Top Maine Tourist Attractions: Kennebunkport Maine

When it comes to things to do and see in Maine, Kennebunkport is a little world of its own, a magical idyllic little seaside resort town where you can escape from all your worries and daily cares. Located only 90 miles from Boston, Massachusetts, you can easily access this area of the world where you will be charmed by the simple living and clean coastal air with all the quaintness and rustic charm of a fishing village.

You will find unique activities tailored to suit your interest no matter what the season in this town. In the summer you can enjoy countless hours pleasurably relaxing and sunbathing on the beach. Stroll through the town and browse the unique storefronts at your own leisure, take a lobster cruise or whale watch out to sea, tour an old lighthouse, or simply find a front porch rocker where you can feel the soft ocean breeze blowing through your hair.

Winters are also delightful in Kennebunkport. There are dozens of local shops and galleries that you can take advantage of or you can curl up by a fire in a local lodge or cabin. Over Christmas holidays there are many special festivities that will rekindle your love of the season.

February is for lovers, and many special rates and packages are offered for couples. In May there is an annual May Day Celebration that President Bush and his wife frequently attend. The Bush family actually owns a private seaside home in Kennebunkport for vacationing.

Fall sights are the most picturesque in Maine. If you visit September through November, you will miss most of the summer vacationing crowd, find better rates, and also enjoy the beauty of this time of year.

As far as lodging, you have many options in this area. There are local inns, bed and breakfasts, lodges, cabins and seaside homes for rent. One of the most well known places to stay is the award winning White Barn Inn and Spa. Here you will receive five star dining and supreme spa experiences with access to a swimming pool. This Inn was voted one of the top twenty "hideaways" in the United States as well as one of the greatest places to stay and eat in the world.

Eating experiences are great fun in Kennebunkport as they are as varied as you could wish for. You can dine in five star elegance like royalty or choose a small clam shack by the sea. If you enjoy seafood, here you can find some of the freshest and most daintily prepared seafood dishes you will ever feast upon. No one can come to Kennebunkport without at least sampling the lobster!

Kennebunkport visitors will find themselves enchanted by the romance and simplicity of this small town. This is an area that many vacationers frequent again and again with delight. Come to Kennebunkport and get your taste of its uniqueness. You will be charmed by its history, overwhelmed by its beauty, and thrilled with the variety of experiences that this Maine seaside town has to offer. Few can visit this town without falling in love with it!

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Camden Maine Is The Epitome Of A Small Waterfront Village In Maine

One of the top Maine Tourist attractions along the midcoast region of Maine is the little town of Camden, Maine. When you think of coastal Maine, you most likely think about small fishing villages, lobster pots, sailboats in the harbor, small seafood restaurants and oceanfront homes. Chances are what you think of when you think of Maine is a place that is very much like the town of Camden.

Camden, Maine is the epitome of a small waterfront New England community. Camden is located in Knox County Maine and has a population of about 5,200. This seaside village tucked at the base of the Camden Hills and Camden Harbor is a popular tourist town.

The area was first settled in the late 1700's by farmers hoping to cultivate the mountainous terrain. A battery was built on the top of a hill overlooking the village of Camden during the war of 1812. This battery had two guns placed on the top of the hill, well within sight of the harbor. The British stayed away as a result of this battery in fear that they might get fired upon. What they did not realize is that while the village had the guns they did not have anybody who knew how to fire them.

The village of Camden grew quickly after the war and many trades became prominent in the area. Thanks to the Megunticook River, which runs from the harbor and through the village, there was an abundance of power available for mills. Several mills were built here as a result of this. Carriage factories, blacksmith shops and shipyards accompanied these mills.

Industry continued to develop in the area during the 1880's. Manufacturing in the area became lucrative and local quarries made it possible to process lime, which was fired at kilns and shipped to other locations. These practices provided some growth in the area and soon many fine residences were built in this waterfront village.

If you have an idea of what a small seaside village in Maine looks like but have never actually visited here, then this might be the result of having watched one of the many films and or television programs that have been filmed here. The soap opera Passions uses Camden for shots of their town Harmony. The film Peyton Place was shot here in 1957. Many celebrities have called this area home including singer Gordon Bok, musician Don Mclean of American Pie fame, director David G. Conover, and novelist Richard Russo.

