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.

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!

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.

We try to visit capitol buildings in each state we visit. Most recently, we visited the Maine State…read moreHouse. Nestled in Augusta, Maine, the capitol building is large and appeared pretty plain when we first arrived. There is visitor parking available on the side and in the back of the building. So when we arrived in the back, it looked like a large, unremarkable, white building. We decided to take a peek inside (it was nearly closing, so it was just a peek) and then take a walk around the perimeter. I'm so glad we did. The view from the front is pillared with and rotunda topped. It was lovely. The grounds aren't extensive but well appointed on the pathway leading to the front. We were happy we made the stop!

As I approached the Maine State House I noticed the impressive architecture with a large dome on…read moretop that is typical of most state houses. My expectations were high for the inside. It's one of the easier state houses to find the main entrance, and the security guard was very friendly since the visitor's desk was not being manned. He gave us a map, along with some advice on what to see, and sent us on our way. I went to the rotunda first, as it is usually the most impressive part of a state house. This one was surprisingly bland. I never thought I would use the word bland to describe the rotunda of a state house, but looking up into the dome that was the only word to come to mind. I went to the Senate and House chambers, and nothing much to see there either. There appeared to be a really cool painting of George Washington, but it was covered to protect it from nearby painting going on. The best part was a balcony with rocking chairs. The Main State House did not live up to my expectations on the inside. The grounds outside are nice, but nothing really impressive there either. The Maine State House does not stack up well against most of the state houses in this country.

The governors mansion is beautiful. It is a large building filled with antiques and paintings of…read moreMaine scenes and by Maine artists. I loved looking at all the photos of Maines history displayed throughout the mansion.

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.

I'm working my way through the Maine State Parks Passport and this spot was listed in it. After…read moredriving by a couple times I realized that - oh! - it was literally just this red house. We came in Spring, so we took the opportunity to walk the trail behind the house to the Kennebec River. Honestly; this spot is underwhelming, and I'm not sure why you'd come here unless a) you were getting a stamp for your Passport, or b) you were coming here with your elementary school. It's a big rust colored red house that you can look at. It's got a placard that reads, "No, George Washington never slept here but he knew the owner. Two other people who figured prominently in the American Revolution did sleep in this house - Benedict Arnold and Aaron BUrr. Built in 1765, this colonial Federal-style house was home to several generations of the prominent Colburn family. In September 1775, Colonel Benedict Arnold led an expedition of more than 1,000 colonial soldiers up the Kennebec River to attack the British stronghold of Quebec City. The men came to the Kennebec from Massachusertts on board eleven ships which disembarked here at the home of Reuben Colburn, a member of the Maine Committee of Safety. Colburn helped spawn the idea of attacking British Quebec by way of the Maine wilderness and had supplied critical information to General Washington. On Arnold's arrival, Colburn had 200 freshly-built wooden boats called bateaux ready and the expedition used these to carry its provisions and military stores upstream toward Canada. This house was Arnold's headquarters and the launching point for his famous expectation against Quebec. Colburn had assembled a brew and built the boats within two weeks of General Washington's request to do so, but without enough seasoned lumber for the sizable task, the builders had to use green wood which was more prone to fail in the water. Twenty of these craftsmen, including Colburn himself, then accompanied the expedition to Canada, carrying supplies and repairing the boats as they traveled." The Colburn House, carriage house, and barn are open by special event only.

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.

When we found out we would be driving past the world's largest rotating globe, we knew we had to…read morestop. Luckily for us it ended up being late in the evening so it was very dark and quiet and peaceful when we pulled in. Because it was so late we didn't end up going inside, but you really don't need to. We stood for about 15 minutes and watched her through the glass rotating slowly. It's actually quite beautiful to see and it's one of those things where you have to see it in person to really understand it. This could easily have been a 5-minute stop, or if we had come during the day, most likely a much longer stop because I would have wanted to go inside and examine everything close up. If you're driving through the area, especially after dark. It's definitely worth a quick detour. It's simple, unique, and it's way cooler in person than you can tell from the photos.

Fun stop on US 1 between Portland and Freeport. It used to be the DeLorme map company now it is…read moreGarmin. It is nice they kept Eartha in their lobby. Eartha is visible from the road and can be visited during business hours. Eartha is the world's largest rotating globe measuring over 41 feet and 5,600 pounds and is to scale. There is a coffee shop in the lobby and chairs around the lobby to sit and admire Eartha. There is educational material on the wall. Eartha is worth a quick stop if traveling between Portland and central/northern Maine

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.