Top Things to Do in Maine
Find the Perfect Thing to Do in Maine
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Funtown Splashtown USA
Saco, ME
Funtown Splashtown USA is Maine’s largest family- themed amusement and water park. The park is home to the Excalibur wooden roller coaster & Dragon’s Descent Turbo Drop; the largest & tallest rides in Northern New England.
774 Portland Road
SAco, ME 04072
Waterfront Hotel
The Hampton Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront Hotel is a great choice for travelers looking for a comfortable and convenient stay in Portland. The hotel features a variety of amenities, including a free hot breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and an indoor pool. Guests can also enjoy the hotel’s fitness center and business center. The hotel is located just steps from the waterfront and within walking distance of many popular attractions, including the Old Port and the Portland Museum of Art.
209 Fore Street
Portland, ME 04101
Discover the Top Things to Do in Maine
Maine is a beautiful state with many engaging attractions. Some of the top things to do include the islands of Penobscot Bay, Ogunquit, Pemaquid Point Light, Old Orchard Beach, Casco Bay, Rockland Breakwater, Portland Museum of Art, the seaside village of Camden, and shopping in Freeport. From stunning Acadia National Park to the charming Old Port of Portland, there’s something for everyone.
With so many things to do, we’ve conveniently categorized them into the most popular categories for your consideration. From these top options, we’re confident you’ll find the perfect thing to do.
Maine has many beaches and lakes. Old Orchard Beach is the most popular with seven miles of sand. Visitors can swim, surf, or build sandcastles. For a more comprehensive overview, visit our guide to Maine’s Beaches & Lakes.
Boat trips and cruises are a great way to see the Maine coast. Visitors can choose from lobster boat tours, scenic cruises, or sailing trips.
There are many places to visit in Maine, including Bar Harbor, Ogunquit, and Freeport. Acadia National Park is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
Maine has many festivals throughout the year. The Maine Lobster Festival is one of the most popular. Learn more about Maine’s top annual fairs and festivals in our Fairs & Festivals guide
Visitors can go saltwater fishing off the coast of Maine. Some people fish for stripers and cod, while others go after larger fish like tuna. For a more comprehensive list, visit our guide to popular Fishing Charters & Fishing Trips.
There are more than 150 golf courses in Maine. These include public and private courses, miniature golf courses, and driving ranges. Learn more about Maine’s top golf courses in our Golf Courses guide.
Maine has 68 lighthouses. Visitors can visit the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland to learn more about the history of lighthouses in Maine. For a deeper dive into Maine’s lighthouses, consult our Lighthouses Guide.
Maine has many museums and historical sites, including art museums, historical societies, and transportation museums. Learn more about these fascinationg cultural attractions in our Maine Museums & Historical Sites guide
Maine has 32 state parks and over 1900 hiking trails. Acadia National Park is a popular place to go hiking. For more outdoor activity suggestions, please refer to our Maine Parks & Trails Guide.
Maine has several amusement parks, water parks, and mini golf courses. There are also opportunities for water sports and watching sporting events. Here is our curated list of popular family attractions in Maine.
Visitors can shop for souvenirs, clothes, and other goods in Maine. There are many boutiques and antique shops. Here is our list of popular shopping spots in Maine.
Maine has many winter sports options, including downhill skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling. Sugarloaf is one of the most popular ski mountains in Maine. For a more comprehensive overview, visit our guide to Winter Recreation & Skiing.
Whether you’re looking for adventure like rafting on the Kennebec River to sailing aboard a windjammer or just simply exploring and sightseeing, Maine has it all. There are many outdoor activities, including hiking, boating, and fishing. Visitors can also enjoy amusement parks, historical sites, and shopping.
Browse though these popular options of the top things to do including an assortment of top-rated attractions and places to visit during your vacation stay.
TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN MAINE
Discover MAine
Top 10 Things to Do
Maine is a beautiful state with lots of things to do. From hiking in the mountains to kayaking on the coast, Maine offers the perfect activities for the ultimate family vacation. There are many cultural experiences to be had. You can enjoy Maine’s collective heritage in museums, historic sites and festivals statewide. There are also many outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, boating, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and more that you can enjoy while exploring Maine’s beautiful coast, mountains and lakes. Whether you’re looking for outdoor adventures or cultural experiences, Maine has it all. With so many choices, here is our recommended list of the Top 10 Things to Do in Maine.
MAINE BEACHES & LAKES
Top Attractions
Beaches & Lakes
Maine offers some of the most scenic and pristine beaches and lakes in Northern New England. There are over 60 beaches along the coast and over 3,400 lakes and hundreds of small ponds. Old Orchard Beach is the most popular beach with over 7 miles of powdery white sand that runs through 5 communities: Pine Point, Old Orchard, Ocean Park, Ferry Beach and ending at the mouth of the Saco River in Camp Ellis. Inland from Portland is Sebago Lake with popular Sebago Lake State Park with 1340+ acres including nature trails, a picinic area, and lakefront beach with changing rooms. Whether you are looking to just tan, surf the waves, kayak, build a sand-castle, or take a casual swim, Maine has plenty of beaches and lakes that will fit your needs.
MAINE BOAT TRIPS & CRUISES
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Boat Trips & Cruises
Maine and its coastal harbor towns offer a variety of attractive options for venturing out onto the water. Whether it’s an entertaining and informative boat tour or a relaxing sunset sailing cruise, a boating excursion is a laidback, stress-free and leisurely way to experience the scenic beauty of the Maine coast. You can enjoy a variety of options such as lobster boat tours, scenic boat tours, sailboat charters, sunset harbor cruises, full-day sailing cruises with picnic lunch and visits to the islands, and even week-long sailing trips on schooners. Here are some of the best boat tours and sailing charter trips in Maine.
MAINE DESTINATIONS & TRIPS
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Destinations & Trips
Maine is a beautiful state with many vacation spots and unique day trip destinations. Some of the best places to visit are Bar Harbor, Ogunquit, Freeport and York. Maine has a number of scenic vacation destinations, from classic fishing villages like Boothbay Harbor and quaint seaside towns like Kennebunkport and Camden, to the historic working city of Rockland or a vibrant New England city setting like Portland. Nature lovers will find Acadia National Park, Camden Hills State Park, the Sebago Lake region, and Maine’s many scenic state parks to be some of the best outdoor spots in New England. If you’re looking for some of the best beaches, the Southern Maine Coast offers miles of powdery sand for sunbathing and casual beachcombing.
MAINE FAIRS & FESTIVALS
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Fairs & Festivals
Maine offers an array of annual fun-filled festivals and fairs. Many of these festivals celebrate unique cultural events and local community endeavors. Some of the most popular annual festivals include the Maine Lobster Festival, Yarmouth Clam Festival, Fryeburg Fair, Camden Windjammer Festival, and the North Atlantic Blues Festival. With over 70 annual festivals and fairs, Maine serves as your central hub for exploring a myriad of quality cultural festivals and unique learning experiences. Here are some of the best annual festivals in Maine.
MAINE FISHING & FISHING TRIPS
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Fishing & Fishing Trips
Looking to go fishing? Maine sits on the Gulf of Maine which offers easy and quick access to great saltwater fishing along the Coast. Fishing boats cruise from local ports throughout Maine coastal towns and can steer you to some of the best offshore fishing grounds. Some captains use specialized power boats that troll tidal waters for stripers as well as cruise offshore. Others use bigger boats that head primarily into deeper water. There, you can try for smaller sport fish as well as hunt for the big game fish like Bluefish, Cod, Haddock, Sharks and Bluefin Tuna. There are lots of choices for fishing – from the hobbyist looking for a fun day on the lake to more serious anglers looking for a real sport fishing challenge.