Camden Maine offers several points of interest, the most popular of which is the Curtis Island Lighthouse. This small light was built in 1835 and has a historic keeper's house, barn and boathouse nearby. While the lighthouse is not open to the public, it is the subject of many photo opportunities. A great way to see the lighthouse is by sightseeing cruises that travel around Camden Harbor. The sightseeing cruises are a great way to see the area. Several companies offer sightseeing cruises that include the chance to observe the Camden lighthouse along with other lighthouses and uninhabited islands in the area that contain undisturbed wildlife.

Camden Maine truly is the epitome of a Maine waterfront town complete with lighthouse and lobster pots. Several restaurants offer fresh seafood. You can also enjoy the sites that a small Maine village has to offer.

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Camden Hills State Park - Top Maine Tourist Attractions

Another top Maine tourist attraction worth visiting is located in Camden Maine. Camden Hills State Park is just a couple miles north of the scenic little town of Camden. It is a delightful park with beautiful scenery and breathtaking panoramic aerial views over much of the surrounding Maine coastline and outlying islands in Penobscot Bay.

If you are traveling though Maine, the views from this area would be well worth driving a few miles out of your way to see, although you will need more than one day to experience everything this area has to offer! The Camden Hills is a tight little cluster of mountains near the Atlantic coastline.

The main attraction or hub of this 5,500 acre state park is Mt Battle. From the summit of Mt Battie you will be be able to see Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States (that is, if you are visiting on a clear day). There is an auto road that goes to the summit of Mt. Battie. The more adventuresome can hike up the back trail of Mt Battie to the 900 foot mountain summit by foot. This is where general parking is located, as well as a picnic area. At the base of the park just after the entrance, there is a large camping site equipped with comfort features and modern conveniences such as hot showers and toilets. Families love to visit this spot in the summer.

There are over thirty miles of hiking trails featured both by the ocean side and within the mountain range itself. If you are planning to take a hike, one of the most enjoyable destinations is the top of Maiden Cliff. This is a giant rock outcropping overlooking Megunticook Lake with an elevation of over eight hundred feet. This spot got its name from a young girl who tragically perished here in the spring of 1864 when she fell off the edge of the 800 foot sheer cliff while chasing her bonnet that was apparently blown off her head by a gust of wind.

Besides walking and hiking trails, there are many bike trails in Camden Hills. These trails range in difficulty from easy to very advanced; some will take you over several mountaintops. Frohock Mountain bike trail is the most popular.

If you are a fan of whitewater rafting, Ducktrap River and Goose River both offer some incredible experiences in this area. Make sure to call ahead and confirm that they are running rafts at the time you are traveling. There is also a snowmobile trail that goes a distance of five miles around Mount Megunticook, the highest peak of the park. If you have access to a snowmobile or can rent one, this is a very fun attraction with beautiful views in the winter months.

There is much wildlife to be seen around Camden Hills State Park. If you are an observant person, you may be surprised what you can see. Geese and many other varieties of water birds such as duck, loons, and cranes flock to this area because of the water access. Besides birds, there is also much other wildlife including bear, moose, and deer. This can be very exciting if you are fortunate enough to spot one of these elusive animals.

Camden Hills is a great place to visit of itself, but it has added attractiveness because of the great variety of delightful Maine tourism spots around it. There is a five star inn only a few miles away if you are up for luxurious treatment, but there are also a variety of other attractive yet more affordable Maine lodging options available. There are also a variety of golf courses, day sailing trips, local sightseeing attractions like lighthouses and specialty museums, and, of course, some beautiful coastline to explore.

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My Biased List of My Top Maine Attractions

Are you planning a vacation trip to Maine and wondering about some of the sightseeing attractions and interesting places that Maine has to offer? First, here are a few brief facts about Maine. Maine is the largest state in New England. It is over 300 miles long and over 200 miles wide with a total area of 33,215 square miles - as big as all of the other five New England states combined. Maine's natural wealth includes mountains, coastlines, northern forest, farms, rivers, lakes, historic villages and cities. The state boasts some 6,000 lakes and ponds and 5,100 rivers and streams, many abounding with landlocked salmon, trout, small-mouthed bass, pickerel and perch. There are 436,064 acres of state and national parks, including Acadia National Park and the 90-mile Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Maine has nearly a continent's worth of coastline alone with over 3,500 miles of mainland shoreline. Add to that the possibility of exploring even a few of Maine's more than 2,000 coastal islands and numerous coves, peninsulas and bays, and you will soon discover that a little planning might be necessary to help in narrowing down your Maine vacation options.

The question is where to start? Here is my entirely biased list of destinations and points of interest in Maine that I enjoy returning to time and again. Over the years of traveling throughout the state, I have discovered that these places warrant more than just a moment's glance when I am in the area, namely, they are worth a visit to see something truly unique to the state of Maine.

