You can find the Olson House at 427 Hathorne Point Rd, Cushing, ME 04563. There's some limited…read moreparking behind the apple orchard but presumably you can also park along the access roads. This is a residential neighborhood so please be respectful. If you aren't an art historian you may wonder why the Olson House is worth visiting? The key is Andrew Wyeth - who painted many scenes of the house, the family and local vignettes. One of the most iconic paintings done by an American artist is "Christina's World" which features the building's on the Olson's property. Luckily the property was obtained by the local Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland who has started a much needed restoration (at one point the house was a Wyeth museum but it's fallen to hard times prior to the acquisition). The house sits on multiple acres of land and the property includes several buildings - the house and barn are rendered in the painting. Much of the structures' original pigment gave way to the elements, apparently during the Depression so it holds a beautiful gray-weathered patina. The primary structure is mostly intact (a chimney has been removed but I believe the plan is to replace it at some point). As you walk around you can get a sense of the home from when Wyeth rendered the painting. You can walk around the property but be aware that if you try to view the buildings using Wyeth's painting's perspective, you'll be in a field that's private property not owned by the Farnsworth. We took a chance and walked out which I think is okay as long as you're not loud or disrespectful. Also in the field is the cemetery where Andrew and Betsy Wyeth are prominently resting - towards the water in the rear there's a headstone for Christina and her brother Alvero. There are several markers around the property identifying points of interest as well as color and restoration studies. I also spied some hops growing between the main building and boat house (I believe it's the kitchen) - I'm betting that at some point there was some homebrew being made, possibly by Alvero. In all, a great place to visit, especially prior to going to the Farnsworth as it provides a lot of context. Kudos to the museum for preserving this property!

Our morning on the Wyeth Experience tour was well worth $50. Six of us began the tour with Nancy at…read morethe Farnsworth and got background on several paintings by the three Wyeths. Then a half hour van ride driven by delightful David to the Olson House while Nancy shaed stories en route. Throughout the tour Nancy overflowed with history and stories gleaned from 30 years working at Olson House. The spare house is a wonder, and we loved wandering through each room with its beautiful light, all three floors. we even jogged down to the little cemetery where Andrew, Christina Olson, and others are buried.

Not an aquarium. I've seen more fish in my dentist's office…read more This was WAY better prior to its "renovation". There are 4 tanks of fish and a "touch tank." There is a "learning lab" with some shark things and crafts. This will entertain your kids (age 6 and under) for an hour at most. Not worth it for adults or anyone who has grown up on a coast. VERY small parking lot. Very disappointed

I really wanted to like the new renovations however I would not consider this place as an aquarium…read morebut more of an oceanarium. It is definitely a place of education and there are two touch/pet tanks but that's about it. I was hoping it would be like the one from what use to be home (Roundhouse Aquarium in Manhattan Beach, CA) even that aquarium I would still consider it an oceanarium however it had sooooo much more to offer. Despite how crowded this place can get, you can easily do it all in under five minutes. (That's how small it is) If you really want to make the trip I would suggest going on the free days. Also, those baby moon jelly's will soon need a bigger tank!

I assumed this museum was going to be pretty limited, but I was impressed with the variety of…read moreartworks on display. It's more than just the Wyeths; they have classic European artists and early American art. I loved getting to learn more about the local indigenous tribes and see the work of local artists whom I wouldn't otherwise get to see. Some of the art was even a bit risque, which was great to see at a small art museum. Highly recommend taking an hour or so to get lost in the Farnsworth.

We visited the both the gift shop and the outdoor sculpture garden this year. The gift shop's…read moreofferings, like the museum itself, center on the works of the Wyeths. The sculpture garden is worth a visit though less far less interesting.

From Reno, Nv. we flew into Portland, ME. to the Maine Lobster Festival. Yes, finally scratching…read morethis off my bucket list. Festival runs from July 30- August 3rd. The Festival is located at Rockland's Harbor Park, is easy to find on Main Street. There is FREE parking at South Elementary School (30 Broadway, Rockland, ME) where a free shuttle bus will take you downtown to the Festival. Buses run every 30 minutes or less. Entrance gates are located on Main Street and Park Street. It was sprinkling our first day at the festival therefore the lines were nonexistent; loved it! I was here for the Lobstah but there were quite a lot of food vendors if I wanted to have fish, chicken or pork. A lot of drink options as well, boba, beer, lemonade and plenty of other soft drinks. We purchased the 3 lobster dinner for 85 dollars it came with a corn in the cob, hot drawn butter, slaw, bib, salt, pepper, 1 napkin, 1 wet wipe and a plastic wobbly pick I'm guessing to aid with getting the lobster out of the shell(useless). We also got a Shore dinner for 59, which came with 1 lobster, big steamed clams, corn on the cob, chowder of your choice, they had about 5 different types, we got the haddock, it was chunky and had a lot of flavor.They sell lobster crackers for 8 dollars shaped like a claw but they are also useless without a real handle and once you get butter on them, which it's inevitable, they get slippery and you have the 1 thin paper napkin to work with. Anyway, BYO cracker and napkins; Messy transaction but lots of fun! They have a tent with lots of arts and crafts. Local artists showcase their work and it's all available for purchase. I saw a few ladies selling knitted items and home made jewelry too. So many beautiful things, you're sure to find something for everyone to take home. All people working here are volunteers and they are sweet and friendly. I plan on returning for sure. It was a super chill and fun experience. Loved it!

