Maine Regions

The TravelMaine guide offers a detailed description of each distinct and scenic region of Maine. The Southern Maine Coast towns of Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach and York offer spectacular sandy beaches. Drive up the Maine coast from Portland and Freeport through the picturesque Midcoast Maine towns of Boothbay Harbor, Rockland, Camden and Belfast to the breathtaking Acadia region and Bar Harbor, Maine’s quintessential harbor town. Outdoor lovers head to the vast and beautiful Aroostook County in the North for prime camping, hiking and fishing. Visit the Rangeley Lakes region in Western Maine for great skiing, canoeing, fishing, and kayaking. Bangor is the gateway to the Maine Highlands region, which boasts stunning vistas of Mt Katahdin and Baxter State Park. Moosehead Lake is host to unlimited outdoor activities. Visit the wooded paradise of ? and be the first to see the sun rise in the United States. Now matter what your Maine destination, the TravelMaine Guide is your one-stop source for Maine Regional information.

NAPLES / BRIDGTON

While traveling along Route 302 in Western Maine you’ll come upon the quaint lakeside town of Naples, home to Maine’s only “riverboat queen” the Songo River Queen II!

The SONGO RIVER QUEEN II is a privately built replica of the famed Mississippi River Paddle Wheelers. The QUEEN is 93 feet long, 23 feet wide, and tips the scales at 100 tons, enabling it to offer an exceptionally smooth ride for even the most timid of passengers. Built in 1982, the QUEEN is meticulously cleaned and maintained to the highest of standards. She is rated for up to 350 passengers and is handicapped accessible. The QUEEN has two decks including an open upper deck with an attractive red striped canopy for protection from the sun and rain, as well as a fully enclosed and heated lower deck, and there are restrooms on board.

This allows her to easily accommodate large groups of people for weddings, corporate outings, anniversary parties, reunions, bus tours, functions, family reunions and any other outing you might want to book. In season we have boat trips running daily allowing you to see the lakes in a comfortable and affordable fashion whenever you are in the area.

A food court is available on board for your convenience. A cocktail bar serving beer, wine, and liquor also operates on board, therefore, no alcoholic beverages may be carried aboard, per state law. The legal drinking age in Maine is 21 and a photo ID will be required to purchase alcohol.

The bustling town of Bridgton will be found traveling north from Naples along the western shore of Long Lake. Stroll the bricked sidewalk of downtown and you’ll find restaurants, gift shops, antiques and crafts and the celebrated Gallery302. Featured here are the works of more than 50 artists, which include paintings, wood carvings, furniture, ceramics, jewelry and more. For accommodations you’ll find excellent choices from rustic to cozy in charming cottages and quaint inns.

Known as the “Maine Place for All Seasons”, Bridgton is surrounded by numerous lakes, mountains and wooded hillsides and has evolved as a major resort area. In summer Long Lake (4,867 acres), Highland Lake (1,401 acres), and Moose Pond (1,694 acres) provide boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and other water sports. Swimming may be enjoyed on the lakes at public beaches (Highland Lake, Woods Pond, Salmon Point, and Plummer’s Landing).

They also offer magnificent scenic views and vacation activities throughout the four seasons that keep visitors returning.

You can pick from a variety of hiking trails that range from family-easy to heavy breathing challenging any time of year. You’ll get one of the better views of 50 nearby lakes, ponds and streams at the top of Pleasant Mountain. From here you also get an unforgettable view of the towering peaks of the White Mountains to the west in neighboring New Hampshire.

Starting in late September through mid-October everywhere you look you’ll see the brilliant colors of autumn foliage. Take along your camera, painting gear or a vivid imagination for memory keeping.

Winter brings the snows and by January the lakes and ponds have frozen. For hearty folks who love a chill in the air you can enjoy all manner of winter sports, such as ice fishing, skating, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

Take the short ride west from Bridgton center to family oriented Shawnee Peak which offers 41 trails of excellent downhill skiing including night skiing.

Another winter event that draws people to Bridgton from all over New England and Eastern Canada is the Mushers Bowl Winter Carnival. The festivities feature a dog sled race, ice sculptures and several athletic competitions including broomball and a ping pong tournament in a family oriented fun-filled snowy celebration.

