Adventure

Northern Outdoors has been running whitewater trips out of The Forks for 50 years, with a second base — Katahdin Adventure Base Camp — near Millinocket. The Forks property sits at the center of Maine's 14,000-mile snowmobile trail network, with access to Coburn Mountain, Grand Falls, and Moxie Falls close by.Rafting trips cover three rivers: the Kennebec (Class II-IV), the Dead River (Class II-IV+), and the Penobscot (Class V). Outside of rafting season, the outfitter runs ATV and UTV rentals and trail riding, snowmobile rentals and tours, guided fly-fishing and bass fishing, guided whitetail deer hunts, hiking, and scenic floatplane tours.Lodging ranges from riverside campground sites and camping cabins to multi-bedroom cabins, lodge rooms, and logdominiums, and the on-site Kennebec River Brewery runs a full-service restaurant and brewpub for after the trip.

Pleasant Mountain is a ski area on Mountain Road in Bridgton, running for 86 years now. The mountain has 44 trails and glades served by six lifts, including the recently added Summit Express, which opened to the public in December 2024.Twenty of those trails stay lit for night skiing, and the mountain runs the usual mix of season passes, ticket packs, daily lift tickets, rentals, and lessons for people learning the sport. Mountaintop lobster bake events show up on the calendar as well, pairing dinner with the view.

Operates public sails and private charters on Casco Bay aboard a fleet of historic wooden schooners, several listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Maine Maritime Museum sits in Bath, on the site of the historic Percy & Small Shipyard, the museum's home base for telling the story of Maine shipbuilding.Guided shipyard tours run twice daily in season, and the Donnell House, an intact Victorian shipbuilder's home, has its own docent-led tours. The Watercraft Restoration Center lets visitors watch staff and volunteers work on real vessels, and seasonal demonstrations at the working blacksmith shop and periodic ship launchings add to the hands-on side of the museum. Cruises aboard the Merrymeeting run from the museum's own dock.Rotating exhibitions — recent ones have covered Maine coastal painting and illustrator Chris Van Dusen — plus weaving workshops and story time round out a visit for families and repeat visitors alike.

Portland Discovery has been running trolley and boat tours from 170 Commercial Street since 1995, covering the city and harbor by land and water. The Portland City and Lighthouse Tour spends an hour and 45 minutes covering downtown and the coast, with a 30-minute stop at Portland Head Light.On the water, the Harbor Lights and Sights Cruise and the Sunset Lighthouse Cruise each run about the same length, and the newer Guardians of the Harbor trolley tour stretches to two and a half hours with stops at three lighthouses. Every tour is narrated, and combo packages pair the land and sea routes for one longer outing.The season runs roughly April through October, with group, private charter, and wedding bookings available alongside the regular scheduled departures.

Portland Paddle launches from East End Beach on Cutter Street, running sea kayak and stand-up paddleboard trips out onto Casco Bay from mid-May through mid-October. The Fort Gorges Sea Kayak Tour runs three hours out to the fort sitting in the harbor, alongside shorter sunset and family tours and a half-day trip for people who want more time on the water.For paddlers ready to go further, multi-day expeditions run the Casco Bay Traverse and a four-day Penobscot-to-Acadia route along the Maine Island Trail. The outfitter also teaches, with weekend workshops on sea kayaking basics and Greenland-style rolling, private lessons, and a kids' paddle camp.Kayaks and SUPs are available to rent by the day or longer, with delivery options for multi-day trips.