Looking for the best things to do in Maine this summer? Whether you’re craving coastal adventures, unforgettable meals, or quiet moments with nature, this curated list of 10 can’t-miss experiences has you covered. From rowing lessons with a Registered Maine Guide to sipping wine on an oyster cruise, cheering on Portland’s new soccer team, or sleeping aboard a luxury houseboat, these are the season’s most memorable ways to explore the Pine Tree State—no matter your travel style.

10 Best Things to Do in Maine This Summer

1. Row, Row, Row Her Boat – Learn to row with a Registered Maine Guide and connect with the water in a whole new way.

Nicolle Littrell’s Belfast-based business, DoryWoman Rowing, is all about introducing the sport to folks who’ve never imagined taking the oars. As we learned when catching up with this Registered Maine Guide for Weekends with Yankee Season 9 (check your local PBS listings), Littrell’s little wooden dory is a safe space to experience the exhilaration of setting out into a briny world filled with life. Her warm personality ensures that you’ll feel comfortable from the first stroke.

2. Get Your Kicks in Portland – Cheer on Maine’s first pro soccer team, the Hearts of Pine, all summer long.

It’s taken five-plus years to achieve the goal of having a professional soccer team in Maine, and now fans are gaga for the Portland-based Hearts of Pine. Their inaugural USL League One season features matches all summer and into October, so get yourself to Fitzpatrick Stadium. And get your hands on some merch, too—the team’s logo is as beautiful as their name suggests.

3. Sip and Slurp on the Damariscotta River – Cruise, taste oysters, and sip wine with views of Maine’s shellfish capital.

An oyster-and-wine-tasting excursion with Damariscotta River Cruises is an indulgent two hours of scenery and gastronomy. Damariscotta is Maine’s oyster capital, and on this cruise you’ll motor past several of the farms that cultivate the 10 different oysters you’ll sample, all expertly paired with wines by an onboard sommelier. If you arrive back at the dock a bit tipsy, walk down Main Street to The Shuck Station, where you can linger over dinner and another dozen oysters straight out of the nutrient-rich river.

4. Sleep on Water in Kennebunk – Drift into luxury aboard the White Barn Inn’s dreamy new floating guesthouse.

You haven’t been rocked to sleep like this since you were a baby. The latest collaboration between Kennebunk’s esteemed White Barn Inn and interior designer Jenny Wolf has a sweet name: Cora. It’s an ultra-luxurious houseboat with a rooftop deck, afloat on the Kennebunk River but tethered to the property’s private dock. So you’re not going anywhere … except into a deep, tranquil dream state.

5. Line Up for Maine’s Sweetest Bites – From viral croissant buns to Polish donuts, these bakeries are worth the wait.

Operating out of what was their Camden home’s garage, Chelsea Kravitz and Chris Dawson have made The Place a wait-in-line destination. The New York Times writer Melissa Clark helped, naming this tiny bakery one of the best in the nation. Here’s a tip: Stalk their Instagram and preorder by noon on Thursday for the weekend ahead. Their croissant cinnamon buns are a must. Wondering where Maine’s next bakery sensation might be hiding? Our eyes are on Mount Vernon’s lakeside Scapes Cafe and its filled Polish donuts (available weekends only).

6. Crack Into a Whole-Lobster Dinner – Go big (and buttery) at Nunan’s Lobster Hut, a 72-year-old Kennebunkport legend.

When a mere lobster roll won’t do, devour a whole-lobster dinner at Nunan’s Lobster Hut in Kennebunkport. Even locals can’t resist the draw of fresh-caught “bugs,” boiled, pre-cracked to make feasting easy, and served with sweet butter. It’s a formula that’s kept this family-owned business busy for 72 years.

See More: How to Cook Lobster | Tips from Bertha Nunan

7. Explore the Wilds with a Maine Guide – Book outdoor adventures with experts who know Maine’s rugged terrain best.

The wilds of Maine are best explored with a Registered Maine Guide. The state is unique in its training and certification of outdoor experts who make pursuits like moose viewing, fishing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting both successful and safe. Even in the most remote parts of the state, you’ll find Registered Maine Guides who know the ins and outs of the terrain, and their knowledge guarantees that you’ll come away from your adventure with new confidence and skills.

8. Picnic at a Historic Horse Sanctuary – Enjoy lunch and equine companionship at the MSSPA in Windham.

The MSSPA has been saving neglected and abused horses for more than 150 years. Their farm home in Windham is a picturesque picnic spot, with umbrella tables available to those who reserve visits with these lovingly tended equines: Time slots are available at no charge (although donations are appreciated) Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Order takeout from Yolked Farm to Table, 15 minutes north of the farm, for an elevated alfresco lunch.

9. Feel the Force with the Symphony – Hear Star Wars like never before with live accompaniment by the Portland Symphony.

As the Portland Symphony Orchestra wraps up its 100th-anniversary season, it’s tuning up for powerful performances of Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert (May 3 and 4) featuring a screening of the film that introduced us to Luke, Leia, Han, and Obi-Wan and the live accompaniment of John Williams’s beloved score. The centennial celebration continues through the final rousing note of Dvořák’s New World Symphony on June 17.

10. Stay Somewhere That Gives Back – At Inn by the Sea, your stay plants trees and supports eco-initiatives.

From restoring habitat for endangered New England cottontails to serving responsibly harvested seafood, Cape Elizabeth’s Inn by the Sea takes sustainability seriously. Having long been recognized as an eco-leader, the beachside property deepens its commitment this year by planting a tree for every reservation. Your vacation memories will live on as a fire-ravaged forest in Colorado is reborn.

See More: 2025 Maine Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions

What tops your list of the best things to do in Maine this summer? Let us know!

The post 10 Best Things to Do in Maine This Summer 2025 appeared first on New England.

Whether you’re a Maine native or visiting for the first time, the Editors’ Picks in our 2025 Maine Travel Guide highlight the best places to eat, stay, and explore across the Pine Tree State. Curated by the Yankee team with insights from local experts, these handpicked spots showcase the beauty, charm, and character that make Maine unforgettable. From seaside cottages and world-class lobster rolls to scenic hikes and vibrant art galleries, this guide is your go-to for experiencing the very best of Maine this year.

Best Places to Visit in Maine | 2025 Editors’ Picks

2025 Best Maine Hotels

Best All-Inclusive Resort: Quisisana, Center Lovell

Year after year, families return to this pines-sheltered, cottage-style resort edging western Maine’s Kezar Lake for a getaway like no other. Guests of all ages bond over porch parties, hearty meals, and a slew of water and land activities, but they come for the daily performances. Staff members—most recruited from top performing arts schools and venues—morph into stars, exchanging uniforms for costumes to perform Broadway musicals, chamber concerts, piano recitals, and opera.

Best All-Season Acadia Hotel: The Pathmaker Hotel, Bar Harbor

There’s no beating the location of this new 46-room boutique-ish property, a short stroll from Bar Harbor’s Village Green, Main Street shops, and low-tide trail to Bar Island. The Ethan Allen–furnished rooms couldn’t feel fresher, and underground parking is a boon during the congested summer season. (Rates are a steal the rest of the year, when most Bar Harbor lodging goes dark.)

Best Beach Hotel: The Nevada, York

Watch the sun rise out of the Atlantic through plate-glass windows at the curvaceous, L-shaped, aqua-trimmed Nevada. Henry de la Pena built this hotel facing Long Sands Beach to resemble the flybridge of the USS Nevada, on which he served during World War II. Today this reimagined hotel retains its 1950s vibe but welcomes guests with beachy Art Deco style, contemporary amenities, and Lulu’s tiki bar, plus a commitment to sustainability.

Best Boutique Hotel: Rockport Harbor Hotel, Rockport

With views over a well-protected harbor on one side and toward the Camden Hills on the other, this dog-friendly new hotel blends in with its long-standing brick neighbors. Twenty-one spacious studios and suites pamper guests with indulgent bedding, spa-inspired bathrooms, kitchenettes, fireplaces, and private balconies. Meanwhile, the cozy Oak Room restaurant earns nods for its wood-fired pizzas.

