Blending in a bit with the woods all around, this light brown Little Free Library is located in a…read moreresidential neighborhood just off the main road through Windham, US-302 / Roosevelt Trail. The library is on a single post and the door is secured by a magnet. Inside, two full shelves of mostly children's books. A good selection of Maine summer reading for the kids though the Game of Thrones novel would be a bit more adult. This is charter number 115339 and the online title is "Merrill Family Library" and the caption reads, "Please come visit our library and let us share our love of reading with you!" It is a residential neighborhood so parking to browse the library is no problem. [Review 18654 overall - 113 in Maine - 2176 of 2022.]

On my way through rural Maine when I found this Little Free Library box in a residential…read moreneighborhood. It is a simple brown wood box on a post in the front yard. A clear panel door and inside is one shelf of books but it's quite full. Nearly all softcovers and it wasn't easy to see them all but I spotted a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book and while I was tempted, I think someone else will get more use out of it. The online listing has the steward's name and a caption: "This library started as a wedding gift from groom to bride. Both of us have always been community-service oriented and we hope the kids in our neighborhood will be able to experience how good it feels to share a book! We are excited that this opportunity will allow us to get to know our neighbors and promote literacy! Happy reading!!! Kayla and Brandon" [Review 18554 overall - 106 in Maine - 2076 of 2022.]

This was the first of a handful of little libraries my wife and I visited today for the first time…read moreto check out. After the rain cleared on this Sunday we hit the road hopeful to find a new book and leave some in hopes others will find them in the future. Like I said this was the first we visited of six total today. This was by far the most well stocked of all we visited. It had two shelves with the bottom being mostly children's/younger reads and the top being more adult books. Despite only two shelves most of the books were two deep with lots of options. They even have a stepping box so the younger folks can reach their bottom shelf. They even had a large variety of younger books including an interactive bubble pop book you'll see in my photos about penguins. On the top shelf they had lots of variety as well including two Harry Potter books, sisterhood of the traveling pants for commonly known titles amongst lessen known books as well. The only downside was it appears from a note left they have experienced vandalizing lately. This particular library has been here since 2013 and I would assume has had many visitors over that time so hopefully those responsible for emptying the library stop. Thankfully during our visit it seemed very well stocked and well maintained. A definite visit for those who enjoy visiting little libraries due to its great variety!

Installed in August 2013, this red library box stands out a bit from the greenery at this…read moreintersection where it's located. The street address of the listing is Mosher Rd, but it's actually in the back of the property on Canal Street. The red box has an eye latch to keep the door closed and there is a painted red bench in front. Standing on multiple posts to better withstand the Maine weather, there are two shelves inside. Completely full of paperbacks, I was able to add a few from my own collection as I'm thinning out my library. Thrillers, children's books, self-help, fiction. A good assortment of reading. This is charter number 8017 and the listing has no caption or information about the steward other than "Founded August 2013". [Review 19972 overall - 115 in Maine - 946 of 2023.]

Another closely located little library with another nearby as well so we decided why not check them…read moreout since we were already out and about. This little library does have a number like many of them but also is rightfully named A Book With a View. It is located close to Bumbleroot Farm and even closer has some flowers planted around it. Worth stopping at to check the book selection and take in some nature views. As you can tell from the photos it is a red colored library with a white door. Despite not finding any books that piqued either my wife's or my interest we did leave one and hope someone enjoys it as their next book. On this particular day they had some genres including religious, encyclopedias, autobiography, Holocaust survivor book, & mystery to name a few. Like I said did not find anything we cared to grab but enjoyed the nearby view and would continue checking it out every once in a while. Your best plan to visit this particular one would be planning on a Saturday and checking out the Bumbleroot Farm before or after!

It would be hard to miss this barn-red Little Free Library along this rural road in Maine as the…read morecolor stands out from the green fields. The road isn't very wide but there can't possibly be enough traffic here for that to be a problem. The single door is secured by a sliding latch and inside are two short shelves well stocked with books. Today's selection was lots of childrens' books on their sides with a couple of thrillers and comedy in there. This is charter number 138138 and unlike many LFL's, it has a name, "A Book With A View" and a caption: :This Little Free Library sits on a parcel of land owned and lovingly maintained by Tom and Shelby Driscoll. The Library was built by Tom in the fall of 2021 and became the perfect addition to the flower gardens that adorn the spot where a (Weeks family) farmhouse once stood. The Library is maintained by the Driscolls and the Library's nearest neighbor, Andrea Elder-Bruns. Please sign the Guest Book when you visit!" [Review 20311 overall - 117 in Maine - 1289 of 2023.]

Painted a bright red with a white door and white trim, it would be hard to miss this library along…read moreMain Street in Windsor. The library is next to a parking lot and not far from the covered bridge so I would imagine it gets a good amount of traffic. The single door is secured by a hook and eye catch. Inside, two shelves of books. Many of them appear to be romance types but there are some fiction and a couple of hardcovers. It was very neatly stacked today and nearly full. This is charter number 80069 and while it is not listed on the Little Free Library map, it does have a decal that indicates who is responsible for it: Ascutney Mountain Promise Community. [Review 1671 of 2024 - 158 in Vermont - 22694 overall]

The third of the little libraries we visited and this one was practically as full as it could be…read more Located down a dead end residential road so don't expect too much traffic while you stop to explore this particular library. It's a single shelf little library but despite that it had almost two books deep for the entire shelf. The only exception was a small space that had a tupperware with dog biscuits in it. What a nice surprise for those who may be walking their dog while stopping to grab or leave a book. This particular library during our visit did have a much larger supply of adult reads. I don't recall any children's books during our visit. That could vary by the time you visit though. My wife left behind a book in exchange for one other book. With fall and Halloween coming up she left a book with series of spooky stories so hopefully that makes someone happy for the upcoming season/holiday. She ended up grabbing the book "Unbound" that appears to be listed as a historical romance novel. Besides that the book that caught my eye (did not take it though) was a memoir of Piper Kerman. Which if that name does not sound familiar it is the woman behind the inspiration for the show Orange Is The New Black. In the end this library was very full for being located where it is at and seemed to have a decent variety. Check it out!