Harrison, located at the top of Long Lake, is the home of the Deertrees Theater and Cultural Center. It started in l936 and audiences saw headliners like Tallulah Bankhead, Rudy Vallee and Ethel Barrymore in its 300-seat theater. During the summer it offers more than fifty productions, including standup comedy, Broadway plays and musical shows.

Travel west of Bridgton to Lovell and you’ll get more spectacular views of the White Mountains. Lovell also offers hiking trails, antique shops and art galleries.

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BANGOR ~ BREWER ~ ORONO

The mighty Penobscot River cascades down from northern Maine’s timberland past Orono and between the sister cities of Bangor and Brewer on its way to the Gulf of Maine. In the mid-1800s the vast supply of harvested trees that flowed down the Penobscot helped establish Bangor as the leading lumber port in the world. At the time it was considered the world’s richest city per capita and called the “Queen City of the East.”

Disaster struck in 1911 when a fire destroyed 55 acres of the city’s commercial and residential neighborhoods. Today you can see many examples of classic architecture that the fire spared.

The robust history of area has contributed to the many attractions that you’ll find so inviting. Today as Maine’s 2^nd largest city, Bangor remains the major focal point for cultural and commercial activities for eastern and central Maine.

If you enjoy outdoor activities visit any of the 30 recreational areas, woodlands and waterways, including the 650-acre City Forest. You’ll find miles of trails for jogging, biking, cross country hiking, sailing, fishing and winter sports.

You’ll also discover scenic paths along the Penobscot River and Kenduskeag Stream, famous for its annual canoe race. Bring a picnic to Grotto Cascade Park where you’ll see a lighted water fountain and 20-foot water fall.

Kids will have fun in the Maine Discovery Museum and music lovers will enjoy the Bangor Symphony. Establihed in 1896, it’s the oldest symphony in the U.S. You can also hear free concerts in city parks performed by the Bangor Band.You’ll find many art studios and galleries downtown. Don’t miss the summer sidewalk art festival.

You have the Bangor Mall for shopping, one of the country’s oldest state fairs provides agricultural exhibits and entertainment, Coleland Transportation Museum, art galleries, music festivals, the Bangor Raceway, and the Hollywood Slots, Maine’s first slot machine center.

North along the river is Orono, first settled in 1774 and home of the University of Maine. Starting with 2 teachers and 12 students in 1868, today the enrollment is more than 11,000. When you tour the campus you’ll see the Maine Center for the Arts, Hudson Museum, the Maynard F. Jordan Planetarium and Observatory, a theater, art museum, modern sporting facilities and the state’s largest library.

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FALMOUTH ~ YARMOUTH ~ GRAY/NEW GLOUCESTER

FALMOUTH is mainly residential with fine estates lining the scenic ocean Route 88 but boasts abundant retail shopping opportunities along Route 1. Before 1786 Portland to the south was a suburb of Falmouth but now just the reverse is true. Falmouth is home to the Portland Yacht Club, which hosts the Monhegan Island Yacht Race each year. The Maine Audubon Society has its headquarters at Gilsland Farm a mile away.

YARMOUTH, just north of Falmouth on Route 1, is a quaint village settled on the Royal River. With many retail shops along Rt. 1, it is mostly residential. Famous for its Annual Clam Festival; a festival not to be missed. If you’ve come to Maine for seafood you’ll find plenty of it at this three-day extravaganza along with a parade, crafts, live music, a 5K race, and much more. You can picnic and stroll along the Royal River enjoying foliage and waterfalls from the Royal River Park on East Elm Street or launch your boat into Casco Bay from the marina on the river. If you’re a canoeing or kayaking enthusiast you can “put in” just up the river in North Yarmouth.

GRAY – NEW GLOUCESTER is located just north-west of Yarmouth. Both communities are very rural with rolling hills and plentiful farm land. Gray has a downtown area with shops, banks, and many other businesses. You’ll find the Maine Wildlife Park here which is owned and operated by the Maine Department of Inland & Fisheries. The 200-acre park is home to more than 25 species of native Maine Wildlife. New Gloucester is home to 5000-acre Pineland Farms. Open to the public for a variety of recreational purposes, everything from walking trails, to ice skating, to mountain biking, and Nordic skiing, Pineland Farms also has a creamery and sells Maine-made cheeses … or if you’re an equestrian you won’t want to miss their Equestrian Center.

