MAINE, USA — Attend a Maine fair
Although some have already passed, there are still nearly 20 fairs left to enjoy across the state this year. Here's our Maine 2022 fair roundup, with events ending in October.
Walk the Maine Art Museum Trail
The Maine Art Museum Trail includes nine Maine art museums across 350 miles of much of Maine's coast. By visiting these locations, you can get to know works by notable Maine artists such as Winslow Homer, Alex Katz, Andrew Wyeth, and Bernice Abbot.
The Bates College Museum of Art, Zillman Art Museum, Bowdoin College Museum of Art, and Colby College Museum of Art offer free admission. The Portland Museum of Art offers free admission hours on Fridays.
Many of these museums offer a scavenger hunt as a fun, family-friendly activity.
Read a Maine-centered book
You might be familiar with the classics: "Blueberries for Sal," "Miss Rumphius," or "Burt Dow-Deep Water Man," which are perfect for families to sit down and enjoy during read-aloud time.
For higher-level readers, NEWS CENTER Maine sat down with Maine author Adam White in June. White recently published a novel based on the lobstermen of Lincoln County called "The Midcoast." Learn more about his novel in an interview with 207.
Complete a scavenger hunt
You'd be surprised at how much your own backyard has to offer.
The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife offers several printable activities for kids and families to complete while adventuring in nature. Check out their scavenger hunts and other age-based and family activities for some fun outdoor activities.
Visit a Maine lighthouse
Maine is home to 65 lighthouses situated along its coast and inland areas.
One of Maine's most iconic lighthouses sits off the coast of Cape Elizabeth. The Portland Head Light was first lit in 1791, and the Keepers' Quarters building was later constructed in 1891, according to the Portland Head Light website.
Maine Open Lighthouse Day is coming up soon on Sept. 10. For a list of which lighthouses will be open to the public that day, click here.
Here's a complete list of Maine's lighthouses for a family-friendly adventure.
Attend a farmers' market
One of Maine's community staples is its bounty of farmers' markets.
The Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets has an all-inclusive list of markets across the state with a handy daily operation schedule; see the website's "Open Today" marker by listed open markets.
The MFFM also includes a convenient list of activities going on outside of each farmers' market for when you're in the mood to plan a trip around your experience.
Many farmers' markets in Maine accept SNAP/EBT and WIC benefits for those who qualify.
Cook a red snapper
Don't put away your barbecue grill just yet! Behind lobsters and L.L. Bean, these hotdogs are quintessentially Maine. We even have a festival in their honor.
Maine's relationship with the red snapper hot dog begins in the 1940s, when the Rice family hired a German sausage maker who was a POW in New York after serving in WWII. Rice later partnered with Jordan's, later bought by Tyson's, who eventually took the snapper off the market.
Then, Rice struck up a deal with David Bean (think Bangor's W. A. Bean & Sons) and has been manufacturing the hot dogs ever since.
Visit a Maine park
We're not just talking Acadia National Park, but that one's great, too.
Maine is home to 32 state parks, according to the Maine Tourism Association. Check out the walking and hiking trails at Baxter State Park, the trail and camping activities at Camden Hills State Park, and the beachside access of Sebago Lake State Park, among others.
