10 Unforgettable Small Towns to Visit in Maine

The great state of Maine is a wonderful place to explore! Large swaths of forest lands, covering about 90% of the state, give way to mountains, lakes, and rugged coastlines along the Atlantic. Those seeking a more laid-back experience will enjoy this state's wildlife, fishing, clean air, and clear night skies! Maine is a perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors, and the following ten small towns offer an unforgettable experience.

Franklin

Named after Benjamin Franklin, this unforgettable small town offers views of Hog Bay and Taunton Bay in a quiet rural setting. Brimming with the charms of a coastal town farther inland, Franklin is also known for its blueberry production. In the fall, the surrounding foliage around the blueberry fields offers a gorgeous array of colors, a stunning sight to behold against the sea of bright red blueberry bushes.

A truly Down East locale, Franklin offers a unique conservation program for their clam population and has developed harvesting practices with neighboring communities. Folks interested in digging clams along the Franklin shoreline must first obtain a recreational license available to residents and non-residents alike. Once obtained, you’re free to harvest and enjoy this local seafood!

Eastbrook

Uniquely situated near several beautiful ponds, Eastbrook is inland and offers an unforgettable experience for outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors will be thrilled to experience life around the pond when visiting Molasses Pond, populated with emerald shiners, chain pickerel, and smallmouth bass, to name a few. Anglers will enjoy testing their skills here!

East of Eastbrook lies Tunk Mountain, an attractive site for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. With a variety of hiking trails, Tunk Mountain offers a chance to experience nature up close. Its trails meander through softwood forests and bridges that span across boglands. Its unique terrain offers a classic Maine hiking experience. The trails are rated moderate to advanced in difficulty, offering a real challenge to the serious hikers.

Milbridge

The seaside town of Milbridge is a locale where you can find some of the best fresh seafood and coastal wildlife in Maine. Chipman’s Wharf is a seafood market run by the Chipman family, offering the freshest catch around. If you are looking for fresh lobster, clams, or shucked oysters, fresh as can be, this is the place to visit.

Visitors looking to taste a genuine coastal tradition like lobster fishing will surely enjoy an excursion with the Robertson Sea Tours and Adventures! On board a real lobster boat, you will enjoy a fantastic coastal adventure where you will enjoy sights along the rugged Maine coastline, featuring traditional lighthouses, with the chance to see whales along the way, a truly unforgettable experience.

Bar Harbor

A trip to Maine would not be complete without a visit to Bar Harbor. Located in the coastal regions of southern Maine, Bar Harbour is famous for lobster fishing, like many other small towns in Maine. However, what sets it apart is that it is also the gateway to the Acadia National Park, making it a great option for travelers who love to experience the great outdoors.

Acadia National Park, located on the Atlantic coast of Maine, is a protected area, preserving the highest rocky headlands in the region. Consisting of numerous trails, roadways, and carriageways. Guests will enjoy sweeping views of Maine’s rugged coastline and lush hardwood forests.

Sorrento

The community of Sorrento is also on the coast of Maine. Here, you can enjoy views of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island across Frenchmen's Bay. Sorrento is an ideal place to visit if you need a chance to enjoy a slower pace. Tourists flock to the area in the summertime for boating and recreation.

Nearby, Tidal Falls Preserve offers an unforgettable experience where guests can enjoy a picnic while taking in the view of the reversing falls, where the flow of fresh water is reversed by the force of the incoming tides. Due to the nutrient-rich mixture of fresh and salt water, visitors enjoy sightings of all kinds of wildlife, such as eagles, blue herons, and minks.

Millinocket

Located near the center of the state, Millinocket is celebrated as the biggest small town in Maine, where residents enjoy big forests, big lakes, and big adventure! Millinocket is the gateway community to the famous Mount Katahdin, voted one of the best places to hike in the world by National Geographic magazine.

Considered an outdoor playground, Millinocket offers all the outdoor adventure you could ask for. Guests can enjoy skiing and snowmobiling in the winter months and swimming and hiking in the summertime. A visit to the Nahmakanta Lake wilderness camps offers a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with the natural surroundings deep within the forest regions surrounding Millinocket.

Carrabassett Valley

Carrabassett Valley is in the western side of the state of Maine and enjoys proximity to waterfalls, hiking, and mountain bike trails, to name a few. Visitors will enjoy a variety of outdoor adventures, including a visit to Sugarloaf Mountain for skiing in the wintertime and the Outdoor Adventure Camp in the summer.

Maine Huts and Trails is a popular destination in the region. Here, guests will enjoy a stay in backcountry, eco-friendly, off-grid cabins along 50 miles of nature trails, offering a chance to unplug and explore the great outdoors. Hiking, swimming, fishing, and snowshoeing are only some of the adventures guests will enjoy during their stay. A visit to Poplar Stream Falls is worth considering but check with locals before making the trek, as access is granted by the landowners on a yearly basis.

Bethel

Located in the western portion of the state, Bethel’s Sunday River is a ski resort offering a chance to hit the slopes or enjoy shopping, fine dining, or spa treatments. Known for offering some of the best outdoor adventures in the state, Bethel is an unforgettable destination to consider visiting and offers a variety of unique experiences, season to season.

Spring and summer months are equally as appealing and offer the opportunity to experience raging waterfalls during the snowmelt season and stunning outdoor adventures in the warmer months. Tubing on the Androscoggin River is sure to be an unforgettable experience! In the Fall, visitors will enjoy an explosion of color throughout the surrounding forests, like Grafton Notch State Park.

Harpswell

Located on the rugged coastline of southern Maine, the underrated town of Harpswell offers proximity to beaches, coastal walking trails, and historic landmarks. Harpswell provides views of the Atlantic Ocean and The Halfway Rock lighthouse, originally constructed in 1871. A unique example of civil engineering, the Cribstone Bridge was constructed from large granite slabs in order to withstand the strong tides and heavy winds around the waters named Will’s Gut.

Enjoy a visit to the home of North Pole Explorer Admiral Robert Perry, which he named Eagle Island. Situated on a rocky outpost in Harpswell, guests are welcome to tour this stunning home and take in the natural wonder on the nearby walking trails, which offer stunning water views and beachfront access.

Rangeley

Rangeley is a charming and remote town with a different experience compared to the coastal communities throughout the state. Located in the northwestern portion of Maine, Rangeley is a destination perfect for the adventure-seeking types, enjoying proximity to mountain ranges, waterfalls, and some of the best fishing around.

Rangeley is home to over 100 ponds and lakes, and Rangely Lake Resort is a prime place to stay to enjoy the great outdoors. Guests will enjoy full-service amenities while taking advantage of the opportunity to fish for salmon and trout. You can also enjoy swimming in the lakes and hiking around the state’s Western Mountains. Celebrities such as Kurt Russell speak very highly of Rangeley and declare it to be one of the best places to visit in all of Maine.

If a true Down East experience is what you’re looking for, then look to the most eastern state in the United States, the Great State of Maine! Boasting all an outdoor enthusiast could hope for, Maine is the place to be if fishing, hunting, hiking, and skiing are on your agenda. Coastal communities have the flavors of the freshest seafood you will find anywhere, while further inland, more remote communities offer hunting lodges where you can experience vast forest lands. The region is brimming with charming communities, and these top 10 unforgettable small towns have some of the most memorable experiences Maine has to offer.