Best Seaside Cottages: The Dunes on the Waterfront, Ogunquit

Sea-salted memories are guaranteed when you stay in this idyllic waterfront colony with picket fences and seashell paths. Reopened in 2024, these adorable, newly kitted-out white cottages are spread amid shady green lawns, colorful gardens, a heated pool, and a firepit. Paddle, row, or ride the shuttle boat to the namesake dunes. Or crack open complimentary sparkling rosé and snacks, then settle into an ocean-facing porch chair.

Best Summer Retreat: Otyokwa, Bremen

Up to 25 guests can share Otyokwa’s five lovingly-if-minimally restored sleeping cabins, built as a boys camp in the 1930s and lining a half mile of silent shoreline on Pemaquid Pond. Every rustic detail—from the rec hall’s old-school record player to the striped wool throws on the bunks—oozes tasteful Vacationland nostalgia. Bigger groups can spill into a farmhouse and two gorgeous houseboats.

Best Wellness Stay: The Longfellow, Portland

The Longfellow embraces health for people and the planet. That starts with limiting single-use plastics whenever possible. Rooms are certified as ideal for restful slumber: Heavenly bedding, a clock with meditations and sound baths, and blackout curtains help achieve this. Enhance your stay with a massage or time in a meditation lounging chair or the hot-cold infrared sauna. Then indulge in delicious, wellness-forward food and drinks in the inviting lounge and café.

2025 Best Maine Dining

Best Beer Garden: Odd Alewives, Waldoboro

Scattered with patio tables, firepits, and lovely flower gardens, the half-acre spread behind Sarah and John McNeil’s gorgeously renovated 1820s barn is a superb spot for a pastoral happy hour. The McNeils stopped brewing their own beer this off-season to focus on a wider menu of Maine suds and their to-die-for wood-fired pizzas. Toppings are grown on-site or sourced nearby—try the pickle pie, with sour-mustard pickles from nearby Morse’s Sauerkraut, or the early-summer seasonal pizza with smoked alewives in a rich cream sauce.

Best Bistro: Water Street Kitchen & Bar, Wiscasset

Fresh seafood and pasta are the specialties at this Mediterranean-leaning restaurant overlooking the Sheepscot River. Chef-owner Ed Colburn’s signature paella de Mariscos is worth the 45-minute wait. In the meantime, sip the white-bean soup and share the Brussels sprouts and truffle fries. On a stormy day, the cozy lounge, with its fireplace and tin-sided bar, competes with tables on the year-round glassed-in porch.

Best Brunch: Ocotillo, Portland

Melanie and Pliny Reynolds first turned Portlanders on to the sublime simplicity of Texas-style breakfast tacos at their Tex-Mex barbecue joint, Terlingua. At their new breakfast-lunch-and-dinner stop, Ocotillo, tacos share a menu with decadent Benedicts, huevos done proper, and some stiff brunch cocktails. The Southwest-mod dining room is loud and lively; the ramada-covered patio an oasis.

Best Cocktail Bar: Papi, Portland

Inspired by the cantinas of Old San Juan, lively Papi feels as if it’s anchored the Old Port longer than its two years, in part because the baroque interior—with its distressed walls, bodega candles, and lush hanging greenery—feels so lived in. Cofounder LyAnna Sanabria has earned industry raves for her maximalist, Latin-inflected cocktails, such as the Tamarindo Lindo: Ojo de Tigre mezcal, tamarind, sumac, strawberry, and black pepper. ¡Ay qué rico!

Best Coffee Shop: Bintliff’s Corner Brew, Gardiner

Owner Roger Bintliff restored a portion of downtown Gardiner’s 19th-century Dingley Block, and the warm, welcoming vibe of his hardware store turned coffeehouse owes a lot to the pumpkin-pine plank flooring, weathered original brick, shelves full of antiques, and dried flowers hanging from exposed beams. Linger over loads of creative specialty drinks (try the habanero mocha latte) and a full brunch menu to boot.

Best French Restaurant: Chez Rosa, Kennebunkport

It’s French fare with Maine flair, prepared inside a bright, airy barn tucked off Dock Square. Expect both reimagined classics such as fish Wellington and traditional ones like steak frites and Maine lobster vol-au-vent. The menu invites crafting a meal from appetizers, fromage, and charcuterie; consider pairing cheese fondue with a bistro salad. A decidedly French wine list meets a mostly Maine beer list.

Best Maine Meal: The Dolphin Marina and Restaurant, Harpswell

It’s worth the leisurely drive down the Harpswell Peninsula and out to the tip of Basin Point to this oceanfront restaurant located on land owned by the Saxton family since the early 1900s. Go for the ultra-fresh seafood, especially the rave-worthy fish chowder or lobster stew, each served with a blueberry muffin. While feasting, savor panoramic views over island-sprinkled Casco Bay.

Best Oyster Bar: North Beacon Oyster, Rockland

Intimate, approachable, and the rare raw bar where the turf on the menu also shines, chef-owner Mike Mastronardi’s North Beacon takes advantage of the local catch and harvest. Try the lobster sliders and New England cioppino—but know that Mastronardi also makes a mean steak frites and the Midcoast’s best, gooiest cheeseburger.

2025 Best Maine Attractions

Best Acadia Tour: Island Time Ebike Rentals, Southwest Harbor

Six years since the National Park Service OKed pedal-assist rides wherever bikes are allowed, about half of all cyclists on Acadia National Park’s carriage roads are riding e-bikes. Island Time got in on the trend early. Its guides know MDI trivia cold, and the leisurely four-hour tours take in views of the Bubbles and other landmarks along the way. And the hills? No sweat.

Best Art Gallery: Karma, Thomaston

For a contemporary-art gallery based in New York and L.A., a seasonal outpost in a sleepy Midcoast village seems surprising. But Thomaston’s former St. James Catholic Church feels made for it. Credit the vaulted ceilings, the light pouring through the rose window, and a years-long renovation undertaken by painter Ann Craven after she bought the place in 2016. Last summer’s group show included heavy hitters like Katherine Bradford and Alex Katz.

Best Cultural Site: Tekαkαpimək Contact Station, Patten

In the Indigenous Penobscot language, tekαkαpimək (pronounced deh gah gah bee mook) means “as far as one can see.” It’s a fitting name for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument’s new visitor center atop Lookout Mountain, which is set amid the traditional homeland of Maine’s Wabanaki tribes. Exhibits and displays at this green-built architectural stunner share the region’s history and heritage and introduce its mountains and waterways from the Wabanaki perspective.

Best Mountain Golf Course: Sugarloaf Golf Course, Carrabassett Valley

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., Sugarloaf’s parkland-style 18-hole course takes advantage of its natural mountain topography and woodland setting. Narrow fairways, elevated greens, massive bunkers, dense forests, and the gurgling Carrabassett River challenge golfers. The eye-popping 11th hole, nicknamed “Precipice,” plays over the river, dropping 128 feet from tee to green. Unsurprisingly, the dreamy mountain views, especially in autumn, make it hard to keep your eye on the ball.

Best New Preserve: Anna M. Tondreau Preserve, Harpswell

What the Tondreau Preserve lacks in size, the 57-acre tract makes up for with terrain. Its 1.4-mile trail system crosses wetlands, climbs a gnarly ridge, skirts mossy boulders and crumbling stone fences, and reaches two isolated coves that are havens for wading birds and waterfowl. It’s a jewel among the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust’s 20 public-access preserves.

Best Rainy-Day Hideout: Another Round, Portland

The rare family-friendly hangout on Portland’s Congress Street has good espresso drinks, a tap list of local brews, and a library of more than 200 board games, from classics (Clue! Scrabble!) to retro oddities (Crocodile Dentist?) to esoteric indie offerings (Catan! Wingspan!). Find a new fave, and you can buy it to take home.

See More: 10 Best Things to Do in Maine This Summer 2025

2025 Maine travel guide honorees were selected by Yankee editors with contributions from Brian Kevin, features editor at National Geographic and former editor of Down East; and freelance writer and Maine guidebook author Hilary Nangle.

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By Sara Anne Donnelly

The shopping town of Freeport is more than just the home to L.L. Bean’s flagship store. It’s an all-season favorite with plenty of shopping, dining, and celebrations. If you’re planning a visit, our guide to Freeport, Maine, has you covered with the best things to do, places to eat, and places to stay.

