Drive one of Maine's most spectacular scenic routes for an unforgettable view of the state's legendary fall foliage. Follow this driving tour from Portland to Maine's Rangeley Lakes Region. Enjoy sparkling lakes framed in fall splendor, mountain vistas, rivers edged with the reds and golds of autumn, covered bridges and more.
Georgetown Island
Stick to Route 1, and you'll miss some of Maine's most spectacular
scenery, finest restaurants and most authentic fishing villages. Just
10 minutes off Route 1 near Bath, the island of Georgetown has all of
this and more. See it in its autumn finery, set against the blue waters of ocean and rivers. Its one of the best places to see fall foliage in Midcoast Maine.
Wiscasset to Thomaston
This driving tour from "Maine's Prettiest Village" to dramatic
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, the quaint fishing village of Friendship and the stately town of Thomaston will dazzle you with fall color.
L.L.
Bean/Freeport Outlets
With dozens of big-name factory outlets, boutiques, bed and breakfast inns and restaurants, Freeport is a shopper's paradise. Best
known for L.L. Bean, the leader in outdoor clothing and equipment, this quaint coastal Maine town also boasts outlets for many of the name-brand stores where America loves to shop, as well as wonderful places to enjoy the crisp fall weather and changing fall foliage.
Freeport is a quick, 20-minute drive up Interstate-95 from Portland, but to get the best look at the foliage, try this route instead.
Other nearby attractions worth visiting include Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park, with easy wooded hiking trails along Casco Bay and the Harraseeket River; Bradbury Mountain State Park, where a short, 1/4-mile hike to the summit will reward you with spectacular views of the surrounding fall foliage and of Casco Bay and the White Mountains; and the Desert of Maine, a natural phenomenon of giant sand dunes, open through mid-October.
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village
Step back in time at the last surviving active Shaker community in
the world, where six of the 18 structures are open to the public through mid-October. Located at the edge of beautiful Sabbathday Lake, only 25
miles from Portland, this oasis of simple living feels like a world
away. Take a guided tour, visit the museum, browse in the library, or stop by the Shaker store. Return to Portland
via the back roads, and enjoy the fall foliage.
Antiquing in Maine
Maine is one of the best places in the country for antique
shopping. Nearly every back road has one or more antique shops tucked
away in old barns and farmhouses, so you're likely to find a number of
them on any fall foliage drive.
Particularly noteworthy in southern Maine is Wells, a town filled with antique shops, flea markets and rare book dealers. Reed's Antiques and Collectibles in Wells is a multi-dealer shop that carries a wide variety of antiques and collectibles. You'll find dozens of others as you travel down Route 1 from Portland to Kittery, including Centervale Farm Antiques in Scarborough--Maine's largest single-owner antique shop--and Antiques USA on Route 1 in Arundel.
For scenic views of quaint coastal towns, take Route 1A at Cape Neddick through the towns of York Beach, York Village and York Harbor. In Kittery, you can look for antique shops or visit some of the many outlet stores. And for a somewhat different type of antique, visit the Wells Auto Museum, New England's largest display of "brass era" antique cars.
