Autumn is easily one of our favorite times of the year and definitely one of the best times to visit New England. The summer tourists have gone home, the air is cool, and the leaves are turning gorgeous shades of red and orange. It really is the most wonderful time of the year.
Since autumn is such a beautiful season here in Maine, we’ve put together a list of things to do this time of year. So whether you live in Maine or plan on traveling to Maine in the cool autumn months, here’s the ultimate Maine autumn bucket list!
- Attend the Fryeburg Fair (Sept-Oct)
- Pick pumpkins and get lost in a corn maze at Pumpkin Valley Farm in Dayton
- Pick your own apples at Ricker Hill Orchards in Turner
- Get scared at Destination: Haunt in Lebanon
- Take a fall hike at Acadia National Park
- Visit the Scarecrows at the Gardens event at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Oct)
- Run the Smashed Pumpkin Half or 5K in Freeport (Oct)
- Take a seaplane tour over Sebago Lake
- Hike Mt Katahdin
- Go camping at Baxter State Park
- Attend the Camp Sunshine Pumpkin Festival in Freeport (Oct)
- Eat your way through Harvest on the Harbor in Portland (Oct)
- Attend the Pemaquid Oyster Festival in Damariscotta (Sept)
- Take a ferry to the Casco Bay Islands
- Go to Pumpkinfest in Damariscotta (Oct)
- Take the Maine Foodie Tour
- Hitch a ride on the Maine Brew Bus
- Take a Stephen King tour in Bangor
- Eat a warm bowl of clam chowder at Gilbert’s Chowder House in Portland (or Windham)
- Spend a rainy day at the Children’s Museum in Portland
- Grab an apple donut from The Holy Donut
- Host a football party to cheer on the Pats
- Go Whale Watching with Odyssey Whale Watch
- Take a puffin tour in Boothbay Harbor or Bar Harbor
- Visit one of Maine’s 60+ lighthouses
- Take a ride on the Pumpkin Train with the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad in Portland (Oct)
- Tour a local brewery
- Learn more about Portland’s history with the Wicked Walking Tours
- Take a drive down the backroads (and of course, be sure to stop at any and all cute little country stores along the way)
- Attend the Fall Foliage Festival in Boothbay Harbor (Oct)
- Go wine tasting at a local winery
- Stroll Congress Street in Portland during the First Friday Art Walk
- Spend an afternoon in Freeport
- Go fishing on Moosehead Lake
- Spend a weekend at the Poland Spring Resort (and be sure to take a drive for some leaf peeping!)
- Attend the Acadia Night Sky Festival in Bar Harbor (Sept)
- Take the kids trick-or-treating at the Maine Wildlife Park (Oct)
- Go to the Cornish Apple Festival (Oct)
- Celebrate Oktoberfest at Acadia National Park (Oct)
- Get into the holiday spirit with the Christmas Prelude in Kennebunkport (Dec)
There are so many wonderful things to do in Maine this time of year whether you live here or are just here for a visit. I hope this list is a good starting point for your Maine autumn itinerary!
