It's been too long. The outdoors are calling. And Maine is ready to welcome you back. Start planning your next adventure with some of the best day trips in Maine, curated by Mainers.
Statewide
Fall Deals
Fall in Maine is spectacularly colorful as the seasons change and we shift to a season of hikes on forested trails, slow paddles on winding rivers and brisk, uncrowded beach walks.
Aroostook County
Maine's northernmost county is draped in sprawling forests and dotted with mountain peaks. Considering it's bigger than Rhode Island and Connecticut combined, you'll run out of energy before you run out of hiking, mountain biking, ATV and cross-country ski trails.
Aroostook State Park Hiking
In northern Maine's Aroostook State Park, a few hours of spirited hiking will reward you with some great views.
Travel the Aroostook Valley Trail
The trail wanders for 28 miles through northeastern Maine, through deep woods and past open fields and potato farms.
Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge
The area, once overflown by Air Force bombers, now offers a wild and quiet place for wildlife watchers and birders alike.
DownEast & Acadia
Downwind from shipping ports like New York and Boston. And to the east. That's how you get DownEast. Defined by booming ocean, craggy coastline, and inland beauty, the region's natural wonder continues far beyond Acadia National Park, so we'd recommend you do the same.
Autumn Vistas on Scenic Byways
If you’re looking for a great drive during leaf-peeping season, turn your wheels towards the DownEast & Acadia region.
Deer Isle Tennis Preserve
Visit Blue Hill Peninsula for an easy-to-moderate, uncrowded hike through undisturbed forest and shore-hugging trails.
Visit Holbrook Island Sanctuary
Visitors can walk along old roads and trails to discover the unique and varied ecosystems protected here for a truly unspoiled piece of Maine.
Greater Portland & Casco Bay
Art? Absolutely. Shows? Sure enough. Food? Really good food? Probably more than you can handle in one trip. So, plan two. Or three. Or however many it takes to get to know this culturally diverse corner of Maine.
Portland Freedom Trail
Learn about Maine's African American history by following their footsteps for about two miles through downtown Portland.
Portland Museum of Art
Whether you are a contemporary art enthusiast, art history connoisseur or someone new to the art world, you'll feel at home exploring this welcoming museum.
L.L.Bean's Outdoor Discovery Programs
Since 1979, Bean’s classes, workshops, trips and private lessons have introduced folks to new outdoor skills and encouraged them to brush up on old ones.
The Kennebec Valley
The Kennebec Valley is a gift of the 170-mile Kennebec River that rolls, and sometimes rocks, from Moosehead Lake in the north to the Atlantic Ocean. Test your mettle on some rapids, cast a line, explore the Appalachian Trail, or just sit back and enjoy the waterfalls.
Apple Picking
It's time to head out into the sun and bring home your favorite varieties of apples, from Maine's tasty McIntosh and Northern Spies, to Red and Golden Delicious.
Viles Arboretum
Just a few minutes from the Maine State House in Augusta is a quiet oasis brimming with plants and trees and lined with shaded walks.
Maine's Lakes & Mountains
Beginning just an hour from Portland and reaching to the Canadian border, Maine's Lakes & Mountains region is home to ten of the state's highest peaks, our largest ski resorts and plenty of opportunities to paddle, cast and cannonball.
Western Foothills Land Trust
Family-friendly hiking, biking and winter activities on hundreds of acres of former farmlands, wetlands and forests.
Pineland Farms
Pineland Farms in New Gloucester is a working farm and business campus that offers numerous outdoor recreation opportunities and educational family fun.
Maine's MidCoast & Islands
Scale a mountain, turn your head and see islands punctuating the sparkling sea. Maine's MidCoast & Islands region specializes in breathtaking vistas, which is probably why some of America's greatest painters called this place home.
Explore Camden Hills
This wonderous park is perched atop Mt. Battie, a hub of wildflowers and unique bird species.
MidCoast Wineries and Distilleries
Enter full Vacationland-mode and explore four wineries located within an hour’s drive of Camden.
The Maine Beaches
Maine might be known for its dramatic and rugged coastline, but just one hour north of Boston and a stone's throw from Portland you'll find wide sandy beaches. There's nothing like a sun-soaked beach day. And there's no place quite like a Maine beach.
Wells Reserve at Laudholm
Spanning 2,250 protected acres of field, salt marsh and beach, this reserve offers much to do, see and learn during your visit.
Ogunquit Museum of American Art
OMAA presents itself as a serene respite from the rest of the world for a beautifully reflective summer day trip.
The Maine Highlands
The highest peak. And the largest lake. Just two of the natural wonders you'll encounter in the Maine Highlands. And if you make your way to Baxter State Park, you'll probably be able to add a moose to that list.
Discover a B52 Crash Site
Near northern Maine's Moosehead Lake, you'll find a quiet mountain trail that wanders through an unusual memorial to American aviators and the Cold War.
Exploring Bangor
Birth place of Paul Bunyan, Bangor is home to many attractions, inlcuding Stephen King's home. Take a self-guided tour around town and visit Bangor City Forest.