Great Things to Do in the South Coast ME Region

Inn at Tanglewood Hall

611 York Street York Harbor, ME, 03911 Phone: 207-351-1075

Seaside activities are abundant with this comfortable, scenic inn as your launching pad

Although you may never want to leave the cozy, elegant 1880s Inn at Tanglewood Hall, there is plenty to do once you leave your four-poster bed or your rocking chair on the wraparound veranda. Walk along the York Harbor, ME Cliff Walk, watch lobster boats and sloops come in and out of the harbor. Catch a sunset over Nubble Lighthouse. Stroll along the streets of York Harbor village to York Harbor Beach, ME. Or, enjoy the surf at Long Sands or Short Sands beaches. Need more ideas? Go whale watching, kayaking, hiking or biking. Or head farther afield (but not too far) to the Kittery Outlets; dine in foodie-centric Portsmouth, NH; visit Stonewall Kitchen; check out the lovely Maine coast towns of Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, ME.

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Aquaboggan Water Park

980 Portland Road Saco, ME, 04072 Phone: 207-282-3112

Slide, splash and play all day

Aquaboggan Water Park in Saco, Maine is a summer favorite for thrill-seekers, casual floaters, and everyone in between. Speed down high-adrenaline slides like the Yankee Ripper and Stealth V half-pipe, or keep it chill in the giant wave pool. While the older kids are experiencing Aquaboggan's thrill rides, the younger set will enjoy toddler-size fun with slides, climbing gym and a shallow pool where they can splash and play. Off the water, test your skills on the 18-hole mini golf course or rev things up at the Grand Prix go-kart track. From high-speed excitement to relaxing lounge chairs, picnic spots, or cabanas, Aquaboggan offers a full day of fun for all ages. It’s your vacation in a day. And when the sun sets, head over to Aquaboggan’s iconic Saco Drive-In — one of the oldest in the U.S.—for a movie under the stars.

Opens for the 2025 season on June 28th

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Funtown Splashtown USA

Route 1 Saco, ME, 04072 Phone: 207-284-5139

In the air, on the ground, in the water: Fun is everywhere you turn in this exciting park

Fun things to do in the air, in the water and on the ground: That’s what you’ll find everywhere you turn in Funtown Splashtown USA, where you can zip around in Maine’s only wooden roller coaster, fly through the air on the Flying Trapeze ride or in a kiddie helicopter, zoom down a corkscrew slide or splash around in a pool. It really is like two great parks in one. You can also play arcade games, go “prospecting” for fossils and relax at the tiki bar, beer garden, ice cream shop, candy store or cafe. Everyone has fun here, from folks gliding down the log flume to thrill-seekers plummeting down a 60-foot chute into a water pool to little tykes loving the old-fashioned carousel. A family owned and operated business, Funtown Splashtown puts guest safety first. Please review our health safety guidelines prior to your visit.

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Jonathan's Ogunquit

92 Bourne Lane Ogunquit, ME, 03907 Phone: 207-646-4777

Make your Maine trip special with dinner at Jonathan's Ogunquit

Make your next trip to Maine's seacoast special with lunch or dinner at Jonathan's Ogunquit. Our menu offers both innovative dishes and long-time local specialties. Love seafood? We have boiled Maine lobster with drawn butter, seafood stuffed haddock, or seafood chowder with fresh scallops, shrimp, and lobster. Looking for something else? How about wild mushroom pappardelle, eggplant napoleon, or a hand-cut Black Angus steak? We strive to serve sustainable, local foods whenever reasonably possible. Check our website for the schedule, and plan for a show in our Listening Room. We've brought top regional and national acts to the area, including comedy great Paula Poundstone, jazz legends Tuck & Patti, and folk favorites Jonathan Edwards and Aztec Two-Step.

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Discover the Secrets of an Estuary

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm at 342 Laudholm Farm Road in Wells is a National Estuarine Research Reserve. Vistors can walk seven miles of easy-to-moderate trails to experience the beauty of south coastal Maine. Trails are available year round for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. You can take a guided tour with a trained naturalist. You may kayak the quiet waters of the Reserve’s estuary while watching for wildlife. Discovery Program Trail Guides are self-paced trail guides paired with activity backpacks that hold everything you need for a half-day of investigation. Fun for kids age 6 to 12. Open daily Memorial Day to Columbus Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 207-646-1555

Farm Visits Are Fun

It can be fun to visit a working farm on your vacation, especially when the farm owners run a farm stand and are really revved up about good food and about describing their farming life to visitors. Frinklepod Farm at 244 Log Cabin Road in Arundel is a place of inspired farming. Frinklepod Farm was founded a decade ago to provide healthy food, preserve agricultural land, and help inspire a new generation of farmers. Travelers (and everyone) are welcome to shop at the farm stand, buy seedlings are garden products, and take a guided walk or a class on the farm. Some class titles are “East the Weeds” and “Put Plants on Your Plate.” The farm is open year-round. 207-289-5805

home and away gallery in kennebunkport ME

Beautiful Baskets Are a Sample of Maine Art

Home & Away Gallery at 26 Maine Street in Kennebunkport specializes in Inuit, Eskimo, and Native American arts and jewelry. The baskets, some made by people of Maine’s Wabanaki tribes, are stunning, and they make a wonderful memento of your visit to this seaside state. The Gallery also offer Native American beadwork and sculpture and jewelry, baskets, Zuni carvings, and more. The Gallery also hosts artist events and special exhibit. Open weekends, and other times by appointment or chance. 207-967-2122. [photo courtesy of Home & Away Gallery]

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge - Wells, ME - Photo Credit Debbie Lennon

Carson Name Still Defends the Earth

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, and fishing is permitted in several rivers and creeks. - Interactive Map

Here, Stonewall Means Tasty Eating

Maine’s Stonewall Kitchen is one of those up-with-the-bootstraps stories of a small group of friends that began producing jelly, jam, and specialty vinegars at home and then … boom. Stonewall Kitchen is now an empire of specialty foods. Its flagship story is located delightfully close to travelers: next to Route 1A at the York exit (exit 7) off of Interstate-95. Come and enjoy the beautiful presentation of preserved foods, condiments, sauces, pancakes mixes, and syrups. Also at the home store are cookbooks, cookware and all sorts of neat gifts for cooks in your life. Stonewall Kitchen Café, next door, offers tasty aid and comfort to travelers. 800-826-1752

State

Bar Harbor Acadia

Greater Portland

Northern Maine

Mid Coast

Western Lakes Mountains

Great Things To Do in Maine - South Coast Region