Are there two sweeter words in the English language to a kid than “field trip”? If you grew up in Maine, you were fortunate to have a ton of fun and educational places to visit on a rare break from the drudgery of the school day. And now that you’re all grown up, you may appreciate these 10 enlightening spots even more. Just watch out for all the kids flooding out of the school buses.
- Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay)
Destination_Partners / TripAdvisor As a kid you probably loved looking at the pretty flowers, but adults are better equipped to understand the scientific significance of this stunning collection of plant life.
- DEW Haven (Mount Vernon)
Snonut800 / TripAdvisor There are world-renowned zoos that don’t have the big cats DEW Haven does – in fact, they boast the biggest collection in New England, including one of the nation’s very few white tigers (but not the only one in Maine – more on that later).
- Maine Discovery Museum (Bangor)
Maine Discovery Museum / Facebook We don’t necessarily recommend visiting Maine’s largest children’s museum if you don’t have kids – that’s a little creepy – but if you do accompany the younger set, we’re pretty confident you’ll have just as much fun as they do.
- Maine Maritime Museum (Bath)
christine102262 / TripAdvisor The sea is a sacred place for Mainers, and at this popular attraction, rated the No. 1 thing to do in Bath by TripAdvisor, you’ll experience the state’s maritime heritage firsthand.
- Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum (Portland)
Harold R / TripAdvisor All aboard! Nothing makes you feel like a kid again like riding on an old-fashioned train – and as an adult, you’ll appreciate learning about the history of trains in the adjoining museum just as much.
- Maine State Aquarium (Boothbay Harbor)
colgatco / TripAdvisor This aquarium houses an impressive selection of marine life from the waters right outside the building, but our favorite part (and arguably the most Maine part) is the collection of colorful lobsters.
- Portland Museum of Art (Portland)
Portland Museum of Art / Facebook The premier art museum in Maine’s largest city was named one of the 25 best in America by the Huffington Post.
- Portland Observatory (Portland)
Bob A./TripAdvisor This National Historic Landmark not only offers the best views in Portland, it’s the only surviving tower of its type in the United States. When operational, it used a telescope and signal flags to communicate with incoming ships.
- Victoria Mansion (Portland)
Dennis T / TripAdvisor Dating all the way back to 1860, Victoria Mansion is a rare glimpse into how the other half lived in the 19th century. Inside, the rooms are furnished just as they were when the wealthy Morse and Libby families were in residence.
- York’s Wild Kingdom (York)
Luvs2TravelAnywhere / TripAdvisor Remember when we said DEW Haven had a rare white tiger? Yeah, York’s Wild Kingdom has that covered, too – plus rides, making this New England’s only combined zoo and amusement park.
Nostalgia for these attractions is a great sign that you grew up in Maine. Here are 12 others.
Destination_Partners / TripAdvisor
As a kid you probably loved looking at the pretty flowers, but adults are better equipped to understand the scientific significance of this stunning collection of plant life.
Snonut800 / TripAdvisor
There are world-renowned zoos that don’t have the big cats DEW Haven does – in fact, they boast the biggest collection in New England, including one of the nation’s very few white tigers (but not the only one in Maine – more on that later).
Maine Discovery Museum / Facebook
We don’t necessarily recommend visiting Maine’s largest children’s museum if you don’t have kids – that’s a little creepy – but if you do accompany the younger set, we’re pretty confident you’ll have just as much fun as they do.
christine102262 / TripAdvisor
The sea is a sacred place for Mainers, and at this popular attraction, rated the No. 1 thing to do in Bath by TripAdvisor, you’ll experience the state’s maritime heritage firsthand.
Harold R / TripAdvisor
All aboard! Nothing makes you feel like a kid again like riding on an old-fashioned train – and as an adult, you’ll appreciate learning about the history of trains in the adjoining museum just as much.
colgatco / TripAdvisor
This aquarium houses an impressive selection of marine life from the waters right outside the building, but our favorite part (and arguably the most Maine part) is the collection of colorful lobsters.
Portland Museum of Art / Facebook
The premier art museum in Maine’s largest city was named one of the 25 best in America by the Huffington Post.
Bob A./TripAdvisor
This National Historic Landmark not only offers the best views in Portland, it’s the only surviving tower of its type in the United States. When operational, it used a telescope and signal flags to communicate with incoming ships.
Dennis T / TripAdvisor
Dating all the way back to 1860, Victoria Mansion is a rare glimpse into how the other half lived in the 19th century. Inside, the rooms are furnished just as they were when the wealthy Morse and Libby families were in residence.
Luvs2TravelAnywhere / TripAdvisor
Remember when we said DEW Haven had a rare white tiger? Yeah, York’s Wild Kingdom has that covered, too – plus rides, making this New England’s only combined zoo and amusement park.
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