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
Summer Deals
This summer, travelers can find some of the best deals on everything from lodging to outfitters and camping to attractions.
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.
Deboullie Public Lands
Explore nearly 29,000 acres of remote wilderness for that get-away-from-it-all backcountry experience.
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.
Revisit Quoddy Head
Hikers have the choice of four trails that wind through forest and wetlands, opening up to expansive coastal views.
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.
Kayaking Casco Bay
With its many islands, beaches, coves and inlets, Casco Bay is beautiful sea-kayaking territory. Local guides and rental companies can help you venture out.
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.
Belgrade Lakes Boating
The Belgrade Lakes—there are seven in all—stretch out amid the central Maine foothills close to the cities of Augusta and Waterville.
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.
Rafting the Kennebec River
The Kennebec River provides loads of thrills while still being approachable for folks with little or no experience in whitewater.
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.
Bethel Area Mt. Bike Trails
Miles of great trails—some old, many brand-new—are webbed through the forests and foothills.
Sightseeing at the Rangeley Lakes
Ringed with timber and cradled by the Western Maine mountains, the Rangeleys are broad, expansive and beautiful.
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.
The Giant's Stairs
Want a short stroll with dramatic results? Visit Bailey's Island in Harpswell and hike a half-mile trail along the Atlantic Coast to see the Giant's Stairs.
Cabbage Island Clambake
Experience a real Maine clambake for lunch or dinner on a small, isolated island off the coast of Boothbay Harbor.
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.
Marginal Way in Ogunquit
Only 1.25 miles long, the cliff walk wends its way starting near The Sparhawk Oceanfront Resort on Shore Road and brings you along a paved path to Perkins Cove.
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.
Rugosa Lobster Tours
Hop aboard a classic wooden lobster boat and sail through the scenic Kennebunk River waterfront and coastline.
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.
Explore Gulf Hagas
Often described as 'The Grand Canyon of Maine,' Gulf Hagas is a striking slate gorge in Northern Maine.
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.