Pownal, Maine

Bradbury mountain has ample parking and multiple trails that lead around the mountain and up to the summit.  We took the Northern Loop, which is the longest trail up the small mountain. It is a gradual incline of 407 ft over 1.0 mile. It is a perfect out and back trail just to get outside for a b...

Try shooting a gun with L.L. Bean's Discovery Sporting Clay course. You can book courses in the morning or afternoon and will meet at a specified location (the range) where you will meet with the guide and other participants. You will be introduced to the sport of shooting a gun at artificial tar...

This kayaking adventure begins at East End Beach at the Eastern Promenade in Portland. There is an easy boat launch zone if you have your own sea kayaks, but if you need to rent, Portland Paddle is right at the launch zone! It is $45 for 2 hours with a tandem sea kayak, which is what we opted for...

Peaks Island is the closest of the Casco Bay Islands to Portland, ME. It is a residential island that fills up with tourists in the summertime. If you visit the Peaks mid-spring, you can count on fairly decent weather and fewer crowds. There is a hotel and three or four restaurants on the island,...

Built in 1855, (also known as 'Bug Light') the lighthouse was used as a breakwater to the bustling harbor of Portland during the booming shipbuilding era during the World Wars.  The small size of the the breakwater eventually led to the lighthouse being decommissioned in 1943, but located in Bug...

Being a less popular lighthouse out of the many in the greater Portland area, parking is easy and crowds are limited. Parking at Fort Prebble is ideal for a short walk to the lighthouse. Completed in 1897, off the shoreline of Fort Prebble, Spring Point is a unique lighthouse with huge importanc...

Fore River Sanctuary is 85 acres in the heart of Portland right off of Congress Street. It is a unique place where the river meets the ocean and creates a marshland landscape, which provides a plethora of opportunities to see wildlife (especially a great diversity of birds - waterfowl, herons, eg...

Portland Head Light is one of Maine's most iconic and picturesque lighthouses that offers stunning views year round. Located just about 15 minutes outside of Portland, Maine, it's the perfect place to go to watch an early winter sunset and enjoy some ocean views. To get to the light house, you wi...

If you venture to Cape Elizabeth, you may be lucky enough to see it in the dense fog that I was able to.You'll take a windy road near Portland, Maine surrounded by cute, quaint homes on either side down to the rocky coastline. Park in the designated parking area (very easy to spot as the road's e...

Few things create a more dramatic scene for a sunrise than a pier spanning out into the water, and the one in Old Orchard Beach is pretty iconic. Normally the area is pretty packed, and it can be tough to find a parking spot (especially in the summer). But at sunrise, there is just you, the beach...

1.4 mile Out-and-Back trail hike is family friendly and provides spectacular views, especially at sunset. Trail closes right after dusk though, so be careful to not wander too long. Turn onto Hawk Mountain Road, and drive until you see the parking lot on the left and trail head on the right, abou...

After turning on Mountain Rd, look for East Pinnacle Condominiums. The trailhead is about 0.1miles after that on the right between the telephone poles marked 49 and 50. There is a dirt parking lot to pull into.  Now on to the hike! This hike begins by heading straight uphill immediately, and you ...

Harris Farm is a great place for beginner cross country skiing or to hone in on already developed skills. They provide rentals ($15pp) and the network of trails is several miles long. The trails range from green (easy) to red/black (more difficult). I personally love hanging out on the blue trail...

Pemaquid Lighthouse is situated above a spit of granite jutting out into the Atlantic, and it has all the look and feel of a classic Maine lighthouse. For photographers, it's hard to go wrong. The granite is grained such that all the rocks seem to be pointing towards the lighthouse, so there are ...

After crossing the Mousam River on Western Ave, see signs and gravel pull-off areas for parking at the Bridle Path trailhead. The Madelyn Marx Preserve is a greater part of the Kennebunk Land Trust home to many preserves in the area (So look for Kennebunk Land Trust signs as well).Hike through op...

Pull into the well marked Wildlife Refuge off Port Rd. There's several official building as well as an interpretive center and bathroom very close to the parking lot.The only trail, the Carson Trail, is feet from the parking area. It's an extremely well groomed gravel trail easily accessible for ...