MAINE GOLFING & GOLF COURSES
Top Attractions
Golf Courses
Looking to golf ? Golfers can find more than 150 golf courses in Maine. There are traditional championship golf courses, public and private country clubs, links golf courses, miniature golfing, resort courses and driving ranges plus practice greens and pitch and putts. Experienced and novice golfers alike are guaranteed a great time on the greens of Maine’s top golf courses. Here are some of the best golf courses for your golfing pleasure.
MAINE LIGHTHOUSES
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Historic Lighthouses
Maine has 68 lighthouses. Maine is comprised of hundreds of peninsulas with an array of coves, nooks, harbors, islands and many miles of jagged coastline that became both beautiful and dangerous for navigation. Built in the 1800s by some of America’s most renown architects and engineers on some of the most challenging coastal terrain in the world, Maine lighthouses served as both beacons of hope and warning for the wayward mariner. Today, if you are interested in lighthouses and their histories, you can visit the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. We have also listed here some of the top lighouses that you can visit along the coast.
MAINE MUSEUMS & HISTORICAL SITES
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Museums & Historical Sites
Maine has lots of great museums and historical sites. From unique historical spots like Fort Knox and the Penobscot Bay Observatory to the Owls Head Transportation Museum to the Portland Museum of Art, you can find museums of various types such as art, history, maritime, transportation and science museums to unique historical sites and interative educational centers to explore. Here are some of the top museums and historical sites for your sigthseeing enjoyment.
MAINE PARKS & TRAILS
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Parks & Trails
Maine has 32 state parks. These include state parks on the ocean, on fresh water lakes and scenic Mountain spots. With over 1900 hiking trails, Maine boasts some of the best hiking trails in the country with picturesque views of forests, mountains, and lakes. The Appalachian Trail runs through the state providing challenging hikes to Mount Katahdin. Acadia National Park has more relaxed hikes for explorers of all levels showcasing ocean vistas, forests, and rocky cliffs. Camden Hills State Park is a great park for a casual day hike in Camden. Here are some of the top parks and hiking trails that offer some of the most scenic and pristine outdoor spots in New England.
MAINE PLAY, FUN & ADVENTURE
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Play, Fun & Adventure
Maine is home to several amusement parks, including Palace Playland, Funtown, Splashtown USA, Aquaboggan Water Park, epic minature golf courses, and a vintage outdoor Drive-in movie theater. The state also offers many water sports and waterer-based activities. The state is also home to semi-professional sports teams in basketball, baseball and hockey. With lots of options for fun and sports entertainment, Maine offers an intimate and affordable family vacation experience for those who seek action or who just want more active adventures. Here is our curated list of popular family attractions in Maine.
MAINE SHOPPING SPOTS
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Top Shopping Spots
If you’re vacationing in Maine, you’ll want to bring a little piece of Maine back home with you. Browse boutiques for fashionable finds and explore artisan arts and craft stores for one-of-a-kind treasures and unique gifts with local flair for friends and family. Shop for novelty items at a gift shop, or embark on a treasure hunt for a completely original antique piece as an addition to your home in one of state’s many antique shops. From vintage finds to luxury goods to one-of-a-kind treasures, you’ll discover something for everyone on your shopping list during your visit. Here is our curated list of the top shopping spots in Maine.
MAINE WINTER RECREATION & SKI AREAS
Top Maine Attractions
Winter Recreation & Skiing
Maine offers a variety of winter sports options including cross-country skiing, dog sledding, downhill skiing, snowboarding, fat biking, ice fishing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and tobogganing. There are 19 ski resorts in Maine with a total of 190 miles of slopes and 76 ski lifts. Maine’s ski areas run the gamut from tiny beginner hills to region-topping monsters like Sugarloaf, Sunday River and Saddleback Mountain. State parks and resorts welcome skiers, sledders and snowboarders. Here are some of the top ski mountains and winter sports activities worth your consideration.
TRAVEL MAINE BLOG
Discover the best of Maine with our travel blog highlighting special travel tips, sightseeing suggestions and regional interest stories to make the most of your Maine vacation trip. We bring you insigthful articles about unique places, kid-friendly activities, and regional entertainment that will help in planning your trip.
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