See more in the November/December 2024 Yankee Magazine feature “Holiday Weekend in Freeport, Maine.”

Things to Do in Freeport, Maine

Brown Goldsmiths

The town’s only bespoke fine jeweler, founded in 1967. Elegant baubles are crafted upstairs from the showroom in a grown-up version of Santa’s workshop.

Cadenza

Live music in a variety of genres, including jazz, country and western, and Broadway, plus tasty food from Brickyard Hollow Brewing Co.

Freeport Market

Starring a rotating cast of more than 50 New England artists creating everything from hand-poured candles and sea-glass jewelry to knit hats and silk-screened clothing.

Gingham

Woman-owned boutique selling classic, sustainable fashions, including a choice selection of luxury denim and Maine-made handbags and accessories.

L.L. Bean

World-famous outdoors, apparel, and home store and the sun around which Freeport’s retail scene revolves. Open 24 hours a day.

Palmer & Company

Artfully curated gift shop packed with local soaps, cookbooks, and sophisticated home goods alongside heirloom-quality toys from names like Maileg and Meri Meri.

Pettengill Farm

One of New England’s best-preserved saltbox farmhouses on 140 scenic acres whose four trails are open from dawn to dusk.

Wilbur’s of Maine Factory Store

Four-decade-old family-run chocolatier selling treats in every conceivable shape, including moose and Bean boots. (There’s also a storefront in Freeport Center.)

Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park

Offering five miles of trails on a stunning peninsula between Casco Bay and the Harraseeket River. For snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, try the Old Woods Road Trail.

Where to Eat in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Derosier’s

Laid-back pizza and sub shop owned and operated since 1904 by five generations of the Derosier family. Try their hot subs or “toasties.”

Freeport Oyster Bar

Raw bar and cocktail lounge in an 1830 carriage house, with Maine oysters, lobster rolls, and kelp-infused drinks to sate your inner Ancient Mariner.

Lily’s Food Cart

Perfectly seasoned noodles, scallion pancakes, and dumplings—including vegetarian options—all tucked behind the Starbucks at 49 Main St. 207-607-1787

Mast Landing Brewing Co.

A home-brewing enterprise that grew into one of the area’s most beloved beer makers. Find its spacious taproom at Freeport Crossing, with neighboring Nighthawk’s Kitchen providing a solid menu of pub grub.

Sip House

Bracing mugs of organic coffee, aromatic teas, and yummy pastries baked in-house and at local microbakery Spün. Facebook

Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro

Homemade pastas and pizzas in a cozy, wood-paneled dining room. Reservations strongly recommended.

Where to Stay in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Brewster House Bed & Breakfast

Stately Queen Anne mansion that was once home to 19th-century Freeport merchant Jarvis Adelbert Brewster. Modern highlights include local beer on tap in the common area and EV charging.

Casa Alchimia

A living gallery of contemporary Italian art, design, and architecture, set in the 1789 Captain Josiah Mitchell House. Italian aperitivo provided upon arrival.

Harraseeket Inn

Award-winning 94-room inn with an elegant interior and hotel-like amenities such as a restaurant, indoor pool, and fitness center.

The post Guide to Freeport, Maine | Eat, Stay, Play appeared first on New England.

By Sara Anne Donnelly

In 1771, the British cartographer Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres surveyed the roads in the farming village that would later become Freeport. There were only a handful, the largest of which was Post Road (now Route 1), which bisected a town center so muddy that it regularly swallowed horses to their haunches. Back then, you’d be better off getting around town by boat, skirting Casco Bay and the Harraseeket River past the modest homes of retired sea captains.

There’d be no major industry here to add sound and fury to your journey for another century, when local businessman Edmund Buxton (“E.B.”) Mallet Jr. took on the reimagining of Freeport as his personal mission, building a shoe factory, a gristmill, and a sawmill; opening a brickyard and a granite quarry; and erecting downtown housing for the hundreds of workers he brought to town to run all of it. Thus were planted the seeds of today’s Freeport—a town synonymous with shopping, the home of L.L. Bean’s flagship store, and one of America’s most visited retail destinations.

But modern-day Freeport still hangs onto its early, off-the-beaten-path beginnings. Its population of roughly 9,000 mostly resides in the countryside; talk to locals here, and you might get an eye roll when the subject of downtown comes up. Too busy, they’ll say. Too commercial. For decades, downtown has been the price Freeporters pay for the solitude they get to enjoy everywhere else. Recently, though, this divide has begun to close, thanks in part to efforts by the town and local advocacy groups to fill commercial vacancies with locally owned spots showcasing the area’s rich crop of artists, chefs, and craftspeople.

There may be no better time to enjoy this nascent coming-together than at one of Freeport’s biggest events, the annual Visit Freeport’s Sparkle Celebration, which transforms downtown into a winter wonderland featuring thousands of white string lights, a full slate of free events, a talking Christmas tree, and, yes, lots of deep discounts for shoppers. At the same time, L.L. Bean’s season-long Northern Lights event—which overlaps with the 10-day Sparkle Celebration—draws visitors to the retail giant’s Freeport campus with attractions like a model train village, Santa and real (!) reindeer, and much more.

As a bonus, visitors can easily spend their days buying local without ever needing to stray far from Main Street—and the same goes for where they sleep. A handful of Victorian-era inns within walking distance of downtown offer a taste of Freeport’s history alongside modern-day amenities. One standout is the 1888 Brewster House Bed & Breakfast, run by partners Dave Noel and Kelleigh Dulany. Noel’s former life as a chef in New York City means dining is taken seriously here: Your multicourse breakfast might include maple syrup made from trees on the property, and sea salt that Noel harvested from a nearby bay.

A few blocks down the street, the 1779 Jameson Tavern is a good choice for lobster stew, but there are also plenty of great modern eateries close by, including the Freeport Oyster Bar, Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro, and Wanderlust Juicery. While strolling downtown, check out the Meetinghouse Arts Gallery for local artwork and the Freeport Community Services Thrift Shop for quirky, affordable vintage finds. Shoppers needing a retail break can relax to live tunes amid the moody blue lights of the music lounge Cadenza, or take in special holiday events such the Parade of Lights and chocolate house decorating with local confectioner Wilbur’s of Maine.

When you’re ready to connect with Freeport’s aforementioned quiet side, there’s more than 1,700 acres of protected land in and around town, featuring walkable trails through fields and along marshes, rivers, and ocean inlets. The most popular among the outdoor spots is Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, which borders Casco Bay and a saltwater estuary, but for the best example of Freeport’s rural character, head to Pettengill Farm, an 1810 saltbox farmhouse on 140 acres of orchards, woods, and native gardens maintained by the Freeport Historical Society. Parking here is roadside (and in a quiet neighborhood, so please be respectful), from which a 15-minute walk down a wooded dirt road leads to a breathtaking view of the Harraseeket estuary and a single ghost-white house overlooking it.

The last full-time resident of Pettengill Farm was Mildred Pettengill, who’d grown up there with her brother, Frank. After their parents died, the siblings stayed on as subsistence farmers from 1925 onward, eschewing society and living without plumbing, electricity, or a telephone. Frank passed away in 1960, leaving Mildred on her own until she moved out a decade later. The Pettengill house is open to the public only a few times a year, and not typically during the winter, but the grounds are available to roam year-round during daylight hours, and the inaccessibility of the house during the cold months seems to suit it.

To anyone peering through its cloudy old windows, the Pettengill home might seem frozen in a time when Freeport was known solely for its wild inlets and hideaway woods, places just begging you to disappear into. It’s a reminder of the reclusive character that still exists in this most commercial of towns, if you know where to find it. 

Freeport’s 2024 Sparkle Celebration will be held 12/6–12/15; for event details, go to sparklecelebration.com. L.L. Bean’s Northern Lights runs 11/22–12/29; for more information, go to llbean.com.

See More: Guide to Freeport, Maine | Eat, Stay, Play

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Sponsored by Aroostook County Tourism.

