Maine: Nature, Coast and Unique Trails

Maine combines extensive nature experiences with distinctive coastal landscapes and unusual trails. If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home for your trip, it is worth first considering the focus you want for your holiday: Would you like to go hiking, experience islands and coastal locations on the water, explore historic routes by bicycle or plan special wildlife observations? The answer will help you choose the right region for your travel plans.

Hiking Trails, Roads and Coastal Landscapes

The state parks in Maine offer thousands of miles of hiking and multi-use trails as well as beaches. This provides a range of options, from active days on land to excursions along the coast. One prominent destination is Acadia National Park, which covers nearly 50,000 acres along Maine’s Atlantic coast. Its Park Loop Road system is 27 miles long and offers views as well as access to park destinations. Take this size into account when planning your excursions and choose your accommodation based on the type of experience that interests you most during your stay.

The carriage roads of Acadia National Park have their own historic character. They extend for 45 miles and were built from 1913 to 1940. Today, they are car-free paths shared by pedestrians, cyclists and horse-drawn carriages. The network passes under and over 17 historic carriage-road bridges. For families, this can make for a varied day of vacation: You can combine a hike with a bicycle tour without merging the different paths into a single route.

Waterways, Museums and River Adventures

The Maine Island Trail runs as a water trail along the entire coast of Maine, passing unspoiled islands and coastal locations. It includes nearly 200 islands, more than 40 of which belong to the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. This focus suits a trip in which the coast is not merely a viewpoint but a destination in its own right. In addition, the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers lighthouse and nature cruises.

Maine’s maritime history can also be explored in an engaging way. The grounds of the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport include 13 historic buildings. For a more active day, beginners in Maine can take part in a commercially offered whitewater rafting trip with a professional guide. Commercial river rafting takes place mainly on the Dead, Kennebec and Penobscot rivers. This allows you to choose between peaceful coastal observation, a museum experience and a guided river trip without requiring the same type of travel for every activity.

Wildlife and Winter Trails

Maine also offers remarkable opportunities to include nature and wildlife in your trip. The northern section of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument contains a network of winter trails; at the same time, the monument provides breeding habitat for 171 bird species. The 17-mile Katahdin Loop Road can be cycled. Hikers can begin the International Appalachian Trail at the North Gate or at the Barnard Mountain Trailhead. These different formats make it possible to vary your daily plans between cycling, hiking and observing nature.

Another special attraction is moose watching. Maine’s moose population is estimated at around 40,000 to 60,000 animals; the largest concentration of moose in the contiguous United States is located there. Specialized providers offer guided moose-watching tours, also known as moose safaris, with information about the behavior and habitat of moose. Anyone who would also like to discover regional specialties through food can find wild blueberries, which are harvested in lowbush heathlands throughout the state.

Choose a Region for Your Holiday Apartment Search

For your further planning, you can focus your search for a holiday apartment or holiday home on the desired area. You can find the relevant regions here: Kennebec, York, Cumberland, Lincoln, Androscoggin, Hancock, Penobscot, Somerset, Knox, Oxford, Aroostook, Sagadahoc County, Waldo County, Franklin County, Piscataquis County and Washington County.

Whether you focus on the coast, hiking trails, historic routes, rivers or wildlife, Maine offers several clearly distinct travel ideas. The right accommodation provides the starting point for exactly the experiences you want to discover together.

For the overarching travel overview: USA.