Here is my personal list of my favorite Maine places:

• Acadia National Park
• Bar Harbor, Maine
• Boothbay Harbor, Maine
• Camden Hills State Park
• Camden, Maine
• Kennebunkport, Maine
• Maine Beaches
• Maine Lighthouses
• Owls Head State Park
• Maine Museums
• Maine State Parks
• Maine Windjammers
• Ogunquit, Maine
• Portland, Maine
• Rockland, Maine
• York, Maine

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Maine Tourist Attractions Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Maine Tourist Attractions

If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at benhowardlee@yahoo.com.

At Maine Tourist Attractions, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by Maine Tourist Attractions and how it is used.

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These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on Maine Tourist Attractions send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

Maine Tourist Attractions has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. Maine Tourist Attractions's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

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Why Visit Boothbay Harbor Maine?

When planning a summer vacation to Maine, one should consider visiting Boothbay Harbor. Considered by many to be the "Boating Capital of New England", this natural harbor is home to many fishing boats and pleasure craft. This area is a popular tourist and yachting location. The population in Boothbay Harbor Maine is a little over twenty-two hundred people.

Boothbay Harbor hosts many activities for the vacationer. There is the Boothbay Harbor Opera House, the Maine State Aquarium, the Boothbay Railroad Village and many more things to do. If boating is your pleasure, Boothbay Harbor can sure accommodate.

The Boothbay Harbor Opera House hosts over one hundred performances every year. The opera house can seat four hundred guests. It has many musical performances of all types such as jazz, folk, classical, rock and Celtic music throughout the year.

Annually it hosts fun filled seasonal events such as "the Dough Ball". This event which closes out the annual summer season shows a preview of the gingerbread houses that are made for the Gingerbread Spectacular during Christmas and displays seasonal decorations in the opera house. The fundraiser has free hors d'oeuves for guests as well as a silent auction for many specialty items.

The Maine State Aquarium is an exciting place to visit. Visitors will enjoy viewing sharks and skates in the 850 gallon tank. Guests can even pet a live shark. The aquarium features a 20 foot long touch tank in which guests can touch many different invertebrates such as the sea star, sea cucumber or scallops.

The aquarium has lobsters of all sizes with some weighing in at twenty three pounds. Prices are extremely reasonable for the aquarium. The fees for adults are $5 and children ages 5 and above are $3. Children under 4 years old are free. In the summer, they offer a 3 day Adventure Camp for kids ages 8 to 12 years old.

The Boothbay Railroad Village is a must see for the family when visiting the area. This village is situated on over ten acres of land and has twenty eight historic structures. The village hosts year round activities and events. Throughout the summer season, there are antique tractor displays, the annual antique auto days and the ever popular "Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine" in which visitors ride on a train led by Thomas. There are also various children days and a Fall Foliage Craft Fair. An interesting activity is taking the Steam Engineer's School Day in which a student receives classroom instruction and "In the Cab" education about steam engines. In December there are Christmas train rides. There is even an opportunity for the children to meet with Santa on certain days in December.

Boothbay Harbor is a place that is filled with family fun. As a great vacation destination and place to visit, there are all sorts of things to do. A family can go boating, whale watching, fishing or visit the unique shops in Boothbay Harbor village. A visit to the Maine State Aquarium is always an exciting time. You can even pet a shark. Also do not miss the Railroad Village. Take a ride on the trains or walk around the ten acre village park. This is a quaint Maine family vacation spot that many will enjoy.

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Bar Harbor Maine Attractions Are Centered Around The Incredible Beauty Of The Area

Bar Harbor Maine is located within the Acadia National Park and is located on Mount Desert Island off the coast of Maine. This island town is a popular summer retreat destination. Bar Harbor Maine attractions include some great scenic areas. One of Bar Harbors most popular scenic areas is Cadillac Mountain. The mountain has several trails to the summit. From the top of Cadillac Mountain, you can see as far as Nova Scotia on a clear day, over 100 miles away. For those that prefer to drive, there is also a road to the summit. From here, you can see the nation's first sunrise each morning.

The waters off the coast of Bar Harbor contain many cruise ships during the summer months. Almost 100 cruise ships visit this area every year; most of these are in the month of September. They come to provide their passengers with a chance to witness the natural beauty of the area and the nation's first sunrise.

