Explore Maine Trip Ideas
Find traveler favorites and get insider tips on local gems. Get started!
Show me the best in Maine for:
Select a topic ▾Due to COVID-19, some businesses and attractions featured on our Trip Ideas are temporarily closed. Please call or check websites for updates.
When you plan a day trip in Maine, you’ll wake up knowing your day's going to be special. These trip ideas are suggestions for fun stops and interesting sites as you travel through Maine. We hope you use them as you plan your own Maine adventure.
Find the Best Lobster Throughout Maine
A hands-on tour on a working lobster boat. A napkin-on-lap dinner at an award-winning bistro. Uploading a picture of the world’s best lobster roll on your plate, seconds before devouring it. These are just a few of the many trip ideas for celebrating and savoring Maine’s iconic crustacean. Enjoy.
Stonington Lobster
Explore the Stonington archipelago and the local farmer’s market. Take a scenic lobster tour and enjoy lobster dishes from The Maine Lobster Lady and Aragosta.
trip detailsBoothbay Lobster
Watch lobstermen hard at work and join them on a lobster boat. Experience a traditional Maine lobster bake on Cabbage Island and round out the day at the Boothbay Opera House.
trip detailsKennebunkport Lobster
Learn to haul in lobster traps on a lobster boat tour and grab a lobster roll at the Clam Shack. Then relax at Goose Rocks Beach and set up camp at Sandy Pines Camping.
trip detailsRead More about Lobster
Visit Maine's Historic Lighthouses
They’ve stood watch over Maine’s rugged coastline for centuries, helping seafarers find safe harbor. Today Maine’s historic lighthouses continue to illuminate the rocky shores while enlightening visitors about this epic and essential part of Maritime Maine – past, present and in a future trip you can start planning here.
Two Lighthouses: Portland Head Light and Spring Point Ledge
Take a lighthouse cruise and check out Portland Head Light and Spring Point Ledge. Grab a bite at The Lobster Shack at Two Lights.
trip detailsWest Quoddy Head Lighthouse
Explore Quoddy Head State Park, home to West Quoddy Head Light. Take time for hiking and wildlife watching. Then grab a local brew before visiting Roosevelt Campobello Island.
trip detailsPemaquid Lighthouse
Enjoy the beauty of Pemaquid Point Light and Pemaquid Beach and take a kayak trip on Muscongus Bay. Stay overnight at the historic Hotel Pemaquid.
trip detailsRead More about Lighthouses
Experience Maine's Gardens and Landscapes
Maine is a state with natural beauty unlike any other. But in the same breath, we’re a land of preciously sculpted gardens, lovingly curated arboretums and landscape design that rivals Mother Nature for pure artistry. So let’s plant the seeds today to experience it in full bloom for yourself.
South Berwick - York - North Berwick
Spend a day exploring the Hamilton House Gardens and the Sarah One Jewett House and Garden. Visit Stonewall Kitchen’s Flagship Store and hike through Vaughan Woods Memorial State Park.
trip detailsDownEast and Acadia
Visit the historic gardens of Thuya Garden Lodge and Asticou Azalia Garden. Explore adjacent Acadia National Park and grab a bite at Jordan Pond House.
trip detailsGreater Portland & Casco Bay
Explore the Longfellow House and Garden, an urban oasis. Have a picnic at Deering Oaks Park and check out the Portland Farmer’s Market.
trip detailsMaine Lakes and Mountains
Enjoy McLaughlin Garden and check out the programs and events. Check out the trails at Roberts Farm Preserve and dine on locally grown food at 76 Pleasant Street.
trip detailsMidCoast
Experience the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in every season and check out their events calendar. Enjoy the harbor views and check out Avena Botanicals and the trails at Merryspring Nature Center.
trip detailsRead More about Gardens & Landscapes
Discover Nature and Wildlife in Maine
Moose, whales and puffins, oh my. Are you somewhere over the rainbow? Yes. You’re in Maine. Where amazing natural beauty and wildlife watching go hand in hand. On deep forest trails, over mountain terrain and up and down the magical coastline. So plan a trip. Because there’s no place like Maine.
Puffin Watch
Learn all about puffins at the Audubon Project Puffin Visitor Center, then picnic at the Todd Wildlife Sanctuary before boarding the Hardy III for a late afternoon puffin tour.
trip detailsSwan Island
Ferry across the Kennebec River to Swan Island and spend the day hiking and birding. Enjoy an ice cream from Main Street Dairy. Check out the Kennebec River Rail Trail for riding and walking.
trip detailsWhale Watching
Hike through Shackford Head State Park and take in the views of Cobscook Bay. Then take a 3-hour whale watching windjammer cruise through Head Harbor Passage.
trip detailsAll About Moose
Book a half-day or full day moose safari by land or water. Take a cruise on Moosehead Lake aboard the historic Katahdin. Explore nearby Mt. Kineo with gorgeous views of Moosehead Lake.
trip details