Winter comes early to Aroostook County, snow illuminating the rolling farm fields and wooded trails, a holiday glow lighting up the towns and villages. Along the quiet country roads of Maine’s northernmost county, potato-barrel “Christmas trees” are wreathed in garlands and greenery. From churches and downtown storefronts drift familiar melodies of carols, words of comfort sung in English, Swedish, and Acadian French.

No place in New England embraces the holiday spirit as fervently as the Crown of Maine, where layers of history and heritage, cherished culinary traditions, and a reliably wintry sparkle all make for a spirited end-of-year escape.

The season begins as soon as the Thanksgiving dishes are cleared, with tree lightings and sleigh-bell parades from Houlton, in the south, to Madawaska, at New England’s northern tip, overlooking New Brunswick across the Saint John River. In Caribou, a pop-up artisan village magically appears on Small Business Saturday, with gifts galore through Christmas Eve. In Presque Isle, Victorian celebrations at the 1875 Vera Estey House are as lively as Christmas Eve at Fezziwig’s, with lavish period decorations, caroling, and plenty of wassail.  

On Saint Lucia’s Day, December 13, pageants celebrate the patron saint of light, with white-robed girls donning crowns of candles to brighten the shortest day of the year. This Scandinavian tradition is part of the holiday magic in Aroostook, where a wave of Swedish immigrants settled in the late 19th century. At Monica’s Scandinavian Imports in Caribou, schoolkids carry out the candlelit procession, while fiddlers and accordionists play old-world folk tunes and revelers pass plates of gingery pepparkakor cookies and the soft saffron buns called lussekatter.

Another revered tradition the Swedes brought to Maine: Nordic skiing. Some of the earliest snows in the East fall on Aroostook County, home to world-class cross-country trails that have hosted World Cup events and to family ski mountains where there’s no such thing as a lift line. BigRock Mountain, in Mars Hill, has 26 trails and some 1,000 feet of vertical, with skiers typically hitting the slopes by mid-December. At the Fort Kent Outdoor Center, Nordic skiers watch for snowy owls while exploring more than 19 miles of impeccably groomed backcountry. It helps to fuel up at one of the restaurants in the St. John Valley, the heart of Maine’s Acadian country, where a slice of tourtière, a spiced holiday meat pie, is a requirement for any joyeux noël.

Ready to gift yourself a joyful Maine winter vacation?

Lodging with a Backstory: Where to Stay in Aroostook County

The grand brick edifice of the Northeastland Hotel has anchored Presque Isle’s downtown since 1932. Highlights of its ongoing renovation: a state-of-the-art coworking space (settle in, business travelers) and a sleek lobby gallery highlighting local art and the landmark hotel’s fascinating history (Clark Gable and Eleanor Roosevelt have both enjoyed its hospitality). 

In Caribou, the Old Iron Inn Bed and Breakfast is one part comfy guesthouse, one part repository for innkeeper ​​Kevin McCartney’s more than 500 antique clothing irons—did you know some used to run on gasoline?

In the heart of the Saint John Valley, Madawaska’s Inn of Acadia first opened as a convent in 1956. Today, boutique-y touches include plush bedding, rain showerheads, and a local woodworker’s handsome custom furniture.

Three Squares: Enjoy Hearty Fare in Aroostook County

Do breakfast in Houlton, where Sadie’s Bakery has been selling out of its legendary cake donuts—plain, molasses, pumpkin, or chocolate—morning after morning since 1948. Around the corner, the County Co-op and Farm Store has breakfast sandos, creative quiches, and tables full of regulars doing the morning coffee klatsch. Both spots overlook the stately brick and stone facades of Market Square, on the National Register of Historic Places.

Head to the Saint John Valley for lunch. In Van Buren, Northern Maine Kolache Co. packs them in for pillowy little hand pies, baked fresh and stuffed with everything from pizza to pulled pork to pecan-pie filling. Up the road, in Frenchville, the menu at Dolly’s Restaurant is full of Franco diner delicacies: indulgent poutine, the savory pork spread called cretons, and fluffy ployes, buckwheat pancakes that complement any Acadian meal. 

Pubby eats at Caribou’s Northern Maine Brewing Company include hefty burgers you can wash down with Maine Logger pils. On the shore of Portage Lake, the lively dining room at Dean’s Motor Lodge is where to find big plates of homestyle comfort food: prime rib, grilled seafood, mom’s meatloaf. Look for the spot with the rows of snowmobiles parked out front—legions of Aroostook sledders can’t be wrong.

First Tracks: Early Season Skiing in Aroostook County

Early winter and state-of-the-art snowmaking summon skiers and snowboarders to Presque Isle’s BigRock Mountain and Fort Kent’s Lonesome Pine Trails during the holidays. BigRock’s brand-new Sunrise quad reaches some 1,600 feet on Northern Maine’s highest peak, with views to Mount Katahdin on a clear day, 29 varied trails and glades, and a tubing park that’s fast, fast, fast. Lonesome Pine buzzes during the day and glows in the evenings, with lit-up trails for terrific night skiing. Plus, it’s the rare in-town hill, a 10-minute walk from the lodge and T-bar to après drinks at the Swamp Buck or 47 North downtown. 

Happy Trails: Aroostook County’s Best Places to Get Outside

Cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and fat bikers will find three of New England’s finest trail systems within a few dozen miles of one another. Some 19 miles of ski trails at Fort Fairfield’s Nordic Outdoor Heritage Center include lighted loops for evening outings and warming huts with blazing wood stoves. In Madawaska, the Four Seasons Trail network includes a sledding hill (with a ski tunnel running through it) and terrain park. Both offer ski and snowshoe rental packages, as does the 10th Mountain Lodge at the Fort Kent Outdoor Center, where a huge fieldstone fireplace beckons worn-out winter adventurers.

More Maine winter vacation planning ideas and tips await at visitaroostook.com.

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Maine’s 2024 fall season is packed with exciting events, with various experiences that celebrate the state’s vibrant autumn traditions. Between the Common Ground Fair, the Fryeburg Fair, and more than one pumpkin festival, there’s something for everyone—from culinary delights and live music to outdoor adventures and family-friendly activities across the state.

Common Ground Country Fair

Hosted by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, this get-together at the fairgrounds in Unity highlights Maine’s rural and agricultural traditions with animal exhibits, cooking demos, blacksmithing, farm and fiber marketplaces, tasty food, and kids’ programming. Headed to a different part of the state? Check out a master list of Maine Agricultural Fairs.

Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta

A giant pumpkin contest, pumpkin parade, pumpkin drop —perhaps you’re detecting a theme? Don’t miss the great pumpkin boat regatta finale.

Trails End Festival

This family-friendly, annual Maine fall festival started 15 years ago in celebration of the Katahdin region, the Appalachian Trail’s end. The festiva offers fun for the whole family including face painting, hiking, a chili cook-off, vendors, a parade, and games. A festival-favorite event is the Rubber Duck Race!

Blue Hill Fair

This “down to earth” fair was the model for the one in E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, and to this day, a special tent holds all the animals from the book (which was written in nearby Brooklin). The rides, farm exhibits, and fair foods that Charlotte and Wilbur’s human friends enjoyed are here, along with sheepdog trials that draw competitors from all over.

Cumberland County Fair

Turning 150 this year, southern Maine’s biggest fall festival packs in events as diverse as truck and tractor pulls, a rodeo, a demolition derby, nightly fireworks, and 10 live-music acts spanning blues to bluegrass and everything in between. And who needs pies when there’s a burrito-eating contest?

Boothbay Fall Foliage Festival

Boothbay’s fall event takes place on handsome four-acre town green, done up as a “vintage village” featuring art exhibits, food trucks, booths selling local crafts, live music, and a children’s corner. Take a ride on a steam-powered train at Boothbay Railway Village, and visit the adjacent antique car museum.

Farmington Fair

Central Maine’s big September event delivers the expected—a lively midway, tractor and horse pulls, lots of good fair chow—plus events including harness racing, an ugly veggie contest, and a “Drag Your Neighbor” competition, where you can floor your ride without getting a speeding ticket.

