We've been to Bangor two or three times over the years, it's such a quaint town. On our visits we…read morealso stopped here. Even though he's not lived him this house for several years, it's still something fun to do. I mean what's a trip to Bangor without swinging by for pics? The house is actually now used as a retreat for writers. There is a second large house on the property as well (white one). The architecture on both houses is gothic meets Victorian meets Maine. Well-maintained property; the grounds and home exteriors are in top condition. I can only imagine what the inside looks like. Many folks make the pilgrimage to Bangor because of Stephen and his relationship with the town. Our visits were for that very reason. This stop is definitely a must for any fan of his work.

Nice little diversion drive by or park and take a selfie spot for Stephen King fans. Someone had…read moreeven tied a singular red ballon to the gate when we stopped.

We just drove by. A fun sight in Bangor but parking can be challenging since he faces a busy street.read more

I knew there was a giant Paul Bunyan statue in Bangor. I had no intention of making a special…read moretrip, but it turned it was a mile away from where we had lunch and it was generally in the direction we were traveling. If you find yourself in that situation, you may get 4 Star enjoyment out of looking at the Paul Bunyan statue. I'm no PB expert, but it seems consistent with images I've seen. Based upon quick internet research, it seems to be tied with Portland, OR for the second tallest PB statue in the US. The tallest is 49 feet and is in Klamath, CA. I've got to downgrade one star for the absence of Babe the Ox.

A lovely little park dedicated to my favorite historical figure of all time. If you don't know…read moreanything about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Google his name and the Battle of Little Round Top. From the park you get a nice view across the river to Banfgor. Another fun fact about this site, Stephen King helped pay for it!

Stunning engineering, pleasant patrons, warm welcomes, and history galore. Highly recommend! Will…read morebe back!

Not to be confused with the Fort Knox that holds the gold. This was a cool side trip…read more Located on the west bank of the Penobscot River in Prospect, Maine, in an area known as the Penobscot Narrows. Fort Knox is one of the best-preserved military fortifications on the New England seacoast. The fort has many unique architectural features and a rich history behind its walls. It is America's first fort named after Major General Henry Knox. ​ During the country's infancy, Maine was repeatedly involved in northeast border disputes with British Canada. In fact, the area between Castine and the rich lumber city of Bangor was invaded and occupied by the British during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Fort Knox was established in 1844 to protect the Penobscot River Valley against a possible future British naval incursion. It was designed by Chief Engineer Joseph Totten, with a number of other engineers serving as superintendents of construction from 1844 - 1869, among them Isaac Ingalls Stevens and Thomas L. Casey. The fort was named for Major General Henry Knox, America's first Secretary of War, who was born in Boston but retired to Thomaston, Maine, in 1796. The fort garrisoned its first troops from 1863 to 1866. These troops were mostly volunteers undergoing training before being sent to their active posts and included members of the celebrated 20th Maine. Troops were briefly stationed at the fort during the Spanish-American war in 1898 but never saw military action. If you're in the area and enjoy history, especially military history it's worth your time to tour.

Drive out of your way to come here!! It will be a highlight of your visit to Maine. Amazing bog…read morewalk! I was stopping constantly and commenting out loud, "oh wow," or "oh my god." It's accessible for all, too! Just stunning.

I flew to Bangor a few weeks ago and met up with a friend from the internet: a kindly math teacher…read moreI've been playing in a niche word game called Letterpress since 2018. We'd gotten to know each other through the game, and he'd told me to let him know if I was ever in Maine. He ended up picking me up from the airport and taking me to a bog. I'm a writer, and I was in Stephen King country for a panel about the work of Stephen King. I couldn't help but notice that this was a great set-up for a Stephen King novel. Thankfully, my friend was who he said he was, and our bog adventure was on the Orono Bog Boardwalk. This was an incredible treat, one I doubt I would've found without some local guidance. The boardwalk is mostly in Orono, but it's accessible through the Bangor City Forest, which is itself a remarkable landmark. I'd never been to Maine before--or, as far as I'm aware, any kind of bog--and the scenic beauty took my breath away. The boardwalk ran right over the peat bog in a flat, easy one-mile loop. I'm in terrible shape, and I felt like I could walk around three times. The sights were astonishing, so much sky and greenery. The bog was less, well, boggy than expected. It was dense with vegetation rising up to meet the boardwalk, so it felt like we were floating across the top of a forest. Between the views and the clean, crisp October air, this was a heavenly excursion for a West Coast city troll like me. If we had an Orono Bog Boardwalk where I live, it would be clogged to capacity every day of the year. On a Tuesday morning in Maine, it was calm and quiet. We ran across maybe a dozen other people making their way around the loop. So not only did I not get murdered, I made a new friend and enjoyed a truly extraordinary morning walk. There may be bodies in that gorgeous Orono Bog, but none of them are mine.

Dislocated Point…read more Established in 1836 and then rebuilt in 1857, this lighthouse was erected to aid vessels heading into the Port of Bangor and was the first river light in Maine. The Good: *Located inside 120-acre Fort Point State Park with lots of trails and a beach. *Listed in the National Register of Historic Places The Meh: *Not the most impressive lighthouse (only 2.5 stories tall [31ft]) I've seen, but it scratched an itch. *$4/per entrance fee person The Ugly: *Currently a private residence, so obviously no tours or even walking up to the lighthouse. Conclusion: Nice lighthouse in a swell park, but there's probably no need to go out of one's way to reconnoiter it.

