The people who operate and visit River Tree Arts on Western Avenue in Kennebunk are not deterred by wintery weather. This community arts organization operates music, dance, and performing arts school, and also has three galleries open to the public year round. Stop in for some quiet time in Kennebunk and enjoy luscious original artwork in the heart of a community of artistry in all its forms, static and moving. Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 207-967-9120.

Beach Plum Farm Offers <br>Beautiful Seaside Strolls Beach Plum Farm Offers
Beautiful Seaside Strolls

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Beach Plum Farm, on Route 1 in Ogunquit, is a 22-acre site with remnants of an old New England salt-water farm, natural landscapes and wildlife habitat. At the farm there is a walking loop which circles the fields and community gardens. Down by the salt marsh, you can see bayberry, beach plums and a variety of coastal birds. Benches provide spots to sit and contemplate. The loop walk can be completed at a leisurely pace in a half-hour. The farm was donated to the Great Works Regional Land Trust by Joe Littlefield in memory of his uncle, who farmed and sold vegetables from there since the 1920s.The land is open to the public, free, from dawn to dusk. Trails, benches, and community gardens, and beautiful views of the marches and ocean can be found there. Phone: 207-646-3604.

Beauty Along the Margin

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The magnificent Marginal Way in Ogunquit is a paved footpath beginningin a corner of Oarweed Cove near the harbor, then running for one and a quarter miles to the marvelous expanse of Ogunquit Beach. This delightful, exhilarating walk meanders by bayberry and bittersweet bushes, gnarled shrubs of sea roses, shaded alcoves formed by wind-twisted trees jutting out onto high granite outcroppings, and views of the mighty Atlantic. Thirty memorial benches dotting the path offer places to sit and rest.

Carson’s Name Helps Protect Fragile Coastline

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The author whose seminal work, “Silent Spring,” launched the American environmental movement is the namesake for the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge , consisting of a patchwork of properties along 50 miles of coastline from Kittery to Cape Elizabeth, with a headquarters on Route 9 in Wells. The refuge serves as protected region of valuable salt marshes and estuaries for migratory birds. Visitors are welcome to hike on the developed trails of the Refuge. is permitted in several rivers and creeks in the Refuge. Phone: 207-646-9226.

Farm Houses Diverse Samples of Fine Art

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Set on an antique dairy farm with sweeping views of expansive open-field trails, the Haley Farm Gallery on Haley Road in Kittery is housed in a turn-of-the-century renovated barn surrounded with sweeping views of expansive open-field trails, a conservation duck pond and the Spruce Creek. The gallery exhibits works by local and national artists as well as unique handcrafted artistic gift items. You can always find an original at Haley Art Gallery Gift Shop, showing work by the artisans of Morocco, Indonesia, Armenia, South Africa, Chile, India, Vietnam, Kenya, the United States, and Canada. The Gallery works directly with the artisans or through Fair Trade Federation to assure that artisans are not exploited. Phone: 207-439-2669. Phone: 207-439-7612.

Furnishings Through History

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The Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk was built in 1825 as a dry goods store and today serves as a museum depicting the region’s history, along with changing exhibits of local fine and decorative arts. A signature exhibit, Treasures of the Community, is a wonderful collection of early American arts, including portraits, sideboards, clocks, chairs dating from 1700 to 1900. Open year-round. Phone: 207-985-4802.

Mount Agamenticus Offers a Wonderful Walk

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The Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region in York contains 10,000 acres of land and is one of the largest remaining expanses of undeveloped forests in coastal New England. The area provides an ideal location for picnicking, hiking, biking, horseback riding, sightseeing, and ATV riders. Recommended trails are an intermediate trail from the summit, following Witch Hazel to Ring Trail to Horse Trail and another intermediate trail from Mountain Road following Ring Trail to Witch Hazel to Sweet Fern to Ring Trail. Trail signs, color blazes and the trail map tell which uses are permitted. Phone: 207-361-1102.

Outrageous Outlets

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The Kittery Outlets on Route 1 in Kittery are also known as America’s Maine Street for Shopping, and you’ll see why when you visit this one-mile-long strip of famous outlet stores. The outlets include 120 stores – way too many to name here – but dedicated shoppers can easily guess the names of the major brands to be found there. Many stores host special events and all kinds of sales, Located at the gateway from New Hampshire into the South Coast region of Maine, Kittery is home to many wonderful attractions, from beaches to museums, to entertain family members of all ages and tastes while shoppers are doing their thing.

Peace, Beauty, Prayer

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St. Anthony’s Franciscan Monastery in Kennebunk features extensive walking paths on the 60-acre estate, through gardens, woodlands, and outdoor chapels. Thousands of people come to enjoy these peaceful and expansive grounds every year. Everybody is most welcome to visit, to rest, to meditate, and to pray. There is also a gift shop, as well as a guesthouse. Phone: 207-967-4865

Spectacular Views and Protected Wildlife

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The Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm on Laudholm Farm Road in Wellsfeatures a 7-mile trail system, exhibits, coastal resource library and an Ecology Center. Seven miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails provide access to woodlands, fields, wetlands, beach, and dunes. Spectacular views and diverse habitats make the reserve popular for nature photographers and birdwatchers. Trail maps are available at the Visitor Center. Phone: 207-646-1555 ext 116.

Trail to 53,000 Works of Art

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.