Blaine House on State Street in Augusta, the home of Maine’s governors, also is home to a refurbished New England Garden open to the public from May to October. The New England Garden is a formal, square traditional garden with a central lawn, surrounded by footpaths and fencing. Each corner features a flower display that changes throughout the seasons. Plantings in the annual beds reflect the changing seasons, with each season exploring the various species’ unique attributes. The annual beds also feature seasonal standards that complement the surrounding annual display. Open to the public for self-guided tours by appointment only Tuesdays through Thursday, 2-4 p.m., May 1 through October 1. Phone: 207-287-2121.

Crafty, Welcoming, and Always Something New

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Center for Maine Craft at 24 Service Plaza Drive in West Gardiner offers works by over 300 Maine craft artists, musicians, authors, illustrators and artisan food producers. The center maintains a constant calendar of educational and exciting programming. Keep checked the website to learn about exhibitions, events, studio days, music, barbecues, and more. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closes 8 p.m. in the summer). Phone: 207-588-0021.

Did We Mention the Majolica?

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Imagine this: 20,000 square feet of (carpeted!) display area. That’s part of the description for Fairfield Antiques Mall, on Route 201 in Fairfield,the largest group of antique shops in Maine. More than 100 antiques dealers are parked in this crossroads of Maine, offering a huge inventory of Victorian, oak, country, mission, and wicker furniture; glassware; frames, mirrors and clocks; hoosiers and iceboxes; jewelry, watches, and coins. But why even try to list the highlights? The mall has three huge storewide sales every year, in January, April, and November, so check back often for dates and details. Open daily, year-round. Phone: 207-453-4100.

Empire Grill’s Famous Muffin

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Fans of novelist Richard Russo and his wonderful story, Empire Falls, will be pleased to learn that a version of the restaurant that was the centerpiece of the novel actually exists. The Empire Grill on 105 Water Street in Skowhegan was renovated in 2003 to serve as the set of the HBO mini-series Empire Falls, based on the book. The Grill now has a tradition of giving away a muffin every day to an unsuspecting customer. Grill owner Kerry Pomelow told Yankee magazine, “a lot of people want the muffin … just to be able to say they got it.” Phone: 207-474-3440.

Everyone Loves the Lower Prices

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If you are traveling internationally, you may buy items without having to pay either the sales tax (called value added tax) or the customs duties assessed by the United States – primarily on liquor and tobacco but also with many other products. The savings from duty-free shopping can be significant. At Duty Free Americas in Jackman (2621 Route 201 North), shoppers can find discounted prices on premium spirits, wine, beer and tobacco as well as designer fragrances, cosmetics, fashion watches, crystal, jewelry, leather goods, gifts for children, and more. Currency exchange is available. Phone: 207-668-7738.

If We Ain’t Got it, You Don’t Need It

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Hussey’s General Store at 510 Ridge Road in Windsor claims “If We Ain’t Got it, You Don’t Need It.” With 30,000 square feet of retail space, this family-owned business has been selling essentials to Augusta-Kennebec communities since 1923. Essentials? By that, Hussey’s means groceries, clothing, new and used guns, fishing equipment, hardware, furniture, appliances, gifts, collectibles, wedding dresses, used books, tools, feed and grain, and so much more. This has to be one of the standards of the general store business, anywhere. You need anything? Come and challenge the Hussey’s tradition. Open daily. Phone: 207-445-2511.

Trail to 53,000 Works of Art

The Maine Art Museum Trail offers more than 53,000 works of art, from ancient to contemporary, in a dazzling array of collections at seven leading art museums. Museums on the trail include Bates College Museum of Art (Lewiston), Bowdoin College Museum of Art (Brunswick), Colby College Museum of Art (Waterville), Farnsworth Art Museum (Rockland), Ogunquit Museum of American Art (Ogunquit), Portland Museum of Art (Portland), and University of Maine Museum of Art (Bangor). The museums’ permanent collections include works of art by the many artists who have vacationed or worked in Maine. They also feature masterpieces by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, and Pablo Picasso, Greek and Roman sculpture, early American silver and furniture, and contemporary textiles, prints, ceramics, and sculpture. Some museums also offer free admission during selected hours.

Watercolors of Maine

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Among its offerings, the Colby College Museum of Art on Mayflower Hill Drive in Waterville has a permanent collection focused on American art. The Lunder Wing of the museum offers 200 American works, including paintings by John Marin, an early modernist artist best known for his watercolors of coastal Maine and urban scenes of New York. Maine settings that Marin depicted include Small Point Harbor, Deer Isle and Stonington on Penobscot Bay, Cape Split and South Addison. Open year-round. Admission is free. Phone: 207-859-5600.

Where the Trees Hang Out

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Calling itself “Maine’s Living Museum of Trees,” the Pine Tree State Arboretum on Hospital Street in Augusta is a paradise for nature lovers. It contains 300 species of trees and shrubs; a five-mile trail system open year-round to hiking, jogging, bird watching, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing on groomed winter trails; picnic areas; and bird-watching opportunities. Trail maps are available at the arboretum. This place is serenely beautiful in all seasons. Phone: 207-621-0031