Do you like helicopters and airplanes (large and small)? Do…read moreyou like history? Do you like meeting great people? Do you like driving? The Crate Museum is off the beaten path (almost in Bangor, ME), but is an absolutely grassroots-created museum and well maintained by people (Ross family) who honestly wish to share Charles Lindbergh's realized dream of flying solo across the Atlantic in 1927 with anyone and everyone with a dream. The museum itself IS the crate in which the plane fuselage was shipped back to the states from Europe. It includes a collection of the history behind the flight and the delivery of the crate to the Ross residence. Outside the crate are inspirational quotes posted onto the trees, a beautiful view toward the southeast, a motivational carrot ... and the fresh Maine air and woods. The museum can be visited at any time, but the best way to experience the museum is by attending CRATE DAY (early June, call for exact dates and times), which most recently was today. WHAT IS CRATE DAY Crate Day is a small, but nationally recognized "Fly-Over" event where military planes and helicopters fly over, but the helicopters stick around. There is a maze, an amazing flag demonstration, a fire truck, a state trooper, old cars, hot rods, [bring cold water and lunch!] Other "presentation" people are invited to share their hobbies (illustration, stone carving, metal art, model airplanes/helicopters, Engineers without Borders) with the crowd of maybe 200 people. WHY This day highlights the Ross family who honestly want people, especially youngsters (elementary school), to realize that they have the ability to achieve anything they believe they can do. It just takes a little encouragement, a little motivation (perhaps by carrot). BETTER THAN YOU'D EXPECT Man, and it is spectacular! Mostly locals attend, but the effort put into the day has clearly made its mark -- + by the helicopter landing pad that was recently built to allow a second helicopter to stick around, + by US soldiers who fly for 6 hours from VIRGINIA to MAINE on a historic Chinook helicopter, + by the "Spirit of Canaan", the little plane RIDE on a zip line (so fun) and of course + by the genuine excitement felt by everyone there The highlight for me was all the learning I did today. I learned that those military helicopters are difficult to sit in (I hit my head on every surface trying to squeeze in), that being 15 ft in the air inside a thin wooden box of a "plane" is scary, that model helicopters cost an arm and a leg but they rock, and that the kids actually take something positive away from this great event (1 young guy who had come to Crate Day 5 years ago decided to come back just to let Larry Ross know that the day made an impact on him and he'll never forget it). Wow. Though it might take eight years to make it up to Canaan ME for Crate Day, you'll be glad you did.

We've been to Bangor two or three times over the years, it's such a quaint town. On our visits we…read morealso stopped here. Even though he's not lived him this house for several years, it's still something fun to do. I mean what's a trip to Bangor without swinging by for pics? The house is actually now used as a retreat for writers. There is a second large house on the property as well (white one). The architecture on both houses is gothic meets Victorian meets Maine. Well-maintained property; the grounds and home exteriors are in top condition. I can only imagine what the inside looks like. Many folks make the pilgrimage to Bangor because of Stephen and his relationship with the town. Our visits were for that very reason. This stop is definitely a must for any fan of his work.

Stephen King's house is one of the main attractions in Bangor. There isn't too much to do besides…read moreparking nearby and taking a picture in front of the house. No one is allowed to go inside the house and there are no tours. While it is a very nice house and it makes for a great memory to take a picture outside of it, there isn't anything else you can do here.

National historical building and cannon with views of Kennebec river. It is a brick powder house…read morestorage building built in the early 1800's to house ammunition. It is a cute building and cannon on High street with a little park with grass around it. Parking is on the street. It is really quaint and adorable. It will not take you too long to look around, but it is worth a trek. Great views from the top of hill. Beautifully scenic and historical. A step back in time when you are there.

Delightful tour offered by Historic New England, this house has been passed through the same family…read moreso all the things in the house is original. Limited parking is available on the front drive and there is a porta potty on site for visitors.

This is worth stopping in. The tour is really good and guide is very knowledgeable. The castle…read moreis all original which is unusual. It takes you back to the "old" days.

Ruins dating back to 17th century with a wealth of information provided. Colonial Pemaquid State…read moreHistoric Site is situated in a peaceful location with lovely views of the surrounding area. The introductory video is informative, and the museum hosts a number of artifacts excavated from the site. The ruins themselves are not much to look at, but enough information is provided to explain the history of the site to answer many questions that a visitor may have. Overall, even though it is a bit out of the way, I would recommend a stop at this historic site if you have time.

We visited the fort and adjacent exhibit on a rainy day and found it fascinating. Yes, we got…read moredrenched, but so much the better to imagine life there in colonial times!

We love swinging bridges so we made sure to make a stop at this one. It happened to be raining when…read morewe were on our way through this area but we didn't let that stop us. If anything, the fact that it was dusk and the rain was so gentle, kind of made the whole experience feel more visceral and intimate. The bridge itself is really beautiful with great views of the river on both sides. There's definitely enough movement so that you don't forget you're on a swinging bridge, but it didn't feel unsafe and even our little dog was fine walking back and forth across it. My husband and I hung out in the middle for a while, enjoying the views, cuddled in the cool wet air. It was actually pretty romantic. We probably spent about 15 or 20 minutes here and in that time multiple people crossed the bridge and at least five or six stopped to take photos in front of it, including a group of 4 that asked us to take their photo for them (pictured below) so this is a busy area even in the rain. But once you're here, you know why because it's a pretty cool experience. I definitely recommend a quick stop here if you can make the time.

