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Fall in Maine is one of the best spots in the US for autumn magic! Do you want to spend a cool autumn day hand-picking crisp, delicious apples in a picturesque apple orchard? Maine in the fall is the place for you.
Would you like to spend an afternoon—or perhaps a moonlit evening—exploring an award-winning corn maze that attracts thousands of visitors each season? Fall in Maine has that, too.
How about taking a hay ride out to pick the perfect pumpkin for your front step, before sampling freshly-made apple cider and cider donuts? This is absolutely something you can do during fall in Maine!
Oh, you’re looking for some spooky, Halloween fun? The home and inspiration of Stephen King, America’s favorite horror writer, Maine is 100% the place for that!
How about a fall festival that celebrates all things fall? How about doing it all with a backdrop of stunning fall foliage? Then yes, fall in Maine is the perfect place for autumn magic for you!
Fall in Maine: Where to Go & What to Do
Go Apple Picking
If you’re looking for things to do in September in Maine, apple picking is always wholesome fun! This is a great autumn activity whether you’re looking for a fun family day or a cute date with your significant other.
Located in Livermore, ME, and the very picture of autumn in Maine, Boothby’s Orchard and Winery is a great destination for apple-picking fall fun in Maine.
Not only can you pick-your-own apples and then sample Boothby’s selection of handcrafted fruit wines, but you can also opt to stay a little longer by renting out one of the vintage farmhouses they offer for overnight lodging. Take advantage of this opportunity to slow down, unwind, and relax in the beauty of Maine in fall.
While there are several fantastic apple orchards in Maine, Lakeside Orchards is one of the best places to go in Maine in September. This 200-acre farm in Manchester has been in the apple business for over 40 years and has created a delightful market for handcrafted goods made from farm-fresh ingredients, including baked treats, comforting soups, stews, burritos, and all kinds of other goodies!
With live music onsite regularly, Lakeside Orchards is a festive place to enjoy a fall weekend in Maine. Be sure to check their Facebook page for Lakeside Live Meadow Music updates to see who’s playing.
Get Lost in a Maine Corn Maze
What could possibly be a more quintessential New England fall activity than wandering around lost in a corn maze? There is no small number of Maine corn mazes to choose from in this area of the country, but the longest continually running corn maze in Maine absolutely must be on the list of corn mazes to visit.
Treworgy Family Orchards in Levant is one of those family farms that really does it up for all who decide to take on the challenge of their four-acre maze. Riddle stations are set up within the maze in keeping with each year’s theme, and anyone that completes the puzzle is treated to free ice cream at the end!
In addition to the corn maze and ice cream, this beautiful working farm also has a petting zoo and a café to explore while you’re there. Oh, and hayrides!
McDougal Orchards is another fall in Maine favorite when it comes to autumn activities! Located in Springvale, Maine, this family farm has carefully curated a wholesome, laid-back vibe for all who make the trip out to visit. The corn maze is about an acre, so it is a nice accessible option for those who might not be up for hours upon hours spent wandering lost amongst the stalks of corn.
In addition to the corn maze, McDougal Orchards offers miles of trails to explore this beautiful pocket of Southern Maine, wagon rides, a farm store, picnic areas, a fairy village, and their own culinary crown jewel, Captain Jack’s Donut Shack! The Donut Shack offers a unique selection of donuts and other tasty treats, like apple cider donuts, cider donut whoopie pies, and cider slushies.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Looking for a pumpkin in Maine? Options abound, with most pumpkin patches offering much more beyond just fantastic pumpkin selections.
Pumpkin Valley Farm in Dayton, ME is a prime example of the kind of pumpkin patch experience that make for great Maine in fall fun. Hayrides, a petting zoo, a giant jumping pillow, a corn pit, ball launchers, and a 5 acre corn maze are just a few of the reasons to choose Pumpkin Valley Farm for your fall fun pumpkin picking.
If you are looking for a pumpkin patch experience that’s a little more educational, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment in Freeport is a dynamic educational center that showcases and offers information about sustainable agricultural and environmental practices via fun demonstrations, workshops, and events.
Bicycling, kayaking, hiking, and shopping at the farm store are available all year round, but Wolfe’s Neck Center really kicks it into overdrive with their Fall on the Farm lineup. Take a hayride out to the pumpkin patch and catch one of their many fall events, depending on when you choose to visit.
