Boats in Northeast Harbor, on Mount Desert Island, Maine. Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
When you've got 3500 miles (5632km) of sand and granite shoreline, studded with fishing villages, forts, lighthouses, lobster shacks, islands and the state's crown jewel, Acadia National Park, flaunting seems a prerequisite. But Maine is no peacock. Instead, the state's stunning natural beauty hooks you, quietly and surely with salt-of-the-earth energy and unmissable views, no matter if you're at the coast, on a lake or in the mountains.
The state's wealth of outdoor activities means it has forested mountains for hiking, biking, alpine skiing and riding; clear lakes for boating and swimming; rivers and streams for rafting and fishing; open stretches of highway for unforgettable road trips; and restaurants matched only in cities like London, San Francisco and New York City.
1. Dine out in Portland
From its juicy mussels to whoopie pies, you could spend months eating your way around Maine. But for the best grub in a single place, head to Portland. Despite a population of fewer than 70,000, the city ranks as one of America’s best foodie cities.
With farms edging its boundaries and the ocean lapping its shores, it’s no wonder Portland earns raves from culinary heavyweights and produces so many award-winning chefs. Sample food delicacies on a Maine Day Ventures culinary walking tour or get the lowdown on Greater Portland’s impressive beer scene on a Maine Brews Cruise walking or bus tour. Grab an easy, quick breakfast at beloved Becky's Diner (where if you go early enough you'll catch lobsterman on the way to work). Have lunch at Duckfat and then, later, stalk a dinner reservation at splurge-worthy Fore Street and Scales.
Local tip: For a deeper beer dive, take one of the 1½-hour immersive tasting experiences at Allagash Brewing Company, which earned a James Beard Award of Excellence for its Belgian-inspired brews.
2. Raft the Kennebec River
Maine’s Kennebec River tumbles 12 miles (19km) from the Harris Station dam to The Forks, where it flows into the Dead River. In each raft, a Registered Maine Whitewater Guide steers as you paddle through the Kennebec Gorge’s whitewater roller-coaster. After a riverside lunch, you might float in Class II ripples. Maine’s oldest rafting company, Northern Outdoors, pioneers trips from its Kennebec River base providing lodging, dining and a brewery.
Detour: Hike to Moxie Falls, one of New England’s tallest waterfalls. A gentle trail threads through woodlands and connects to a series of boardwalks. Observation platforms overlook several pools and drops, including a spectacular plunge of almost 90ft (27m).
3. Trek lodge to lodge
Maine is laced with scores of amazing hikes, including its 100-mile (160km) wilderness, considered by many as one of the toughest sections of the Appalachian Trail. Ease into it at four, off-the-grid, rustic waterside lodges with guest cabins, each a day’s hike, ski or snowshoe apart.
The Appalachian Mountain Club manages three: Medawisla, Little Lyford and Gorman Chairback (the most fancy). The fourth, West Branch Pond Camps, is privately owned. All provide meals and hot showers. Come for the quiet, wildlife watching, swimming, paddling, fishing and the best stargazing in the AMC Maine Woods International Dark Sky Park.
4. Sail aboard a Maine windjammer
The best way to explore the Maine coast is aboard a sailboat. For a unique experience, book a multi-day sail aboard a Maine windjammer on Penobscot Bay, considered among the world’s best sailing waters. Wind and tide set the course, while weather frames the day. You might anchor off an undeveloped island for a beach lobster bake or in a fishing harbor, where you can explore the village. Expect a glamping cabin and three all-you-can-eat meals daily, including a lobster feast.
Local tip: Built on the site of a former shipyard, Rockland’s Sail Power & Steam Museum exhibits marine and local industrial-related artifacts, photos and models. If Capt. Jim Sharpe is onsite, ask him for a tour. He’s a wonderful storyteller and a classic old salt.
5. Discover Maine’s Indigenous history
Eons before tourists came to Mount Desert Island for Acadia National Park – Maine’s best state park – the area's Indigenous People gathered here each summer. Maine’s Wabanaki, comprising the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Nations, trace their history here back 12,000 years.
Collectively known as People of the Dawn, this tribal confederation shares its history and heritage in the Abbe Museum, Maine’s only Smithsonian affiliate, in downtown Bar Harbor. But don’t miss the original trailside museum at Sieur du Monts Springs in Acadia.
Local tip: While in Bar Harbor, tour the La Rochelle Mansion and History Museum, situated in a harborfront mansion that survived the Great Fire of 1947. Here, you’ll learn about the glitz and glamour of Bar Harbor’s gilded era, everyday island life, the fire and noteworthy individuals.
6. Catch a lobster at Casco Bay
Board a working lobster boat, don oilskins and help bait, set and haul lobster traps: It might be the most Maine thing you can do. And you actually can do it with Capt. Tom Martin’s Lucky Catch Lobster Tours. You’ll learn all about the tasty crustacean and likely see islands, lighthouses, forts, seals, sailboats, ferries and other vessels cruising Casco Bay. Usually, about 10 traps are hauled on the 80- to 90-minute trip, and passengers are invited to help. When the excursion ends, buy any lobsters caught at boat price and get them cooked nearby for a reasonable fee.
