Maine is a beautiful state full of coast line, forests, delicious eats, and more!
This blog focuses on 3 regions: Maine’s MidCoast, Grafton Notch Area, and Bangor/Orono. My recommendations for the Portland area + Acadia and Bar Harbor are below:
Maine’s MidCoast:
This region I think of as the little fingers of Maine that drop down into the ocean—between Brunswick and Camden essentially. I spent an afternoon in this area and absolutely loved it, and definitely intend to plan another trip to explore more! I highly recommend meandering this area, and these two spots are both gems:
Glidden Point Oyster Farms: An awesome spot for oysters in Edgecomb. This farm is located on an idealic setting with river views and chill vibes. You shuck your own oysters, and there is a food truck for more eats and a drink menu. They also do tours. Very cool experience!
Oxbow Brewery: The Newcastle Farmhouse location of Oxbow has a great setting on a pond in the woods. They have just a handful of taps + frequent food trucks and live music. There is also an Airbnb onsite.
The Grafton Notch Area:
This region sits along the New Hampshire border and is full of mountains and lakes.
Grafton Notch State Park is the main draw here and for good reason! There are a lot of nice trails here and the Appalachian Trail ends here too.
Table Rock Trail Loop: I actually did this as an out-and-back trail on the AT instead of the loop because the reviews noted the loop version would not be ideal for a dog. The AT route is 2.5 miles long with 955ft of elevation gain and takes about 1.5 hours to complete. It is a steady climb up to a beautiful viewpoint and an amazing hike! Highly recommend.
Old Speck Mountain Trail is another popular choice in this area, but rain prevented me from tackling this one—let me know how it is if you go!
Stay at Western Maine Yurts: These yurts are very nice with a ton of privacy, cozy vibes, a nice bath house, and are located near Bethel.
Bald Mountain & Speckled Mountain Trail: This hike is 4.6 miles long with 1,600ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. You first come to Little Concord Pond which is more like a lake and has canoes available. Then you will get to Bald Mountain which has nice views of the pond below and surrounding area. Speckled Mountain is quite a journey to get to, with the last half mile being very steep, but there are great sweeping views from the top.
Step Falls Preserve Mahoosuc Land Trust: This is a unique spot to soak in the Bear River. This trail is a good reference point, and note that Google Maps is just slightly off for the trailhead.
Oxbow Brewing’s Oxford Beer Garden location is in this area as well! They have a beautiful outdoor space and a pizza-focused menu.
Bangor and orono recommendations:
Overall I was not super impressed by this region, but it is a convenient gateway if you are continuing on to New Brunswick, Canada!
Orono Brewing: A good brewery with a very nice outdoor space. They also have a tasty food menu.
Marsh Island Brewing: A solid brewery just off the river.
Chimera Coffee: A nice spot for coffee and pastries in Bangor.