Fryeburg Fair

Since its start in 1851, western Maine’s harvest fest has grown into an eight-day celebration of the region’s farms, gardens, foods, and crafts. Midway rides and oxen pulls, calf and pig “scrambles,” and an anvil-throwing contest vie for popularity with midway rides and a farm museum, and the Woodsmen’s Field Day draws loggers from across the U.S. to test their mettle.

Harmony Free Fair

Yes, it’s free. And for a town with fewer than a thousand folks, Harmony stages a surprisingly big event. Along with local music acts and traditional agricultural and animal exhibits, the accent is on friendly competition, with tournaments in volleyball, cornhole, arm wrestling, horseshoes, skillet and hammer throwing, and even cribbage. And it all ends with a big Labor Day parade.

New Portland Lions Fair

Up near Skowhegan, far from the “old Portland,” the local Lions pair their midway, food booths, and agricultural attractions with plenty of lively competitions, such as wrestling matches, a demolition derby, and a kids’ “eel race,” done on hands and knees with participants holding on to their teammates’ ankles.

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Sponsored by Renys

When the first hints of autumn color return to Maine, so does an age-old quandary: As the days grow shorter, the list of things you want to do gets longer. There’s so much to squeeze in before winter comes knocking: Fall is the time for that last lobster roll at the Wells Beach Lobster Pound, that gorgeous foliage hike up Camden’s Mount Battie, and that colorful Pumpkinfest in Damariscotta. Whether you’re filling a bag with fresh-picked apples or tailgating at a local football game, it’s hard not to breathe it all in and wish the magical crisp-yet-cozy vibe of autumn would last.

But step inside a Renys store, and you’ll discover endless ways to bring that feeling home and bask in its glow even after the leaves have fallen. Now celebrating its 75th anniversary, the family-owned department store chain is a true autumn cornucopia of clothes, home decor, and other products that add a bit of seasonal spice to everyday life.

Even better, there are Renys locations in Wells, Camden, Belfast, and 15 other towns and cities across the Pine Tree State (including two in Damariscotta and Renys’ newest store, in Bangor, opened just this year). All of which might inspire one more item for an autumn traveler’s to-do list: Join the Renys Passport Program and collect a stamp for each store you visit. With the chance to earn prizes, the Passport Program is a one-of-a-kind Maine treasure hunt—although just by stocking up on Renys’ cozy autumn essentials, you’ll already be a winner.

Fall Flavors

Few things warm the heart and soul like a kitchen filled with the scent of home cooking. Want to transform those just-picked autumn apples into a pie? Renys has bakeware at the ready, along with baking supplies from top names like Bob’s Red Mill. If you long for pumpkin flavor, load up on spices and canned pumpkin puree to make a dessert worthy of any Thanksgiving spread (there’s real maple syrup for a scrumptious glazed turkey, too). Or think long-term and prep for winter with veggies and fruits that you’ve preserved yourself with Renys’ extensive stock of canning supplies.

Round out the scene with Renys’ harvest-themed dish towels and potholders, and don’t forget to pick up some seasonal tea or gourmet coffee like Maine’s own Katahdin Coffee Co.—in a kitchen so warmly welcoming, your friends and family will want to linger over a mug or two.

Cozy Fabrics

For many, the physical sensations associated with fall can be summed up in three words: wool, fleece, and flannel. This time of year, Renys’ shelves and racks are overflowing with brand-name clothes that deliver these snuggly fabrics at equally comfy prices. Rich fall colors and classic plaids abound in flannel shirts, sweaters, and outerwear from the likes of Carhartt and Columbia. Throw on some timeless denim or cords, sturdy sneakers or hiking boots, and toasty footwear (like Smartwool socks, which Renys carries in a huge selection of sizes, colors, and patterns), and you’ll complete your autumn look from head to toe.

Your closet isn’t the only thing, though, that will benefit from some cuddle-up warmth. With things like flannel sheets, fleece throws, and wool blankets, Renys can help wrap your whole home in that cozy autumn vibe.

Autumn Accents

Whether for holiday feasts or just casual get-togethers, the entertaining scene moves indoors in fall. Renys has everything you need to set the stage for seasonal hosting, beginning right at the front porch with pots of locally grown mums in vibrant yellows and reds, and a welcome mat adorned with turning leaves or other autumn icons.

Inside, continue the rustic warmth with wooden accents—Renys offers a wide range of picture frames, décor, and storage—brightened by the greens, scarlets, and golds of everything from table linens to harvest-themed wall hangings. Finally, fill your home with the scent and warmth of candles that Renys stocks in all sizes and every seasonal scent, such as apple pie, cranberry, balsam fir, and (of course) pumpkin spice.

To learn more about the Renys Passport Program or to find a location near you, go to renys.com

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OMG, I’m surrounded by five different fireworks shows, my daughter texted last Fourth of July. She was on the waterside slope below the octagonal blockhouse at Fort Edgecomb, juggling her phone and a milkshake, just up the road from Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

Lara didn’t exactly want me to divulge this snippet of intel. But expecting a travel editor to keep a little-known prime vantage point under wraps is like asking a diva to pipe down. Plus, I love the symbolism of those colorful explosions, emanating not just from Boothbay Harbor but its sibling communities (and probably some personal arsenals), in this region of tidal rivers, briny coves, and boat-dense harbors.

Understandably, many visitors swoop down Route 27, hit the rotary, and head straight to New England’s largest botanical garden or to Boothbay Harbor, one of Maine’s liveliest seaside towns, then make their departure before darkest night. But plenty of the Boothbay Peninsula’s pyrotechnics are the quiet sort that lie just before or beyond where you thought you belonged.

How fortunate Lara and I were to spend two summers’ worth of non-working hours poking around the peninsula, following tips and our instincts. She interned at the 300-acre Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and I visited so often I felt a kinship with the five resident trolls (and even more so after my silly little great-niece insisted we see all the trolls’ backsides). Danish artist Thomas Dambo continues to add to the global Trollmap of colossal creatures he and his team and volunteers have sculpted from reclaimed and natural materials, but the largest collection in one place is here, where their message about sustainability resonates deeply.

During rare evenings when the gardens stay open only for members, we loved having picnic suppers with monarchs aflutter, golden light on their floral feast. The cost of uncrowded enchantment is only a bit more than regular admission, and membership buoys the botanical treasure’s growth and research … and allows you to return again and again.

Seize the opportunity because, within a tiny radius of the gardens, there’s an out-of-the-way country store where you won’t have to wait in a long line for one of the Midcoast’s best lobster rolls. There’s a land trust preserve with lightly trod trails and boulder-top benches that won’t let you catch your breath: The view steals it away. There’s a dirt turnoff that leads to a dock, where you can sun yourself or read between refreshing dips. There’s a funky stand with the best fried fish you’ve ever had and the perpetual promise of “Free Beer Tomorrow.”

If that doesn’t keep you around for a few days, maybe the secluded beach on East Boothbay’s Ocean Point will. Or a first-rate bakery “disguised” as an old-timey general store. Or tickets for dinner and a show where performers are your servers, and what productions lack in glitz they make up for in heart. It’s so in keeping with the earnestness to how things operate here, a way of life that’s protected by locals and transplants alike.

Am I being intentionally vague about these finds? No. You already know I can’t keep a secret. Especially not the one about flights of ice cream served in cute homemade waffle cups in a 19th-century barn. The details are all right here for you in our Guide to Boothbay Harbor | Eat, Stay, Play.

Boothbay Harbor holds surprises, too. Not surprising: Parking’s a challenge downtown at the height of summer (try near the library). Everything is walkable once you land a spot. There are galleries, shops, and restaurants to easily fill the better part of a day. Even agonizing over Coastal Maine Popcorn’s 40-plus flavors is time delectably spent. Our favorite meals always started with sushi and ended with pastries shaped like perfect red roses.

Stroll across Boothbay Harbor’s trademark 1901 footbridge, renovated last year, and pause to picture not only the vacationers who made this walk when the bridge was new, but also the shipbuilders who toiled here before them. The settlers who tried to get a toehold as early as 1630. The indigenous fishing community that was like, Not so fast.