Have Spooky Fall Fun
If you’d like to get up close and personal to the area of the country that has grown and nurtured the mind of one of the most prolific horror writers in the US, then SK Tours in Bangor has to be included in things to do for spooky, Halloween fun in Maine!
You can also follow this self-guided Stephen King’s Maine tour.
Another tour group with a stellar reputation for delivering on spooky and stimulating Halloween fun is the American Ghost Walks group. These awesome walking tours can be found in Boothbay Harbor, Camden, and Bar Harbor.
In fact, some of the best ghost tours in New England are in Maine!
For those looking for a little more hands-on and immersive haunted Halloween fun, here is a list of Maine’s haunted locations.
Go to the Best Maine Fall Festivals
Come autumn, there is one thing that you will be able to find plenty of in Maine: Fall festivals! In fact, there are so many fall festivals in Maine that your biggest concern may be deciding which one you will check out during your fall visit to Maine.
One of the most popular Maine fall festivals is the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest and Regatta, a 10-day celebration of all things pumpkin-related. Pumpkin-centered festivities include painted pumpkin contests, pumpkin dessert contests, pumpkin eating contests, a pumpkin derby, and their signature event, the Pumpkinboat Regatta.
Participants race 400-700lb hollowed-out pumpkins fitted with motors across the Damariscotta Harbor. It’s no wonder this quirky fall festival has been voted “Best Fall Festival in Maine” by Travel and Leisure.
Another great choice for Maine fall festivals is Acadia’s Oktoberfest Beer, Food, Music, and Crafts Festival. There is a home-brewers competition, music and entertainment, local vendors showcasing their crafts, and fun events such as “Stein Hoisting” and “Keg Tossing.”
The fall festivities happen at Smuggler’s Den Campground in beautiful Acadia National Park, so this Maine fall fest is perfectly situated for all kinds of Acadia fun.
For a great Maine fall celebration, Freeport Fall Festival is the place to go! It’s three days of live music, art showcases, and handcrafted goods that takes place at the L.L. Bean campus in picturesque Freeport.
With quintessential Maine activities like the “Chowdah Challenge,” Freeport Fall Festival offers a taste of small-town Maine fall festival fun.
There are lots of great fall festivals in Maine that make the perfect spot for a day of family friendly fun, so just check to see what’s on the calendar for the area you’re planning to visit!
See Maine Fall Foliage
September through late October, Maine experiences a magical makeover, courtesy of Mother Nature, as the landscape blazes with burnt oranges, golden yellows, and deep crimson reds.
The Maine fall foliage colors begin at the northern tip of the state, typically around the third week of September, fall foliage in Maine transforming the landscape into a picturesque autumn scene.
Planning a mid October fall in Maine trip is typically a pretty safe bet if you’re aiming for stunning views of autumn color.
Hiking in Maine is an excellent way to see Maine fall colors. Whether you’re hiking to a waterfall or through Acadia National Park, you’ll find that Maine fall foliage makes the scenery even more gorgeous.
Camping is a great fall in Maine activity for leaf peepers, too! Moosehead Lake and Baxter State Park are especially scenic places during fall in Maine. Fall foliage reflected in the lake and views of mighty Mount Katahdin are impressive!
Taking a scenic fall foliage drive is always a great way to appreciate fall colors in Maine, too! A particularly scenic fall foliage drive in Maine is Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway, taking you 35 miles through central-western Maine along lakes, mountains, and a series of charming New England villages.
The Maine Office of Tourism offers this toll-free number to get real-time info on where fall color in Maine is found from mid-September to Columbus Day: 1 888 624 6345
See also: our collection of New England Fall Road Trip Ideas
There is much to see and do in Maine at all times of the year, but fall in Maine is an especially fun time to visit this gorgeous state.
Not only will the scenery never disappoint when accompanied by Maine fall foliage, but Maine fall activities like apple picking, pumpkin patching, corn mazing, and ghost touring can’t be beat!
PS if you’re looking for things to do in Maine this weekend or what to do in Maine today, be sure to check out this events calendar to find the best Maine fall activities to do during your visit!
Read these next:
- Fall in Massachusetts: 12 Must-Visit Destinations & Fall Fun Ideas
- 16 Enchanting New England Fall Foliage Destinations
- The Best New England Fall Foliage Tours Worth Your Money
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