Explore Maine!!!
Maine is here to be experienced. Don't watch it pass through the window of your car. Maine’s slogan is “The way life should be” and to truly experience Maine you need to slow down and take your time. Look at the awesome raw beauty that surrounds you. Absorb it!
From our vantage point here at the PineCrest Inn, we are a very short distance from days of activities and sights. We highly suggest you only plan to do things that you have time to enjoy. If you are staying two nights, which is really one full day, we recommend a great trip around the coastline, visit some lighthouses, walk through some historic military ruins, visit a nearby island and then enjoy a long leisurely dinner overlooking the harbor while the sun sets casting long shadows on the boats in the harbor.
While visiting Maine we highly recommend visiting our state parks. They are some of the most gracious and beautiful areas in Maine. There are dozens of parks within a very short distance of the PineCrest.
Explore your options below!
Spring
Springtime in Maine is best after what the locals call "mud season". Mud season occurs when the top 48” of soil unfreezes and turns to "soup". (Many a small child has disappeared into the "mud soup" only to be found again midsummer and missing their shoes)Until mud season ends, generally hiking is out of the question. But if you don’t mind staying on the man-made terra firma, catch Maine Maple Sunday, the last Sunday in March when the Sap houses are boiling the Maple sap creating pure sweet gold. Locals crawl out of their winter slumber to attend and stand in line for hot pancakes, fresh syrup, and local sausage. Some will browse through the boil house chatting with the master syrup maker as he tends the fire beneath the boiler.
Other yearly events to look for are the Spring flower shows and of course, the pre-summer sales at LL Bean are also not to be missed. Museums, restaurants, and other non-seasonal attractions are always worth the visit.
Spring is a great time for good weather, great food and fewer crowds and time off the grid. Some mountains offer spring skiing as well but you’ll want to call first.
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Summer
Although the locals joke that summer is from August 4 to August 7th, and the rest of the time is another season that warrants a new name, it is only a joke. Summer brings out all the seasonal activities including water sports.Kayak, canoe, boating, sailing, hiking, mountain climbing, biking, touring islands, swimming and just plain relaxing are all on the short list of the traveler. Plan your trip around one of several amazing festivals: Lobster Festival, Yarmouth Clam Festival, Blues festivals, Blue Grass Festivals, road races like the Beach to Beacon 10K and the Tri for Cure triathlon.
Maine is one of the few places like it on planet earth. The average high sometimes hits mid 80’s but the cooling effect of the ocean creates amazing evenings, no matter how hot the days get. And the humidity never gets truly oppressive.
Touring the Islands, Lighthouses, beaches and state parks are a must do for your itinerary.
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Fall
If you have never seen the leaves change their color in New England, put this on your bucket list! When the temperature drops to a nice chill at night, the leaves start to change to bright and vibrant yellows, oranges, purples, reds, browns, and a whole mix of shades.The leaves change first in the elevations and low-lying areas, then they move southward and to the coastal areas last. The Islands turn sometimes almost a week or two later. Timing the perfect color tour can be challenging but from your location at the PineCrest you can find a short drive to either the elevated or coastal areas...so if there is color somewhere, we can help you find it.
The fall activities include leaf peeping tours, museums, restaurants, shopping, state parks, lighthouses, some of the most gorgeous coastline tours imaginable. Fewer people are visiting in the Fall so taking your time to really soak in the beauty of the state is in order.
We’ll help and provide you with several driving tours to enjoy the amazing colors of nature.
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Winter
Maine hosts some of the best skiing on the eastern seaboard. You have your choice between the Mountain Series of Shawnee Peak, Sunday River and Sugarloaf for the aggressive skier or the family slopes that everyone can enjoy.Cross country skiing is always readily available. Maine is home to thousands of miles of snowmobile trails and really worth an excursion via the snow trails. However, this will require a bit more planning but is worth the effort.
Museums, restaurants, and shopping still wait after your day in the snow. (And don't forget Portland's Famous Restaurant Week in March!! Yum!)