Tidal Transit, right by the footbridge, will rent you a kayak. The piers are lined with ticket booths, where you can purchase passage aboard a sailing schooner, a puffin- or whale-watching cruise, a fishing charter, a sightseeing vessel, even a boat bound for a clambake on Cabbage Island. The ease of taking to the water keeps this tourist-filled summer spot from ever feeling like a trap. Keeps Boothbay Harbor true to its maritime identity.    

See More: Guide to Boothbay Harbor | Eat, Stay, Play

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The lively seaside town of Boothbay Harbor is a midcoast Maine favorite. If you’re planning a visit, our guide to Boothbay Harbor, Maine, has you covered with the best things to do, places to eat, and places to stay.

See more in the July/August 2024 Yankee Magazine feature “Summer Weekend in Boothbay Harbor, Maine”

Things to Do in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Rocky soil, salt-laden air. It’s no easy feat to grow here, which makes these diverse displays, including the invitingly interactive children’s and five-senses gardens, all the more inspiring. This summer CMBG becomes home to a collection of 60 Siberian iris cultivars that were introduced to the horticultural world by the famed Dr. Currier McEwen of Harpswell, Maine. mainegardens.org

Porter Preserve

With views of islands and working and recreational boats on the Sheepscot River, the shaded, easy 1.1-mile trail through this land trust property is low-effort, immense-reward. bbrlt.org

Knickerbocker Lake Public Access

Find the boat launch off Barter’s Island Road, and you’ll have a 105-acre freshwater swimming hole practically to yourself.

Carousel Music Theater

Young, ambitious singers belt tunes while delivering your lunch or dinner, then perform in an original jukebox musical that’ll leave you in good spirits. carouselmusictheater.org

Tidal Transit Kayak

Paddlers have plied Boothbay Harbor for more than 400 years, and Travis Journagan and his team will set you up for success by renting you a paddleboard or kayak or providing free access to launch your own craft. kayakboothbay.com

Boothbay Sailing

You can help hoist the sails, take the wheel, or just sit back on a daytime or sunset voyage aboard one of two classic windjammers. Seal sightings, while not guaranteed, are a thrill. boothbaysailing.com

Where to Eat in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Trevett Country Store

Even if there were a line for this rustic spot’s supremely fresh lobster rolls, you wouldn’t mind because of the view and the ever-present possibility that the Barter’s Island drawbridge will put on a show. 207-633-1140

Bet’s Fish Fry

You’ll need cash and a willingness to time your hunger to match the sparse hours at Bet Finocciaro’s quirky stand, which serves up mammoth haddock portions only three hours a day, Tuesday through Saturday. 21 Common Dr.

East Boothbay General Store

Get your breakfast pizza, your fresh-baked breads, and your picnic sandwiches from this bakery-café that doubles as a gift and provisions shop. ebgs.us

Blanchard’s Creamery

As you’re driving Route 27 on or off the peninsula, don’t miss this 1800s barn turned ice cream shop, where small batches are slow-churned and dished up. It’ll take you 20 three-scoop flights to plow through all the flavors. blanchardscreamery.com

Harborside 1901 Bar & Grill

We gravitate to this waterside spot for its convivial service, artful sushi, and creative lobster preparations. OK, we’re really there for Turkish pastry chef Tugba Ciftci’s desserts: so pretty it would be sinful not to photograph them. harborside1901.com

Where to Stay in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Topside Inn

When checkout day arrives you’ll be reluctant to fly from this stylish hilltop perch, just steps from Boothbay Harbor’s waterfront. Breakfasts and BarOne’s small plates are composed with local ingredients, so yes, you might wake to wild Maine blueberries in your pancakes. topsideinn.com

Bluebird Ocean Point Inn

Generations have vacationed on Card Cove but never like this. Lark Hotels added this 125-year-old property to its Bluebird portfolio of reimagined classics and reopened it last summer: a crisp, minimalist coastal retreat for a new era. bluebirdhotels.com

The post Guide to Boothbay Harbor, Maine | Eat, Stay, Play appeared first on New England.

By Virginia M. Wright | Sponsored by Renys

The giant Paul Bunyan statue presiding over Bangor’s Main Street is both a nod to the city’s historic lumber industry and a symbol of its enduring connection to the great outdoors. Besides serving as a gateway to the North Woods, Bangor hosts 15 leafy parks, a 680-acre city forest, and boat access to the Penobscot River. Just outside town, scores of trails await hikers and bikers, and Pushaw Lake draws paddlers and anglers. No wonder this community is so laid-back and vibrant — and with the University of Maine campus just 10 miles north, it’s youthful, too. Nearly a third of residents are 20 to 40 years old, and they’re a big reason for the unpretentious cool of their city, whose downtown hums with eclectic boutiques and terrific brew pubs and restaurants.

Plan Your Trip

Antiques Shopping
Greater Bangor is home to several standout antiques shops, including two biggies: downtown’s Antique Marketplace, with more than 50 dealers, and the rambling Central Maine Antique Mall, located near the airport and hosting 60-plus dealers. antiquemarketplacecafe.com; centralmaineantiquemall.net

Waterfront Concerts at Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor
Launched on the banks of the Penobscot River in 2010, this concert series has made Bangor into northern New England’s live-music capital. Every summer the lineup of top-tier rock, pop, and country talent—Michael Franti, Lainey Wilson, and Smashing Pumpkins, to name a few — sells out Maine Savings Amphitheater, the largest performance venue north of Boston. waterfrontconcerts.com

SK Tours of Maine, Bangor
Bangor is the inspiration for the fictional town of Derry, the setting for several novels and short stories by best-selling author and longtime resident Stephen King. Over the course of about three hours, SK Tours owners Jamie Tinker and Jennifer Millar will take you by tour van to the creepiest spots, including the storm drain from the novel It where 6-year-old Georgie meets Pennywise, the razor-toothed clown. sk-tours.com

Hudson Museum, Orono
Located on the UMaine campus, the Hudson displays a marvelous collection of ethnographic and archaeological objects from around the world, with a particular emphasis on the 19th-century crafts of Maine’s Wabanaki tribes. December brings the Wabanaki Winter Market, which features contemporary basketry, beadwork, and wood carvings in New England’s largest holiday gathering of Wabanaki artists. umaine.edu/hudsonmuseum

Maine Forest and Logging Museum, Bradley
The reconstructed late-1700s milling settlement of Leonard’s Mills sits alongside burbling Blackman Stream within a UMaine experimental forest. The museum hosts demonstrations of blacksmithing, bean-hole bean baking, pack-basket making, and other heritage activities throughout the summer, but the grounds—with their nature trails, water-powered mill, and covered bridge — make for a bucolic (and free) outing year-round. maineforestandloggingmuseum.org

Timber Kitchen & Bar, Bangor
With its rough-wood walls, red-flannel upholstery, and chef’s table overlooking a wood-burning oven, Timber puts a sophisticated spin on Bangor’s lumber heritage. Offerings include smoked-seafood chowder, wild-mushroom pizza, and the Woodsman Surf and Turf: butter-basted lobster tail, hardwood-fired beef tenderloin, and wild asparagus. The Paul Bunyan statue at the adjacent Cross Insurance Center awaits your after-dinner selfie. timberkitchenandbar.com

“Head of Tide” Kayak Tour, Bangor
Explore the longest river within the state of Maine on this guided tour from Bullfrog Adventures. Traversing the Penobscot from Eddington to Bangor, the trip can be timed to coincide with high tide (plenty of gentle, flat water) or low tide (quick water with intermediate rapids). Either way, it ends in Bangor near the Sea Dog Brewing Co., where tasty pub food and microbrews await. bullfrogadventures.com

Mason’s Brewing Company, Brewer
With a covered patio overlooking the Penobscot, Mason’s could get by on atmosphere alone, but its crew turns out brews and food worthy of the location. Choose from more than two dozen terrific craft brews and a menu filled with tempting offerings such as the Truffle Pig, a white-sauce pizza topped with candied bacon, wild mushrooms, and sauteed spinach, all drizzled in black truffle oil. masonsbrewingcompany.com

Maine Discovery Museum, Bangor
Kids can guide boats down a model of the Penobscot River, dig up fossils, and perform “cat” scans in a pint-size vet clinic at Maine’s largest children’s museum. The focus is learning through play, with exhibits that begin in the Maine woods, then span the world and soar into space. mainediscoverymuseum.org

Orono Bog Boardwalk, Bangor
This one-mile boardwalk provides rare access to the otherworldly beauty of peatland, a highly acidic type of wetland that harbors unusual flora like tussock cottongrass, hot-pink-flowering rhodoras, and carnivorous purple pitcher plants and sundews. cityforest.bangorinfo.com/boardwalk.htm

Meet the Renys Team: Bangor

Name: Nick Tripp

Title: Regional manager

Store location: Bangor

Employed at Renys since: 2000

What’s your favorite part about working in Bangor? “The customer reaction to us being in Bangor. As someone from the area, I know how long people have been waiting to have a Renys here. It’s awesome to see the genuine excitement and happiness from those customers.”

