13 BEST Spring Things to Do in Southern Maine This Year
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The state of Maine is known as Vacationland for a good reason. It’s filled with so many relaxing, enjoyable activities and gorgeous natural beauty. After a long, cold winter, spring is a time of excitement and long-awaited warmth in Southern Maine.
The peak tourist season is in the summer months, so spring is the perfect time to enjoy some amazing activities without the peak-season crowds. Here are some ideas for spring things to do in Southern Maine.
Learn Local History at Southern Maine’s Museums
Maine is rich with history. From Native American history to Colonial history to industrial mill history, there’s so much to learn and see at local museums. Visit one of these museums to learn a little something on your next visit to the Southern Maine Coast.
Saco Museum
371 Main St, Saco, ME 04072
Check out the Saco Museum in Saco Maine to explore over 10,000 artifacts dating back centuries. The collection includes artwork by famous artists like John Brewster Jr., Gibeon Elden Bradbury, Charles Henry Granger, and Katherine Tupper Prescott.
Fine art isn’t the only thing to see at this gem. Furnishings, vintage clocks, textiles, decorative items, and ceramics are also on display.
Brick Store Museum
117 Main St, Kennebunk, ME 04043
The Brick Store Museum has over 70,000 artifacts with a focus on Kennebunk Maine and surrounding communities. The artifacts include many historical photographs, furnishings, artwork, and textiles.
There are rotating exhibits throughout the year, so every visit to the Brick Store Museum brings something new and exciting to explore. Outside, beautiful gardens are sure to be sprouting in the springtime.
Biddeford Mills Museum
2 Main St, Biddeford, ME 04005
The Biddeford Mills Museum brings mill history to life with educational and interesting exhibits. It has artifacts from when the mill was functioning, including textiles, an original employee time clock, maps, photographs, and many other pieces of industrial history.
Volunteers run tours throughout the historic mill buildings in warmer spring weather, typically around early June. The majority of the volunteers are former mill workers, so they have plenty of stories to share about life and working in the mills.
Maine Classic Car Museum
2564 Portland Rd, Arundel, ME 04046
For those who appreciate vintage automobiles, a visit to the Maine Classic Car Museum is just the ticket. This museum details the history of automobiles and displays over 50 classic cars dating from 1913 to the 1990s. Rare vehicles and automobile memorabilia round out the experience.
The museum’s docents are on hand to answer any questions and share stories about automobiles. What makes this museum unique is that you can get up close to the automobiles because no ropes surround the exhibits.
Put Your Bowling Skills to the Test
The weather during spring in the Southern Maine Coast can be iffy with some days bringing cooler weather and rain. For those days, you’ll want to have an indoor activity in mind.
A perfectly fun, rainy-day activity is bowling. Maine bowling alleys do a great job of capturing the nostalgic 1950s-type vibe of old-fashioned bowling. These bowling alleys are popular with locals and tourists alike.
The Big 20 Bowling Center
382 US-1, Scarborough, ME 04074
The Big 20 Bowling Center has been in business for over 70 years and has hosted many global and state bowling championships over the years.
It features candlepin bowling, which is perfect for all ages. Exciting Rock N’ Bowl combines rock and pop music with glow-in-the-dark lanes and is available on some Friday and Saturday nights.
Garden Street Bowl
1 Garden St, Kennebunk, ME 04043
The Garden Street Bowl has a trendy vibe with a brick wall backdrop to the bowling lanes. It is home to 10-pin big ball bowling with plush seating. Also, the bowling alley offers a light food menu with a full bar, and it often has entertainment on weekend evenings.
Appreciate Southern Maine’s Natural Beauty on a Trail
There are over 1,000 trails to discover in the state of Maine. Across the state, you will find scenic trails of varying levels of difficulty — from family-friendly and flat to rugged and challenging. Try out these Southern Maine Coast trails for their easy terrain and scenic landscape.
Wells Reserve at Laudholm
342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells, ME 04090
The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is open year-round for hikers, snowshoers, and cross-country skiers. There are 7 miles of trails throughout the reserve, ranging from easy to moderate difficulty.
The terrain includes bridges, boardwalks, dirt, gravel, and grass. And, the trails will take you across farms, forest areas, salt marshes, and by the beach.
