You don’t need to spend lots of money to have fun in Maine. Many outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, sledding, and ice skating are often free in Maine. If you’re looking for some top-notch entertainment, Maine has you covered. From free outdoor movies to festivals to free wine at various art galleries, you’ll definitely find something fun to do for free in Maine.
Every summer from July to September, L.L. Bean hosts free concerts at Discovery Park on their L.L. Bean campus in Freeport. Bring your chair or blanket and catch a performance from musicians like Frankie Ballard, Grace Potter, and Ben Rector.
On the first Friday of every month in Portland, the numerous art galleries and museums stay open until 8 p.m. for those to enjoy for free. Many galleries offer up free wine and snacks and you’ll see lots of street artists and performers, especially during the warmer months.
Open Tuesday through Saturday, the Colby College Museum of Art is open and free to the public. The museum collection is home to more than 9,000 piece of art of various media with key pieces from Winslow Homer, Robert Henri, and John Singleton Copley. The Art museum recently received another huge donation from the Lunder family that includes works from Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt, and Cassatt.
Love listening to stories or poems? Head to LFK in Portland on the first Monday of every month for the monthly reading series that features local storytellers, writers, and poets who want to share their work with others. Grab a cocktail and listen to awesome readings beginning at 9 p.m.
Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth is home to Maine’s most photographed lighthouse, Portland Headlight. Explore the ruins of the former fort or play a game of pick-up soccer with your friends. Don’t forget to pack a picnic and enjoy the seaside views.
Maine has thousands of miles of coastline but none so famous as Old Orchard Beach. Spend the day sunbathing and splashing around in the water and the evening people watching on the Pier.
Located behind the high school, Libby Hill Trails is a great place to strap on your cross-country skis and break a sweat. With eight miles of groomed trails, Libby Hill Trails is great for beginners and experts alike.
Grafton Notch State Park is home to numerous hiking trails in western Maine. Old Speck Mountain is one of the most popular hikes in the area as it is Maine’s third tallest mountain at 4,180 feet.
You don’t want to miss northern Maine’s premier event in July! The Maine Potato Blossom Festival offers nine days of nonstop fun for the whole family. With more than 100 events, performances, and activities, you’ll leave happy and tired.
Saco River in Fryeburg, Maine, is one of the most popular rivers in Maine to tube or canoe. Every summer, thousands of people young and old grab their favorite inner tubes of Old Town canoes and spend a hot summer afternoon floating down this lazy river.
Enjoy the coastal beauty of Acadia National Park during National Park Week for free. Acadia National Park’s icons, like Cadillac Mountain and Thunder Hole, require an admission fee, but during National Park Week and select national holidays, you can enjoy the park for free.
This informal run group for all abilities meets weekly year-round for a run through downtown Portland before ending at one of the many pubs in town. Runs average between three and five miles, but you can run what you want and then join the group at the end for a beer.