So many places to take pictures,sit and relax. walking across the swinging bridges feels fun and…read morethe sights are great.

So glad we found this gem of an outing in our tour of the state. Walking the break wall was a…read moreunique experience. There are large gaps but it's pretty even. We wore good shoes and hoodies and were fine. The lighthouse itself was small but jam packed with that coastal vibe we came for. Plus we got to walk a mile out into the ocean!

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse is located in the park and to get there, you have to walk about…read morea mile or more on the uneven granite slabs. There's some parts that have gaps, so you have to pay attention. But over all it was an easy walk to the light house. The walk itself was quite relaxing and beautiful. On each side of the pathway, the water on each side are quite different, which makes it beautiful. Once you reach the end, you'll find a lighthouse at the end. You can walk up the stairs of the lighthouse to get a better view. Overall, I really enjoyed this lighthouse and would come back.

Not to be confused with the Fort Knox that holds the gold. This was a cool side trip…read more Located on the west bank of the Penobscot River in Prospect, Maine, in an area known as the Penobscot Narrows. Fort Knox is one of the best-preserved military fortifications on the New England seacoast. The fort has many unique architectural features and a rich history behind its walls. It is America's first fort named after Major General Henry Knox. ​ During the country's infancy, Maine was repeatedly involved in northeast border disputes with British Canada. In fact, the area between Castine and the rich lumber city of Bangor was invaded and occupied by the British during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Fort Knox was established in 1844 to protect the Penobscot River Valley against a possible future British naval incursion. It was designed by Chief Engineer Joseph Totten, with a number of other engineers serving as superintendents of construction from 1844 - 1869, among them Isaac Ingalls Stevens and Thomas L. Casey. The fort was named for Major General Henry Knox, America's first Secretary of War, who was born in Boston but retired to Thomaston, Maine, in 1796. The fort garrisoned its first troops from 1863 to 1866. These troops were mostly volunteers undergoing training before being sent to their active posts and included members of the celebrated 20th Maine. Troops were briefly stationed at the fort during the Spanish-American war in 1898 but never saw military action. If you're in the area and enjoy history, especially military history it's worth your time to tour.

Stumbled upon this gem during our drive back from Bar Harbor to New York City. Located about an…read morehour west of Bar Harbor/Acadia along Route 1. Saw a beautiful bridge and signs for "Fort Knox" observatory and headed toward that direction. Admission to the Fort alone is about $6.50 for out-of-state visitors and combined with the bridge observatory (recommended) is about $9.50. After paying the fees at the gate, you can either head to explore the fort or down toward the bridge's observatory deck. There is a separate parking area for the bridge observatory. Once there, you head down along the path to the bridge's tower entrance. You then take an elevator up to the top. From there, there are two short flights of stairs to get to the top/observatory section. The views there are spectacular...more than worth the nominal price of admission. The elevator operators/greeters were both super nice and very informative. The fort itself is also great with lots of area to explore on multiple levels. The top and bottom levels offer some great view of the Penobscot River. The gift shop there is also nice...lots of souvenir and snack options. All staff we encountered were very nice and helpful.

Just at the very tail end of the day, we raced to see our final lighthouse of this Saturday tour…read more Arriving just at sunset, it is located at the end of about a mile or so of dirt road that could use some love from the local town transportation department. Yes, it's private property. And if they want to keep people off it, they can do what the folks at the Hendrick's Head Light did - post signs and enforce them. Located on the Kennebec River, the lighthouse was established in 1898 and remains an active aid to navigation today. It points out a sharp turn in the river for those going to or from the Bath Iron Works. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The light station includes a tower, keeper's house, shed, and oil house. The tower is an octagonal wood frame structure, finished in wooden shingles, with an iron walkway around the lantern chamber. It is accessed via a three-span footbridge. Around the base of the lighthouse, there are some spots where you can walk out to get different angles. Some interesting driftwood on the ground if that's something that interests you. [Review 14897 overall, 399 of 2021, number 79 in Maine.]

We visited this historic lighthouse on our recent vacation, but as others have previously mentioned…read moreI would not return because it feels like you are, and in fact you are, in someone's backyard. I have no idea how or why such an arrangement arose, but it is is odd to say the least. Also, the access road is not not well maintained so be aware. The lighthouse itself is very interesting and it affords a nice view of the Kennebec river.

A great little gem on the coast of Maine. It was worth the long drive we took to get there but if…read moreyou are headed up the coast, you should make sure to stop. They have quite a number of buildings with exhibits in each and docents to help you along the way. They've done an extremely nice job with their presentation and items. And if you like boats, they have lots of boats and boat history! For me, having grown up in New England with family that goes back several hundred years, looking at some of the antique furniture was like looking at my childhood home :)

Local gem. Historic buildings. Fun to take the kids. You can spend hours or you can take a quick…read morekid friendly trip. It is a nonprofit in a small town and being from DC I didn't mind paying admission for a smaller museum. Kids can interact with some of the exhibits. They also offer kid friendly programs. Make sure to visit the historic church First Congregation on the property. It was a nice day and kids could also use the pond to steer remote control boats. Great stop in a charming town.