has been well restored, with exhibits and information on the fort and the history of the area during the mid-18th century.

Nubble Lighthouse (Cape Neddick Light)

Perhaps New England’s most photographed lighthouse, and certainly one of the easiest to get to, Nubble Light poses on its own islet just off the rocky point of Cape Neddick. Especially on a rising tide, the surf usually obliges photographers with a few waves breaking into froth against the rocks. The point bounds one end of Long Sands, the largest of two popular beaches in York.