Local tip: If you prefer a lobster roll or a full lobster dinner, choose from two excellent options within walking distance: order at a small counter inside and grab a picnic table on the deck at Portland Lobster Company or go for the hometown outpost of Maine-based Luke’s Lobster.
7. Tour Stephen King’s Derry
Fans of creepy books and movies will thrill to discover where horror maven Stephen King gets his inspiration on a 2½- to 3-hour van tour of Bangor, a.k.a. Derry, Maine, with SK Tours of Maine. Among the highlights are filming locations, King’s house and sites that inspired scenes and characters. The guides bring King to life through stories, anecdotes and fun facts. You’ll also learn about Bangor and gain local recommendations. This tour’s so good that it even wins over non-fans.
8. Museum hop along the Maine Art Museum Trail
Visiting each of the nine museums on the Maine Art Museum Trail provides access to regional and world-class works, European and American Masters, and fine craft. In addition to sharing art, the museum locations provide snapshots of Maine. One museum occupies an island lighthouse complex, another is on a bridge-and-causeway-connected island, three are on college campuses, three are in downtowns and one commands an oceanfront cliff.
Planning tip: Pair visiting the Portland Museum of Art with touring Winslow Homer’s studio, a National Historic Landmark. The museum spent six years restoring the American Master’s oceanfront studio, where he painted some of his greatest works, to how it appeared in 1910. The only way to visit is with a museum guide on a small-group Winslow Homer Studio Tour.
9. Attain enlightenment at Maine's lighthouses
Maine’s 64 lighthouses salt the coastline from Kittery to Calais. But the best concentrations of easily accessed lighthouses is in the Greater Portland and Rockland areas. Portland Breakwater Lighthouse and Spring Point Ledge Light offer eye-candy views over Portland and Casco Bay. From Portland Head Light, commissioned by George Washington and first lit in 1791, you can look out to sea to view Ram Island Light.
If you’re surefooted and the weather’s fine, walk the nearly one-mile granite breakwater to Rockland Breakwater Light, which guards the entrance to Rockland’s harbor. Owls Head Light, home to the Keeper’s House Interpretive Center & Gift Shop, winks from across the harbor. Drive down the St George Peninsula to tour the Marshall Point Lighthouse and Museum.
Local tip: The Maine Lighthouse Museum is another reason why Rockland ranks as one of the best places to see lighthouses in Maine. The downtown museum houses the nation’s most extensive collection of Fresnel lenses and fascinating lighthouse-related artifacts.
10. Visit the Maine Maritime Museum
There's a palpable mix of reflective nostalgia and horizon-scanning adventure at this wonderful museum, which preserves the Kennebec's long shipbuilding tradition with paintings, models and hands-on exhibits that tell the tale of 400 years of seafaring. The on-site 19th-century Percy & Small Shipyard, preserved by the museum, is a working wooden-boat shipyard, and there's no shortage of enthusiasts on hand to answer questions on such craft.
11. See the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
These magnificent gardens are one of the state's most popular attractions. The verdant waterfront kingdom has 270 acres, with groomed trails winding through forest, meadows and ornamental gardens blooming with both native and exotic plant species. The storybook-themed children's garden offers interactive fun, and visitors with kids in tow shouldn't miss the daily story time, puppet theater or chicken-feeding (daily from mid-June to early September).
12. Catch some history and harbor views at Fort Williams Park
Four miles southeast of Portland on Cape Elizabeth, 90-acre Fort Williams Park is worth visiting simply for the panoramas and picnic possibilities. Stroll around the ruins of the fort, a late-19th-century artillery base, checking out the WWII bunkers and gun emplacements that still dot the rolling lawns (a German U-boat was spotted in Casco Bay in 1942). The fort actively guarded the entrance to Casco Bay until 1964. A favorite feature of the park is the Portland Head Light.
Local tip: If you're up for the challenge, plan your trip for August, and a few months before in March, enter the lottery to run the Beach to Beacon, an incredibly scenic and spirited 10k (6.2 mile) race along the coastline from Crescent Beach State Park to Fort Williams Park. The route passes classic Maine cottages and beautiful seaside homes, with breathtaking glimpses of the coastline. Residents set up chairs along the route, with some playing live music while sipping their morning cups. One house closer to the finish famously serves strips of bacon to runners as they pass (Beach to Bacon, get it?).
13. Plan a beach day at Popham Beach State Park
This 6-mile-long (9km) sandy stretch is one of the prettiest in the state, with views of offshore islands and the Kennebec and Morse Rivers framing either end. Lifeguards are on hand in July and August, but be aware that the surf is strong, with undertows and riptides. It's located off ME 209, about 14 miles (22km) south of Bath.
14. Soak in all of Acadia National Park
Entering Acadia National Park can almost feel otherwordly. Maine is gorgeous as it stands, but Acadia offers something special and extra to the Maine travel experience. You could easily spend days exploring all the park has to offer, from hiking and swimming, to biking and kayaking. Some unmissable highlights include Sand Beach, with its jewel-bright water enclosed by rugged granite cliffs; the walking trails and adorable cafe lining the placid Jordan Pond; and sunrise or sunset picnics on Cadillac Mountain. A few of the hiking trails in the park are also memorable (and challenging), too, not least of which are Bubble Rock, Beehive and Precipice.