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EASTPORT

Eastport is known as the easternmost city in the continental U.S. and consists entirely of small islands connected to the mainland by a causeway. Eastport’s harbor remained ice-free year-round which helped it to become one of the most industrial fishing ports in Maine; operating as many as 13 sardine factories at its peak.

Today, though fishing is still the primary industry; vacationers find Eastport a beautiful and fascinating place to visit. Tourists can find a variety of accommodations from hotels to family camping, great restaurants, cafes, and eateries serving the best seafood fare, and wonderful shops that sell Maine-made products like Shell Art and Porcupine Quill Baskets.

For the sports enthusiast your opportunities include: sailing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, beachcombing, golfing, whale watching and more.

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ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Acadia National Park dominates much of Mount Desert Island. It covers more than 40,000 acres or about two-thirds of the island. Opened in 1916 the park also extends beyond Mount Desert Island. It includes sections of Isle au Haut, a separate island to the south west, and Schoodi Penninsula on the mainland.

You’ll find the park is a feast of natural sights. Native plant, land and marine mammals and birds and waterfowl thrive in the shore, woodland and mountain regions. Bring your camping, hiking, jogging gear. You can also travel the park on propane-fueled buses free of charge.

Cadillac Mountain, one of the major attractions of the park, is the tallest peak of the island at 1,520 feet. It overlooks the town of Bar Harbor and gives you a stunning view of the Porcupine Islands and Frenchman Bay to the east.

One of the best ways to see the panoramic views of the ocean front, wooded areas and mountain rises is to travel the Park Loop Road system. Be sure your itinerary includes a stop at the Sieur de Monts Spring area. The spring was the inspiration of George B. Dorr who started the conservation movement that created the park. Here you’ll see the Nature Center, the Abbe Museum and the Wild Gardens of Acadia.

Located on the southern tip of the park you’ll find Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, the only lighthouse on the island. Take the short ferry ride to Little Cranberry Island where the Islesford Historical Museum features the story of the island and its people using ship models and exhibits.

How the park came into existence makes a dramatic story of vision and concern for protecting the land for future generations to enjoy. Affluent families such as the Rockefellers, Morgans, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Astors had discovered the island and made it into their summer playground. In keeping with their lifestyles they built elegant “cottages” that rivaled their grand estates in Newport, R.I

Following the lead of George B. Dorr, who began his campaign to protect the land in 1901, many of these summer visitors joined together and purchased large tracts of land and donated it to the government to form the park.

John D. Rockefellow, Jr., designed and funded the constuction of 44 miles of carriage roads from 1915 through 1933. You can use them for walking, jogging, biking and cross country skiing – no automobile traffic allowed. He also donated more than 11,000 acres of land for the park.

The park is open all year and you can take a guided tour led by a park ranger. Even though some facilities are closed during the winter, you’ll find the snow season offers many beautiful sights. Be sure to check the availability of camps and trails during the winter months.

Today it is estimated that four million visitors each year bask in the beauty of the landscape and refreshing sea air of the park.

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SOUTHWEST HARBOR ~ TREMONT

While the eastern side of Mount Desert Island seems to gets the lion’s share of attention don’t overlook the “quiet side” of the island. If you’re looking for an ideal image of a Maine coastal village travel west of Somes Sound and visit the towns in and around Southwest Harbor and Tremont. It’s a great area with a more relaxed pace for picnics, camping, hiking, golf, shopping and sightseeing.

Downtown Southwest Harbor offers you a delightful selection of shops, restaurants and art galleries. It has an active harbor with lobstermen working their catch. From here you can take a schooner cruise, deep sea fishing excursion or go island hopping by sea taxi. You can also go boating, swimming and rent canoes and kayaks.

Part of Southwest Harbor are the villages of Manset and Seawall. Each offers activities connected with the sea. This area has earned a world famous reputation for designing and construction of quality luxury yachts.

Bring the kids to the Mount Desert Oceanarium where they can handle sea creatures like star fish, horseshoe crabs and sea snails. It’s also a great place to see exhibits about tides, weather and other fascinating facts about ocean life.