You can't miss this red library box against the greenery as you drive along this residential…read morestreet. With a pressed metal roof and the door secured by a twist latch, it's easy to spot. Inside the library, a single shelf well stuffed with books and a tin that contains dog treats. Neat! A variety of books including reference, cookbooks, travel and more. Interesting collection. This is charter number 93398 and the online caption simply reads, "Little red cottage library." [Review 20314 overall - 118 in Maine - 1292 of 2023.]

Located just east of the Babb's Covered Bridge, this pretty green library box is on the side of the…read moreroad and blends into the background just a little. It's not listed on the Little Free Library Box. Dark green with a black wood roof, the library stands on two posts and has a single flip-down door that is secured by a simple eye catch. Inside, two shelves of neatly stacked books. Some of them don't quite fit upright. Mostly hardcovers today and a variety of topics including fiction, reference, self-help and thrillers. I enjoy Patricia Cornwell and so that joined me on my journey today. [Review 19086 overall - 114 in Maine - 55 of 2023.]

My go to study/wfh spot for years. Plenty of outlets and seating, love that they stay open later…read morethan other coffee shops in the area. Love that they have local brews on tap + a good selection of books. The set up a few seats outside when it's nice out! Good cold brew, iced tea, chai, and matcha. Bagels from Rose Foods (aka delish). Their tapas plates are great for a snack!

My first time being made aware of Elements is actually due to them doing collaboration beers with…read moreBarreled Souls. This morning, my wife and I finally planned to go check out their space for the first time. What more could you truly ask for than a cafe/coffee shop meets bookstore meets beer bar! My wife is more of an avid reader than I am so she enjoyed the book aspect more. They have a large menu of offerings drink wise with everything you'd expect from a coffee shop. I do wish they did a rotating seasonal special drink menu, as places usually have one or more great sounding drinks on those. Both my wife and I settled on an iced blueberry latte. Overall it had hints of blueberry and tasted more like milk than anything. Would not be rushing back for it specifically that's for sure. Food wise they have some in-house baked goods as well as bagels from Rose Foods and corssiants from Little Spruce Baking. My wife got a plain bagel with cream cheese while I grabbed a chocolate croissant. I did mess up by not requesting it be warmed up but it was still delicious! Will be finding more spots that have goodies from Little Spruce. The bagel was also tasty. Book wise my wife enjoyed browsing but did not find any books she needed to grab. She did enjoy reading a couple chapters of her current book while we sat by the large windows (good spot for world watching outside). We enjoyed our visit but have other spots we would be happier to visit again.

It's a History to Me…read more Founded in 1822, the Maine Historical Society's sole purpose is to preserve the history of Maine thru rotating exhibits that include historical photos and artifacts. The Good: *Free admission to the Longfellow Garden (May - Oct) during normal hours of operation *Wadsworth-Longfellow House is a separate part of the museum, with a separate fee ($18/GA). We didn't do this, so I can't comment if it's worth it. *Admission is reasonable at $12/adults *Reciprocity program with other museums, if you're a member ($25-75/year). *Located in beautiful Downtown Portland The Meh: *Not the world's biggest museum, as you can probably see the whole thing in 1-2hrs, depending on how much you read the placards for each item/display. The Ugly: *Location is in Downtown Portland, which is great, but you'll most likely have to deal with paying for parking at one of the garages. Pro Tip: If the garage DOESN'T advertise their pricing on the outside, then skip it on and move onto the next one that does. Evidently these predatory parking garages are a big thing here in DT Portland. Conclusion: Nice place to visit if you're in Portland and looking for a little culture.

The Maine Historical Society says on their website: "Connecting and documenting the Maine…read moreexperience" and "dedicates itself to making history relevant and accessible" and I could not agree more! We live locally and have been checking out the rotating exhibits over the past 10 or so years-all unique, informative rich, fascinating topics, amazing artifacts. You can look online to see what's going on/get tickets for specified time and can also buy in person there. Easily found on Congress Street in Portland, accessible all one level (no stairs), gift shop excellently curated for the history buffs and admission is affordable. At the time of our visit the 3 smaller exhibits included: "Mainers and their pets", "Maines untold history of Vegetarianism" and "Maine sheet music"- all was well worth the price of admission! This is also the place to tour the historic Wadsworth-Longfellow house. Only downside is parking- they do not have a dedicated parking lot so it's on-street parking. Congress has some, but it's a busy area so we tend to park on surrounding streets in the region from Congress St down to Commercial street side of Congress St and there is also a parking garage nearby. Walkable area location-shops and restaurants also fun to stop in to support local too. Highly recommended- here's to preserving history, learning where we've been to better understand where we are now and where we're headed in the future!

Nice local book shop! Didn't plan on getting anything but purchased some books. They had a good…read moreselection and it was organized. The staff were also very friendly.

Excellent bookstore, was very considerate of our requests! Would recommend to anyone who needs a…read morebook on a rainy day