The best time to visit Maine will depend on what you love doing and the purpose of your visit. For instance, you can travel to the mountains during winter if you want to ski, but you’ll need to travel during spring, summer, or fall for hikes.
For coast lovers, summer will be the best time to visit small towns if you won’t mind the hordes of people and higher prices on everything. Additionally, all restaurants and attractions will be open. The time between fall and winter may also be the best time to visit Maine, thanks to its 40 degrees and 50 degrees temperature.
This article will discuss how things get each season to give you a clear picture of what to expect and when to find the best time to visit Maine.
Winter
Winter may be the best season to visit Maine if you enjoy the cold weather sports as their annual snowfall ranges between 50-70 inches along its coast, and 60-110 inches inland. Maine also boasts world-class ski resorts with skiing and snowboarding on the mountains.
You can also snowshoe and hike out in the woods. All resorts provide snowmobiling with more than 14000 trails groomed to offer you uninterrupted rides. And, for unforgettable thrills, you can enjoy dog sledding tours throughout the state.
Maine holds winter festivals that are guaranteed to get you into the Christmas spirit. You can enjoy all these during the suitable months of winter as long as you’re well-prepared. For instance, you may catch some snow on the mountain in December, even though it can be a hit or miss.
But, prepare to experience a lot of snow in January and February, together with bitter colds. During these months, you can get a lot of opportunities to go out with winter stillness. However, March in Maine is cold, wet, and windy, making it the worst visit. Depending on when you visit in March and what state you visit, you may still enjoy it.
Spring
You may also travel during this season as the warm weather (albeit still cold) begins. This underrated season isn’t as crowded as summer, and you get to enjoy your vacation without inflated prices and overcrowded spaces.
You can choose to visit Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, which is a historic landmark. You may also explore The Fishermen’s Museum, the Pemaquid Art Gallery, and the learning center with only three dollars for tickets.
The Coastal Maine Botanical gardens also have over 50,000 spring-blooming buds with various flowers and plants. Also, unlike in winter, spring offers you a chance to hike and explore Camden Hills State Park that has resorts that don’t go into hibernation.
Furthermore, you’ll enjoy the strawberry season in late June, but you should also be prepared to face black flies and June bugs.
Summer
July and August usher in summer, which is an excellent season for shortbread and wild blueberry. Summers in Maine are warm and mild without humidity, making them perfect for outdoor activities, such as swimming, water skiing, camping, hiking, biking, sailing, kayaking, or rafting.
However, the downside of visiting Maine in summer is the crowded places and bugs that are a nuisance. And, if you travel in July, you’ll experience hot, humid, and chilly weather; thus, it’s advisable to carry a sweatshirt with you.
Every summer, you can participate in the Yarmouth Clam Festival where you’ll enjoy a parade, music, as well as arts and crafts. You can also indulge in pie-eating and clam shucking contests, amongst other interesting events.
The food being served includes clam, lobster rolls, pancake breakfasts, shore dinners, homemade pies, and strawberry shortcakes.
August tends to be warm and not as humid or rainy as July, but it’s also peak season. This month brings with it expensive rates and booked-out accommodations. In August, you’ll also enjoy the wild blueberry season that’s eaten with abandon.
Get into the festive spirit through the Maine Lobster Festival that runs for five days, from Wednesday to Sunday. Here, you’ll get to enjoy fresh lobster, carnival rides, and cooking contests. From August 19-21, you can enjoy Machia’s Wild Blueberry Festival.
Fall
A fantastic time to take a leisurely drive and enjoy scenic byways and outdoor activities is during fall. If you choose to go to Maine in this season, make your living arrangements as seasonal businesses will start closing in anticipation of winter.
The month of September has warm weather that lingers without summer’s humidity. The air will progressively get crisp and chilly, with apples in season. You can enjoy a fantastic aviation event known as the Seaplane Fly-In, which aims to have more aviation enthusiasts pursue their passion.
You can indulge in the Acadia Night Sky Festival if you want to experience the clear and bright night sky. Head on to Unity and enjoy the Ground County Fair that offers plenty of fun through exciting activities.
As for October, some places reach peak color, especially those with higher elevations. You can enjoy the Harvest of Harbor, Maines’ yearly food and drink festival. This festival brings food enthusiasts, tourists, and explorers great food, beer, and wine, among others. You’ll also enjoy live entertainment as award-winning chefs develop culinary creations
It’s important to note that November is an odd month to visit, just like April, between winter and fall.
Bottom Line
Maine is a fantastic destination for a vacation based on the type of activity you want to do. Before traveling to Maine, research whether all restaurants and attractions will be open for business.
If you love snow activities, the winter season will be perfect for you to explore. You can enjoy skiing, snowmobiling, and snowboarding in the 14,000 trails groomed to offer uninterrupted rides.
The spring season is underrated; you can visit the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, The Fishermen’s Museum, the Pemaquid Art Gallery, and learning centers. Summers happen in July and August with warm and mild weather. You can go kayaking, hiking, sailing, rafting, swimming, and water skiing during this time. It may be the right time to visit Maine during summer, but be prepared to see huge crowds and inflated prices.
Fall may be the perfect time to visit Maine as it’s scenic, with lots of colors. During this time, you’ll be able to enjoy festivals such as Acadia Night Sky and Seaplanes Fly-In.