I was a little disappointed for the most part in this festival, personally I was expecting more…read morelobster options than a main tent and one very bad frozen lobster food truck. I expected a larger variety of lobster food items. But there was a tent with hand crafted local items, something I enjoy and a bounce house area for the kids, although a little overpriced. Another take away was the lack of seating areas other than the main food tent, if you did buy food here there were little to no areas to sit and eat or take a break. All in all we had been trying to get to this festival for years, but once was enough.

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 just held my fathers celebration of life at the museum this weekend and the staff couldn't have…read morebeen more professional. We held it in the children's area which have interactive items for the kids and a lot of the adults too. The tables, chairs, audio etc were all set up and ready to go early. Our caterer Taco Joe was also all set up filling the museum with an amazing aroma. My dad was a member of the museum and would have been thrilled to have his life remembered here

Wow!!! This is a must-visit if you are a car enthusiast! I grew up going to car shows, but I have…read morenever seen anything like this! There are more cars than I had imagined, and they are all very pristine. I did not expect to see bicycles and buggies as well, plus airplanes. I think there was even more that we didn't see because there was a car auction going on. $20 is a great price. This would've been 35 or $40 in Georgia. The history was amazing! We were there for over an hour but could easily spend 2+ hours there.

The Knox Museum is a true historical gem, not only for the small town of Thomaston, but for the…read moreentire state of Maine. The museum does an OUTSTANDING job of preserving the memory and legacy of founding father Henry Knox whom - to be frank - I was not familiar with at all (other than the one name drop he receives in the Hamilton musical). General Knox was born in 1750. In 1775, General George Washington chose Knox as his Chief of Artillery. He spent most of the Revolutionary War by Washington's side and following the war, he was chosen to be the first Secretary of War. Knox's Revolutionary War accomplishments include leading the expedition to transfer sixty tons of captured British cannon from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston, directing Washington's famous Delaware River crossing, and taking charge of the placement of the artillery at Yorktown. In 1795, Knox retired to a large tract of land, located in what is now Thomaston, Maine which his wife had inherited from her mother. On this land, they built an elaborate nineteen-room mansion and named it "Montpelier". The original Montpelier was torn down in 1871, but an exact replica was pain-stakenly built in its place in 1929 by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The Montpelier Museum now houses many of the objects Knox kept in the original mansion that was donated by his descendants (including Marie Antoinnete's book case which is a whole wild story I'd never heard of before but is worth googling). A really interesting find and amazing legacy that Genera Knox has left behind in coastal Maine. If y'all ever find yourself up there I recommend making a visit! The museum and tour were a highlight of our most recent Maine trip.

It is so delightful to talk to volunteers who are so dedicated to their work. The Knox Museum is a…read morebeautiful building that was lovingly reconstructed and refurnished through tireless work by the volunteers, trustees and donations. We attended the annual Christmas Gala to see the decorations, which were beautiful, but the real fun was learning the stories of the building and its occupants from such enthusiastic volunteers. It was a lovely evening and we will certainly return again.

We again included this scenic lighthouse and its interesting museum in our itinerary this year and…read moreso should you. The museum's staff welcomed our questions and really made our visit worthwhile.

You'll find the Marshall Point Lighthouse at Marshall Point Rd, Tenants Harbor, ME 04860. There's…read moreplenty of parking right by the Light Keeper's houses (which is now a museum and gift shop). I'd say that this is one of the better recognized of Maine's lighthouses - while small, it's positioned at the end of a walkway that extends near the water and was used in Tom Hank's movie, Forrest Gump (this is the easternmost point of Forrest's iconic run across the USA). Of course we had to stop - it's a bit out of the way but if you're already visiting Cushing for the Olson House and Langlais Preserve, it's way worth the detour (hit the Owls Head lighthouse too - that's what we did). This lighthouse is extremely well preserved, as is the light keeper's house museum. The museum also has an abundance of exhibits to keep you interesting - one of the better from the examples I viewed to similar-sized lighthouses. There are picnic tables arranged near the house so this would be a good place to eat those lobster rolls you picked up along the way. The views from the lighthouse and property are pretty stunning. The staff (I believe mostly volunteer) were very pleasant and used to answering the stupid questions posed by most tourists - kudos to their training and love of local preservation. In all a great visit.

Extraordinary collection of pre WW II toys, with the best Lone Ranger collection in the world. John…read moreis serious about his collection and well organized. His stories on the early Disney films is top notch, especially Bambi. Make sure to check out the decoder rings and get the back story. And a final point from personal experience (not mine own but my husband's) Don't Touch anything. It is a museum

If you like toys and antiques, this is definitely worth a stop. The tour is reasonably priced and…read morethe guy who owns it knows a lot about the items. There's two sections, the initial entry area, which is stuff for sale and the owner's artwork. There's a second area, the museum, which has an entry fee. It has the largest collection of Lone Ranger memorabilia, along with newer toys, Disney, Star Wars, and lots of very rare items. Most of the toys are from the 40's and 50's if your interests tend toward those decades. I wouldn't recommend this attraction for small children or anyone who can't keep their hands to themselves. While lots of items are behind glass, a child could easily break some non-replaceable memorabilia, so have caution when bringing kids.