Growing up in Maine I was able to see how beautiful of a state it is. I was able to explore the various waterfalls, the old forts and just the iconic coastline scenery Maine has to offer. If you are visiting Maine or ever want to visit Maine here are a few places that I have found to be amazing and wonderful.

1. DEW Haven

Photo found on DEW Haven Official Facebook

These small animal sanctuary located in Mt. Vernon is a great place to visit. Bob and Julie Miner are incredibly friendly and caring people. At the sanctuary you can see many animals that have been rescued from zoos that have closed, from owners who didn’t obtain proper licensing or who were abusive and from zoos that have violated policies and been forced to close their doors. When you first drive into the park you may witness chickens, ducks or peacocks strutting around the parking lot. You can experience the beauty of many big cats (tigers, lions, mountain lions, black panthers etc). You can fall in love with the fallow deer who eat feed from your hand. You can laugh as the black bears gobble up the feed you toss down their tiny food chutes.

Admission to this sanctuary is $15 per adult, $10 for children 4-12 and seniors 65+, anyone under 3 gets in for free. The sanctuary is open 10am-5pmTuesday through Sunday until September 6^th where the hours turn to only Saturday and Sundays 10am to 5pm. The park is closed for the season October 13.

2. Maine Wildlife Park

Photo found on Maine Wildlife Park Official Facebook

While on the topic of animal parks, another place I want to suggest in the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray. This park features animals that are native inhabitants to Maine. This wildlife park is home to animals that are in need of rehabilitation or of a safe place to live. Here visitors are able to see white-tail deer, many of the birds of prey native to the state, mountain lions, skunks, raccoons and even be able to see their first moose up close!

Admission to this park is $7.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors(60+) and children (4-12) and anyone under four gets in for free! The sanctuary is open 9:30 to 4:30 daily, but guests may stay in the park until 6pm to be able to see everything there is. This wildlife park does not accept credit or debit cards so be ready to have cash on hand for your ticket and for anything you may want to buy in their gift shop.

3. Old Port

The Old Port is a area in Portland that comes alive at night. It stretches along Commercial Street and several of the sides streets that connect to it. The Old Port is home to a wide variety of bars, clubs, restaurants and businesses to explore. The streets are often filled with people who are out on a Friday or Saturday night looking to have a good time. Be prepared to have to search for parking though as it can be hard to come by. There are several parking lots or parking garages that are available to park in. However, most of these will cost money to park in for the night. Some places to visit are Portland Pie Company, Gritty’s and Dry Dock.

While the Old Port is always open for business, it really shines in the evening hours.

4. Fort Williams Park and Portland Head Light

Fort Williams Park is located in Cape Elizabeth. Fort Williams Park is home to Portland Head Light. This lighthouse is beautiful and it stands tall. The coastline along the park features waves crashing into rocks and often times sea birds swimming along looking for food. This is the perfect place to bring anyone who is looking for amazing scenery. The best part is that dogs are welcome here. There is a leash law in effect in the park, but many people will let their dogs off leash to play a few rounds of catch and to get a little bit of exercise. Visitors should also be sure to explore the remnants of the fort that once stood on the grounds.

Entrance to the park is free! The hours to the park are from dawn to dusk.

5. Ferry Beach

Ferry Beach is a small beach located down the road from the better known Old Orchard Beach in the town of Saco. This beach is often less crowded due to the popularity of the beach just miles up shore from it. The parking is based on how many hours you plan to spend there. The sand is plentiful for anyone who may want to build a castle. There is a small set of tide pools to look for crabs in. The last time I visited I was able to find a small starfish. I made sure to return it to its home after examining it.

6. Smalls Falls

Smalls Falls is a small waterfall in Rangeley. There is a short hiking trail that leads up the waterfall. The best part is that if the hike gets visitors sweaty and in need of a cool down the location is a great place to slide into the cool water. There is even the opportunity to jump from a ledge into the water below for those are daring enough to do so.

Some other waterfalls to visit in Maine include:
Moxie Falls in West Forks. This waterfall is the tallest one in Maine!
Screw Auger Falls in Grafton Township
Poplar Stream Falls in Carrabassett Valley.

7. West Forks Plantation

While visiting Moxie Falls in West Forks, visitors should take the opportunity to explore the area. West Forks Plantation is home to many of Maine’s whitewater rafting companies for the Kennebec River. Though whitewater rafting can be expensive it's a great experience. Personally I always go with Magic Falls Rafting Company due to the quirkiness of the owners and of the staff they train to take visitors down the river.

This is also a great location for a winter visit! There is a small turnoff in the town where people will park and unload snowmobiles to take on the trails. Many of the trails will lead all the way up to Jackman and even over the Canadian border!

8. Fort Knox State Park and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory

Fort Knox State Park the Penobscot Narrows Observatory is located in Prospect along the Penobscot River. Fort Knox is a beautiful, old fort that is open to the public for exploration. It is also said to be one of the most haunted places in Maine for anyone who is interested in ghost stories! Just up the road from Fort Knox is the Penobscot Narrows Observatory. The Observatory sits up on top of one of the towers of the suspension bridge that crosses the Penobscot River. Guests are able to take an elevator up to the top of the tower and look out over the river and over the fort. During Halloween, Fort Knox is turned into a haunted house for people to go through. With the ghost stories tied to the fort it makes it a haunting experience to go through it at night especially with people jumping out at you from all directions!

Admission to the Fort can be found on their website! http://fortknox.maineguide.com/Feesandhours.html

9. The Maine Diner

Photo found on Maine Diner Official Facebook

The Maine Diner is a small restaurant located on Route 1 in Wells. This restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes such as homemade chicken pot pie, baked mac and cheese, pulled pork and buffalo chicken fingers! The restaurant was featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" with Guy Fieri. It received great praise from the chef and is now one of the best restaurants in Maine. The restaurant is always busy so visitors should plan ahead before going over. There is also a small gift shop located on the property for buying souvenirs and small trinkets to remind guests of their visit.

10. Maine State Aquarium

The Maine State Aquarium is a small research-based aquarium in Boothbay Harbor. Here guests can view a variety of different sea creatures. The main attraction in the aquarium is a large touch pool where guests can touch starfish, sea anemone, scallops and on small occasions even small sharks! This aquarium is run by the State of Maine Department of Marine Resources. There is no guarantee of what sea critters will be available for viewing when visitors go in as it often depends on specimen availability. Those interested in visiting can learn more about the aquarium at:http://maine.gov/dmr/education/aquarium/visitors.html