8 Wonderful Things to Do in Maine

Historic lighthouses. Fresh seafood. Beautiful national parks. Charming seaside towns.

The beautiful U.S. state of Maine offers all this and much more. It’s a refreshing place to visit, where in just one day you can chow down on a lobster roll, enjoy the salty ocean air on a boat ride, and hike to an incredible mountain view.

I visited Maine on a summer vacation with my family, and we did all that and much more.

Here are just 8 of the many wonderful things to do in Maine!

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1. Eat Some Lobster

If Maine is known for one food item, it’s lobster — and if you eat seafood, a trip to Maine would not be complete without trying some of the state’s wonderfully fresh and tasty lobster.

I’ve enjoyed lobster rolls and other lobster-based meals at Red’s (in Wiscasset), Shaw’s (in New Harbor), and McLoon’s (in South Thomaston), among other places.

DID YOU KNOW: While lobster is often considered a fancy meal in much of America today (with prices to match), lobster was once so plentiful that it was super cheap and fed primarily to slaves, indentured servants, and other poor people (or even used as fertilizer!).

Today, lobster remains abundant in Maine, and while it’s not as expensive there as it often is other places, it’s not exactly cheap. However, Maine lobster, fresh from the source, really is delicious.

2. Explore Small Town USA

Do you ever wish you could visit a town that belongs in one of those Hallmark Christmas movies where a big city woman is forced to return home for, like, a cookie baking emergency or something?

You might be surprised to learn that Maine is a great place for this. In fact, Maine has a number of lovely little towns with charming main streets full of antique stores, independent coffee shops and bookstores, and those classic small town vibes.

I especially loved Bath, Hallowell, and Camden.

3. Watch the Sun Set over the Water

Perhaps I just got lucky during my visit, but I witnessed some of the most incredible sunsets of my life in Maine.

No doubt the sunset quality varies wildly depending on…well, the actual sunset, but Maine’s charming fishing towns and beautiful scenery add quite a lot to the experience.

For especially great sunset settings, check out Port Clyde and Damariscotta.

4. Walk the Rockland Breakwater

One of my very favorite things to do in Maine is to walk the Rockland Breakwater.

The breakwater is a long stretch (7/8 of a mile!) of huge granite blocks. Just tons of granite — literally. 732,000 tons of granite, in fact! Over the last two decades of the 19th century, these blocks were carefully arranged into a structure that protects the Rockland Harbor from tides, waves, and other ocean forces. It cost $750,000 to build (about $25,000,000 in 2023’s dollars!).

In addition to protecting the harbor, the breakwater makes for a really lovely walk to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, which dates to 1902.

5. Pretend You’re Forrest Gump

Remember when Forrest Gump just took off running, and ran and ran until he reached Santa Monica, then he turned around and ran and ran until he reached a lighthouse on the East Coast, then he turned around and ran and ran until — well, you get it.

That lighthouse was Marshall Point in Port Clyde, Maine.

Of course, you don’t actually need to pretend you’re Forrest Gump, or even visit Marshall Point specifically, in order to enjoy Maine’s many picturesque lighthouses. Other lighthouses I recommend checking out include the Owls Head Lighthouse and the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse.

6. Explore Acadia National Park

One of the best places to experience Maine’s incredible natural beauty is Acadia National Park.

At more than 100 years old, Acadia is one of America’s oldest national parks. Of course, its natural features are much, much older than 100 years old.

During your visit to Acadia, be sure to check out the view from Cadillac Mountain, the serene Jordan Pond, and spectacular oceanside sights like Thunder Hole and Otter Cliff.

It’s possible to see Acadia’s highlights in just one day, but I recommend stretching your visit over two or more days if you have the time. It’ll give you more opportunities to hike and explore.

7. Ride a Boat

So much of life in Maine revolves around the water — the food and resources it produces, the economy it generates, the leisure it offers. Given all of that, I’m not sure a trip to Maine would be complete without getting out on the water in some fashion.

During our visit to Maine, my family took a lighthouse cruise from Port Clyde. What a joy! This was my favorite experience from our whole week in Maine.

From the dock in Port Clyde, the boat tour took us out and demonstrated the process of hauling in lobster traps. Then, we cruised around the harbor for a couple of hours, looking at and learning about a number of different lighthouses. We even got to see a massive sunfish, which swam right up beside our boat.

Unfortunately, this particular tour has not been operating in the same way since COVID. You can check current availability here.

8. Marvel at the Views from Mount Battie

If you’re looking for good views in Maine, it’s hard to do better than Mount Battie. Climb (or drive up) Mount Battie for fabulous views of the town of Camden and Penobscot Bay.

Don’t miss the Mount Battie Memorial Tower, which commemorates those who served in World War I.

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