What is one thing you’d recommend to someone visiting Bangor for the first time? “The Orono Bog Walk. It’s in the Bangor City Forest, only about five minutes from the store, and is full of unique plants and wildlife. Afterward, grab lunch at one of the many fantastic places to eat, like Utopia — a delicious place downtown that offers a wide variety of Mediterranean cuisine.”

What products at your store go great with Maine adventures? “Any adventure needs snacks, and Little Lad’s popcorn, Bixby chocolate, Maine Needhams, and Fox Family chips are some of my favorites. Great brands like Brooks sneakers, Oboz hikers, and Columbia sportwear are also perfect for any Maine adventure.”

Where do you personally like to go for a Maine adventure? “Baxter State Park. I try to hike Mount Katahdin at least once a year — Baxter Peak is my favorite place in Maine. Baxter State Park also has lots more trails, rivers, and lakes to enjoy. It’s just as beautiful as Acadia, but quieter and more relaxing.”

Renys, 46 Springer Dr., Bangor; 207-203-9078. Visit renys.com for summer store hours.

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By Virginia M. Wright | Sponsored by Renys

Forget the Caribbean. Never mind a cruise. In 2018, Phil and Dolly Curtis spent their honeymoon doing the Maine shopping equivalent of peak bagging: They visited all the Renys locations — which then totaled 17 stores — on a zigzagging jaunt of several hundred miles. Dolly, 71, proposed the journey after seeing her 80-year-old fiancé’s disappointment upon learning that their wedding would conflict with Renys’ November Early-Bird Sale, when shoppers flood the stores in the wee hours for rock-bottom deals. “He’s silly enough to say yes,” Dolly told CBS Sunday Morning’s Nancy Giles, who interviewed the Old Orchard Beach couple about their offbeat wedding trip. “So off we went.”

The occasion that prompted the Curtises’ feat was exceptional, but their mission was not. Every year brings a new batch of “Renys baggers,” some of whom tick off each milestone with a dash of hoopla, like the four friends who arrived at the Topsham store wearing bright orange tees reading “Tour de Renys,” and the woman who chronicled her travels on a “Renys Run” Facebook page.

Renys touring is but one way Mainers shower love on their favorite store. In 2003, Newcastle resident Art Mayers penned Renys: The Musical; it’s now a community theater staple. Renys’ marketing team, meanwhile, fields a steady stream of homemade videos featuring people singing the store jingle — “Renys! A Maine adventure!” — for television spots. One family even synchronized their Christmas lights to the tune.

How to explain such enthusiasm for, of all things, a discount department store?

“We’re homegrown,” says Renys president John Reny, who’s been working at the business founded in 1949 by his father, Robert H. Reny, since he was 5. “We live here, and we know what Maine people need.”

He’s talking about things like Carhartt overalls and Pendleton flannel shirts, Keens hiking shoes and Yukon Charlie trekking poles, and an assortment of Renys-branded goods, like lobster picks, portable lawn chairs, and canvas tote bags embroidered with Renys’ “Maine Adventure” logo, showing a road curving into a spruce forest. He means the largest variety of Bob’s Red Mill grains, flours, and cereals of any store in Maine and — especially coveted by Renys shoppers — Sweetzels Ginger Snaps and Stretch-Tite plastic wrap. Plus, Renys’ shelves brim with Maine-made edibles: Raye’s Mustard from Eastport, Waldo-Stone Farm Bloody Oyster Cocktail Mix from Bristol, and Maya’s Apiary Blueberry Honey from Sidney, to name a few.

Then there are the prices. “The big stores mark up their merchandise and then take 40 percent off and call it a sale,” Reny says. “Even then, we’re selling it cheaper. When we get a good deal on a product, we pass it on to our customers. People love us because they know we don’t fool around.”

That’s the philosophy established 75 years ago when a young Robert Reny quit his job as store clerk for a Damariscotta department store because his boss, who also happened to be his landlord, granted him a raise—then jacked up his rent by the same amount. R.H., as everyone knew him, opened a dry-goods store in the vacant A&P across the street and committed to treating his customers, employees, and vendors fairly. That first year, his store enjoyed a robust fall trade. When sales flagged after Christmas, R.H. loaded merchandise into his Hudson motorcar and drove down the Bristol peninsula, calling on fishing families rendered homebound by snow-rutted roads. When spring arrived, those families returned their amiable and gregarious visitor’s favor by shopping at his store.

R.H.’s tireless search for good deals extended to real estate as he grew a chain of stores. He never built new, but instead favored vacant buildings — a practice that breathed life into faded downtowns and deserted strip malls and endeared Renys to revitalization organizations like the Maine Development Foundation, which awarded the business its Main Street Hero award in 2009. By then, R.H. had opened 14 stores, and he was well known and beloved statewide. When he died that year at age 83, the Maine Merchants Association eulogized him as “the heart and soul” of Maine retailing.

Ranging in size from roughly 2,000 square feet all the way up to 35,000 square feet (that would be Bridgton), each Renys location is unique. Madison’s Renys was built as an opera house, Bath’s was a hotel, Bridgton’s was a post office. Gardiner’s Renys occupies three late-19th-century Romanesque Revival storefronts, one of which has an intact Rebekah Lodge on its third floor. The Farmington Renys’ stage and balcony recall its past as a silent-movie theater. And Damariscotta has two Renys: the original and, across the street, Renys Underground, a former bowling alley (it even has a soda fountain!).

John Reny, who took the helm in 2007, and his younger brother, Bob, now retired, have followed R.H’s example, adroitly negotiating off-price deals without scorching relationships with their vendors. They’ve further distinguished Renys among discount department stores by upgrading its clothing mix with brands such as Carhartt and Columbia. They’ve also stepped up the pursuit of closeouts and overruns, which account for the ever-changing, one-time-only offerings that delight Renys shoppers (recent examples include Martha Stewart mango-wood charcuterie boards and cartons of borlotti beans from Italy).

Meanwhile, they’ve mentored the next generation to manage the family enterprise. John’s daughter, Faustine, and Bob’s son, Adam, are part of an executive team overseeing a Maine institution with 500-plus employees. “We’re not just a retail store,” Adam remarked on Renys’ 70th anniversary in 2019. “As my grandfather said, we’re a customer-service company that happens to sell great stuff. We continue to practice the values that he had on day one.”

In Renys: The Musical, a character modeled after R.H. is lionized for his perseverance in the era of generic big-box stores. After he’s mobbed by adoring shoppers, the entire cast assembles for the first big number. “There are vitamins and cookies and cans of lobster stew, telephones and toasters and pillow cases too!” they sing. “You can get a chair there, try a dress there, see a friend there — all at Renys!”

The post Renys: The Ultimate Maine Treasure Hunt appeared first on New England.