Short detour from route Route 1 and worth it! Scenic views of the water, get up close to a…read morelighthouse (built in 1857), and see a fog bell tower (built in 1890). Entry & Admission: There are two parallel roads that both go to the lighthouse and park. One has the state park entrance sign, and a larger parking lot. The other has a very small parking lot but is closest to the lighthouse. We went to the later and there's an admission (cash). $4/adult for out of state residents, $1 for seniors and kids 5-11, under 5 are free. For Maine residents it's a dollar cheaper. There are also bathrooms at this entrance. What to see: Walk around the lighthouse, visit the bell tower, and checkout the fort. You cannot go into the lighthouse or the house, as these are private residences. What to bring: you could bike or picnic here too. Great stop to rest while traveling route 1!

This place is waiting for you. A little bit of history along with the simple beauty of a lighthouse…read moreon a cliff surrounded by trees, the waves lapping the coastline, various trails made spongy-feeling by the dense foliage long since released from its branches leading down to the shore, benches under a thick pine awning, amazing water views ... wow. Come during their hours of operation and get a tour of the lighthouse and the Burnt Coat Museum. Learn some island history from the kind folks who manage the lighthouse. If you have a special event and are looking for a place to host it, you are able to rent the Burnt Coat Harbor House next to the lighthouse. This is my third trip, and although they closed 30-minutes prior to my arrival, Kimberly, as she was exiting the building, stopped to talk with me and answer a few questions. I learned that Harbor Island (the big island straight across from the lighthouse) is owned by four families, has a wharf, electricity and they allow visitors to dock and hike around the island. If you're feeling *really* adventurous (and have a boat) you can take advantage of that opportunity as well.

beautiful to catch a sunset here. the lighthouse is so cool to checkout. i remember seeing a…read morebutterfly around here. highly recommend

Do you like helicopters and airplanes (large and small)? Do…read moreyou like history? Do you like meeting great people? Do you like driving? The Crate Museum is off the beaten path (almost in Bangor, ME), but is an absolutely grassroots-created museum and well maintained by people (Ross family) who honestly wish to share Charles Lindbergh's realized dream of flying solo across the Atlantic in 1927 with anyone and everyone with a dream. The museum itself IS the crate in which the plane fuselage was shipped back to the states from Europe. It includes a collection of the history behind the flight and the delivery of the crate to the Ross residence. Outside the crate are inspirational quotes posted onto the trees, a beautiful view toward the southeast, a motivational carrot ... and the fresh Maine air and woods. The museum can be visited at any time, but the best way to experience the museum is by attending CRATE DAY (early June, call for exact dates and times), which most recently was today. WHAT IS CRATE DAY Crate Day is a small, but nationally recognized "Fly-Over" event where military planes and helicopters fly over, but the helicopters stick around. There is a maze, an amazing flag demonstration, a fire truck, a state trooper, old cars, hot rods, [bring cold water and lunch!] Other "presentation" people are invited to share their hobbies (illustration, stone carving, metal art, model airplanes/helicopters, Engineers without Borders) with the crowd of maybe 200 people. WHY This day highlights the Ross family who honestly want people, especially youngsters (elementary school), to realize that they have the ability to achieve anything they believe they can do. It just takes a little encouragement, a little motivation (perhaps by carrot). BETTER THAN YOU'D EXPECT Man, and it is spectacular! Mostly locals attend, but the effort put into the day has clearly made its mark -- + by the helicopter landing pad that was recently built to allow a second helicopter to stick around, + by US soldiers who fly for 6 hours from VIRGINIA to MAINE on a historic Chinook helicopter, + by the "Spirit of Canaan", the little plane RIDE on a zip line (so fun) and of course + by the genuine excitement felt by everyone there The highlight for me was all the learning I did today. I learned that those military helicopters are difficult to sit in (I hit my head on every surface trying to squeeze in), that being 15 ft in the air inside a thin wooden box of a "plane" is scary, that model helicopters cost an arm and a leg but they rock, and that the kids actually take something positive away from this great event (1 young guy who had come to Crate Day 5 years ago decided to come back just to let Larry Ross know that the day made an impact on him and he'll never forget it). Wow. Though it might take eight years to make it up to Canaan ME for Crate Day, you'll be glad you did.

Located inside Acadia National Park. It has a parking lot across the street for you to park and…read morewalk over. I liked that there are steps at various levels, so you can get a range of different views of the rocks and water. Plus it's a great place to get your steps in (if thats important to ya). I really enjoyed this spot on our way out leaving the park. Beautiful scenery to enjoy nature. One could spend a few minutes here or a couple of hours here taking it all in. It was not high or low tide, so I did not get to here the "thunder" but still really cool to look at. According to the internet: "Thunder Hole is a popular inlet known for the loud thunder like boom and spray created when the waves crash into a narrow sea cave. The sound and spray are most dramatic 1 to 2 hours before high tide, but it also interesting at low tide for a closer look at the cliffs." While it was cloudy and chilly on my visit, I still had a great time with my group. Enjoy!

This may have been our favorite place to visit in Bar Harbor. Loved exploring the rocks, the sounds…read moreof the waves, and the scenic view. Hike wasn't bad, was able to park along the road and walk along the way on a paved pathway. On a beautiful sunny summer day, the sound of the waves and smell of the salty ocean was perfect.