The area is also very popular with long distance cyclists. Two major trails start here, the Northern Tier Bicycle Route and the Atlantic Coast Bicycle Route. The Northern Tier trail runs from Bar Harbor to Anacortes, Washington over 3,400 miles away. The Atlantic Coast trail starts in Bar Harbor and ends in Key West, Florida, which is almost 2,000 miles away. Many diehard cyclists come here to challenge themselves by riding to the other end of one of these trails.

Bar Harbor, Maine attractions include several museums. The Abbe Museum is dedicated to the Native Americans that once called this area home. The museum has several hands on exhibits that provide instructional information on North American Heritage. The exhibits include some fine examples of hand woven baskets that are made by Native American artists.

The Bar harbor Historical Society Museum provides exhibits of photographs and artifacts that display the history of the area. Some of the artifacts that can be viewed here include maps, clothing, and photos of some of the original white settlers to the area. Many of these photos display the lavish lifestyle that once existed here, at a time when Bar Harbor was one of the vacation getaway locations for America's rich and wealthy.

The Bar Harbor Whale Museum offers a rare opportunity to study and understand the whales and seals that are common to the area. There are unique displays that educate the visitor on the difference in different varieties of whales and one exhibit that offers the opportunity to walk under a real Humpback Whale skeleton. The museum is directly involved in the whale conservation program and offers the chance to adopt a whale.

The George B Dorr Museum is dedicated to the study of native wildlife. There are hands on exhibits that provide a chance to learn about the many different species of wildlife that call the area home. These exhibits include a nature walk that is a great way for providing young children an appreciation for wildlife and their natural surroundings and habitat.

The Bar Harbor Oceanarium provides information on the marine life that live off the shores of Mount Desert Island. There are displays that provide information on marine biology. There is also a lobster Hatchery that provides a rare opportunity to witness the growth of young lobsters. All of these museums make a great way to spend some time and learn about the elements that make up the area.

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Acadia National Park - A National Treasure

Acadia National Park is located off the coast of Maine and includes several islands in the Atlantic. Mount Desert Island makes up the majority of the land within the Park. The town of Bar Harbor is located within the national park and offers several accommodations for those visiting the park. Acadia National Park is the result of the government's efforts to preserve this area. Acadia National Park consists of over 35,000 acres most of which are on Mount Desert. Mount Desert Island is the largest island off the coast of Maine and the 6th largest Island in the continental United States. It is estimated that there are over 2 million visitors to Acadia National Park each year. Most of these come during the summer months with the intention of enjoying the mild summer and the scenic beauty, which is rarely matched within the United States. There are several notable summer residents who live in Bar Harbor including Martha Stewart and Susan Sarandon.

The natural beauty of the area is what attracts visitors to the park. There are numerous opportunities to enjoy the hillside views of the ocean and islands. One of the more popular hiking areas within the park is Cadillac Mountain. This mountain is named after the French explorer who was provided a land grant to the area. This same explorer eventually founded Detroit.

Cadillac Island contains one of the highest peaks in the state of Maine and provides picturesque views. This island is one of the first areas to receive sunlight in the United States each morning. Many visitors come to witness this spectacle and many others come via cruise ship in the summer months. Numerous trails on Cadillac Mountain provide a chance to hike to the peak. There is also a road for those that prefer to drive.

Some of New York City's wealthiest families originally made this area famous during the late 1800's as a resort vacation destination. The Rockefellers made this area home, as did the Vanderbilts, and Robert Rockefeller still visits this area in the summer. In fact, Vice president Nelson Rockefeller was born in Bar Harbor. During America's Gilded age (the 1880's - early 1900's), the area was a popular tourist area that rivaled other resort areas such as Newport, Rhode Island. The trend of the time was to purchase property within the Acadia area and attempt to outdo each other with their lavish estates. George Vanderbilt, the youngest son of Railroad Tycoon William Vanderbilt and Grandson of Commodore Vanderbilt bought his first home here at the age of 16. George would later build America's biggest home, the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

During October of 1947, a major wildfire grew out of a spark at a cranberry bog. This fire grew for 10 days and would take almost a month to totally extinguish. When the fire had been finally put out, half of the island had burned including 67 of the grand summerhouses that had made up Millionaires Row. There was also severe destruction to 5 major hotels and 170 year round residences. Over 10,000 acres of Acadia National Park were destroyed.

Over the following 60 years, the park rejuvenated but the grand life that once existed never returned. While there are many cottage communities within the national park area, the opulence of the gilded age has yet to be matched. However, the natural beauty is still as evident as ever and well worth a visit.

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