Visit the Wendell Gilley Museum of Bird Carvings and watch master carvers as they create models of birds. Gilley started carving birds as a hobby in the 1930s. Today his museum has more than 250 examples of bird carvings on display. These include chickadees, morning doves and life size eagles.

You’ll find Tremont on the western section of the island. It includes the villages of Bass Harbor, Bernard, Gotts Island, Seal Cove and West Tremont. Tremont, settled in 1762, gets its name from it French heritage. It honors the three mountains – Beech, Bernard and Mansell – that dominate the area.

Overlooking Seal Cove Pond is the auto museum that features more than 100 antinque cars and 30 classic motorcycles.

At Bass Harbor at the southern tip of the island sits the lighthouse built in 1858. Today it is a private home and you get the best view of it from the water.

Well worth the trip is a visit to Somesville at the northern tip of Somes Sound. Here you go back in history to the oldest settlement on Mount Desert Island. It got started in 1761 and remains a picturesque village overlooking the only fjord on the east coast of the U.S. Along with spectacular views of inlets and mountain, local attractions include the Acadia Repertory Theater and the often photographed footbridge near the selectmen’s building.

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BAR HARBOR

Many consider Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island as one place. In a sense you’d be right, because the history, geography and destiny of each have been interconnected with the other two.

To set the record straight, Bar Harbor is the best known and largest town in the northeast section of the island and leads to one of the entrances to the park.

When founded in 1796 settlers called it Eden to honor the English statesman Sir Richard Eden. They built up the prosperity of the town as fishermen, shipbuilders and lumberjacks.

As mentioned above, artists brought notoriety to Bar Harbor in the mid-1800s and they were followed by the rich and famous of their day who built mansions and elaborate estates. Over the years their luxurious lifestyle faded and ended in tragedy in 1947. In that year a severe drought cased a wildfire which devastated almost half the eastern side of the island. Included in the destruction were 67 mansions, 5 historic grand hotels, 170 private homes and 10,000 acres of Acadia National Park.

Favorable winds spared the downtown section of Bar Harbor from the fire, where several homes in the historic district operate as inns. The town also includes the villages of Hulls Cove, Salisbury Cove and Town Hill.

Today its lively downtown features many inns, hotels, restaurants, shops, galleries, boutiques and taverns. From here you can take whale watching and sight seeing cruises, fishing excursions and enjoy many water sports. Luxury cruise ships often make Bar Harbor a port of call and you can board a high speed ferry to Nova Scotia from the harbor.

While in downtown visit the Abbe Museum, Oceanarium and the Criterion Theater built in 1932 in the Art Deco style. Take Shore Path, which starts near the town pier and continues along the eastern shore. Bar Island, which you can walk to at low tide, gives you a spacatular view when you look back toward Bar Harbor with the towering mountain in the background.

Bar Harbor is home to College of the Atlantic where you can visit the Natural History Museum and see displays of mammals, birds and maritime life. It is also the site of the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory Jackson Lab, the world’s largest mammalian genetic research facility.

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MOUNT DESERT ISLAND

How appropriate that Mount Desert Island, one of Maine’s most popular vacation destinations, has a passing resemblance to a lobster claw. For when you cross the bridge from Trenton on the mainland to tour the island you’ll be greeted by countless hard to resist invitations to a lobster feast, a perennial Maine favorite.

Encompassing 108 square miles the island is the third largest island in the continental U.S. Its dramatic beauty comes in large part from the seventeen mountains that rise from the sea and the shores of four lakes. There are countless smaller ponds and scenic spots and more than 120 miles of hiking trails and roads that meander throughout the island for touring by car, biking, hiking and skiing.

Somes Sound, the only natural fjord in the East, divides the island. By coincidence this division identifies both the geography and attitude of the island. The area west of Somes Sound, including Southwest Harbor and Tremont offers you a more sedate and secluded atmosphere. In contrast, the eastern side around Bar Harbor has more active tourist attractions.

You get a hint of the grandeur of the island’s imposing geography from the picture depicted by early inhabitants, the Abenaki Native Americans. They named the island Pemetic, which means “sloping land” and describes how the majestic mountains descend into the sea.

