38 Awesome Things You Should Do When You Go To Maine

You could hike instead... but if you drive you'll have much more time to explore the rest of Acadia National Park and the charming town of Bar Harbor.

Shrimp + garlic aioli + artichokes = heaven in sandwich form.

The Children's Garden is the highlight (even for adults): there's a whale fountain, a cat-shaped fence, stepping stones across a pond, and so many beautiful flowers that your eyes won't know where to focus first.

So many "hand foods", so few hands.

Or a llama, a goose, a guinea pig, and a draft horse.

Eat at the Kelp Shed, take a dip in the "bath tub", climb on the giant anchor, and keep your eyes open for deer.

Just remember: while all the camp sites on Hermit Island are awesome, if you want one of the "prime" spots (right by the beach or on a beautiful rocky cliff), you've got to reserve your spot wayyyyyyyyy in advance. Or go during the off season.

So. Much. Claw. Meat.

Be sure to check out the lighthouse while you're digesting your food.

Summer sunsets are best enjoyed with s'mores... so make one.

If you have no desire to become a better chef ( ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ), you can just head over to the cafe or the gorgeous company store to buy some of their signature speciality foods.

If there's no snow, go mountain biking or for a run.

Not a bad way to go, tbh.

Move out of the way Stephen King: Steamer's taking over as Maine's biggest celebrity.

And—whether you see Steamer or not—the Clam Festival is a lot of fun: from the food to the craft fair to the carnival rides.

What once held chickens now holds rows of antiques and thousands of old books, magazines, and newspapers.

Adorable *and* tasty.

Each of the three theaters has a balcony to sit in!

Every Tuesday they have "retro night" featuring movies like Jaws and Jurassic Park or The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Seawall Beach isn't actually a secret, but there's limited parking and you have to hike two miles to get to it (so it's typically empty enough to *seem* like a secret).

"America's premiere museum of pre-Civil War opulence."

If you aren't looking for a "Spring break! Woooooooo!" atmosphere, go at the beginning of the season.

Watch out, Kennebec River.

Get there early or they may be sold out.

🍨🍨🍨

Build a fairy house while you're there.

Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Wandering around there looking at fleece jackets at 2am is pretty strange.

If you enjoy it (and you will), you can pick up a copy of their cookbook to try to replicate their baked goods at home.

Here's their schedule.

By "meet a moose" we mean "gaze in awe at a moose from a respectful distance."

And a note regarding moose: You could live in Maine for 20 years and never see one. They're not like squirrels or mosquitos, so you should never go on a tour "guaranteeing" a moose sighting—that's a promise no one can honestly make.

Simply enjoy the journey (and the view) on the ferry or get off at one of the islands.

They also offer pick-your-own strawberries, blueberries, and pumpkins. Click here to see what's in season now.

Refreshing 🏊

And pie cones! Celebrate pie cones.

The little shack may not look like much, but the food? Amazing.

Bring a picnic to enjoy at the top before heading back down.

You can rent one at the Maine Audubon Center.

A great way to start the day.

Love beer? You may want to follow the Maine Beer Trail (Maine has a *lot* of breweries).

Worth it if only for the Instagram shot.