Top 5 things to see or do in Maine
 

I am going to Maine for 3 days in September. What are the top 5 things to do or see in Maine? I love natural parks, historic homes, and quaint towns. Thanks!

Acadia National Park
Baxter State Park
Popham Beach State Park
Sebago Lake or Belgrade Lakes area
Boothbay Harbor

Yvonne, Maine is a big state -- where specifically are you traveling within the state? Are you going down East?

I would definitely include Acadia National Park. I am from the Midwest and had never even heard of it but it is well worth seeing. We stayed in Bar Harbor for several days and spend some time each day in Acadia. Be sure to go to the top of Cadillac mountain, the view is breathtaking.

1. Acadia/Bar Harbor and nearby Blue Hill Pennisula. Choose a boat ride.
2. Camden esp driving up to the top of Mt Battie for the view overlooking the harbor. Bring binnoculars and a picnic lunch.
3. Cole Transportation Museum in Bangor and a visit to Leonard's Mill Logging Museum when the saw mill is operating. It's near Brewer. The logging museum has an unrestored Lombard Hauler. You'll have to see the pictures at the Cole to understand what an incredible machine it was.
4. The view from Owl's Head
5. The view from Pemiquid Point
6. lobster, lobster, lobster

Our all time favorite activity was an all day boat tour of lighthouses with a narrator from the Maritime Museum in Bath. The last time I checked, the tour was split into two different half days. (We had a picnic lunch on a little island.) We heard tales of shipwrecks and saw eagles ending with a return past the modern shipworks. Check their website to see if any tours are scheduled during the time you'll be there. We had a perfect day, the current was in our favor.

Maine is a beautiful state and big! Where are you going? Coast or inland?
I recommend:
Portland - great Art Museum, historic homes, shopping and restaurants in Old Port.
Casco Bay area - Harpswell Island, Baileys Island for great seafood and beautiful scenery
Boothbay Harbor - quaint seaside town, cute shops.
Camden - Another beautiful coastal town, wonderful old bookstore.
Rockland - I think this is where the Wyeth Art Museum is located.
Let us know where you decide to go!

Highly recommend "Maine, An Explorer's Guide". Incredibly comprehensive in every way.

With that in hand (read it on the way if you've no time otherwise), you'll be able to determine the "top things to see or do in Maine", but there will be WAY more than 5.

ps You cannot possibly cover the "Top 5 things" in 3 days...

I totally agree, Maine is a big state, with quite a bit of things to see. But the top 5 (with a lot of driving) would be:
Acadia N.P. - Bar Harbor
Baxter State Park - Mt. Katahdin
Portland Head Light - Just Beautiful
Marginal Way Walkway - Ogunquit to Perkins Cove
L.L. Bean - Freeport

There is a lot more to do and a lot more places to see, I'd concentrate on a certain part of the state (like Downeast or southern Maine, etc.) Sometimes just a leasurely trip north on Route 1 will give you plenty to do.

Have fun

* Ogunquit - marginal way
* Portland - Portland Head Light, Old Port, Take a ferry (casco bay) to an island
* Kennebunk Port
* Camden - Mt Battie
* Bar Harbor - Acadia National Park
* Moosehead Lake
* Baxter State Park

Sorry, I can't leave off - from Bar Harbor or Boothbay - a trip to Monhegan Island (wonderful) and a Whale Watching trip

Hard to say w/o knowing your starting & ending points but coastal Maine is my best guess and my favorite place! We usually fly into Portland and then drive up the coast on Rt 1. The midcoast area is wonderful. But before you leave Portland do go visit the Portland Head Light- next to the Hatteras Light, it is surely th e most photographed ( and twelve times more beautiful) than Hatteras! then head up Rt 1, stopping whenever you feel the urge. You'll see so many "quaint" (unique) shops and old places with maritime and Maine kitsch that even if you're not a shopper its fun to look at! As you start to cross the bridge at Woolwich look to your left at the line of people on the sidewalks - they're lined up at a walk up shack called Red's Eats for $13 ( yes, I know but worth it!) lobster rolls. back to Rt 1 norht .. - visit the sprawling and beautiful 24-hr LL Bean store where you can have kayak demos, fly fishing demos , etc..visit Ben & Jerrys Ice Cream, and lots of upscale outlets on the streets of Freeport.

But for me the real Maine lies just ahead in Rockland ( or Rockport or Camden) where the schooners 'live', and where I depart for a week of heaven on one ( Heritage) each summer - indescribably fantastic. They do have 3 day sails. Fabulous food, sea air, saling to nowhere, lobster on island beaches, fun people, folkore, astronomy, history, fantastic scenery from the ocean, you'll see Acadia, quaint shoops in little fishing villages, famous islands, gorgeous homes of the 'rich and famous', Bar harbor, & many places. There is nothing better.

Heritage is a 140' 2-masted schooner, with hot water and a shower! ( not all have!) - help sail or not, up to you!
3-day start about $350, all inclusive, and all-week are $845. Heaven on earth, no kidding.

check out www.schoonerheritage.com
(tell Shary that Starr recomended it) or see other schooners & schedules at
www.sailmainecoast.com.

Have fun!

I am a Maine native, or a Mainer as we would say here. Where to go and what to see is a very loaded question. It all depends on what you're looking for. One thing to keep in mind is we love visitors and to show off our laid back lifestyle. But, as with any state, one sure way to irk the natives to show a lack of respect for our traffic laws and what we call road bullying. Maine is very rural and 4 lane highways are few. Our biggest problem is visitors from the New England state starting with an "M". Those people bring their Boston driving habits here along with their attitudes and have earned the scorn of Mainers. So please, as with any state, show respect in all aspects and you will find Mainers to be very friendly and accommodating. Now that the lecture is over, don't think of us as just a coastal state. Maine has very many inland sights and activities. I grew up in Boothbay Harbor and believe me, it's not as nice as when I was young. It's become so overcrowded that the locals prefer the inland attractions. Baxter State Park is very nice, western Maine has countless quaint villages with antique shops, diners, scenery, etc., etc. Our lakes, along with New Hampshier and Vermont, are cleaner than any other in New England.

Owl's Head Transportation Museum (on a weekend if you can - they have some of the cars/planes operating then)

Acadia NP - rent a bike and ride the carriage roads

Moosehead Lake

Lobster

Lobster