Early on, not everyone was impressed by the island. In 1604 French explorer Samuel de Champlain ran aground at Otter Point, near the tip of the “snapping” part of the lobster claw. He surveyed the bleakness where he landed and named the island “Isles des Monts Deserts.” This translates as “island of barren mountains.” While the name he chose lives on as Mount Desert Island, it falls far short of the picturesque vistas and splendor the island offers. Despite Champlain’s description millions of visitors each year have adopted the island as a vacation paradise.

The first European settlers found the island a rich source for fish, timber and agriculture. The island became a vital resource and the French and British battled to control the island for a century and a half. With the French defeat in Quebec in 1759 the Maine coast opened for the British to settle.

Mount Desert Island’s scenic reputation blossomed in the 1840s when artists from the Hudson River School popularized the area. Their idyllic depictions of the ocean, landscapes and mountain views in their paintings inspired journalists, sports figures and “rusticatiors” to adopt the island for their holiday get-away.

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BUCKSPORT ~ ELLSWORTH

When you approach Bucksport prepare to be awed by the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory. Spanning the Penobscot River, the 42 story observation tower provides a 360 degree panoramic view that stretches to the Camden Hills, Mount Desert Island and Mount Katahdin.

Below the tower you can see the ingenious design and sweep of the granite construction of Fort Knox. Although it was never completed or involved in a battle the fort’s underground passages and earthworks make for fascinating exploring. Bring boots and a flashlight.

If you enjoy fishing or water sports you’ll find Bucksport a paradise. There are more than 2,000 acres of fish-filled ponds and lakes. Along with your fishing pole bring your camera. You might spot a bald eagle, osprey and a collection of visiting seals and porpoises.

Visit the Alamo Theatre, which shows live and movie productions and the Northeast Historic Film Archive, which stores motion picture and stock footage related to northern New England.

East of Bucksport is Ellsworth. This area was home for the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes when French settlers discovered it in the 1500s. The town was incorporated in 1800 and named for Oliver Ellsworth, a delegate to the 1787 National Convention which crafted the Constitution for the new United States of America.

Today, Ellsworth welcomes visitors to its many restaurants, accommodations, large shopping centers, tennis courts and golf courses, public marina, theaters and art center.

Visit the Black Mansion, built by Colonel John Black in 1828. You’ll see a fine exhibit of rare period furniture as costumed guides give historical details of the era. A great place for a “nature” picnic is The Stanwood Museum and Bird Sanctuary, also known as “Birdsacre”, featuring a nature walk through a variety of Maine wildflowers, woodland, small ponds and a bird nesting area.

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BELFAST BAY & BEYOND

The East Penobscot Bay Region reaches from Belfast to the east and Ellsworth in the west, taking in a number of peninsulas and islands. In summer this is an ideal area for sailing and kayaking; in fall, the scarlet wild blueberry barrens are a sight to see.

Belfast offers an unmatched view of the open sea. This stunning seascape along with the remarkable collection of Federal, Victorian, Greek revival and Italian style homes built by sea merchants has lured artists, writers and craftspeople to live in the area. Boasting a quaint downtown with shop-lined streets, Belfast is an ideal place to find antiques, souvenirs, collectibles, Maine-made crafts and much more.

Searsport got its name from David Sears who made a fortune in the sea business and the China trade. You can see many of the artifacts brought back from these travels in the Penobscot Marine Museum. If you like antiques and flea markets you’ll be in heaven walking the brick sidewalks in the historic downtown.

The town of Blue Hill is on the east side of the peninsula and overlooks the 934 foot hill that takes on a blue appearance when viewed from a distance. Today, it is known for it crafts, pottery, and an eclectic collection of 620,000 music titles available at Bagaduc Music Library. Students perform at the Kneisel Hall Summer Music Center.

On the west coast of the peninsula you’ll find the quiet harbor town of Castine. Its strategic location for ships traveling inland made it a battleground. Today Castine is the home of Maine Maritime Academy. Today visitors to Castine may enjoy several historic sites and parks, a deep water harbor, tennis, golf, great restaurants, and more.

You can reach Deer Island by a short drive across the bridge from the Blue Hill Peninsula. Fishing communities dot this picturesque island which artists have discovered and captured with their paintings. The romance and mystique of Deer Isle was captured by John Steinbeck in his book Travels with Charley – “it disappears when you’re not there.”

Stonington, at the southern most tip of Deer Isle, remains an active harbor town that invites touring and picture taking.

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