Steedman Woods & Wiggly Bridge
57 Barrell Ln Ext, York, ME 03909
This 1.4-mile loop takes about half an hour from start to finish. The Steedman Woods nature reserve is very peaceful and never too busy, even during peak season.
Views of York River and Barrels Millpond make for great picture-taking opportunities. The trail has easy terrain and isn’t challenging, making it a family-friendly walk.
Wiggly Bridge is rumored to be the world’s smallest suspension bridge. Constructed in the 1930s, the bridge is only 75 feet end to end and, as the name implies, it wiggles or bounces when walking across. It’s a unique feature on the walk that is sure to be memorable.
Timber Point Trail
140 Granite Point Rd, Biddeford, ME 04005
The Timber Point Trail is another option for a scenic, beautiful spring walk. It is 2.4 miles from start to finish. Locals enjoy this trail for its gentle terrain and bird-watching opportunities. The scenery includes forests, salt marshes, sandy coves, and ocean views.
If visiting during low tide, you can walk directly across the water to Timber Island. There is a tide clock at the head of the trail so that you are aware of high and low tides for planning purposes.
Visit Famous & Gorgeous Southern Maine Beaches
Southern Maine is known for its stunning, well-maintained, and picturesque beaches. A trip to Maine, no matter the time of year, isn’t complete without visiting one of them.
Springtime isn’t a great time for swimming or sunbathing, but it’s the perfect time to visit the beach with low to no crowds for a peaceful walk or to explore tide pools. Check out the beaches of Ogunquit, Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport, Old Orchard Beach, and Short Sands and Long Sands in York.
Sample Local Brews at a Southern Maine Brewery
Small breweries have been popping up everywhere over the last decade. Craft beers and local specialty flavors are a real treat to indulge in when exploring Maine. Visit the tasting room of one of these breweries on your next getaway.
SoMe Brewing Company
1 York St #3, York, ME 03909
SoMe Brewing Company started in York Maine as a small brewhouse with only three barrels in 2013. The brewery quickly gained followers and expanded into a seven-barrel brewhouse in 2015.
It continued to grow and now has 12 beers on tap. The brewery has even opened a second location right up the street called York Beach Beer Company.
The flagship beers incorporate local landmarks and Maine favorites into their names. Some popular ones include Whoopie Pie Stout, Agamenticus Amber, Peanut Butter Jelly Pie, and Nubble Weiss.
Barreled Souls Brewing
743 Portland Rd, Saco, ME 04072
Barreled Souls Brewing has a 50-gallon brew system, and all the beer is fermented in oak barrels. It uses the Burton Union System of fermenting, which was the preferred method in 1800s England.
In the tasting room, you will find flagship beers like Cherry Panda, Endless Summer, Stout ME with Raspberry Jam & Vanilla, Strawberry Tallcake 2.0, Buckwheat, and many more. The brewery has a wide selection of IPAs, Pale Ales, Stouts, Sours, and Imperials.
Island Dog Brewing
125 John Roberts Rd Unit 15, South Portland, ME 04106
Island Dog Brewing started as a small craft brewer focusing on Belgian, German, herb, spice, and seasonal ales. Today, it has a five-barrel brewhouse and uses all locally sourced ingredients. The brewery has a taproom, games, and food truck days.
Typically, there are 15 beers on tap, and the offerings vary monthly. Favorites include Black Forest Chocolate Cherry Porter, Captain Tucker Cream Ale, A Beer Called Blue Blueberry Wheat, and 3 Buoy Brown Ale.
Add These Spring Things to Do in Southern Maine to Your Next Itinerary
Springtime in Maine is a gorgeous time of year with birds chirping, wildlife emerging from hibernation, gardens, and flowers blooming, and seasonal places beginning to open back up. And while the weather can be unpredictable, there’s never a shortage of spring things to do in Southern Maine.
Whether you’re looking for something indoors, a way to get back to nature, or something to enjoy the warmer days, the Southern Maine Coast has something for everyone. Enjoy a trip to this region in the spring without the crowds of the peak summer beach-going season.
Along with plenty of spring activities, there are several Southern Maine Coast hotels and other lodging options. Some of the best restaurants in Maine are located in the Southern Maine Coast, so you can add them to your itinerary too!