MAINE CLASSIC DINING

FARM-TO-TABLE
Chase’s Daily, Belfast

A family farm since the early 1970s, Chase’s Daily added a restaurant in 2000. Recently, it transitioned from full-service to a seasonal counter-service spot. But much of the market/eatery’s charm is that it continually evolves, adding soft-serve ice cream, brewing a new hot sauce, streamlining the menu, pooling tips for fairer pay. The Chase family reminds us that with change comes opportunity (and Friday pizza nights). chasesdaily.me

ITALIAN
Primo, Rockland

To spend a day around chef-owner Melissa Kelly and her team is to realize that old-school farm-to-table cooking means endless hard work (when we last saw Kelly in September, she was going on six months without a day off). This was Maine’s first modern-era restaurant with a real animals-and-vegetables farm on-site. And in the 24 years since Primo opened, the pasta craft has only gotten better, the pork saltimbocca more succulent, the farm-grown tomatoes sweeter and more varied. primorestaurant.com

JAPANESE
Miyake, Portland

Freshly renovated in 2022, and with new owners, Miyake remains a destination with such uniformly high standards that we strongly advise putting yourself in chef Bounahra Kim’s hands and ordering the omakase (tasting menu), a comparative deal for fish this fresh. Prefer à la carte? Try the scallops with yuzu-miso sauce or the spicy Maine crab roll. miyakerestaurants.com

MAINE CLASSIC LODGING

BED & BREAKFAST
Pentagöet Inn, Castine

Matt Powell, a chef, and George Trinovitch, an interior designer, became this turreted Queen Anne Victorian’s new owners in 2022. They’ve combined their talents and passion for history to restore the inn’s yesteryear grandeur (think handsome antiques and delightful historical ephemera with an emphasis on comfort) without sacrificing contemporary must-haves. The dining is excellent, the pub is fun, and the organic gardens are dreamy. pentagoet.com

BOUTIQUE INN
OneSixtyFive The Inn on Park Row, Brunswick

When a fire charred the main structure, innkeeper Eileen Horner created the inn of her dreams within an 1848 Federal overlooking Brunswick’s town green. She updated the decor, opting for brighter neutral paints and wallpapers, restored hardwood floors previously hidden by carpeting, and added eclectic furnishings. Guests can mingle over breakfast in the front parlors or cocktails and snacks in Pub165. Independent-minded guests can stay at the self-check-in Carriage House. Those with a dog can book the cottage. onesixtyfivemaine.com

COUNTRY INN
The Waterford Inne, Waterford

Eager to get away from it all? Choose this attractively renovated 19th-century farmhouse—complete with hand-hewn beams and wide-plank pine floors—on 25 rural acres with fields, gardens, forests, and a pond. Feast on hearty farm-fresh breakfasts, laze in Adirondack chairs, toast marshmallows over the fire pit, and enjoy light fare and drinks in the humongous red barn, which also hosts a seasonal dinner series. thewaterfordinne.com

MAINE CLASSIC ACTIVITIES

MEETING HOUSE
South Solon Meeting House, South Solon

This classic white-clapboard building sits on a quiet rural corner amid farmlands and forests. The exterior appears as it did when it opened in 1843, but step inside, and wow! Nearly every surface is frescoed with colorful, nondenominational religious scenes painted by 13 artists from the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture in the 1950s. web.colby.edu/southsolonmeetinghouse

MUSEUM
Maine Maritime Museum, Bath

Delve into Maine’s seafaring heritage at the Percy & Small Shipyard, part of this museum’s 20-acre campus on the Kennebec River. View indoor history exhibits, then visit the boat and blacksmith shops and the Victorian Donnell House, gawk at the full-size structural representation of the largest wooden sailing vessel built in North America, and hop aboard a daily cruise. mainemaritimemuseum.org

SUMMER THEATER
Maine State Music Theatre, Brunswick

Summer theater is an enduring tradition in Maine, and if you haven’t seen a professional musical at Bowdoin College’s Pickard Theater, you’ve been missing out since 1959. June through August, Maine State Music Theatre presents four elaborately costumed Broadway musicals, three concerts featuring the songs of popular artists, and three family productions. During the season, behind-the-scenes tours are offered at both Pickard Theater and the nearby rehearsal building. msmt.org

2024 Best of Maine: New & Buzzy

MAINE NEW & BUZZY DINING

FINE DINING
Twelve, Portland

As the Forest City fully established itself as the Foodie City, it began attracting more chefs from away who’ve opened the kinds of artful, personal restaurants they couldn’t have done in, say, New York. Such is the case with Colin Wyatt, who cooked in top Manhattan kitchens before decamping to Maine. Halibut with a Ritz-cracker crust and bone marrow jus is the sort of high-low fusion that we love. And pastry chef Georgia Macon is a rising star on a national level. Don’t miss any of her breads, including her gingerbread. twelvemaine.com

LATIN AMERICAN
Café Louis, South Portland

Portland’s little sister to the south has lately become the belle of the ball, and this Costa Rican/Caribbean-inspired eatery is well worth the trek across the Casco Bay Bridge. Just about everything is made in-house, save for a few condiments. And much is sourced locally. When you bathe Bangs Island mussels in coconut milk with lime and green curry, you have a whole new way of appreciating what’s on hand. Don’t miss the house-ground brisket burger with house-cured bacon queso chihuahua or the slushy rum drinks. cafelouis.me

NEW AMERICAN
The Alna Store, Alna

What was once a general store with a gas pump out front is Maine’s most-talked-about new eatery. Here, customers can still buy beer or tag a deer, but they can also sit down to a Maine-style Italian sandwich or a plate of local scallops, kale, and celeriac with citrus and chili oil. Chef Devin Dearden changes the menu every two weeks, inspired by everything from local produce to Korean noodles to Provençal stews. In short, the Alna Store brings the world to a small town. thealnastore.com

SUSHI
Rosella KPT, Kennebunk

Rosella is a sustainable sushi restaurant from New York’s East Village, but this is not some overlooked satellite location. Chef Matt Kramer came to Maine with real intention to eschew overfished species in favor of what’s bountiful here: oysters, bluefin tuna, bluefish, amberjack, lobster, scallops, and crab. There’s still spicy tuna and avocado, but nothing that’s flown in. And with such artful preparation (the Kennebunkport Cali roll balances sweet Jonah crab with crunchy radish, creamy avocado, and jalapeño), you won’t miss the neon-orange salmon of old. rosellakpt.com

MAINE NEW & BUZZY LODGING

BOUTIQUE HOTEL
The Federal, Brunswick

Captain Daniel Stone and his daughter, Narcissa, must be smiling down on their former home, an 1810 Federal within easy walking distance of Main Street. Renovated and furnished in vintage-meets-contemporary style, the dog-friendly hotel reopened in 2022 with 30 rooms and suites split between the Stones’ original home and the newer East Wing. At 555 North, where acclaimed chef Steve Corry prepares farm-to-table fare. thefederalmaine.com

INDEPENDENT HOTEL
Lockwood Hotel, Waterville

Downtown Waterville is undergoing an artsy revival, and the pet-friendly Lockwood Hotel, opened in 2022, puts visitors at the heart of it. Built by Colby College, the 53-room property displays original works by Maine artists throughout. The inviting lobby, bookended by fireplaces, has a buzzy bar and furniture arranged for cozy conversations. Local farmers and fishermen power a Maine-y menu at the hotel restaurant, Front & Main. lockwood-hotel.com

LUXURY BED & BREAKFAST
The Norumbega, Camden

New owners unveiled a calmer, brighter vision for Camden’s 1887 castle by the sea in 2023, opting for comfort and simplicity while emphasizing the Victorian’s architectural charms such as gleaming wood floors and mahogany woodwork. Numerous public spaces make it easy to find a private niche in the intimate bar, on a balcony or porch, or in the huge backyard. Afternoon treats and a breakfast fit for royalty are included. norumbegainn.com

MAINE NEW & BUZZY ACTIVITIES

PARKS
Cobscook Shores, Lubec

Explore 20 beautifully designed and maintained waterfront preserves in and around Lubec. Created by a family-funded charitable foundation, these tracts offer free walking, hiking, picnicking, camping, paddling, birdwatching, and nature study amid miles of undeveloped shorefront including beaches, islands, and coves. All have restrooms, and most have screened picnic pavilions. cobscookshores.org

WALKING TOUR
Portland by the Foot, Portland

Historian Dugan Murphy makes poking around Portland quirky-good fun. A natural performer, he brings the past to life on two-hour “hidden histories” and Black history tours weaving through the Old Port, Waterfront, and East End neighborhoods. You’ll cover about 1½ miles and learn about Maine’s indigenous Wabanaki, European colonizers, women of note, and the city’s unsung heroes. portlandbythefoot.com

2024 Spotlight: Summer Weekend in Maine’s Acadia Region

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